RobotopiaOmescape - SunnyvaleEscape roomIRLThis is one of my favorite rooms of all time! The longer format gave us a chance to feel totally immersed in the game, and we thoroughly enjoyed the many unique puzzles and little surprises. The set is spectacularly done, and the addition of the live actor added something unique. We attempted this as a family of 3, so we knew going in that it might be quite challenging. We mentioned to our GM that we just wanted to have fun and experience as much as we could, and she was fantastic at asking if we wanted hints to keep us on track without taking away the fun of discovering the answers. Highly recommend this room!
Chapter 1: Occam's ApartmentOff The Couch GamesEscape roomIRLIt’s taken me a few days to come back and write this review because I wanted to do this room (and Off The Couch Games in general) justice. I was fortunate to be able to play all three of the available chapters in one marathon day with a fantastic group of enthusiasts, and I found the whole adventure from start to finish to be truly outstanding. Our GM and everyone who helped us at the front desk were so helpful and welcoming, and that set the tone from the start. Each of the three chapters is unique, and yet the storyline is cohesive in a way that makes you feel invested. Interesting and unique tech was refreshing (I don’t remember a single padlock), and the lighting design was unlike anything I’ve experienced. The character interaction woven throughout the storyline made it so much fun, and honestly, I want every escape room experience to be more like this! For me, this is a new benchmark for what an escape room experience can be, and I’ll be among the first in line to do the newest chapter that will be opening up soon.
The AttractionPalace GamesEscape roomIRLThis is an epic escape room adventure that I’ll never forget! It was fun to get lost in the story, and the puzzles were just the right amount of challenging to keep a group of 8 engaged and working together. There was some fun unique tech that I’ve never seen before, and they did an amazing job of working multiple different sets with very different vibes into the space. The GM kept the atmosphere going from start to finish, and even when there was a tech glitch, it was handled with grace, and I didn’t feel like we missed out on anything. I’ll be reminiscing on this room for a long time. Looking forward to doing more of the rooms at Palace Games sometime soon!
Trouble In The Toy ShopEnchambered Live Escape Room AdventureEscape roomIRLWhat a charming room! They made great use of the space with lots of tactile and logical puzzles that appealed to all ages. We found ourselves smiling a lot, and we all had favorite puzzles. Our GM was very welcoming and set us up for a great experience. I also enjoyed the way elements were placed in such a way that you could tell what items were “in play” and which were purely decorative. I wish there were more rooms like this! Fun for families, challenging but not intimidating, well lit and playful—we’re so glad we got a chance to play this room!
BabysitterReed Between The LinesEscape roomIRLThis room is a joy! Lots of fun for all ages, but we especially appreciated it as a lighthearted family friendly game. Everyone took great care of us, and our GM Hannah was fantastic
Reed's Gingerbread CottageReed Between The LinesEscape roomIRLOn our quest to find the most fun kid-friendly escape rooms, we happened upon reviews for Reed Between the Lines and had to check them out! We did both the Gingerbread Cottage and The Babysitter, and they were both solid, fun rooms with delightful touches that we all thoroughly enjoyed. This is an escape room establishment that creates a whimsical atmosphere from start to finish, and we loved our day of games here.
Shorty's Sweet ToothEscape SacramentoEscape roomIRLThis room was delightful! We had fun working our way through the sweet shop and solving all the puzzles along the way. There’s some really cute tech and a fun surprise at the end. I enjoyed the little touches like the ambient sounds that made it more immersive. This one was a hit for the whole family!
The Simples FamilyGame Master Escape RoomsEscape roomIRLWe didn’t know what to expect, so we went into this room based on the photos alone, and we ended up having a great time. There were some challenging puzzles that we enjoyed and some moments of delight with puzzle elements that surprised us with their novelty. There was a combination of mechanical and higher tech puzzles, and we enjoyed that mix. A few of the puzzles in the first room could have used better clueing to help us know which lock we were solving for, but the GM/owner was very helpful in making sure we were having fun and figuring things out on our own. We did this as a family of 3, and our main criteria these days is finding a game that our 7 year old will enjoy (well lit, not spooky or too loud, and with puzzles that make kiddos feel like the “star”). The bright set and playful elements were perfect for us, and there were plenty of moments when our kiddo could feel smart and like the VIP, so that’s a win in our book! One thing I’d love to see would be some kind of visual or audio trigger to let puzzle solvers know that they’d solved a puzzle and activated unlocking of something. Just a little nudge to let you know where to look. Talking with the owner afterwards, we got the sense that this business is a passion project for a family who loves escape rooms and puts that love into the rooms they design. We really enjoyed hearing more about the family business. They have a fun 2D party area which looked great for a party. Parking is easy and free at the mall.
