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Mind Suite Escape Rooms presents...
"TREASURE QUEST"
► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄
🏢 COMPANY: Mind Suite Escape Rooms
💻 WEBSITE: Company
🏘️ ADDRESS: 563 N Central Ave, Upland, CA 91786 | Google Map
🗾 COUNTRY: United States
🕹️ GAME: Treasure Quest
💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game
⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Official) | Medium To Kinda Hard (Mattster)
👨👩👧👦 CAPACITY: Up to 8 Players
🔐 GAME TYPE: Private
💰 PRICING: $32 (USD) Per Person
► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄
Official Premise (from Mind Suite): Take part in an epic treasure quest for Blackbeard’s ship and revered long lost treasure. Do you have what it takes to complete this treasure quest before the cave is completely reclaimed by Davey Jones’s locker?
► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄
📚 NARRATIVE: Classic tale: Seek yer treasure hidden away by the infamous Davey Jones
👀 VISUAL: Impressive, especially from a small business, can't wait to see more from them!
🧩 PUZZLE: A mixed bag of locks, tasks, automation, and scavenger hunting
🧠 IMMERSION: Decent effort in keeping engagement, includes lights, audio, & other effects
🏪 VENUE: Easy to find strip mall, no problem finding parking, LOVE the bathroom soap
💁♂️ STAFF: To describe their team... only words like sweet, lovely, and warm come to mind
💭 OVERALL: Introductory level game from a company I'd be rooting for and keeping an eye on
🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Players of all experience, and an inclination for pirates would be perfect
🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: Would recommend at least 4 players for split start and item searching
didn't find his booties in time (and save his booty from Davy Jones)... but did have fun!
"Treasure Quest" officially joins the "Recommended" rank!
► THIS GAME KICKED OUR BOOTIES ◄
Special Note: This game play took place pre-pandemic announcement in the United States (before March 2020). This review reflects previous business standards & practice at the time. Your experience may follow new health & safety guidelines where and when applicable. (Please contact business venue for further inquiry.)
Inland Empire area isn't exactly littered with escape room businesses everywhere like the LA market, hence it's almost extra rewarding to discover small escape game businesses--especially those of good quality--popping up here and there.
In an unassuming Upland location lies a treasure to be found | Mind Suite Escape Rooms
Meet the newest player, Mind Suite Escape Rooms.
Situated in an otherwise unassuming strip mall, Mind Suite is currently a diamond in the rough, though it doesn't take much for a customer to realize they mean serious business.
Stepping through the main entrance, I immediately saw a professional and welcoming lobby that far exceeded my initial expectations. Attention to details was obvious. I immediately knew my soon to begin game won't be shabby.
(And a bonus point for using Bath & Body Works scented hand soap in the restroom!)
Curious candle placement | Mind Suite Escape Rooms
Although their main attraction "Treasure Quest" may not bring forth the most unique story line, it is a family friendly one that is readily digestible even by the youngest escape trainee in the family: We arrrrr pirates and we arrrrr looking for the hidden treasures! On the bright side, at least the objective is, much like the gemstone you're seeking, crystal clear.
What I do strongly commend Mind Suite for is, they knew what they were doing, and they did it well.
First off, selecting a pirate theme and time period, though common, is actually no easy task! While the countless escape games out there have the option to bombard players with a curiously wide array of combo locks that exists on the face of the earth, this isn't a possibility for a life at sea in the 1600s. (More owners than I'd like to see make this cardinal mistake. Why would I have a Master directional lock in a pharaoh's grave?)
"Treasure Quest", for the most part, stuck to their guns, or blades, in keeping everything era appropriate. Though there're a few exceptions that could be improved, immersion was aptly achieved, and I had a great time seeking for Davy Jones's coveted jewels without being reminded I live in the 21st century.
Gold coins and pearl necklace await | Mind Suite Escape Rooms
In addition, it was especially enjoyable when I was doing that in a beautifully constructed set!
Despite not expecting a franchise budget production value from a small business, I was pleasantly blown away at the magnitude of greatness Mind Suite aimed to achieve--and largely succeeded. This isn't a "take an office space, plaster the wall with Party City decor, add a few pieces of furniture here and there" type of room. These guys actually built upon the existing structure to truly transform flat surfaces into rocky caverns.
And maybe, just maybe, you'll even see a pirate ship?!
Puzzle wise, the staff rates it intermediate, though an unlimited hint system might modulate the difficulty to as easy as one may desire. Because your team would be separated in the beginning, a solid grasp of general escape room game play and good communication are both crucial.
Due to the split start nature of this game, as much as I love a good challenge, I'd highly recommend assembling a team of 4 or more. By placing at least 2 players in each separated area in the initial stage, you'd have much more flexibility when it comes to puzzle solving.
Specifically speaking, when my partner was not keen eyed enough to locate an important apparatus, the game was bought to a standstill until a hint request. I, similarly, got stumped by a mysterious puzzle contraption. In both cases, a second nearby partner in crime would've greatly accelerated our game play advancement. Learn from my mistakes, my friends!
While my team of 2 struggled to complete the game under the time limit, as mentioned above, a group of 4 players, even of average skills, would likely be more than sufficient to conquer all challenges with relative ease. Novice starters, casual enthusiasts, and seasoned experts, you will all have a fair chance of raiding Jones's coveted valuables--and will most likely succeed!
Speaking of these challenges, I did thoroughly enjoyed the range of puzzle formats they were able to embed. True to goal, scavenging was appropriately included, (you're treasure hunting after all,) on top of a barrel-ful others that I did not expect to encounter.
Treasure Quest | Mind Suite Escape Rooms
Having experienced more than a handful of rooms (heh!) to date, I did not necessarily find all of puzzles groundbreaking, and yet, the cold hard fact was, I still got stumped several times during my 60-minute-plus game play. Touche to me.
A nice mix of gen 1 elements (lock & key) and gen 2 tech (automation) were carefully selected to help craft a story world that's believable in its own universe, and (almost) all were woven appropriately into the plot developments without their being puzzles for puzzles' sake.
Never ever say no to a good pirate wig photo opportunity | Mind Suite Escape Rooms
Overall, it's a safe and reliable choice, both for the business and its patrons. It is suitable for a large audience for its wholesome and adventurous subject, and it's unlikely to disappoint! A lovely experience backed by friendly hospitality from the entire staff, I could not ask for more.
Signing off,
ESCAPE MATTSTER
Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster
Full disclosure: complimentary game access was generously provided for review or testing purposes. All media are sourced from and credited to rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended. In certain cases, media materials are made available under fair use doctrine of copyright law. MSERQuest.