Month: June 2017

Escape Hour – Granny’s House (Review)

~ EscapeAdventurer ~ Leave a comment

Location: Charlotte, NC

Players: 2-8 (We recommend 4-5)

Price: $25 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

“This Funky Grandma be Trippin’!”

Theme:

You’re locked in the home of an elderly Soviet spy who always wanted grandchildren, but never had time to start a family of her own. She’s stepped out for an hour to get ready to finally realize her grandma experience, and you’ll need to get out before she returns to make you her permanent grandkids!

First Impressions:

I was impressed, as it was like stepping into my grandmother’s house. It may not have been the most elaborate set, but barring the escape room standbys of locks and cameras, it was a very convincing set. A brief intro was given, along with your standard rules, and we were set loose on the room.

High Points:

The rooms making up our new, hopefully temporary, grandmother’s house were oddly comfortable and convincing. We joked that it wouldn’t be so bad to hang out with Soviet Grandma if only she had asked instead of locking us in! Puzzles were well clued and the connections were easy to intuit throughout the room. The room was very much non-linear and allowed us all to have something to work on while having loads of different styles of puzzles as well. All props felt very much like they belonged, and were fun to play around with. It was dim in one room without being so dark we couldn’t see and added to the feeling that we’d made it somewhere grandma didn’t want us to be!

Low Points:

Though Granny was supposedly a Cold War spy for the Soviets, her home only had one spot that seemed to point towards this; I figure a little more theming wouldn’t hurt. An early puzzle required an amount of precision that I’m not sure many people can attain very easily, and though we knew exactly what we needed to do, it took us an inordinately long time to get the puzzle to trigger properly. Some later game puzzles were a little too obviously clued and took away what could’ve been interesting surprises. One puzzle required a bit of guess and check, and didn’t seem to have a clue leading toward the correct way to order the pieces. Some wear in the room needed attention, but was not too prevalent as to take away much from the immersion.

Verdict:

Granny’s House was very competently put together and delivered a solid puzzling experience. Nothing too flashy in this room, but enough fun surprises to keep everyone amused and engaged. This room would serve very well for beginners, as it introduces a lot of basic escape themes, but enthusiasts will enjoy the lighthearted theme and the solid puzzles. Book your stay at Grandma’s here!

7.5/10 (Good)

Escape Hour – The Dollhouse (Review)

~ EscapeAdventurer ~ Leave a comment

Location: Charlotte, NC

Players: 2-8 (We recommend 4-5)

Price: $25 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

“No, sir! I did not see you playing with your dolls again!”

Theme:

You and your friends were wandering around the neighborhood when you came across a seemingly abandoned home. On a lark, you’ve decided to check out the weird cottage when you start to realize that someone is still living here. Someone who’s weirdly interested in dolls. When you try to leave, you notice the door has locked behind you! Solve the mystery and get out before whoever lives here adds you to their collection!

First Impressions:

That… is a LOT of dolls. The room gave off that creepy vibe that only mannequins and weird porcelain dolls can provide. Which, in this case, is a good thing! After a short intro video outlining your basic room escape rules, we started going through this oddity of a home.

High Points:

Many different threads wove through the room, giving our fairly large group plenty to work on, even near the end when we were almost done. There was a red herring on one puzzle, but it was easy to determine what was unnecessary, so it felt more like it belonged than your usual red herring. There were quite a few interesting puzzles around, some of which involved interacting with some pretty creepy props, which was a lot of immersive fun.

Low Points:

We had 7 players and were fairly packed into the room before we opened up another space, making it difficult to coordinate well. One room was completely pitch black and did not give us any access to light other than dragging parts of the newly found puzzles into the first room, so while we had more space to work in, we were still limited to the original small space if we wanted to see properly. One puzzle was destructible, but optional.

Verdict:

The Dollhouse is a good beginner’s room barring the lack of flashlights. I feel like adding that to the second room would remove a lot of frustration and allow groups to refocus on the puzzles. Otherwise, a good flow and fun puzzles make this a great introduction to escapes. Enthusiasts may want to try to come with a smaller group, as it wasn’t quite as difficult as other rooms, and they may find themselves breaking out quickly. However, there’s no shortage of puzzles to be had, so a fun time can be had by all. Book your time in the Dollhouse here!

 

7/10 (Good)

Experience the BlackOut – Cell Block 704 (Review)

~ EscapeAdventurer ~ 1 Comment

Location: Charlotte, NC

Players: 2-8 (We recommend 4-6)

Price: $30 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

You either get busy escapin’ or get busy dyin’.

Theme:

A team of BlackOut Agents have been captured and locked up in Cell Block 704. It is up to your team to ensure they are extracted and the evidence against them secured. You’ve infiltrated the prison and have 60 minutes to get the evidence and break out!

First Impressions:

As previously stated in my review of South End Psycho, BlackOut goes all out with their presentation and immersion from the moment you step through the door. The entire opening briefing is woven into the experience expertly, and everyone is encouraged to work as a team from the start. After being blindfolded and handcuffed together, we were put in prison, and our race against the clock began.

High Points:

We were put in separate cells and had to work together passing items and clues between each ourselves in order to access the rest of the room. The flow of the room was a bit chaotic, but made sense between cells. The hint system is well done, and adds to the flow and immersion of the room rather than feeling like a random lifeline to the GM. There are enough puzzle lines to keep a full group occupied, and even though the room is dark, flashlights are plentiful, so the mood is well set without sacrificing our ability to work on the puzzles.

Low Points:

Our group of 4 was matched up with another group of 4, and the room felt very tight. BlackOut has since moved locations and expanded the size of their rooms, so this may no longer be an issue. One puzzle’s solution was dependent on an item already used for a previous puzzle and did not feel well clued. The one actor interaction seemed to drag along too long, stopping the action while our time ticked down. (Update: After speaking with Blackout, they let us know that they give an extra 2-5 minutes to the clock for actor interactions, which they are making sure to include in their briefings, and we were originally unaware of.) A late game puzzle involved a serious leap of logic none of us were able to make without help. Some elements of the room felt out of place, but were not too egregious.

Verdict:

Cell Block 704 is a good room that ties together the stories of BlackOut’s other rooms well. There are a couple of hiccups along the way, but the overall room is well put together and flows in a natural, if chaotic, way. A wide range of puzzles will keep groups occupied and entertained throughout the hour leading up to their escape! I would recommend doing BlackOut’s other two rooms first, in order to get the backstory, but this is not 100% necessary. Book your escape from the Cell Block here!

8/10 (Great)

Experience the BlackOut – South End Psycho (Review)

~ EscapeAdventurer ~ 1 Comment

Location: Charlotte, NC

Players: 2-6 (We recommend 3-4)

Price: $30 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

A boy’s best friend is his mother.

Theme:

A string of serial killings have been tracked back to a dilapidated cabin in the woods, and you, as BlackOut Agents, have been tasked with infiltrating the house, securing the name of the next victim, and escaping before the suspected murderer returns. There’s only one problem, not only is the killer on his way back, his house is likely haunted too.

First Impressions:

This was my second visit to BlackOut, but my first time in their new location. They have a very comfortable new lobby that fits the overall theme of BlackOut very well. The staff is, as always, in character and ready to immerse you in their world from the moment you step in the front door. After getting settled and signing waivers, you’re given your briefing in a separate room, then blindfolded, and led to your mission. Every step of the process ensures the outside world disappears from the time you enter, until the time you (hopefully!) escape!

High Points:

The briefing room and escape rooms being separate from the lobby allows for total immersion once the game begins, and is a very nice touch. The set design is very well done and the rooms are spacious enough to move around in, even with the maximum players in the room. Puzzles are mostly linear, but flow well into each other, and each is fairly well clued as to where they go. The actors in the room add to the story and drop small hints as you progress. The actors are fun to interact with and unobtrusive as well. All of the elements combine in this room to create a very creepy and horror based atmosphere.

Low Points:

One particular interaction is interesting, but mostly serves to drain time from the clock, which can feel frustrating during a timed event. (Update: After speaking with Blackout, they let us know that they give an extra 2-5 minutes to the clock for actor interactions, which they are making sure to include in their briefings, and we were originally unaware of.) The stricter linearity of the latter puzzles can limit the amount of people actively puzzling, though they allow for more interaction than most singular puzzles. There are a lot of random items in the room, which can lead to a messy experience for disorganized groups.

Verdict:

South End Psycho is a very well done room that not only takes its theme from horror, but actually feels scary at times. This can be a pro or a con depending on your tastes, but we definitely enjoyed a room that scared us at times.  Puzzles were solid and intuitive, and BlackOut creates an experience that is hard to top, through their specific blend of theatrical and escape room elements. You can book your escape from the South End Psycho here!

8/10 (Great)

Escape in 60 – Prison Escape (Review)

~ EscapeAdventurer ~ Leave a comment

Location: Charleston, SC

Players:  2-8 (We recommend 4-5)

Price: $28 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

He’s comin’! Let’s get outta here!

Theme:

It’s the 1970’s, and you’re stuck in prison. Luckily, an old cellmate of yours broke out recently, and left a few clues as to how to escape for you, you just need to wait for the best opportunity to break out. Unluckily, it seems the clues lead through the Warden’s office! He’s currently making his rounds, but will be back in an hour, and after suffering one embarrassing escape, he won’t take kindly to another attempt!

First Impressions:

Escape in 60 is situated in the heart of Charleston, in one of the rustic buildings on Market Street. Their open air lobby is inviting, and the staff is very helpful. The Warden’s office was an unassuming, but convincingly laid out room, and we could tell there were many surprises  in store for us. After being given a quick briefing, we started our breakout.

High Points:

The room is laid out as a prison warden’s office in the 1970’s and has some great antique but sturdy props around to carry that vibe. Puzzle threads are non linear, and there is plenty to work through for larger groups, as well as a good bit of variety in puzzle types. There are a few surprising technological interactions that are used sparingly and add to the mystique of the room overall. The ultimate puzzle is highly intuitive, but not so simple that it can be solved immediately. Clues were hidden well, but not unfairly, and the story wove throughout the room in a cohesive way. I enjoyed a prison escape that took place outside of the cell, which is the usual escape room standby.

Low Points:

The hint system was hit or miss, and while some hints nudged us well, others felt too vague. The cluing between solutions and inputs was vague at times, and in others unintentionally clued towards the wrong area. Some puzzles felt a bit less polished than others, which led towards a slightly uneven flow through the middle, but were overall well done.

Verdict:

Prison Escape is very accessible for new players, while still holding a fun challenge in store for enthusiasts. An interesting storyline, along with tactile and time period appropriate props help make this a great starter room, while still being stimulating for those who’ve escaped a few times before. Book your break from the Warden’s office here!

Full Disclosure: Escape in 60 provided comped tickets for our game.

8.5/10 (Great)