The Last VampireEncrypted Escape - West ReadingEscape roomIRLThis is a long overdue review. My spouse and I did this room 1-2 years ago and loved it. We successfully escaped as a duo with zero hints, but we definitely felt like we were racing against the clock the entire time. There were a LOT of puzzles! I think it'd be a great room for larger groups, since there's plenty of space and parallel puzzling. The space is immersive and atmospheric, with interesting and thematic puzzles. Highly recommend provided you're ok with some tension and the occasional surprise! The owner was there when we went, and they and the game master were kind enough to talk with us about the rooms after we finished. They were super nice and obviously love what they do. I'm sad we didn't get to play the biker room before it closed, but we're excited to try the new room they're opening in 2025.
Edgar Allan Poe: Poe-ranormal ActivityEscape Room Live - AlexandriaEscape roomIRLMy spouse and I had a great time playing this room as a duo. We escaped with about 15 minutes left. We enjoy the extra challenge of starting in separate rooms -- it'll definitely get you working together and communicating! The atmosphere was good and we especially liked how well the puzzles tied in with the theme. The rooms have some mildly spooky decor, but most of the spookiness is confined to one part so only one person needs to be marginally brave. This is definitely not what I'd consider a scary or horror room. We especially enjoyed how the puzzles tied in with the theme. While no familiarity with Poe's work is required, fans will appreciate all the nods and references. Our gms, Vanessa and Eli, were both super friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic. Thanks guys!
The Legend of SasquatchMission Escape Rooms - AnnapolisEscape roomIRLWe really enjoyed this room -- it's by far their best one. The set is immersive and well decorated. Even though the puzzles weren't particularly challenging for us, they fit with the theme and we had a lot of fun being hands-on with the props. This is 100% the room in the area that I'd recommend for first timers, and I also recommend it for experienced players who are looking for a fun experience and are ok with the puzzles not being brain busters.
ShipwreckedEscape. on QueenEscape roomIRLFun game, great set. I'm hard pressed to think of anything they could add except actual sand! (Please don't do that lol.) We played as a duo and made it out. The puzzles were fun overall. The props were thematic and well integrated. Quite a few mechanical locks, but also some fun and interesting use of tech in some puzzles. There were one of two puzzles that felt like a bit of a stretch, but nothing egregious. The game uses pre-recorded audio to deliver hints. Thankfully our game master was willing to "radio in" to answer our specific questions, since we often just want a small nudge or clarification and not a full blown hint. We appreciated their willingness to go off-script to give us a better experience. This game far exceeded our expectations for a room in a touristy area, and we plan to do another of their rooms the next time we're in town.
Wild WestBreakout Games - ColumbiaEscape roomIRLOur group of four had a good time. There was a comfortable amount of space for all of us without it feeling crowded. I enjoyed the narrative set up. The theme carried through the room and the puzzles: the things you interact with are fun and thematic. Loved the integral use of audio. We found the puzzles reasonably challenging overall. Nothing super involved or crazy, but fun and required some thinking. This room felt a lot more interactive and like we were actually in the story than most rooms we've done. There were some especially fun story moments. Our game master AJ was great. Part of me wishes that the room had more furniture, but I know it would have been frustrating and in the way so I think they made the right call. Played as a group of four. Two of us have done 50+ rooms, and our friends have done probably 6-10.
Sherlock Holmes: A Matter of TimeEscape Room Live - AlexandriaEscape roomIRLShout out to our gms Eli and Vanessa! Great staff add so much to the overall experience. This was a solid room. Not the most compelling storyline or atmospheric space, but we enjoyed the puzzles and had a good experience. However if you can only do 1 or 2 of the rooms at this location, skip Sherlock and do the Poe and Wizard rooms instead. This location used to have some rooms that were only 45 minutes, but we were told they added some puzzles and now they're all 60 minutes.
Thieves GuildEscapeTime Escape Rooms - Severna ParkEscape roomIRLMy spouse and I had fun! While the set feels more diy than slick and professional, it didn't matter because every inch is decorated resulting in a pleasant, immersive space. We didn't find the puzzles particularly hard (I'd have no qualms recommending this room to first-timers, although I'd expect them to need some clues) but even as experienced "enthusiasts" we still enjoyed them because we felt like we were on an adventure. The puzzles we were solving fit into the story and there was a strong narrative pulling us along. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience. Nothing groundbreaking, but a solid, well done room that we're glad we did and would recommend to others.
Fantastical Chocolate FactoryMission Escape Rooms - Arundel MillsEscape roomIRLMy spouse and I had mixed feelings about this room. Theme: we enjoyed the theming of the first area, but the second fell a little flat for us. Puzzles: there was only one we particularly enjoyed. Of the rest, some were ok but there were four that we found frustrating for one reason or another. (fwiw we have no problem being outsmarted by a puzzle, but none of these gave us an "oh, that's so clever" moment when we either solved them or asked for a hint.) We also encountered a tech failure which they had a way for us to bypass, but we missed out on a puzzle because of it. Warning: if you're sensitive to noise / auditory simulation, I would avoid this room. The second area isn't overly loud in terms of decibel volume (although it def isn't quiet), but -- and I'll be vague here to avoid anything remotely spoilery -- there are sound loops from two sources that play CONTINUOUSLY. They're loud enough and of a nature that made them hard for me to tune out. They were irritating even though noise usually doesn't bother me. Miscellaneous: We escaped as a team of 2 (our usual team size) getting hints on a few puzzles. The ending was anticlimactic. I don't recall a clock in the room. The second area is non-linear.
Once Upon a CrimeMission Escape Rooms - AnnapolisEscape roomIRLWe played as a pair and thought this room was ok. It didn't wow us at all, but it wasn't bad. The set was mediocre. Puzzles were fine. We struggled a bit with two of them, but iirc we didn't use any hints. I wouldn't recommend this room for newer players... def play Sasquatch instead.
Revenge of AtlantisEscapeTime Escape Rooms - AnnapolisEscape roomIRLMy spouse and I thought this room was just ok. We preferred their other two rooms. The set was fine, the puzzles were mostly fine, but nothing wowed us or made us think "I really liked that puzzle". Fine but skippable. Iirc this is ranked as a Beginner difficulty level but I would not recommend this as anyone's first room. (For that, our hands down favorite is Legend of the Sasquatch in downtown Annapolis.) Although we didn't love the room, I want to shout out our game masters Nathan and Becky for being super friendly and helpful. (Nathan was also our gm for the two games we played here previously.) Thanks guys!
