Tag: Game On Escape Rooms

Game On Escape Rooms – Rest Easy Motel (Review)

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9/20/2019 Update: The Rest Easy Motel has moved to Game On Escapes and More in Cary, NC! Book here!

Location: Morehead City, NC

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

Price: $29 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

No Rest for the Weary.

Theme:

You’ve been driving for hours, and now you’re exhausted and have to pull over for the night. None too excited about spending the evening in the middle of nowhere, sleeping in your car’s back seat, you look for a place to stay. Luckily, you spot a motel sign off the next exit and pull in. It looks a little run down, but it’s the best, (and only,) option you have. Unluckily, the Rest Easy Motel has been the site of numerous disappearances over the past few years, and unless you can figure out what’s been going on, you’ll be next!

First Impressions:

At this point, Game On and their sister location were two for two with their wonderful MacGregor Manor and Cat Burglar rooms, so I was extremely excited to see what they could do with a creepy motel. Further, it looked to be a supernatural horror, rather than just another serial killer on the loose or a pack of zombies, so the anticipation was even higher, knowing what a good reputation Game On carries!

High Points:

This game flowed so beautifully and was so completely engaging for me that even though we set a record, it did not feel like we had busted out overly quickly! Non-linearity allowed for total immersion for us all, and we were able to play to each other’s strengths with the variety of expertly placed puzzles. Clues were hidden incredibly cleverly, without being obtuse or obscure, and there were several points at which an unexpected interaction would develop into a completely surprising moment for us! The spooky atmosphere was just the right amount of horror theme without being oppressively scary, and delivered excellent thrills throughout. Even though there were moments of dark/dimness throughout the adventure, there were never any moments we felt that it was used in a way that was detrimental to the game. Interaction with staff before, during, and after the game was a delight, and customer service was absolutely top notch!

Low Points:

There were breadcrumbs of a story sprinkled throughout the experience, and while it created an excellent atmosphere of mystery and suspense, there were a few dangling threads by the time we escaped. A final wrap up to the story would be excellent, but overall, I feel like the experience was more than amazing enough to make up for the lingering questions.

Verdict:

Game On is three for three in delivering fantastic escape room adventures, and I absolutely think they should be on any enthusiast’s to do list! These rooms would also be a top notch introduction for newbies as well, especially since Game On does an amazing job with all facets of their experiences. I cannot wait for our next trip to a Game On room, and know you’ll love them too! Book your stay at the Rest Easy Motel here!

9.5/10 (Excellent)

Full disclosure: Game On Escape Rooms provided a media discount for our group.

Game On Escape Rooms – Cat Burglar (Review)

~ EscapeAdventurer ~ 1 Comment

Location: Morehead City, NC

Players: 2-5 (We recommend 3-4)

Price: $29 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

Burglary for Fun and Profit!

Theme:

Your team of world (in)famous cat burglars has infiltrated the home of the billionaire CEO and Guinness Record holder for silliest name, Mr. Bestunkovich in order to find and steal the account numbers of all his offshore accounts! This should be a simple job for your team, but Mr. Bestunkovich is crafty and has hidden everything away behind devious puzzles! If you can solve the mysteries before Mr. Bestunkovich returns, you’ll be able to retire from the thieving life somewhere tropical, but if not, Bestunkovich will probably beat you to death with his ridiculous name! Bestunkovich, Bestunkovich, Bestunkovich. I love that stupid name.

First Impressions:

Previously, we’d visited Game On Escape Rooms’ sister location in Cary, NC to do their excellent MacGregor Manor room, which we enjoyed so much, we decided to look into visiting their Morehead City location as soon as possible! We definitely expected great things, and (spoiler alert!) we were not disappointed! The staff was also a delight to interact with, and provided a top notch experience from start to finish!

High Points:

For the most part, the set within Cat Burglar is extremely well done, and provides a great sense of immersion upon stepping into the room. Though the room is smaller, the maximum is capped at 5, which prevents the room from becoming overly stuffed, as we have seen at other businesses, some of which max out at ridiculous numbers they don’t have the space or puzzles for. Gameplay weaves smoothly between non-linear and linear as the adventure progresses, and there always feels like there is something for everyone to be working on, as clues are peppered expertly throughout the experience. The game itself has several surprises up its sleeve, managing to provide new and engaging interactions to our group of grizzled escape room veterans! Cat Burglar also manages to subvert expectations in places fantastically, and provides humor within the room without seeming to try too hard, something of a rarity in most escape rooms. The game flow allows for the energy to last the entire adventure, and left us wanting more, in the best way!

Low Points:

The set design during the later stages tended to taper off, becoming less intricate as we moved further in the game. Unfortunately, one prop that was integral to a certain puzzle did not work, but staff did stop our time in order to correct the issue. One particular puzzle was fun, but felt out of place within the theme.

Verdict:

We went into Game On Escape Rooms expecting a certain level of quality, due to our experiences nearer to home, and they were absolutely met! Cat Burglar was easily a highlight of an already fantastic trip to the coast, and I would urge players new and old to give it a shot! Book your daring heist here!

8/10 (Great)

Full disclosure: Game On Escape Rooms provided a media discount for our group.