Category: Rush Hour Live Escape Games

Rush Hour Live Escape Games – Something Wicked (Review)

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Location: Fredricksburg, VA

Players: 2-8 (We recommend 3-4)

Price: Prices vary, see website for more details

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

…this way comes.

Theme:

From the Rush Hour Live Escape Games website:

A malevolent evil radiates from Deep Creek Forest. You and your team of paranormal investigators have been called in to find the source of the evil that is inhabiting the forest. People are disappearing without warning, including the first team of investigators called in. You had better be prepared because Something Wicked has moved in to the woods.

First Impressions:

Our final room of our Northern Virginia, 23 room trek took place within a haunted wood, and that’s the kind of theme I’m more than thrilled to engage with! Stepping in, we were treated to a very large, open area decked out to resemble a spooky witch’s wood, and I was excited to get started!

High Points:

Though the theme of paranormal investigation and folks disappearing into a mysterious forest are common horror tropes, I haven’t seen an escape room that takes on these combined tropes in my neck of the woods. The story is pulled off well, and uncovering the mystery of the Deep Creek Forest is a lot of fun, especially due to a couple of great surprises along the way. The set design within Something Wicked is engaging, and the huge room that Rush Hour has placed the experience within serves to ensure that it feels as though you’re adventuring through a huge, open air forest. Lighting is well done, presenting a night time scene without being so dim that it’s hard to see, (and for those darker corners, every player is provided a flashlight,) and the sound track does a great job at ensuring the room doesn’t feel flat, sonically. The whole vibe of the experience gives off a slightly more light hearted Blair Witch vibe, keeping things spooky and mysterious without getting overly scary. Rush Hour has done a great job with sound proofing again, and though other rooms touched the same walls, we’d never know it while puzzling inside.

There are loads of different areas to explore within Something Wicked, and while the room is mostly open, there is a distinct and intuitive puzzle path to begin with. From there, the game becomes mostly non-linear and this, coupled with the immense size of the room, ensures we were all happily puzzling away from start to finish. The puzzles were engaging, and well integrated into the theme, and the puzzle threads all tied up into a great climactic puzzle as well as a satisfying finale. The finale could also lead one of two ways depending on a choice we made during the game, and although we received the “good” ending, both seemed like a lot of fun, and several of us were wishing that we had unlocked the other, based on the description that was given to us. The game flow was very smooth, and the puzzles were gated off well, with all threads connecting nicely to one another, allowing the game to remain immersive, fluid, and intuitive.

Low Points:

One drawback of the set is that there is one area that initially looked like a spooky new place to explore, but was soon discovered to be a storage room that was not fully blocked off. While the ladder inside might’ve “helped” with the puzzles, it was fairly immersion breaking and probably should be sealed off better to prevent the antics of players more mischievous than us. The one exception to the excellent game flow was one puzzle that tied into another and did not actually require us to solve, leading a couple of us to wonder why it didn’t activate anything when we correctly placed the items. Luckily, our GM advised us that we no longer needed this part of the game, but it would’ve paid off better if the interaction was not solvable without this section. One particular puzzle was undirected, presenting us with a prop, and requiring us to just know when and where to use it, coming off as more of a directionless seek and find. We had one moment were we activated a solution, but the tech was a little faulty, leading us to double check our answers several times until the GM realized what had gone wrong. Finally, although we enjoyed the idea behind having two separate endings, the choice to trigger these endings was random, and it would’ve been nice to have more player agency over determining which ending we desired. Perhaps another puzzle or a more directed choice would make this part of the game more impactful than a fifty-fifty shot.

Verdict:

While there are hiccups here and there, Something Wicked was definitely my favorite of Rush Hour Live’s experiences. Blending a huge, spooky set with a Blair Witch lite storyline, we had a lot of fun escaping Deep Creek Forest. I’d definitely recommend this room to connoisseurs of the creepy and players of any skill level. Book your time facing the mystery of the forest here!

7.5/10 (Good)

Full Disclosure: Rush Hour Live Escape Games provided media discounted tickets for this room.

 

Rush Hour Live Escape Games – Lost Jewel of Zanzibar (Review)

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Location: Fredricksburg, VA

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

Price: Prices vary, see website for more details

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

How did so many jewels become lost?

Theme:

From the Rush Hour Live Escape Games website:

The year is 1930 and your former colleague, Magnus Ferguson, has sent you a distressing request to collect a hid, mystical gem in the heart of Africa. Fleeing a powerful, bloodthirsty African warlord, he has left you clues on how to find the exotic treasure. Beat the warlord to the gem or suffer the wrath of his army!

First Impressions:

Our third room at Rush Hour Live was a bit of a mental break for us, as we were informed that it was one of their more beginner level rooms. As it was also our 22nd of the 23 rooms we’d be experiencing this trip, it was certainly not unwelcome news. The friendly game master let us know they were excited to watch us blow through the room, (and we managed to escape the usual jinx of doing terrible when people tell us this,) and we immediately got to puzzling! We were more than ready to uncover another lost jewel!

High Points:

To start, it was explained to us that we’d need to enter all of our answers into a part of the set that was prominently displayed. It was certainly a creative way to have a meta puzzle presented within what was ultimately a fairly low-tech room, and it was an enjoyable way to solve, some issues aside. The game flow for the room was very straightforward, and therefore worked pretty well, coupling a mostly non-linear beginning and middle with a dense amount of puzzling that was able to sustain our whole group. The puzzles are fairly engaging, if somewhat basic, and make good use of the space provided within the game, and the connections between each clue were intuitive, providing some small moments of revelation that kept us engaged with the experience. The climax was appropriately exciting, and the final reveal was a fun way to cap off the room. I also continue to be impressed by the job that Rush Hour Live does sound proofing their rooms. At no point did we hear any of the noise from the other six rooms around us, allowing us to remain immersed within the adventure for the full time.

Low Points:

Though the set for Lost Jewel of Zanzibar is competently made, it was definitely the least interesting, visually, of the rooms we experienced at Rush Hour Live. It takes place, for the most part, within a tent and though there are a couple of interesting set pieces, overall it is fairly banal. Puzzles were also the most basic here, which makes sense, as this is one of their easier rooms, but we found several of the puzzle types to be fairly basic, especially one of the penultimate puzzles, which included a problem that felt more like homework than an exciting escape room conundrum. One of the main inputs for this game was interesting as previously stated, but one problem with it is that there was no feedback on solutions, meaning that this meta puzzle could throw everything out of whack and suck up a lot of time if anything is incorrect or misplaced. A few puzzles also felt out of theme and included “because escape room.” Throughout the experience, there never felt like there was much of a connection to the stated story, outside of the gem we were meant to discover, and there wasn’t a sense of urgency other than the fact that we were in an escape room. Overall, this room was average, nothing too egregious, but it never quite differentiated itself from the pack.

Verdict:

Lost Jewel of Zanzibar is a good room for beginners, with an approachable game flow and intuitive connections, though it may be a bit basic for players with more experience. I recommend checking it out if you’re new to the hobby, but after getting a couple rooms under your belt, this one may lose a bit of its luster. However, it is a serviceable, family friendly experience, and I can recommend it to those looking for that sort of game. Book your time hunting for the lost jewel here!

6.5/10 (Alright)

Full Disclosure: Rush Hour Live Escape Games provided media discounted tickets for this room.

 

Rush Hour Live Escape Games – Murder at Mardi Gras (Review)

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Location: Fredricksburg, VA

Players: 2-8 (We recommend 3-4)

Price: Prices vary, see website for more details

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

A celebration to die for!

Theme:

From the Rush Hour Live Escape Games website:

There’s been a murder and you and your group of jazz musicians are being framed for the crime! The Authorities are on their way back to the jazz club to arrest you all for the murder. Your only hope is to solve the mystery and collect the evidence to prove your innocence.

First Impressions:

I’ve never come across a Mardi Gras theme, and Murder at Mardi Gras seemed like a creative idea! The room was certainly decked out in the green, purples, and golds of the holiday, and was overall very festive, in spite of the gruesome murder that had been committed!

High Points:

The set design was well done in this room, and absolutely stayed on theme during the main portion of the game. It’s always nice to have a colorful, fun set when most escape rooms tend towards the darker, dreary realms of serial killers and jail cells. Props all played into the whimsical theme, and some of them were loads of fun to play with. The storyline for the room was a good time, with an exciting climax and enjoyable twists and turns, though the acting left a bit to be desired. However, this didn’t detract too much from the overall experience, and the main draw for us is the puzzles.

The game flow itself was straightforward and mostly intuitive, with a nonlinear approach that allowed for our team to divide and conquer for the most part. One of the initial puzzles was a favorite of mine, due to how it was put together, as well as the great moment of revelation it provided, as the clues were all hidden in plain sight, it just took some detective work to make all the pieces fit together nicely. One particular escape room staple is present within Murder at Mardi Gras, but it is handled in the best way possible, and we found no fault with it’s inclusion as the interaction was presented perfectly for what it is.

Low Points:

Some of the game’s puzzles dropped off theme, wandering into “because escape room” territory, and while they weren’t terrible, they weren’t terribly interesting either. Some puzzles were undirected, with one that didn’t even seem like an interaction until the game master quickly let us know that it was, and another leaving us to determine the solution without giving us the means to derive the full answer without throwing out a guess. There was one particular repeat of a similar puzzle type we saw a few times at Rush Hour Live, one which popped up several times during our visit, and while it wasn’t a bad puzzle, it began to become old hat once we saw it repeated a few times. There have been a few updates to the room since it’s inception, and there is some leftover artifacting, some of which would have been more fun had it been left in, in our opinion. Overall, Murder at Mardi Gras is a serviceable game, but nothing about the experience really stuck with us after the fact. Not a bad game, but mostly average, it definitely falls just above the middle of the pack.

Verdict:

Murder at Mardi Gras is, on the whole, a good time, but isn’t quite as exciting as other rooms we played at Rush Hour Live. The mystery is well presented, and the puzzles are serviceable, but overall, it feels just a little dated. Newer players will have fun here, and there is a pretty good time for enthusiasts as well, but it just doesn’t quite rise above average for the most part. You can book your investigation into the Mardi Gras Murder here!

6/10 (Alright)

Full Disclosure: Rush Hour Live Escape Games provided media discounted tickets for this room.

 

Rush Hour Live Escape Games – Tomb of the Red Queen (Review)

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Location: Fredricksburg, VA

Players: 2-8 (We recommend 3-4)

Price: Prices vary, see website for more details

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

Tomb Reconsecrators

Theme:

From the Rush Hour Live Escape Games website:

As a team of archaeologists, you are studying the ancient Mayan ruins of Palenque. Shortly after entering the dig, you find the entrance locked behind you. King Pakal commands you to complete the burial rituals to allow the soul of his beloved wife to join him in the heavens! Can you find your way out of the temple before he arrives to have his revenge!

First Impressions:

Rush Hour Live boasts an enormous lobby and a huge area for all their escape games, and the business as a whole looks really top notch from the outside. The only thing we were worried about was that some of the rooms’ walls did not go all the way to the ceiling, so we were worried about sound pollution between rooms. Overall, though, it looked like this spot would be a great time!

High Points:

As mentioned above this room’s walls did not quite reach to the ceiling, but at no point did this become a problem, as the sound proofing between rooms was excellent, using the fantastic soundtrack to help ensure we wouldn’t be pulled out of the room’s immersion by errant noises. Lighting was also used effectively to ensure the room gave off a great, tomb-like vibe, but was never too dim to see by, hitting a happy medium that is all too rare in most dim escape rooms. Though the intro video to the room was just a little bit hokey, it got the story across well, and new bits of narrative were sprinkled through the room as we solved. The set was nicely designed, and while not at the level of a Hollywood production, it served to express the feeling of being in a tomb well. Passing through each chamber was exciting, and each step towards the Red Queen’s final resting place marked our progress excellently.

Puzzles for the tomb remained in theme, for the most part, and while there were modern locks around the room, they didn’t feel wildly out of place due to the smoothness of the game flow. To start the room, our team was split up, and each puzzle involved with the initial stages of the game relied on teamwork, ensuring that we solved all the puzzles together, rather than splitting individual puzzles between the rooms. This circumvented the usual “curse of the less interesting room” problem excellently, and kept us all engaged. From that point, we traversed the inner areas of the Red Queen’s tomb, and were glad to see that the game was fully non-linear during the mid to late stages of the game. Our group of five stayed completely involved with tackling the rooms challenges, and were able to divide and conquer to great effect. A few of the larger scale set pieces were integrated well into the room and the puzzles, and interacting with these was a lot of fun.

Low Points:

One of the early puzzles involved riddle solving, but was mitigated a little by providing answers in an interesting way. Riddles are still somewhat underwhelming within escape rooms however, but at least the outside knowledge factor was completely removed. The set design ramped up well after the initial stage of the game, but to start, we were somewhat wary of the rooms design. One particular puzzle is out of theme for the room, and while it is an overall alright interaction, it doesn’t quite feel as though it belongs and reminds players they are in an escape room. Another puzzle breaks immersion as well, including stickers and some light outside knowledge that inserted some random confusion as to why this would be included within an ancient tomb.

The climax of the game fizzled for us, as the final congratulations and story ending did not trigger properly, even though we had completed the ritual, but even if it had, the experience felt underwhelming due to how this final meta puzzle is presented. Even though one part of the ritual was interesting, the others didn’t quite have the gravitas due to a particular barrier, and because one integral part of the final stages of the game was not clued, leading the GM to have to notify us to do something we wouldn’t have naturally done ourselves based on the connections available to make within the room.

The theme itself is ok, but involves a Mayan tomb and performing burial rites, which can feel somewhat uncomfortable at times. If the tomb was non-descript and didn’t focus on a specific culture, this would be overall alleviated, but the Mayan parts feel underdeveloped and somewhat cliché, presenting somewhat of a stereotypical view of the culture.

Verdict:

The Red Queen’s Tomb is an interesting game that could use a few tweaks here and there to make it shine, however, it is still a serviceable game, and is a good challenge for escape room enthusiasts and rookie players alike. With a little fine tuning and a slight bit of reworking of uncomfortable theming, this could easily be an even more memorable game. For now, it’s still a solid choice for players, and we recommend giving it a shot. Help complete the Red Queen’s burial rites here!

7/10 (Good)

Full Disclosure: Rush Hour Live Escape Games provided media discounted tickets for this room.