InksidiousEscape Room 66 - Los AngelesEscape roomIRLSuch a unique room! The design and decor is definitely among the most creative I've ever seen, and the puzzles really delighted our group as we made our way through it.
The ExperimentCognition EscapesEscape roomIRL“The Experiment” was a truly standout escape room with some of the most unique and inventive puzzles we’ve ever encountered. Without giving away any spoilers, let’s just say this is not your typical lock-and-key experience—there are some really impressive devices and mechanics that make the puzzles feel dynamic and interactive in ways that traditional rooms don’t. The ingenuity behind each challenge adds to the overall immersion, and the creativity on display makes every puzzle feel like a new discovery. If you’re looking for an escape room that pushes the boundaries of what these games can be, “The Experiment” is a must-try!
DerailedEscape 109 - DavidsonEscape roomIRLWe did this train-themed escape room over the holidays with my family, and it was a total win—literally, because we escaped! What made this one stand out was how it incorporated local history into the puzzles, which is such a rarity. It was a single-room setup, but the puzzle mechanics were varied, mostly non-linear, and kept everyone engaged. Perfect for a bigger group like ours. Bonus points for balancing fun with a little education—how often do you leave an escape room feeling smarter? Definitely recommend if you’re in the area!
The 4th DoorCognition EscapesEscape roomIRLThis escape room stood out for its unique structure, splitting the adventure into four mini-rooms, each with its own distinct theme and vibe. The timed nature—20 minutes per room to solve four puzzles—added a layer of excitement and urgency you don’t often get. Even if you didn’t solve everything, you moved on, which kept the energy up and made each transition feel fresh and challenging. The clever twist of tying all rooms together through a story that reveals itself as you go was really fun, and getting to submit the completed puzzles for a final score in the last room made it feel rewarding even if you didn’t master every challenge. It’s a creative twist on the traditional escape room format, and we loved every minute of it.
Victoria Noir: Case of the Curious CollectorQuest Reality GamesEscape roomIRLOverall, this escape room started strong with creative puzzles and an engaging storyline that kept us entertained. However, the experience got bogged down toward the end when solving the murder turned into a bit of a guessing game. With a tricky mechanism that required piecing together six exact elements, it became more about trial and error than clever deduction. While we appreciated the challenge, the finicky setup and lack of feedback left us cycling through solutions without much clarity. It’s a fun room with great potential, but the finale could use some streamlining to keep the excitement going till the very end.
