Ghost PatrolTrivium GamesEscape roomIRLGhost Patrol told a heartwarming story through brilliantly designed puzzles, a beautifully constructed set, and well-timed audiovisual effects. I especially loved a tangible metapuzzle that perfectly translated the essence of a puzzle hunt into an escape room environment.
The AlchemistSherlockedEscape roomIRLOne of my favorite experiences of all time, escape room or otherwise. The Alchemist is magical in the truest sense, and it has some stellar puzzles and a compelling emotional arc to top it off. If you have the time and $$$, I highly recommend adding on The Lost Cabinet prequel for an even fuller experience!
Birth MachineMad MachinesEscape roomIRLOne of my all-time favorites!! Absolutely brilliant and hilarious reinterpretation of the escape room format, where every single puzzle and interaction has narrative meaning, there's a unique playfulness to the environment and flow, and you'll experience some things you've never seen before... even if you've played many hundreds of escape rooms.
Election DayAppleseed AvenueEscape roomOther Election Day combined puppetry and crime scene investigation into an experience that was equal parts clever, hilarious, and inspiring. By pulling learnings and techniques from numerous other storytelling mediums, Appleseed Avenue boldly redefined what an escape room can look like and how it can make you feel.
Time MachineMad MachinesEscape roomIRLBirth Machine often gets talked about more due to its unique theming, but gosh, Time Machine is 100% up to the same level, with top-notch humor, a truly unique take on a common theme, and satisfying story-driven puzzles. Very highly recommend!!
Het TestamentBaron BeeckmanEscape roomIRLEasily one of my favorite games in the entire Benelux region! The setting is remarkable, the puzzles are delightfully mechanical and tactile, and there's a certain feature that makes Het Testament particularly unforgettable. We were told we were only the third group of English-speaking players to ever visit, and we were only able to play thanks to a Dutch-speaking teammate. I fully understand the company's decision not to translate the game into English, but if you're visiting from abroad and can find a way to play this, you absolutely should go out of your way to do so.
ההתערבות [The Intervention]Escape CenterEscape roomIRLThe Intervention excelled in many dimensions. A sprawling set meticulously rendered each scene with stunning realism. Puzzles and story together drove forward our adventure with compelling, if at times ridiculous, reasons for our being there. Environmental ahas, puzzle ahas, and unexpected transitions were plentiful. Across all these dimensions, the pacing and flow was spot on.
BurlesqueEscapeXperienceEscape roomIRLI can see why this game was once beloved, but at this point, it could really use a face lift. Apart from a small handful of decent puzzles, both the set and the gameplay style were quite old and run down.
Danse MacabreEfteling Theme Park ResortHauntOther Efteling's newest attraction absolutely knocks it out of the park. If we had the time, I'd have experienced this 2-3x more in a row — there's so much exquisite detail to take in. As a violinist, I have a special connection to Danse Macabre and loved how this world brought the music to life.
Operation BlacksheepclueQuestEscape roomIRLOperation BlackSheep consistently scored high on the joy scale with simple, satisfying, and clever puzzles. I lost count of the number of times that I was delighted by a hidden physical property or fun interaction. Flashy tech and immersive sets only go so far on their own, while fun, accessible gameplay like that in Operation BlackSheep is something that all escape room creators can and should be striving for.
![ההתערבות [The Intervention]](https://res.cloudinary.com/mortyapp/image/upload/c_limit,w_260/f_auto/v1/store/s/77a0af5c-f041-4c18-ad49-07fe4311d587.webp)
