Curse of the Hidden TempleExpedition EscapeEscape roomIRLThis was the second room we’ve done with Expedition Escape, and once again, we were blown away! Hidden Temple stands out as the most immersive escape room we’ve experienced, especially in the Philadelphia/PA area. What sets this room apart is its atmosphere. There are long stretches where it is quite dark, which adds an exciting, slightly spooky vibe without turning it into a horror experience as you can still see everything that you need to to complete the puzzles. The lack of a visible timer or countdown enhances the immersion, making you feel like you’re truly part of an adventure. That said, it’s still a regular escape room, but the clever design and use of technology make it feel like so much more. For seasoned escape room enthusiasts, I would say that Hidden Temple is on the easier side. The puzzles are logical and linear, which keeps the experience smooth, but the challenge level is relatively low compared to other rooms we’ve tried, like Quest for the Throne (another great room by this company, and definitely more difficult). That said, the puzzle style in Hidden Temple is quite unique—there are no traditional lock-and-key puzzles, which we really appreciated. Overall, Hidden Temple wins for immersion and creativity. If you’re new to escape rooms, this is the perfect room to wow you with its atmosphere and design. Even if you’re more experienced, the uniqueness and seamless technology make it worth a visit. Highly recommend, especially if you’re ready for an adventure that feels straight out of a movie!
The CellarThink Solve EscapeEscape roomIRLAnother great experience with Think Solve Escape! The Cellar was definitely the scariest escape room I’ve ever done—if you’re sensitive to loud noises, darkness, or graphic horror elements like blood and gore, this one might not be for you. That said, if you enjoy spooky, immersive themes, it’s absolutely worth it. The room was incredibly atmospheric and immersive from start to finish. The puzzles had great variety and flowed really well. Our game master did an excellent job keeping an eye on our progress—we didn’t officially ask for hints, but he gave us just the right nudges at the right moments to keep us on track without breaking the experience. We completed the room as a team of two, which is totally doable, though one particular puzzle would be a bit easier with three or more people. Still, we made it out and had a blast! Overall, a fantastic room and another win for Think Solve Escape. Can’t wait to come back and try more!
The Candy ShoppePuzzleConnect Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLWe had a great time in this escape room! The puzzles were diverse and engaging, incorporating fun technology that added an extra layer of excitement—it’s not just a typical lock-and-key room. The design was well thought out—well-lit, with a charming storyline that enhanced the experience. The gameplay was fairly straightforward and linear, which might make it less challenging for seasoned escape artists. We finished in under 40 minutes without any hints, so it’s likely best suited for newer or intermediate players. That said, it was still a positive experience overall, and we’d definitely recommend it!
InksidiousEscape Room 66 - Los AngelesEscape roomIRLThis room was such a fun experience! Our escape master, Tuesday, who also owns this location, was incredibly sweet and fantastic to work with. As others have mentioned, most of the puzzles are first-gen ‘lock and key’ style, but the attention to detail and variety of puzzles make it a great experience. Highly recommend!
Gold RushThe Escape Game - King of PrussiaEscape roomIRLLoved this room! There is a great variety of different puzzles and unique atmosphere. One of my favorites!
2084Olde City Escape GamesEscape roomIRL2084 is a standout escape room. The puzzles were incredibly unique—unlike anything we’ve seen in other escape rooms. It had a great mix of tech-based, physical, and logic puzzles, making for an exciting and dynamic experience. Teamwork is absolutely necessary, and I’d recommend wearing comfortable clothes since some of the physical elements require a bit of movement. Overall, a must-try for escape room fans!
Legend of the PinesSolve It SherlockEscape roomIRLI’m a pretty seasoned escape room player, and unfortunately, my experience at Legend of the Pines was disappointing. We did not escape, and several aspects of the room made the experience frustrating. One major issue was the game master—it was clear they weren’t paying close attention to our game. We repeatedly received hints for things we had already solved rather than the information we actually needed, which wasted valuable time and added to our frustration. Beyond that, the room itself had several problems. The standard puzzles didn’t feel intuitive, and on top of that, there were multiple puzzles that required a physical component to solve. While I personally don’t enjoy these types of challenges, I can usually work through them. However, in this game, they were so finicky and frustrating that we spent over 20 minutes struggling—not because we didn’t understand the puzzle, but because of the execution. Also, they explicitly stated at the beginning that everything in the room was single-use—but that is not true in this room. There was an element that had to be reused, which threw us off. Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this escape room, and I don’t plan on returning to Solve It Sherlock. There are much better options out there in New Jersey for escape room enthusiasts.
Special Ops: Mysterious MarketThe Escape Game - Los AngelesEscape roomIRLThis was a great room! I really enjoyed the high-tech elements of many of the puzzles, and the combination of tech and traditional puzzles made for a well-rounded experience. This is definitely one of my favorite Escape Game rooms that I’ve done.
The MidnightersOlde City Escape GamesEscape roomIRLThis was our second escape room at Olde City Escape, and while we enjoyed 2084 more, this room was still a solid experience. The biggest downside for me was the number of red herrings—some of which felt like remnants from a previous version of the room. They threw us off multiple times and made certain moments more frustrating than fun. A couple of puzzles felt less intuitive than other escape rooms I have done, but that said, there were a lot very unique and creative elements that made the experience enjoyable overall. We had a positive experience, and it’s definitely still worth a play!
TombstoneMaze Rooms - West LAEscape roomIRLOverall, this was a good room with some unique elements and special effects. However, a couple of puzzles were more challenging than they should have been due to the design. Without giving too much away, we figured out the solutions quickly, but the mechanics were tricky, which became frustrating after it happened a few times. We were a group of 2, and you do need at least 3 people for one of the puzzles. I’d probably recommend a group of 4 due to the non-linear layout.
