Visitors to Paris can enjoy the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, and cafes and patisseries on almost every street corner. But Paris should also be a destination on your escape room travels, as this beautiful city has a robust market offering a variety of styles for all player types.

Leading companies including Deep Inside, Pandore & Associés, and Lock Academy have built immersive worlds and impressive sets in and around their games. We experienced compelling narratives, often highlighted by entertaining actor interactions that both surprised and delighted us. Make sure to visit Paris on your next escape room trip.

Most of the games on this list are easily reached via the extensive Metro system. However, when planning your schedule, we suggest allowing extra buffer time before and after games for conversation with gamemasters and staff. We found that socializing occurred quite often.

Editor’s Note: While we don’t have reviews of all of the games in this recommendations guide, members of the REA team have played everything listed here and we look forward to returning to Paris to review more of them.

Market Standouts

• Full Experience: The Magician of Paris & The Funhouse, Deep Inside (Note: Each game can be played as standalone experiences)
• Galactic Mission, Majestic Escape
• Nautilus, the Aronnax Expedition, Unleash Escape
• Secret Mission, The Game
• The Disappearance of the Zanetti Train, Secret Hunters
• The Fantastic Warehouse, Pandore & Associés
• The Mystery of the Deveaux Family Manor, Panik Room
• The Taxidermist, Deep Inside

Set & Scenery Driven

• Fairy Tale Regulations, Pandore & Associés
• Galactic Mission, Majestic Escape
• Nautilus, the Aronnax Expedition, Unleash Escape
• Secret Mission, The Game
• The Disappearance of the Zanetti Train, Secret Hunters
• The Far West, The Game
• The Magician of Paris, Deep Inside
• The Taxidermist, Deep Inside

Puzzle Centric

• Galactic Mission, Majestic Escape
• Haunted Cinema, The Game
• L.A. Confidential, Lock Academy
• The Cube, One Brain (Lille, France)
• The Disappearance of the Zanetti Train, Secret Hunters
• The Druid’s Bane, Quest Factory
• The Examination, Lock Academy

Newbie Friendly

• Fairy Tale Regulations, Pandore & Associés
• Revolt at the Lock, Lock Academy

Spooky & Scary

• Lost Asylum, One Hour Charonne
• The Doomed Expedition, One Hour Voltaire
• The Funhouse, Deep Inside
• The Mystery of the Deveaux Family Manor, Panik Room
• The Slaughterhouse, One Hour Voltaire
• The Taxidermist, Deep Inside

Games with Actors

• Fairy Tale Regulations, Pandore & Associés
• Galactic Mission, Majestic Escape
• Revolt at the Lock, Lock Academy 
• The Doomed Expedition, One Hour Voltaire
• The Fantastic Warehouse, Pandore & Associés
• The Funhouse, Deep Inside
• The Magician of Paris, Deep Inside
• The Mystery of the Deveaux Family Manor, Panik Room
• The Taxidermist, Deep Inside

Something Different

The Mystery of the Deveaux Family Manor at Panik Room offers a unique ghost-hunting experience with one team member blindfolded, equipped with a front-camera, and the rest of the team directing their actions in the haunted Deveaux Manor. 

Beyond Paris

In the city of Lille, near the border with Belgium, is The Cube at One Brain, a challenging puzzler’s delight in a minimalistic setting.

Golden Lock award-winning experience

The post Paris, France: Escape Room Recommendations appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Although we’ve only scratched the surface of the Oklahoma escape room scene, we think you should know about the handful of outstanding games that we have played in the state. Oklahoma City and Tulsa are just 90 minutes apart and can each fill an evening with noteworthy rooms.

Market Standouts

Oklahoma City

• Seed of Hope, The Sanctuary Escape 
• The Lakehouse, The Sanctuary Escape
• The Lost Dutchman’s Mine v2.0, The Sanctuary Escape

Tulsa

• The Cairo Connection, Eleventh Hour Enigma
• Winchester’s Widow, Eleventh Hour Enigma

Set & Scenery Driven

• Seed of Hope, The Sanctuary Escape
• The Cairo Connection, Eleventh Hour Enigma
• The Lakehouse, The Sanctuary Escape
• The Lost Dutchman’s Mine v2.0, The Sanctuary Escape
• Winchester’s Widow, Eleventh Hour Enigma

Puzzle Centric

• Seed of Hope, The Sanctuary Escape
• The Cairo Connection, Eleventh Hour Enigma
• The Lakehouse, The Sanctuary Escape
• The Lost Dutchman’s Mine v2.0, The Sanctuary Escape
• Tulsa Time, Eleventh Hour Enigma

Spooky & Scary

Seed of Hope, The Sanctuary Escape

  Golden Lock award winning experienceGolden Lock award winning experience

The post Oklahoma: Escape Room Recommendations appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Nice motel, killer rooms

Location:  Greenville, SC

Date Played: May 6, 2024

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $36-$56 per player, depending on team size

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Starlight Motel began with an immersive briefing of our mission: check into the motel undercover and investigate the mysterious disappearances of several recent motel guests. The desk clerk behind the counter greeted us with a cigarette dangling out of her mouth, a suspicious side-eye, and a feisty attitude. It was great; we were immediately in character and ready to figure out what was going on. 

The motel looked dated, with dark paneling, a couple of basic chairs, and a shelf of brochures on the wall. One of the motel room doors said Honeymoon Suite, which was funny to even think of this place being a honeymoon destination. It all worked to create the right atmosphere for a roadside motel that had seen better days. 

I wouldn’t say the puzzles were especially unique or as sophisticated as you find in newer escape rooms today. There was one that could have used better cluing, and another that seemed out of place. But they were entertaining and kept us happily puzzling while anticipating the next aha moment.  

Where this game really shined was the actor interaction. In addition to moving the story along seamlessly, they also provided hints in ways that didn’t feel like hints at all. We were engaged in a such a way that encouraged us to be silly and lean in to our roles. Lines were often delivered with a good dose of humor, and these turned out to be some of the best moments of all. It was a perfect use of an actor that enhanced the experience tremendously. For us, it made the game.

It is worth travelling to Greenville, South Carolina, to play the games at Escape Artist Greenville, and a stay at the Starlight Motel should be on your itinerary.  The combination of straightforward puzzles, actor interaction and immersive set made this game shine.

Who is this for?

• Horror fans
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle
• Honeymooners on a budget

Why play?

• Hilarious actor interactions
• Thematic puzzles
• Thrilling finale

Story

A local police detective has been investigating disappearances of guests of the Starlight Motel. They check in and are never heard from again. The last person who went undercover to figure out what’s going on, well, they disappeared, too. It was our turn to go undercover; act normal!

Setting

The game started in the lobby of the Starlight Motel, which looked like it hadn’t been updated since it was built decades ago with brown wood paneling, non-descript furniture, and a macramé decoration hanging in the corner. The reception desk was behind iron bars, protecting the staff from unruly customers, I suppose. Even the entrance door appeared to be grungy, like it hadn’t been cleaned in, well, forever. The game was not actually dirty, just transformed by excellent set design.

Gameplay

Escape Artist Greenville’s Starlight Motel was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observation, making connections, puzzling, and interacting with an in-room character.

Analysis

 Stepping into the room was like going back in time, to when roadside motels were common stops on long road trips, before interstate highways and chain hotels took over. The dated décor immersed us in this world and gave us the feeling that something was just off. 

 The actor interactions were a standout feature of this game. From the moment we checked in to the motel, the in-character desk clerk brought us into the story, effectively playing off of our responses with hilarious ad-libs. We were encouraged to lean into our roles, which made it even funnier. Looking back, we realized how well they had managed to be non-intrusive, with just enough immersion to ensure everyone participated.  

Most puzzles were clever yet straightforward, with strong theming that kept us immersed in the story. One of my favorites was nicely layered and gave us information in a very creative yet unusual way.

 That said, there was one physical puzzle that didn’t quite fit with the atmosphere or storyline.

 A couple of puzzles could have benefited from more direct cluing. One took a few extra minutes to figure out how to work the mechanism, while another could have provided better feedback to indicate when the solve condition was met. 

 The finale was exciting and put us right in the middle of the action in a fun yet unexpected way. We were all on edge and trying not to laugh at the same time. 

The game contains horror elements, such as mild gore, jump scares, and creepy characters that don’t touch or chase the players. Even so, we found the game more campy than scary.

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot
• This game is at the 209 East Stone Ave location.

Book your hour with Escape Artist Greenville’s Starlight Motel, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Escape Artist Greenville comped our tickets for this game.

The post Escape Artist Greenville – Starlight Motel [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

My kind of dream job

Location:  Greenville, SC

Date Played: May 6, 2024

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $36-$56 per player, depending on team size

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

I’m always happy when I discover something different and original, and the designers at Escape Artist Greenville must have felt the same way when they built Help Wanted, the first game they created in a new space away from their original location. As soon as we entered the lobby, we became new hires at Chimera Corp, a dream travel agency where the dreams of one person are a travel destination to be experienced by others. 

The introduction to the game was one of the most entertaining intros I’ve ever experienced in an escape room. Theirs was so laugh-out-loud funny that I actually wanted to stay and hear more.  Yes, I would have been happy to stay for more rules. From there, we were ushered into the initial game space, consisting of a simple set designed like a mid-century version of a futuristic workspace. 

As it was our first day on the job, we started with basic tasks and simpler puzzles, and soon progressed to more complicated, layered solves. Though not overly difficult, they were very creative, with several I’d never seen done quite this way before. Gameplay towards the latter part was the highlight of the experience, with a series of interactive tasks and multi-layered solves that had us in awe of the timing of the whole thing. It was so smoothly executed and detailed, I was sure it was actually happening, and not just a game. 

As the story evolved and eventually took a darker turn, we didn’t always connect what we were doing in relation to the narrative. One part felt repetitive, and it wasn’t until after the game ended that we really understood why it was central to the story.

Help Wanted is one of Escape Artist Greenville’s premium experiences, with multiple actors who played an integral part of the game. We loved the actor interaction, especially the moments of ad-lib humor, and their unique involvement in key puzzles was highly entertaining. They really know how to use actors to play on players’ responses and enhance gameplay.

Help Wanted brought originality and creativity together into a fun, must-play escape room.  Greenville may be a bit outside of your search area, but you’re definitely going to want to apply for this position.

Who is this for?

• Story seekers
• Job seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Hilarious intro
• Immersive gameplay
• Fun actor involvement

Story

It was our first day of work at Chimera Corp, a travel agency that lets clients experience other people’s dreams. We had to learn the ropes of our new job.

Setting

Upon arrival, we found ourselves in the lobby of Chimera Corp, with pleasant seating, a giant company logo on the wall, and a few employee newsletters scattered around. The game itself started in a basic office set, with a simple metal desk, bookcase, and an Employee Handbook displayed on a computer screen. A treatment chair stood in the corner.

Gameplay

Escape Artist Greenville’s Help Wanted was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observation, making connections, puzzling, and interacting with in-game characters.

Analysis

 Arriving at the location, we waited in the lobby of Chimera Corp. (The employee newsletters on the tables were entertaining and worth checking out.) We were welcomed by the hiring manager, sent through orientation and then led into the main game space.  By creating this magic circle, we were seamlessly brought into the experience, transforming from players to new hires, ready for our first day on the job.

 Our introduction to the engaging in-game actors gave us a chance to lean into our roles as new employees, resulting in some memorable ad-lib moments that were unique to our team.

The puzzles were approachable and thematic, with varying degrees of complexity that had us thoroughly engaged in the storyline. Some of the more interactive solves were exciting and ones we’d never experienced before. 

 A mid-game puzzle used fairly large and impressive props to solve, but became repetitive after the first couple of iterations.

My favorite puzzle used simple mechanisms to make us feel like we were interacting with a much larger game space in wacky, creative ways. It was a fantastic effect.

One area was a little small for our team, allowing only 1 or 2 players to take part in unique, aha moment.

Entertaining audio bites furthered the story while adding humor and personality to the game play.

Help Wanted, Dark Lullaby, and Castle Flüffendor are connected by the main characters in their stories; while they are standalone games that can be played in any order, the games will have slightly more depth if played in this order.

Update 3/10/2025: Escape Artist Greenville continues to evolve their experiences and while the games can still be played standalone, they now recommend playing the games in the order of Castle Flüffendor, Dark Lullaby, then Help Wanted. They also currently offer a new bonus puzzle when all three games are played together.

Tips For Visiting

• Escape Artist Greenville has two locations. Help Wanted is in the Hampton Station location at 1320 Hampton Ave.
• There is a parking lot next to the building. After parking, walk towards the water tower, and look for signage directing you inside to Bay 11C, with the orange door on the right.

Book your hour with Escape Artist Greenville’s Help Wanted, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Escape Artist Greenville provided a complimentary game.

The post Escape Artist Greenville – Help Wanted [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Puppet master

Location:  Greenville, South Carolina

Date Played: May 6, 2024

Team Size: 2-8; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $36-$56 per player, depending on team size

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  Some players need to climb stairs

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

“Artistry ruled the kingdom in this tale of chivalry. Here we encountered a hero’s quest and a dream world full of puppet characters. Castle Flüffendor stood out for its engaging show-like quality, a culmination of acting, design skills, and creativity all rolled into one beautiful, must-play experience.”

REA Reaction

Castle Flüffendor is the third game in the Chimera Corp dream traveler trilogy, and it’s a significant departure from the styles of the other two. In this game, we found ourselves in a kid’s dream, where a young boy wants to be the hero and save the princess – his sister – from the evil queen’s spell. We found the story whimsical and engaging, with a show-like quality that was so well-integrated that at times we didn’t even think about the fact we were solving puzzles.

Escape Artist Greenville leaned into the aesthetic with castle walls that appeared to be made from cardboard boxes and rooms made from oversized furniture, as if viewed from a child’s perspective. The large, multi-leveled set encouraged exploration, as gameplay took full advantage of the uniqueness of the space. There were times we gazed up at action taking place over our heads.

The main characters in this charming story were played by puppets; in fact, we encountered an amazing variety of puppets: hand puppets, stick puppets, Muppet-like puppets, and more. Even the hint system was through a puppet. This was such an effective design choice, because why wouldn’t a kid imagine a heroic tale through puppets? These characters moved the narrative along, drove connections to puzzles, and provided hilarious, ad-lib humor that were some of the best moments of the game.

Puzzling was varied and fun, with both quick solves and layered, complex puzzles. There was only one puzzle that was difficult to solve using the intended prop, no matter how many times we moved it around. But overall game flow was smooth, with puzzling that worked hand in hand with the characters and narrative.

The finale was simply enchanting, with Disney-like special effects that surprised and delighted us; it was a fitting end to this heroic tale. Escape Artist Greenville has a number of excellent games, but Castle Flüffendor stood out as artistically unique, a culmination of acting, design skills, and creativity all rolled into one beautiful, must-play experience.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Best for players with at least some experience
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle, but need to be part of the story!
• Puppeteers

Why play?

• Imaginative set design
• Fun puzzles
• Immersive, heroic tale 
• To save the princess!

Story

Our team took on the role of a young boy who arrives at Castle Flüffendor to rescue his sister, a princess put under a spell by the evil queen. With the help of the characters we meet along the way, can we save the princess and be the hero?

Setting

The game takes place in the world of Castle Flüffendor, straight out of a child’s imagination. The room was designed to look as if a child had designed a medieval castle, with one section made to look like it was constructed of cardboard boxes.  Miniature, colorful houses lined one wall, while an ornate, oversized stained glass window looked down into the space.

Gameplay

Escape Artist Greenville’s Castle Flüffendor was a unique, performance-infused escape room, with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observation, making connections, puzzling, and interacting with in-game puppets.

Analysis

 Castle Flüffendor brought a show-like quality to an escape room, as we were entertained by the cast of characters in the castle town. The ability of the actors to tell a story through puppetry had us amazed as they pulled us into the narrative and helped us on our quest. It was simply magical.

 The experience felt uniquely ours as the actors in the game put our team in the center of the action and effectively played off of our responses. By choosing to lean into our roles and interact with the actors, we experienced ad-libbed moments that made our game humorous and memorable. They really knocked our socks off.

 The set was expansive, with elements of both the castle and nearby town. Cardboard box walls, colorful set pieces and miniature mountains with tiny inhabitants often became parts of puzzles. It all effectively conveyed the abstract thoughts from a child’s dream, with spaces that encouraged us to explore.

We were impressed with a rather large design choice that was subtle, yet surprising. It was only noticed when stepping back and looking from a different perspective.

 The lighting for one character sequence was too bright, making it hard for some players to see the action.

 Many puzzles were seamlessly woven into the narrative, making them feel less like puzzles and more like just part of the story. Several others were layered, leading us to work together through the obvious path first before adding another layer to the solve. It was very satisfying to get to the solution.

 One puzzle prop was difficult to orient and line up as needed; we were still able to solve the puzzle, but in a different way.

One favorite puzzle made great use of the large space and unusual set; we were delighted as we discovered puzzle components that were there the whole time, only not noticed until we needed them.

Help Wanted, Dark Lullaby, and Castle Flüffendor are connected by the main characters in their stories; while they are standalone games that can be played in any order, the games will have slightly more depth if played in this order.

Update 3/10/2025: Escape Artist Greenville continues to evolve their experiences and while the games can still be played standalone, they now recommend playing the games in the order of Castle Flüffendor, Dark Lullaby, then Help Wanted. They also currently offer a new bonus puzzle when all three games are played together.

Tips For Visiting

• Escape Artist Greenville has two locations. Castle Flüffendor is in the Hampton Station location at 1320 Hampton Ave.
• There is a parking lot next to the building. After parking, walk towards the water tower, and look for signage directing you inside to Bay 11C, with the orange door on the right.

Book your hour with Escape Artist Greenville’s Castle Flüffendor and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Escape Artist Greenville provided a complimentary game.

The post Escape Artist Greenville – Castle Flüffendor [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Escape ‘shroom

Location:  Columbia, SC

Date Played: May 5, 2024

Team Size: 2-8; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $32.99 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: Players need to be mobile to fully experience this game. More details below.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

I’ve played a number of Alice in Wonderland-themed escape rooms, with each one having its own unique interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s iconic books. The Final Door’s Down the Rabbit Hole didn’t look at all like the other games, at least not at the start. Bright neon murals decorated every inch of the walls, creating an otherworldly, drug-induced atmosphere; I didn’t know where to look first. I expected to hear Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” playing in the background, and that’s even before using a prop that took the whole trippy experience to another level. 

Just as Alice travels through different places in the novels, so did we, as the set in the game changed significantly from one space to the next. However, there was a lack of cohesiveness and the areas seemed unrelated in design. This feeling carried through to the puzzles, and may have been a byproduct of a thin storyline. 

The puzzles were fun to do and not at all difficult; they were often task-oriented with a physical aspect to several. One had us hesitant at first, but giggling and out of breath by the time we’d solved it, and the activity was so much fun that it took effort to move on to the next puzzle. A few had visual wear and tear, which detracted from the aesthetic. Our favorite puzzle was a multi-layered one with several distinct parts that all came together nicely; it was satisfying when we discovered the correct solution. 

As experienced players, we weren’t challenged by this game, but we still had fun going Down the Rabbit Hole. This would be a great game for kids to burn off energy, or for adults to act like kids for an hour. While at The Final Door, also check out Vampyr and Blackout, which had darker themes and their own unique styles.

Who is this for?

• Scenery snobs
• Alice in Wonderland fans
• Any experience level

Why play?

• Groovy set
• Physical gameplay

Story

The Queen of Hearts had banished the Mad Hatter from Wonderland in one of her usual tantrums. The Mad Hatter had asked our team to find the Queen’s favorite red rose so that she would let him return.

Setting

The set was over-the-top colorful, with bright neon-painted artwork over all the walls. Oversized mushrooms around the room were the only real set pieces. Black light made everything glow; it was trippy.

Gameplay

The Final Door’s Down the Rabbit Hole was a standard escape room with a low level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around observing, searching, making connections, and puzzling.

Analysis

 The colorful set was an integral part of several puzzles, with a terrific special effect that we were talking about long after playing. Another area had completely different visual effects, creating a sense of being off-kilter and in another world.

 There was a variety of puzzles in this part of Alice’s world; some involved logic and deduction while others required dexterity and physicality. While most were relatively easy to solve, there were a few more involved puzzles that added balance to the game.

 The story was thin; though there were a few characters from the books throughout the game, the narrative was missing from the majority of the game.

 We threw ourselves into one puzzle that was delightful yet surprisingly challenging. For a while we were giggling 10 year olds, at least until we had to move on to the next puzzle.

It was hard to miss wear and tear in several key places. Though it didn’t affect gameplay, it made one area feel tired.

 One transition was a tight fit; a bypass was available, however, it was not obvious and required backtracking awkwardly to reach it.

Game rules given by an in-character gamemaster were both entertaining and unique to Down the Rabbit Hole. We played three games at The Final Door, and each time, the review of game rules was immersive and memorable.

This game included obstacles similar to climbing, crawling, and moving across uneven and unusual terrain. Please contact the company if you have a question about your ability to play this game.

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot.

Book your hour with The Final Door’s Down the Rabbit Hole, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

The post The Final Door – Down the Rabbit Hole [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Out of this World

Location:  Sumter, SC

Date Played: May 4, 2024

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $30 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: One person has to crawl, at least one player needs to go up and down stairs

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

As escape room enthusiasts, we are always on the lookout for a hidden gem, a game that exceeds expectations and is somewhat flying under the radar, and that’s exactly what we found with Teleporter Trials. It didn’t have an ultra-polished set or over-the-top special effects, but it was a well-thought-out game with an inventive set, a few surprises, clever puzzles, and a charming story that had us happily puzzling until the very end. 

The start of the game was a creative transition into the story that moved us from our earthbound introduction into the heart of an interactive extraterrestrial experience. The futuristic setting had a homemade look and feel and was creatively designed in a way that made it feel bigger than it actually was. Each new space was fun to discover and explore.

The game was packed with imaginative puzzles that involved unfamiliar components in unusual ways – which made sense since they were not from this planet. Many used straightforward concepts yet still offered a nice challenge to interpret props and make connections. One mechanic I’d seen many times before was so well-integrated, it actually felt new and different. Of all the puzzles, we only struggled with one that was finicky and did not go with the theme.

The word “charming” is not typically associated with a space-themed escape room, but that’s exactly how we would describe Teleporter Trials. The creativity displayed throughout this game was impressive. If you are anywhere near Sumter, SC, stop by Lock, Clock, and Peril and try out the new teleporter. I’m sure they have it working by now.  And if not, well, that’s even better.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Sci-Fi fans
• Best for players with at least some experience
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Unusual game start
• Imaginative set design
• Out-of-this-world puzzles

Story

A new teleporter had been developed to transport passengers between Earth and a space station. After animal trials were completed – with questionable success – they were now ready to start testing with a human crew. Our team was the first to volunteer. I was sure everything will work perfectly.

Setting

Set design was futuristic, with metallic gray walls, strange buttons and lights, and pops of color throughout. Nothing looked entirely familiar; we were definitely no longer on Earth.

Gameplay

Lock, Clock, and Peril’s Teleporter Trials was an extraterrestrial escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, making connections, and puzzling while traveling in space.

Analysis

 The start of the game was quirky and unexpected; it built anticipation as it pulled us into the experience.

A well-constructed and inventive set offered interesting spaces to explore. We especially liked the areas that looked somewhat familiar, but contained unusual props that seemed alien to us.

 An entertaining narrative integrated nicely with both set and puzzles; what we did had purpose, which didn’t dawn on us until later in the game. The finale was funny and charming.

We struggled to hear a key audio segment towards the latter part of the game.

 The gamemaster’s video camera was cleverly integrated with both set and story while still being effective in monitoring our progress. 

 Puzzles were creative and designed with the theme in mind. They were not always obvious, and the payoff for figuring them out was satisfying.

 One puzzle was difficult to solve, even though we knew exactly what to do. After numerous attempts we finally bypassed it. It was a minor puzzle and could easily be removed or re-engineered without affecting the experience.

Simple bonus tasks in every game at Lock, Clock, and Peril led us to a prize station that kids (and grownup kids) will adore. I got a duck!

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot

Book your hour with Lock, Clock & Peril’s Teleportal Trials, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Lock, Clock & Peril comped our tickets for this game.

The post Lock, Clock, and Peril – Teleporter Trials [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Lucky Dice Diner is one of the best escape rooms in Philadelphia, PA. Here are our recommendations for great escape rooms in Philadelphia.

Location:  King of Prussia, PA

Date Played: March 31, 2024

Team size: 2-10 allowed (but 5-7 suggested); we recommend 3-5 (for experienced players)

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $35.99 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  This game is wheelchair accessible.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Lucky Dice Diner was a classic escape room. By classic, we mean a puzzle-focused game in a themed environment. It’s one of the best classic escape rooms in the Northeast.

It had strong, well-clued gameplay, complex but fair layered puzzles, and a polished set. It was largely non-linear, which meant it could feel chaotic, but also rewarding. (If you are new to escape rooms, this one will be challenging!)

In a couple of instances, puzzle elements felt aesthetically out of place in the beautifully themed diner, which slightly diminished the overall experience.

If you want narrative and dramatic effects, this won’t be your game. That may be a next evolution that Expedition Escape will aspire too. There were opportunities to edge in that direction, for example, with the ending.

Lucky Dice Diner was not trying to be anything more than an escape room. It delivered on this ambition. It played in the style that first drew us into escape rooms: the rush of collaborative, tactile puzzle solving in a well themed environment. The folks at Expedition Escape are effective practitioners of this style, and furthermore, continue to iterate to give their players the best experience possible. We commend that.

Who is this for?

• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Fans of 50s music
• Best for players with at least some experience
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Game flow as silky smooth and chocolate silk pie
• The impeccably themed environment
• Layered solves that you earn collaboratively – so rewarding!

Story

It was just a regular day at work at the diner when our boss called to say that he’d left his lucky dice somewhere in the diner. He was competing in a race, and he needed these to have any chance of winning. It was time to turn this diner insideout to find them!

Setting

From the bright walls to the checkered floor, Lucky Dice Diner looked on point. The set was complete with booths, a bar, coke machine, and of course, a juke box. There were even celebrity photos on the wall.

Gameplay

Expedition Escape’s Lucky Dice Diner was a standard escape room with a higher level of difficulty.

The difficulty came from it being a puzzle-focused, non-linear escape game.

Core gameplay revolved around observing, making connections, solving puzzles, and communicating.

Analysis

 The set looked impeccable. It dropped us right into the 1950s. From the decor to the music, to little details like the food, names, and the images of cars, the environment was consistent. Although it was had a smaller footprint, the gameplay spread out across the room and kept us traversing the space; we never felt crowded.

 The gameplay flowed smoothly from start to finish. Lucky Dice Diner included multiple layered puzzles. These were well-tuned for teamwork and rewarded communication, with important details often spread out across the space. While there was a lot of solve, but everything was well clued.

 Expedition Escape minded the details in every puzzle. In one case, it was the precision required to sense our success, in another, it was how delicious the props looked and smelled. In addition, one puzzle made us feel like kids again, and we appreciated the extra reset effort in making this a playful, tactile part of the experience.

 One prop felt out of place in the well-themed 1950’s diner. It was functional, and clued a puzzle well, but it looked overly cartoony.

 Another prop worked well for a puzzle, but could have used more aesthetic spin. It wasn’t as exciting or as thematic as most of the room decor.

 Expedition Escape got their coin’s worth from one prop, which delivered multiple moments of delight.

/ The premise was silly and the finale was a silly, surprising reveal that fell out of the sky from nowhere. However, there was opportunity for a more impactful ending.

 When we played, the puzzle flow was especially open, with many possible starting points. Since our playthrough, Expedition Escape has reworked the opening sequence which (1) gives all teams a clear starting place and (2) elevates the mood in the room early on by directing players to interact with a specific prop first – something we only touched partway through the game. We have enormous respect for creators who continue to iterate and improve their experiences long after they’ve opened, making them more accessible and more fun for all teams!

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot. Follow the Expedition Escape directional signs around the building to the back. The entrance is down the stairs underneath our Expedition Escape sign.

Book your hour with Expedition Escape’s Lucky Dice Diner, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Expedition Escape comped our tickets for this game.

The post Expedition Escape – Lucky Dice Diner [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Location:  Philadelphia, PA

Date Played: March 31, 2024

Team size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $35 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  There is a large step inside the game. At least one person will need to crawl.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

2084 was a really cool game. It played well with the dystopian fiction setting.

It was not a large space, but it was packed with content and detail. It offered crafty puzzles and interactions.

2084 struggled with some jankiness in the build, which detracted from some of the puzzles.

The challenge in this game was the narrative. It had a beginning, middle, and end, which most escape rooms do not. There was a real depth to 2084… when we stopped long enough to think critically and appreciate it. While the game offered many subtle hints and opportunities to absorb story, players need to be paying close attention. It was far too easy to breeze through this experience, win the game, and miss out on a large part of the intrigue.

Overall, 2084 was the strongest escape room we’ve played in Philadelphia, and it isn’t close. This is the game to book for any players traveling to Philadelphia, regardless of experience level. Go in with a keen eye for detail.

Who is this for?

• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Sci-fi fans
• Any experience level

Why play?

• A dark and funny dystopian future
• Contextually thought-provoking puzzles and interactions
• The prop sitting in the middle of the game

Story

It’s the year 2084 and Invisicom, an artificial intelligence agency, is in charge of the world. This is great. We love this. We are so happy. We have to be; there isn’t another choice. However, we had the opportunity to outsmart the Mother Computer and save ourselves.

Setting

We stepped into a gray room. Our eyes were immediately drawn to posters, which decorated most of the wall space. There were a large props along each wall. One wall looked like a colorful contraption of some sort.

Gameplay

Olde City Escape Games’ 2084 was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around observing, making connections, and solving puzzles.

Analysis

2084 had a dark but humorous tone. The weird posters accentuated this. The set was minimal, but it created the right vibe.

 While the build was serviceable, it lacked fit and finish around some props, the doors, and the ceiling. There was opportunity to make it a more realized world.

 The main interactions in the first room sent a serious (and seriously dark!) message in a playful way. In one case, the props read amusingly. In another case, the aha came from understanding the truth of the world of 2084.

 We enjoyed the variety of puzzles and interactions. They required many different skill sets, and it was easy to get 2-3 teammates involved in most solves.

 The game flowed well. Old City Escape Games used lighting to give feedback whenever we’d solved a puzzle and the game had progressed. (However, upon reflection, there was one instance that would have benefited from more feedback for a solve and associated reveal.)

 One prop suffered from lack of maintenance. With some gentle coaxing, we got it to trigger.

 A couple of late-game puzzles had been simplified, leaving ghost puzzles behind.

 Olde City Escape Games spun an exciting interaction around, with a clever design that felt genuine, while not being load-bearing. It never felt cheap. The lighting design made this interaction immediately intriguing, and the payoff was worth it. We commend them on a smart build.

One later scene was a big hit. We appreciated the reasoning required to complete what at first glance appeared to be a simple (but high energy) challenge.

Near the end of 2084, the game seemingly threw a monkey wrench into the works. This narrative twist delivered.

 2084 was emotionally flat. The second act didn’t amp up the excitement or intensity. While the twist was amusing after we considered its meaning, it wasn’t immediately clear in the moment, and didn’t raise the stakes within the experience.

Tips For Visiting

• Look for metered street parking or a parking garage.

Book your hour with Olde City Escape Games’ 2084, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Olde City Escape Games provided media discounted tickets for this game.

The post Olde City Escape Games – 2084 [Review] appeared first on Room Escape Artist.

Indianapolis is home to Gen Con, the largest tabletop game convention in North America by both attendance and number of events. Given that, each summer it hosts a lot of traveling escape room players. And the good news is, it has the volume of solid games to support this influx of game lovers!

The Escape Room Indianapolis has multiple locations around the city, including in Indianapolis, Westfield, and Fishers, with welcoming venues, each with lots of games.

For the most part, the escape rooms in Indianapolis were pretty by-the-book escape rooms (with the exception of The Key Escape Rooms). They won’t wow you with innovative ideas, but they will give you 60 minutes of fun, puzzley adventure.

If you have the time, it’s worth driving 2 hours west to Champaign-Urbana, IL, where you can visit the hidden gems at Champaign-Urbana Adventures in Time and Space.

Of note, if you are traveling to Indianapolis for Gen Con, the creators behind CU Adventures typically produce an experience for Gen Con, and it tends to sells out quickly, so grab those tickets asap.

Market Standouts

1. Dark Wyvern, The Escape Room Indianapolis
2. Alice’s White Rabbit Rescue, Twisted Room Escapes
3. The Cabin, Twisted Room Escapes

Set & Scenery Driven

• Dark Wyvern, The Escape Room Indianapolis

Puzzle Centric

• Alice’s White Rabbit Rescue, Twisted Room Escapes
• Dark Wyvern, The Escape Room Indianapolis
• Escape from the Titanic, The Escape Room Westfield
• The Cabin, Twisted Room Escapes

Newbie Friendly

• Alice’s White Rabbit Rescue, Twisted Room Escapes
• Escape from the Titanic, The Escape Room Westfield
• The Cabin, Twisted Room Escapes

Spooky & Scary

• The Cabin, The Key Escape Rooms

Oddball

The Cabin, The Key Escape Rooms… and anything else at this company! We haven’t played all their games yet, but we poked our heads in. They are doing unusual things here!

Nearby Market Standouts

In Champaign-Urbana (2 hours west):

• Forest of Fables, CU Adventures in Time & Space
• Game Night, CU Adventures in Time & Space 
• Rise of the Icarus, CU Adventures in Time & Space 
• The Wizard’s Curse, CU Adventures in Time & Space

Golden Lock award-winning experience

The post Indianapolis, Indiana: Escape Room Recommendations appeared first on Room Escape Artist.