MagnificoEscaparium - LavalEscape roomIRLIt is not hype to say this is the new #1 escape game in the world. The talented team at Escaparium has created something really special--it's a puzzle game, an immersive experience, and a show that is both intimate and larger than life. It's hard to describe (without spoilers) the many ways this is an exceptional game. When we reached the end, and the credits rolled (a nice touch), we just stood there in awe, not believing the scale, emotion, and grandeur of what we had just experienced. Escaparium Laval should be considered the top destination for any serious escape room enthusiast. In one place you can play TERPECA's best The Forgotten Cathedral, Wardrobe for Sale, Voodoo Queen, Rain Corp and the latest addition, Magnifico's Circus, too. Book your tickets now!
La Cathédrale Oubliée [The Forgotten Cathedral]Escaparium - LavalEscape roomIRLOMG! Escaparium has outdone themselves on this one. Equal to the best games in Europe, on par with Molly’s Game and Non-Believers. Definitely a must travel to play!
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz13th Hour Escape Room - WhartonEscape roomIRLThis Oz game is Wonderful! A must play for fans of the movie or the books, immersive scenery, or if you are just looking for something unique. The game is a delightful trip into the world of Oz as experienced by Dorothy. Puzzling is light, so very kid friendly or good for beginners. Our team of experienced players also enjoyed it and left with smiles on our faces. While not horror themed like most of the games at 13th Hour, we could feel their design influence in the mechanics. Overall, would vote this a must play. Play this game, and tell them you found it in Morty!
Irvine School of Wizardry and the Goblin's SecretsHidden DonkeyEscape roomIRLThis game has several strong elements to appeal to a wide audience, including a well-built set, fun puzzles, strong reveals, good tech, and a popular theme. But still I have mixed feelings about Goblins. The designers are trying to tackle the perpetual issue of how to get more use out of a game by building two tracks in the same space. It was frustrating to see features not in play, that came across as Red Herrings or Ghost Puzzles. I did like the mechanic used to direct progress through the game and could see a variation working for the second game track. I also had issue with some sequencing. There is an elaborate mid-game reveal that should function as a transition but instead backtracks which doesn’t fit the narrative at all. While puzzles were mostly fun, several were too directed, especially the ones using wands. There were too many written notes of explanation, and the last logic puzzle made a huge leap in complexity compared to the rest. While I would recommend this as a decent game, I would also lower expectations around some of the hype.
Stash HouseStash HouseEscape roomIRLI loved playing Stash House! It’s one of those games where all the elements of story, setting, and puzzles fit together seamlessly. From the non-descript entry to the mission through to the conclusion, the atmosphere and mood just flows. There’s a fair amount of drug culture references, but it’s up to the player to decide how much is real life and how much is movie-like make believe.
Lucky Dice DinerExpedition EscapeEscape roomIRLFun old-style escape game, but very polished. While not a recently built game, it is very well maintained, like new. We really enjoyed playing this game, however it went quickly for our team of three experienced players. Highly recommend for new players, while experienced enthusiasts will still get a kick out of it.
Flynn's ArcadeBrain Games Escape RoomEscape roomIRLOh, how I love classic 80’s video games! This was a really fun game! While most of Flynn’s Arcade was themed around Tron, there were plenty of other video games that make an appearance. I was impressed with how well and how uniquely they were utilized! Puzzles were well varied and fun. Tactile puzzles were especially challenging. Since we played in the first week it opened, the GM mentioned some adjustments made during beta and some more changes they were considering. I appreciate the ongoing effort to refine the experience. Highly recommend this game.
The Bridge BetweenQuest TavernEscape roomIRLWell-designed set, challenging puzzles, and some clever surprises all combined to make this a fun quest. The story is simplistic, but all efforts in the game drive you forward to a satisfying conclusion. Our experienced team of 3 had to move quickly through the tasks, so 4 would be ideal. We enjoyed The Last Supper at Quest Tavern and were pleased to have the same game master.
Return of the PharaohsParagon Escape GamesEscape roomIRLReturn of the Pharaohs is the best Egyptian-themed game I have ever played! Exceptional game play, puzzles, and use of props. Tech integration was seamless. Story moved along with the puzzling which multi-layered and engaging for the whole team. Set used, but didn’t overuse, the Egyptian theme which is a common problem in this genre. By a problem, I mean (no spoiler) I’ve played games where we spend an hour learning and translating hieroglyphics over and over and over and over again! Or where the game expects you to know all Egyptian mythology as if we personally dug up King Tut’s tomb! Talk about frustrating. Instead, Paragon wisely chose not to abuse any Egyptian themed tropes. This is a great game; can’t wait to see what Paragon builds next! Definitely go play this game and tell them you found it on Morty.
The Grand Parlor13th Hour Escape Room - WhartonEscape roomIRLMost elaborate of the rooms at 13th hour which has created an entire horror-themed collection of escape rooms tied to the narrative of the murderous John Hayden family. This room was the most challenging for our team of experienced enthusiasts, but it also had the most clever reveals. These are large rooms in a warehouse-sized space and the game creators really take advantage of it with their non-linear puzzle design. We got to enjoy having actors in the room during REA Escape Immerse Explore 1-day tour. They were funny spooky not scary so ask if available as their presence really adds to the experience. Note that one puzzle would be very problematic for anyone with claustrophobia.
![La Cathédrale Oubliée [The Forgotten Cathedral]](https://res.cloudinary.com/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_260/f_auto/v1/store/s/2c2890dd-87b6-4712-8136-8403e436ec72.jpg)
