Storyteller's SecretBoxarooEscape roomIRLA charming experience that successfully builds on a sense of wonder and discovery. Design elements support the tone, overarching narrative world, and player journey through it. The player’s goals are clear, cohesive, and organized in a way that minimizes chaos and confusion and supports focus on the objects and player actions within the game. Everything was well-maintained so that wear and tear was not evident and mechanical elements worked and kept pace with us, allowing us to really feel and move through the space as I imagine the designers intended. There was one minor issue I’ll clarify in the rating breakdown. A note on expectations: when you hear or read of it as an immersive story, think more along the lines of an exploratory game where a story, in many parts, is more suggested than explicit. For those who have trouble keeping track of time or feel anxious about it, I recommend bringing a watch as I did not see a clock in the room and it’s clear the design and intent of the game is towards more of a pace of motivated curiosity than frenzied urgency, so it would be more enjoyable to stress less about the time limit :)
The Edison Escape RoomPalace GamesEscape roomIRLI played when this initially came out, and at the time it really “wow”ed us with some of the mechanics and reveals. Even if I were to play for the first time now, I think this sense of wonder would still unfold - our player journey moved in ways we didn’t expect, yet fit cohesively with the theme and story world so that these surprises did not feel out of place.
The Whispering HallsEnchambered Live Escape Room AdventureEscape roomIRLI highly recommend this room for its environmental design and layout. It is still one of the few “mansion” type rooms where I really felt a true sense of the setting described. We enjoyed the puzzles as well - unfortunately we got so wrapped up in them that we missed some obvious and necessary clues and bits (we were a pair of enthusiasts - I’d recommend at least one more person, and perhaps someone(s) with only a little or no experience so they see the things a seasoned player may overlook)! I recommend looking at some more recent reviews in regard to gameplay and puzzles as I played several years ago and we did not escape. I will say the owners were very kind and walked us through what we missed, so I can’t speak much to experiencing the end through play but I will say I wish I could - it looked and sounded like a solid climax and conclusion to the experience.
Tiki IslandEscape The NetherworldEscape roomIRL𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿This review contains spoilers.Unscramble𓀗
Paint Bomb MissionBeat the Bomb - AtlantaEscape roomIRLOther This is more accurately a “challenge room” (think Level99 or Boda Borg) than an escape room. The experience consists of 5 mini-games - there aren’t really mysteries or puzzles to solve, rather you are given instructions and need to perform tasks quickly and efficiently. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then I would recommend it! Just don’t go in expecting an “escape room” experience. The maze was my favorite of mission 1, and probably the most fun I’ve had with a laser maze of any game. The staff are friendly (though unfortunately a bit less attentive my second time going which slowed a portion of the experience, but this may have been a one-off issue?) and perhaps most notably they have one of the best photo/video outcomes of any game I’ve played thus far - they are fun, high quality, and easy to share. These games are replayable, and I’m curious to see how BtB builds on that with their “pro league” offering. There is a bar and “arcade” area where you can hang out after if you’d like.
