This was a huge tomb. Room after room after room... | Maze Rooms LA (Hollywood) GAME INFO COMPANY: Maze Rooms LA (Hollywood) ADDRESS: 1328 Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028 GAME: Pharaoh's Tomb PREMISE: For centuries archaeologists have dreamed of finding the lost tomb of Amenhotep the Fifth. Amenhoteps' tomb is said to contain untold treasures and though many have searched for it, few have ever returned. Welcome to Maze Room’s Pharaoh’s Tomb Game This is a puzzle game that will leave you searching. Imagine finding yourself among a group of archeologists who have always dreamed of finding the lost tomb of Amenhotep the Fifth. This tomb is believed to contain a lot of mysteries, treasures, and riches. Before you and your friends think of embarking on your quest for the vault, know that thousands before you have also tried their luck and failed. Only a few of them have ever returned home alive. You have to keep yourself alive throughout the game because a lot of spells and enchantments have been placed around the tomb to prevent you from finding it. Some of the spells can also trap you in the tomb if you ever make it there. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 01/01/2019: This particular branch of Maze Rooms in Hollywood has long received favorable reviews for all 3 of their available games, so I've been on a mission to try and review all 3. Last time, I was blown away by "World Of Illusions" (see "Previous Review"), and this time, I arrived with much eager anticipation to venture into the "Pharaoh's Tomb". Firstly, I'd like to point out, the decision of making an Egyptian themed escape room is no easy feat. Because of the unmistakable era of well-documented Egyptian history and culture, we the audience all come in with expectations of what may or may not constitute as a believable scenario of exploring the burial chamber of, say, King Tut. Therefore, even just one simple mistake in set, prop, or puzzle choice, immersion could be immediately broken. With that said, how did Maze fare? Well... Production value was pretty darn amazing. The would-be archaeologists for the hour, with the goal of exploring the forbidden tomb and shutting down any evil curse if they should ever encounter one, would first enter the premise through a narrow, dark corridor, complete with overgrowing vegetation all around. This helped set a slightly unsettling, yet adventurous mood for the rest of game. And that's just a sample of what's more to come. Without further specific spoilers, I felt the game designers really went the extra mile to shroud the experience in as much realism and mystery as they could, and that meant: beautiful (and realistic) hieroglyphics on the wall, plausible (in terms of plot) light sources, eg torches with imitative fire, and many secrets hidden away for participants to discover. What's genius about this set up was, visually, they've got it covered 100%--so all that's left for them to do, was to make you feel like you're actually exploring an artifact site. And they achieved this simply by... having you explore! You see, the one most outstanding feature of Tomb was the extremely effective usage of space. On first glance, you'd have no idea just how spacious the total area of this escape room was, and it's actually much bigger than one would initially expect. Solving certain puzzles would grant you access to previously unseen territory, and this process cycled through for several occasions. This series of reveals caused an endless stream of excitement and high, pumping through my bloodstream the entire game. Though I was a pretend-historian in pretend-Egypt, there's nothing fake about my exploration and discovery. By the end of the game, I honestly felt like I finished a mini excavation. At this point, you'd probably think, Maze did a perfect job! But now, let's circle back: was immersion ever broken? Sadly, yes. Like mentioned, just one single blunder in puzzle choice would easily take players out of their illusion of being in ancient Egypt, and that culprit had always consistently been (as with other pharaoh inspired escape rooms), and was also the case here: CHOICE OF LOCK. There were 2 instances of modern locks employed, and I swore to God I asked why the game designers did not just convert them into magnetic locks, or at least key locks that *looked* aged, and therefore historically appropriate? Just such simple amendments would push this game onto the next level of awesomeness. And if I were to nitpick further, there were some elements from other puzzles that elicited a "wth?" notion from me, because they too seemed out of place with the theme. And once again, painfully so, I immediately thought of simple tweaks that could instantly correct such minor problems. What frustrated me a lot was that this room had so much potential to be on the rank of perfection, but yet did not come to fruition. Hence, Tomb came close to a true immersive experience, but fell victim to something as simple as a combo lock. As an ESCAPE ROOM, however, it was an excellent one with a hearty number of enjoyable challenges that filled up 1 hour nicely. In addition, the puzzles flowed well and interconnected from one to the next logically, thereby giving the customers a smooth experience uninterrupted by unnecessary frustrations (the kind stemming from leaps of logic)--something that we as escape enthusiasts sometimes take for granted. With the exception of the aforementioned locks, the puzzles were tech based and automated, keeping the fantasy aspect mostly intact. Difficulty was at most medium, with a tiny bit of scavenging thrown in. (Tip: do not discount certain "decoration". It may end up being an important clue, after all!) In conclusion, Tomb was a winner. It might not be flawless, but I could certainly overlook the imperfections for its numerous unexpected surprises. Moreover, I had no walkie-talkie problem this time around, and Adam the gm was more personable in comparison; so, I'd happily upgrade the venue's rating from 4 to 5 stars. :) Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

A live demonstration of what lust is, guest starring a dead, skinned Thing ▪ Evil Genius Escape Rooms GAME INFO COMPANY: Evil Genius Escape Rooms ADDRESS: 2525 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018 GAME: Chapter 3: The Morgue PREMISE: It is hard to escape the feeling of finality when standing in a place where bodies get prepared for their eternal rest. All of your decisions have lead you to this point, yet it hardly feels like you had a choice. You were destined to be here. You enter the morgue, which has obviously been abandoned for some time. Ivy crawls along the walls, the pipes drip, leaves and dead bugs litter the floor. And that smell. You wait in the dark knowing that there is something, or maybe someone, out there. Your final test... GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 12/22/2018: It's hard to believe 2 of LA's best, most top-notched rooms are within walking distance to each other. Literally minutes of walking distance away from Hatch Escape's "Lab Rat" lives none other than Evil Genius himself. So much overflowing brilliance in this otherwise unassuming neighborhood. Currently 3 episodic experience are available at EG, and having already completed Ch 1 and 2 months ago, our team of 4 (plot protagonists, if you will) has returned to reprise our previous roles from "Occam's Apartment" and "Norcross Art Gallery" (see my "Previous Reviews"), ready to take on the Evil Genius himself once more. Ch 3 "The Morgue" ran in the similar vein as its predecessors. The style, vibe, and flavor of game play, design, and look felt strangely familiar, except bigger, badder, and better, if that made any sense at all. (Here, I'd like to interject a compliment to the creators behind the game, on just how far they'd come since the beginning. As an escape room fanatic, I witnessed the wonderful development and maturation this saga had come to grow into. I was blown away.) Everything meshed together so well, it's hard for me to even compose this review systematically. What excellent aspect should I cover first? Immersion? Visuals? The innovative game format? There's just so much to give praise to. After waivers etc, we were thrown back into the universe of Evil Genius much like our last encounter. The game started before even the timer began ticking down. Here on out, you, (mild spoiler) as both Occam's old buddy, and your ally's only hope for survival, would be led to the titular morgue and holy sh*t--you'd meet none other than Mr Evil Genius himself. Tbh, I expected the morgue to be a somewhat dark and creepy chapter as its name implied, but what's in store for us was almost a 180-degree opposite. Yes, it's still retained that signature ominous overtone, but Mr EG himself had another vision to challenge us... (Was he and J Kramer friends that used to hang out at D&B?) In his twisted world of murder and bloodshed, you can't help--giggling--at this unexpected turn. Not only was the theme a unique twist of its own, so was the time limit policy! (Leave it to the guys who championed a 2-hour, back-to-back game to break the mold again!) Per website, Ch 3 is classified as a 75-minute gaming experience. But no no no, that ain't what you're getting by default. If you want that full serving of clock time, (mild spoiler) be prepared to do some side quests! These "optional/bonus" quests were almost certainly mandatory if you want to finish the room in time, though the enjoyment derived from these "mini games" was your true prize. They're very much integral, & often times showstoppers, to the overall morgue performance. Puzzles wise, Ch 3 continued to feed me more of what I really enjoy as an escape room enthusiast, which were solid, actual puzzles--the kind that truthfully required you to think, ponder, & breakthrough mentally. (As opposed to task based involvements, which seem to be 60Out's new direction and vision.) Though a lot more tech components & multimedia were involved, at the heart of this game, it's still a classic escape room experience, only improved, bolstered, & polished by the latest gadgets. There were some puzzles that were more straightforward, and then there were ones, while not too out-of-the-box difficult, made use of your body elements & senses that I truly hadn't once seen being featured before. Finally, a game that broke my ground of using that elusive 5th sense that I never ever imagined actually being implemented in an escape game! (All puzzles were aptly themed, too!) Finally, what complemented so well all this aforementioned goodness was, of course, the set. If I'm correct, the owners do not outsource any engineer or artistry help. Everything you see in the morgue is indeed DIY from scratch. While playing, I was constantly amazed in the back of my mind, at how some of the contraptions turned out. Not only did they look PERFECT (morgue-legit!), there were so many secrets to unlock, then subsequently to be floored by flawless execution, & in some cases, sheer surprises. Btw: (Almost) no jump scare, though claustrophobic elements were very certainly present. SUPER COOL hint system. Those who complete this room would come to realize the ambiguous future of this intriguing series, and be caught in the webs of the EG universe even more tightly than ever before. 100% immersion accomplishment status earned. Though it may take a long time from now, I *desperately* look forward to future games and continuation of the story. You know how you finish a season of your favorite show on Netflix, and the next is nowhere in sight? That's exactly the feeling, & precisely how good this company has elevated itself. And for that, I salute you, dear friend, Mr EG. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Maintaining peace between Russia and US was a piece of cake--broke the record time then | Maze Rooms LA (Vermont) GAME INFO COMPANY: Maze Rooms LA (Vermont) ADDRESS: 132 S Vermont Ave Ste 204, Los Angeles, CA 90004 GAME: Secret Mission PREMISE: Enter the secret safe house of an elusive Soviet spy, and try to reveal his true identity. You have been called here because you are among the best of the best! Secret Mission Escape Room in Koreatown, LA is a medium-difficulty escape room game in which groups of 2 – 6 secret agents match wits with an infamous Russian spy in an exciting scramble to prevent a dangerous computer transmission! Channeling the tension of 1970’s cold war espionage, this immersive caper is appropriate for both junior and adult spies. Don’t let the “medium” level of difficulty out-sleuth you, though – Secret Mission puzzle game has some sneaky puzzles that might trip up even the most experienced enthusiasts! GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 01/02/2019: I love this branch of Maze Rooms.The owner of this location is passionate about this hobby, creative in his ideas, dexterous in his construction, and genius in execution. I have already covered "The Abyss" and "Magic Kingdom" in my Previous Reviews. Today, let's go over the 2 Missions: "Secret Mission" and "Lunar Mission". Due to the characters limit, I gonna cut some materials short, so take my words for this: production value of all rooms at Vermont location is AWESOME. Every single game provides corresponding costumes to provide deeper immersion and great photo ops. The level of care and thoughts from this business--simply one of the best in today's market. Now the specifics. I played 2 rooms today. First was "Secret Mission", in which we as CIA agents must intercept a Russian spy from transmitting out crucial, confidential info back to his superior. With an obviously more tongue-in-cheek theme, this room leaned on humor, had a less urgent plot, but still entirely enjoyable. I particularly loved the "trailer ads" playing in the lobby for this room, and the more serious toned mission briefing vid presented prior to game. Both helped brought the story alive. The plot took place in the spy's apartment, hence, the set was understandably easier to build; but this did not stop the designer from overloading the area with style and details, many making obvious nods to the USSR. With the space allotted, the apt housed essentially functional rooms, completely furnished with appliances that were Cold-War-era appropriate. Secrets were hidden away slyly that evaded detection until puzzle's unlock. Everything felt so, so real, and we had so, so much fun. Of note, one particular element that wasn't game-essential, but arguably plot-essential, hadn't been working for a few days, and we were disappointed that we didn't get to experience what otherwise would've been a pretty cool, memorable moment. This also caused slight confusion during the game, but we shrugged it off easily. (This is the biggest reason why the room is A- instead of A.) Puzzles were fun, some of which were uncommon enough to challenge us, others wacky enough to make me smirk, several times even. Difficulty was fairly easy, and we powered through the last part of the game at lightning speed, and ultimately beating previous best record. We solved the entire room in 25 minutes! We were ecstatic; but secretly, I wanted more! Well, I guess I did get more in my next room "Lunar Mission". This was their hardest room, and they recently made it even HARDER in the past months to challenge even the most seasoned players. The plot follows a group of astronauts' desperate escape from the moon back to Earth after an accident, critically crippling the Lunar Station's sustainability. The "trailer" (from lobby) was overlaid by an ominous horror movie music, and as it turned out, the level of urgency we faced in this story world was accurately reflected by this score. So kudos on immersing the players in an intriguing predicament--it really gave us that extra oomph that made the experience great. And oh man, the set! Not only was it beautiful, it was unbelievably elaborate--much more intricate and extensive than I ever imagined. When you first walk through that unassuming entrance, you'd have no idea that the Lunar Station was built with much realism (in a sci-fi novel) in mind. It's got command station, docking station, and many, many more compartmentalized areas to explore. To top it off, the puzzles, for the most part, were actual puzzles! The kinds that made us think! There were still some task based challenges, but even those were incredibly entertaining. (Arcade, anyone?) It was an extremely solid, professionally made, high-tech escape room experience that really showed its peers what a model space themed game could be. The room, as pointed out, was difficult, and I *do not at all* recommend any beginner to play this. Go play some other rooms first, gain some experience, and come back later. For my advanced enthusiasts, bring up to a group of 4. A pair of 2 would most likely fail; my group of 3 barely passed with quite a few hints given. Tip: A handful of clues given early on in 1 room would not come into play until much later, most likely when you're physically far away, and had already forgotten their existence. Otherwise, game was logical and well-structured. One downside of such tech heavy room was there were definitely wear and tear of equipment and the occasional malfunctions. I recall at least 2 correctly solved inputs did not trigger expected response, and either needed repeated attempts, or outright override from game master. But these were minor imperfections in the grand scheme of a great, grade-A product. PS: Props to Will for running several games smoothly all by himself on New Year's! Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Locked and loaded | 60Out Escape Rooms (Silver Lake) Bulletproof pig's head for your crotch | 60Out Escape Rooms (Silver Lake) GAME INFO COMPANY: 60Out Escape Rooms (Silver Lake) ADDRESS: 1333 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026 GAME: Cartel: DEA Undercover PREMISE: You are undercover DEA agents in the middle of a special operation. You recently got word that the leader of the Juarez Cartel liked the product you sent him, and now he wants to meet up with you. The Juarez Cartel is known for their dangerous and brutal antics, so, if things start to go south, it may be too late. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 12/19/2018: Firstly, do not be put off by the grading above. This review is based heavily on my *personal* preference, and I fully recognize that what's so-so for me, could be the best for someone else. With that in mind, let's go. (And oh, be sure to check my "previous review" section for "Hyde & Seek" & "Amityville", which both outperformed "Cartel: DEA Undercover" imo.) In Cartel, you take on the roles of undercover DEA agents whose fates are taking a turn for the worse, when their covers are blown and currently under seizure by the powerful drug mafia. Use your police force training to contact headquarters, and hopefully avoid a bloody demise! A rare/unique theme that I hadn't encountered before, Cartel definitely had its solid shares of strengths. For instance, the entrance was not the main metal door to the compound--oh no--60Out straight up started us in the interior of a bullet hole ridden van, truly immersing its players in the unfortunate shoes of the captured. Bet ya haven't seen this before. Undoubtedly, production value & immersion were the two strongest pulls of this attraction. Though there was a small amount of tech hiccups that hindered certain automated features, Cartel put on a great show for us to not only watch & play, but to truly experience & interact with its environment as the story unfolded. Upon solving the first "puzzle" that enabled us to liberate ourselves from vehicular confinement, we arrived at what looked like our imminent deathbed had we not acted promptly. Blood splatters, body parts, PORK RIBS (lol), this was a grade A set! Throughout the entire game, the theme of "task force vs drug lord" was strong, and stayed intact from start to finish. The game designers, I'm guessing, wanted to offer a 100% immersive, movie-like experience, and therefore accordingly created challenges that were a lot less puzzle-like, but a lot more item-application and task-based. The game directly questioned its DEA agents, "Here's your (series of) given sticky situation, now how'd you get out of such a pickle?" And that's exactly where the format of game play split its audience in half, I'd imagine. There're those who'd love this type of logic-driven, real-life-imitation adventure room; and then there're those who're more accustomed and attracted to puzzle-styled and mind-inclined escape room. I happen to fall in the latter half. (Though it's unfair to say I didn't enjoy myself for that hour.) You see, irl, I suck at adulting. I am no expert at using tools, operating machinery, and just things that should come natural to a brawny man. (And for the record, I ain't one, so I guess that explains it.) So when 60Out abandons the usual escape room mantra of "this is all a wits game", and instead make a 360 and introduce a more "physical" product that uses "real life skills", I was 100% confounded & defeated, and in what's possibly my worst room escape performance to date, we pretty much needed heavy cluing every step of the way... which just didn't feel like quite the achievement despite a successful escape. Even though the official difficulty rating was medium, my entire team thought it was at times frustratingly hard. The game was linear, so I was fairly aware of what my next rational step would be, though the journey to the destination was often winded and confusing, and usually not in sync with my own version of common sense. At one point, the game master desperately wanted to assist us, exclaiming, "The Cartel is out to get you, try to figure out a way to stop 'em!" And to that, my group just stood around, confused, ran around fruitlessly, and then still just as useless. Eventually, when the hints became more and more obvious, only then we were able to take correct action & move on. (Of note, the exceeding amount of great looking decor actually became a long list of red herrings, which harmed more than helped ultimately.) In fact, once the game was over, I immediately requested a complete recap and walkthrough, as there're so many doubts and uncertainties lingering on my mind! Though Cartel's not quite my cup of tea, I do want to clearly extend gratitude and admiration for the game creators for at least trying something different, and a visually stunning one at that. If you're a fan of 60Out, I recommend this location's circus act "Hyde", or its horror option "Amityville". "Cartel", to me, is a hit-or-miss. Though once again, I should emphasize, I 100% didn't hate it--I just didn't *love* it. But hey, at least I got some pretty memorable photos for keepsake! Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

"The Villain's Lair" is one of 5 solid entries Exit Game has to offer | Exit Game (Los Angeles) I am wearing a shirt featuring many great escape room companies--including Exit Game | Exit Game (Los Angeles) GAME INFO COMPANY: Exit Game (Los Angeles) ADDRESS: 111 N Atlantic Blvd Ste 148, Monterey Park, CA 91754 GAME: The Villain's Lair PREMISE: The glorious leader, Kim Jong Il has captured your team of secret agents. Your team must figure out how to complete the impossible mission of breaking out of his jail and make your way to his underground cave. You will have to disarm all the bombs in order to escape. Can you be the hero that saves the world? GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 12/22/2018: ...How did I end up here? Are those... prison bars? ...The pungent stench of kimchi. The torturing beat of "Gangnam Style". There's no mistake; I am stuck in a Korean jail. I have 60 mins to escape--The Villain's Lair--and save the world. I've succeeded in the past at both the art of espionage and wizardry (see "previous reviews" for other games' in-depth analysis, including An Hour To Kill, The Lab 51, School of Sorcery, and The AI), and of all the crazy shenanigans I've run into, how does this stack against the rest? If there's anything that is signature of Exit Game, it's definitely consistency. Though they offer 5 different themed games at this location, all of them exudes a very similar flavor in terms of design, visual, game play, and puzzle structure. If you're a returning customer, you'd know exactly what I mean: at least a decent level of quality is guaranteed, and you know exactly what you're paying for. Production value was decent. Having literally played through almost 60 escape rooms in the span of 1 yr, I have seen a lengthy list of amazingly decorated games, and also the occasional of down right sh*tty ones. Villain's Lair lied somewhere in the above average range. A common feature across all 5 games, I felt as if the creators were working with a finite amount of budget that was able to pretty much perfect certain areas of a game, but also to leave other sections comparably bare, but nothing that some refurbishments couldn't fix. Did I feel like I was in a villain's quarter? Yes. Could it have looked a bit more convincing? Also yes. I know that this branch's Lair recently received an updated theme overlay of Kim Jong-un, perhaps to coincide with San Diego location's more recently re-imagined edition, but it's rather weak. With the exception of a humorous intro vid, the game was essentially a generic "prisoner of war" breakout room. Now, there's *absolutely nothing* wrong with that, though I felt like if you gonna bank on political humor, might as well go in full throttle. As what it was, a strong, mixed gen 1 & 2 style game, garnished with various cool tech moments, Lair was just fine, and I enjoyed my escape session quite immensely. Thank goodness the game designers stuck with the common trope of dividing team members in separate jail cells in the beginning, because without an obligatory communication challenge barrier, it just wouldn't be a great prison room! The initial hurdle of the inability to relay info face-to-face added an extra layer of enjoyable difficulty, which I appreciated. The difficulty of subsequent puzzles were consistent, nothing majorly hard. Anyone who's seen a fair share of commonplace riddles would get through just fine. (Certain puzzles felt a tad out of place, puzzles for puzzles sake--though still engaging and fun.) There weren't any groundbreaking puzzles, just that it might take a bit of extremely careful investigation to advance. Of note, automatic unlocks (for doors etc) were, on several occasions, subtle and quiet, thus subjectively "unfairly" hindering game play. Customers should take note, and owners could possibly improve on a more lucid, and perhaps louder, notification system. There were definitely a handful of "Oooh! Ahhh!" amazement/discovery moments, which I shall not spoil for you... but you can get a pretty good idea by visiting the official website. One thing that I value in this hobby is the times I share with my friends, being stuck in a room together for an hour. And judging from the laughter and hi-fives we gave each other, Exit Game fulfilled its job competently. Overall, there really wasn't anything bad with Lair, but naturally as I play and witness more escape rooms, the correspondingly more it takes to impress me this point of my "career". Lair slightly lacked that special "it factor" that could otherwise make itself *really* stand out from the crowd--something that An Hour To Kill effortlessly did for me. Much gratitude for the main line staff who's always been courteous at each of my visits, and also a special thanks for management for helping out my little booking fiasco. I started out my yr 2018 at Exit Game in January, and now also finished the concluding chapter at the end of the same yr. It's been a fun journey, Exit Game; (avg) 5 stars rating for this year-long ride. And now, here're my grand finale tips: 1) My order of preference goes: Hour, Lab, Lair, AI, Sorcery. 2) Hour still remains as one of my top faves (out of all companies), especially the unforgettable ending. 3) Exit Game is the escape equivalent of the action movie genre. Like to run around a lot? This is your go-to. 4) Basic understanding of additive color mixing helps in multiple games. 5) I technically booked 5 public games, but not once was I paired up with strangers. So... strategize, book smart, and save ;) Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

"Chapter 2: The Silence" is a silent--and effective--killer | The 13th Room Escape Rooms GAME INFO COMPANY: The 13th Room Escape Rooms ADDRESS: 109 E 3rd St, Pomona, CA 91766 GAME: Chapter 2: The Silence THEME: Unique Twist, Hellish Elevator GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 12/07/2018: Having just come back from "Chapter 2" of 13th Room, I was fully blown away from how different, immersive, and PLAIN O' AWESOME my experience was. The best way to describe it? Horror video game turned real life adventure on (mild) steroids. Think "The Evil Within". Normally, I'd give you a synopsis of the plot, but the company deliberately left it super vague on its website, so I'd do the same. I'd say the background image of the syringe came into play, and there was, as mentioned, a hell-evator involved. (Also, loved that it's PRIVATE booking.) The site also mentioned that it's scary and it's got twist(s). So let's talk about that. I don't scare easily anymore, so I was pretty satisfied when Ch 2 was able to elicit fear from even me the way it did in our game. Sure, the usual tricks of flickering lights, sudden loud noises, and other forms of jump scares were employed, but it was their unique twist of live actor implementation, and how it related back to the central story, that made the fear factor rather effective. Their heavy banking on suspense, the unknown, and strangely, a new take on one of your childhood's favorite pastime game, transformed something that was already pretty great into something even more special. The set was beautifully crafted, as in, super believable as the setting of this creepy journey (with blood and gore!); and though usually I'd spent some time praising this aspect, you'd just have to take my word for it, since it's clearly the immersion that deserved the most applause... Because the game started before we knew it. NO JOKE. We waited outside on the street. A key fell down, we unlocked the entrance door to the location, and the game commenced. There's literally 0 time from beginning to the very end that any outside knowledge or reference came in contact with us, as we were TIGHTLY TRAPPED in the 13th Room's Mayfair Hotel universe, and I F**KING loved it. Give it up to the owners who have the innovation and the balls to pull this off. Without explicitly spoiling any essential contents from the game, I'd say the puzzles were all solvable even for beginners. Under the intense stress of a horror setting though, everything seemed harder. (And me having a car accident just prior didn't help, but more on that later.) Many puzzle steps were automated by high-tech components, though the core DNA of the puzzles were still familiar escape room tropes. 3 clues maximum were available, should you choose to ask. However, in actuality, your clue system, or rather a guide (and no, this wasn't the actor), would constantly provide nudges and helpful tips throughout the hour unprompted, so we actually received a lot more help than just 3 clues. We still used our own wits to solve the actual puzzles, but would've definitely taken longer if left stranded. This didn't deter in anyway from our enjoyment, as ultimately, we wanted to see the story through its conclusion, which is always more satisfying than left wondering with a cliffhanger. Furthermore, even the clue system (the guide) was 100% immersion-proof, and it worked really well, both in terms of the plot, AND the spooky atmosphere! After a short bit of struggles and a whole lot of hair-raising fun later, we completed our main mission AND bonus mission in roughly 50 minutes. A very well structured format game play with a few dashes of villainous chaos, I'd say difficulty was around medium, but may rise to hard if you're super easy to scare and can't manage to do sh*t in aforementioned situations. Also, quick notes: 1) Game is replayable as there're 3 versions with different puzzles. 2) No, you do not need not to play Ch 1 before Ch 2. What else... Oh yes. I completely appreciated their degree of care and effort for customer satisfaction, especially tonight when I ran pretty late due to a flat tire. My game was scheduled at 9pm, and I barely arrived at 8:55pm, which was technically considered tardy by escape room standards (rules & such take time!). However, not only did the game go smoothly, owner (pretty sure he's the owner) Eddie voluntarily gave us a run-through post-game, shared with us some inside scoops on his future business plans, and also discussed other escape room good stuff in general. I positively love it when owners display their love and enthusiasm for their craft! And just to briefly return to the topic of immersion, never once did Eddie break character when he texted me and called me when I was running late, contacting me as a Mayfair Hotel staff. Moreover, my friends and I were constantly referred by our first names during the game, which altogether, effectively made *us* part of the narrative, even *the stars* of this terrifying tale, if you will. Hands down, "Chapter 2", best horror themed escape room with live actor that I've survived from. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Everything about this--the theme, the plot, the puzzles, the feels--simply magical | UNLOCKED: Escape Room I just gonna leave this here; you'll see | UNLOCKED: Escape Room GAME INFO COMPANY: Unlocked: Escape Room ADDRESS: 17952 Sky Park Cir Ste 45B, Irvine, CA 92614 GAME: The Return Of The Magician PREMISE: After a long hiatus, The Magician has returned to the stage. Join us and book your tickets to find out just exactly why he was named Magician of the Year 3 times in a row! This comeback performance will be exclusively shown only at UNLOCKED Productions Theater. His magic and illusions will free your mind… GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 12/02/2018: After months of planning, all stars finally aligned, and I was able to drive down to Irvine to experience the long-awaited "The Return of the Magician". You see, widely renowned magician Magnificent took a long hiatus, and was having an exclusive comeback performance at the Unlocked theater. And I got tickets to the front row seats! Upon arriving, wait, WHAT? Show's about to start, and there's no showman in sight, except for unattended costumes, props, and... a trail of clues?! SAY NO MORE. WE'RE ON IT, 'CAUSE THE SHOW MUST GO ON. Designed by a hobbyist magician along with few other bright escape room enthusiasts, this merged effort of a gem in the OC was nothing short of surprising, fun, and of course, magical. The experience started right in the lobby, with a quick intro of today's agenda and safety precautions. Just right from here, I could tell a lot of thoughts and care went into the planning and making of this game, especially when participants are locked in place AND still free to run out of the building in case of emergencies. (You'll see what I mean.) Satisfaction AND safety guaranteed. Awesome. Now onto the meat of the game: while the owner had previously cautioned me not to over-inflate my expectation of their production value, I'm happy to report, he was being modest and this escape room looked just fine! We're not talking about a lavish budget worth of sets and props, but at no point did I think anything looked less than professional. It was convincing and supported game play seamlessly. And just to slightly elaborate, as a frequent escape room player, I've now gained a sense of what minute details within a room that may seem trivial or inconsequential in a casual player's eyes, but actually may take many tweaks, and perhaps trial and error, to get it just right. And one area of this venue was clearly an evidence of the owners' strive for perfection. So kudos! (And it [censored - one of your senses] wonderful!) "Return" wasn't just about looks anyway--the pure wonder of magic, appropriately, was the true star of the show. As tempting as it may be for me to give away any spoiler, I won't; but rest assured, moments of amazed gasps were plentiful. Early on in the game, in what I will from now on refer as a "signature move" of Unlocked, one of my teammates burst out in unadulterated bewilderment, "HOW DID THEY DO THAT?!" The ability to draw out her child's sense of wonder so effectively with such a "simple" magic trick, that moment alone, was well worth my ticket price. Except, as mentioned, I didn't just get that one moment. Many fundamental philosophies and secrets well-known to a magician were infused into puzzle steps, so the owner's hobby background artfully helped set up many more magical moments to come. While I disagree with other reviews that we performed tricks of our own in the game, we most definitely went through the motions of the acts, which were just as rewarding. As an added bonus, almost all fan-favorite tricks made their appearances in some shape or form, making the experience very immersive. Having played many rooms in the past, I requested that we enjoyed our magic adventure on expert mode without hint, and we escaped just fine in roughly 37 minutes. (Game was composed of a balanced mixture of gen 1 locks and gen 2 tech, and I happen to excel at that.) As such, I would rate this game at most medium level of difficulty. However, because everyone had such a great time, the game didn't feel short. It felt whimsical, and most importantly, fulfilling. And no, the show didn't end upon our triumphant exit. The owners made it a point to give all their customers a walk-through post-game, ensuring everyone on the team to get a chance to understand each puzzle step, and witness it in action, just in case if anyone missed it during play-through, which could happen often in a large group setting. In our detailed recap, it was revealed that, there were a lot of cleverness in design that I missed due to my rushed style of game play, in hopes of making it onto the leader board. (Alas, we missed it by a mere 6 seconds. Past fellow experts just KILLED it. Darn you guys!) After more explanations, I realized just how sophisticated and classy this game truly was, more than what I already thought. What an eye opener. The friendliness, down-to-earth attitude, and dedication to customer service was off the chart--and this definitely help elevate them onto the top of my recommendation list. (Thanks, Andros, Tony, and... Brian? ;P) And just when I thought the presentation was over... ONE LAST TRICK! (No one saw that coming, and now we literally went home with a piece of the game with us, and I'm not talking about just our memories...) Dying to find out what it was? Book a game and find out; it's well worth your time and money! Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Hot off the press (then), it's "Cold Case" | Escape Plan Clue Rooms GAME INFO COMPANY: Escape Plan Clue Rooms ADDRESS: 520 N Euclid Ave, Ontario, CA 91762 GAME: Cold Case (Alpha Testing) THEME: Police Office, Unsolved Mystery GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 11/25/2018: First off, I want to be forthcoming and honest why I chose Escape Plan: I am addicted to escape rooms... but I had yet to tackle a room solo. Out of the many businesses I've tried, EP was one of the very few that would accept a solo booking, albeit having a small risk of being placed in a public game with other strangers. (I got my wish today, though!) Additionally, as an active Yelp escape room reviewer, I noticed the rating for this venue had been very erratic. EP as a relatively new business, I figured, could probably benefit from a helpful, or at least, honest review that could help grow the business in the right direction. And I ain't crazy. I know I was playing with only my own one singular brain, so I booked the easiest, family-friendly game "Alien Rescue". I had 2 strict, simple goals: 1) to get out, and 2) to have fun. Alien's plot: You lost your pet, the aliens probably took it, rescue it before the spaceship leaves. Upon entering and after solving a few initial puzzles, I'd mostly confirmed my expectation: production value was leaning on the low side, with gen 1 (lock based) puzzle ideas that're often recycled in an enthusiast's eyes. However, I could see a younger crowd, or a family based team, really enjoying this room, because it could potentially serve as a quick intro course of what this hobby's all about, with many elements/activities that kids could participate in and have a blast. What I took away from Alien was that you'd be darn proficient in their native tongue after mission completed. Moreover, I found my pet in time, and I had fun giving my brain an exercise, so I asked if I could stay and pay cash for their hardest challenge, "Hiker's Refuge", since it was vacant. (I no longer cared if I had to request excessive amount of hints, or if I failed. Just wanna try!) The friendly staff took care of me right away, and onto room #2. Hiker's plot: classic lost in the woods, escape cannibalistic hunter type of deal. Having more than 50 rooms under my belt, I honestly thought I would do fine in the deathly cabin, but NO, I DID NOT. The gen-1 puzzles were noticeably harder, obviously intended for more than a small group because there were lots to do. One particular puzzle required extensive sorting, which made me extremely nervous. Aside from some busy work, there were perhaps 1-2 puzzles that required logic leaps or at least much escape experience to even get started. Buttload of hints later, I avoided being hunted as game, and survived another day. I much preferred Hiker over Alien since the puzzles were more in-theme, and they did successfully instill fear into my psyche briefly, elevating urgency and desire to escape. Though this was just 1 big room, it looked substantially better than Alien, and was spacious as well. Both games mentioned featured atmospheric soundtrack and air conditioning, which I really appreciated and should give praise for. They may seem like small gestures to some, but they actually made my experience comfortable and more convincing. If budget allowed, this venue's weakest aspect, which was production value, could use some much-needed improvements. I'd seen similar building layout transformed into awe inspiring, movie set quality rooms; and although I'm not really asking the owners to do the exact same, outsourcing a bit of artistry assistance could probably up the "wow" factor. As I was about to leave, the staff asked if I could stay and alpha test an upcoming room. My answer: HELL YES. While understandably I'm not at liberty to reveal any spoiler, this 3rd room was actually my favorite, since the whole package (plot, setting, prop, puzzles, etc) were all more well developed, felt more maturely produced, and just altogether more of a solid effort. (A handful of puzzles were cute and memorable.) This final product'd most likely be more well received than previous released rooms. In conclusion, EP came off as more of a mom and pop vibe of a business that, while definitely not in the leagues of the top dogs, could serve a more niche-y audience at a reasonable price range (ie, watch for discounts). Rooms were more on the basic side, did not quite feature secret pathways or the likes, but displayed genuine attempts to entertain. If you want a hardcore immersive experience, go to LA or OC's bigger names. But if you want a leisurely brain workout (with Groupon available), give this a try. Beginners, casual players, families would enjoy this spot; and solo/duo players looking to hone/test/review some basic gen 1 skills could use some solid practice here. As long as you maintain a rational expectation going in, a good time's to be had! I walked away feeling accomplished, content, and no regrets. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

It certainly was NOT easy to solo "Hiker's Refuge"! | Escape Plan Clue Rooms GAME INFO COMPANY: Escape Plan Clue Rooms ADDRESS: 520 N Euclid Ave, Ontario, CA 91762 GAME: Hiker's Refuge THEME: Creepy Cabin, Crazed Killer GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 11/25/2018: First off, I want to be forthcoming and honest why I chose Escape Plan: I am addicted to escape rooms... but I had yet to tackle a room solo. Out of the many businesses I've tried, EP was one of the very few that would accept a solo booking, albeit having a small risk of being placed in a public game with other strangers. (I got my wish today, though!) Additionally, as an active Yelp escape room reviewer, I noticed the rating for this venue had been very erratic. EP as a relatively new business, I figured, could probably benefit from a helpful, or at least, honest review that could help grow the business in the right direction. And I ain't crazy. I know I was playing with only my own one singular brain, so I booked the easiest, family-friendly game "Alien Rescue". I had 2 strict, simple goals: 1) to get out, and 2) to have fun. Alien's plot: You lost your pet, the aliens probably took it, rescue it before the spaceship leaves. Upon entering and after solving a few initial puzzles, I'd mostly confirmed my expectation: production value was leaning on the low side, with gen 1 (lock based) puzzle ideas that're often recycled in an enthusiast's eyes. However, I could see a younger crowd, or a family based team, really enjoying this room, because it could potentially serve as a quick intro course of what this hobby's all about, with many elements/activities that kids could participate in and have a blast. What I took away from Alien was that you'd be darn proficient in their native tongue after mission completed. Moreover, I found my pet in time, and I had fun giving my brain an exercise, so I asked if I could stay and pay cash for their hardest challenge, "Hiker's Refuge", since it was vacant. (I no longer cared if I had to request excessive amount of hints, or if I failed. Just wanna try!) The friendly staff took care of me right away, and onto room #2. Hiker's plot: classic lost in the woods, escape cannibalistic hunter type of deal. Having more than 50 rooms under my belt, I honestly thought I would do fine in the deathly cabin, but NO, I DID NOT. The gen-1 puzzles were noticeably harder, obviously intended for more than a small group because there were lots to do. One particular puzzle required extensive sorting, which made me extremely nervous. Aside from some busy work, there were perhaps 1-2 puzzles that required logic leaps or at least much escape experience to even get started. Buttload of hints later, I avoided being hunted as game, and survived another day. I much preferred Hiker over Alien since the puzzles were more in-theme, and they did successfully instill fear into my psyche briefly, elevating urgency and desire to escape. Though this was just 1 big room, it looked substantially better than Alien, and was spacious as well. Both games mentioned featured atmospheric soundtrack and air conditioning, which I really appreciated and should give praise for. They may seem like small gestures to some, but they actually made my experience comfortable and more convincing. If budget allowed, this venue's weakest aspect, which was production value, could use some much-needed improvements. I'd seen similar building layout transformed into awe inspiring, movie set quality rooms; and although I'm not really asking the owners to do the exact same, outsourcing a bit of artistry assistance could probably up the "wow" factor. As I was about to leave, the staff asked if I could stay and alpha test an upcoming room. My answer: HELL YES. While understandably I'm not at liberty to reveal any spoiler, this 3rd room was actually my favorite, since the whole package (plot, setting, prop, puzzles, etc) were all more well developed, felt more maturely produced, and just altogether more of a solid effort. (A handful of puzzles were cute and memorable.) This final product'd most likely be more well received than previous released rooms. In conclusion, EP came off as more of a mom and pop vibe of a business that, while definitely not in the leagues of the top dogs, could serve a more niche-y audience at a reasonable price range (ie, watch for discounts). Rooms were more on the basic side, did not quite feature secret pathways or the likes, but displayed genuine attempts to entertain. If you want a hardcore immersive experience, go to LA or OC's bigger names. But if you want a leisurely brain workout (with Groupon available), give this a try. Beginners, casual players, families would enjoy this spot; and solo/duo players looking to hone/test/review some basic gen 1 skills could use some solid practice here. As long as you maintain a rational expectation going in, a good time's to be had! I walked away feeling accomplished, content, and no regrets. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

So much has changed since we played "Patient 17" | Breaking Point Escape Rooms GAME INFO COMPANY: Breaking Point Escape Rooms ADDRESS: 10582 Foothill Blvd, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 GAME: Patient 17 THEME: Crazed Doctor, Abused Patients, Human Experiments GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 11/14/2018: Happy 50th to me! Breaking Point is a venue I've been following on IG since before it even opened. I saw the construction, the teases... Post-game, I thought, "These guys should've come onto the scene LONG ago." Facility was brand new, clean, slick, and all DIY from the owners. (WOW.) The bathroom used passion fruit scent soap. (SO PLEASANT. DON'T EVER CHANGE.) I had a brief discussion with one of the owners, who casually made the remark that, "Escape room wise, LA has the best immersion, OC the best puzzles, and Inland lacking both." Never heard of that, but after "Patient 17", I could conclude that as a false statement... ...Because production value's OFF THE HOOK with this place. And I am not even just talking about the game itself, but the ENTIRE LOCATION. Right at the front entrance, BP's games were artistically introduced to the customers in the form of "movie posters", each neatly framed in very stylish and LEGIT looking faux-metal frames. Pre-game, you'd watch 2 vids: rules and intro. Who edited these?!?! Because they were SO GOOD. They were not sloppily slapped together; these were such professionally produced short clips that, I as a regular escape room player, knew RIGHT AWAY, these people meant business and BP would become a major player. That in turn smoothly transitioned into the actual reveal when we finally stepped inside the game room, which at that moment, I heard my teammates went, "Wow!". [A brief interruption of the plot: Y'all are secret agents. Your colleague is investigating a dangerous doctor that's involved with the disappearance of 16 women at his clinic, but unfortunately, she's blown her cover. Yeah, I know, really, she isn't that good. Calm down, Peggy. (We'll call her Peggy.) You're a spy. Don't panic & break down when you witness torture chamber-ish violence. You *literally* signed up for this. Anyway, go save Peggy before she becomes... DUN DUN DUN... PATIENT 17!] Everything you'd imagine an evil doctor need to experiment on victims, you'd see them as clues, props, or decor. And there's no second rate, off the shelf, discount store prop items; this was a movie-quality set, and the attention to details was both apparent and worthy of praise. Case and point: when you try to move decorative surgery tools, only to realize they're securely glued down, or when you try to erase text on a dry-erase board, only to find out they're permanently drawn on--that clearly showed me the designers spent hours and hours getting everything just right, effectively preventing atmospheric decorations accidentally becoming red herring, all the while not sacrificing immersion. Little things like that often separate the pros from the average. Without repeating, let's just establish all subsequent rooms were equally beautiful. Puzzles wise, it was mainly very standard puzzles mixed in with limited scavenging. Sadly, though I wish I could, I really couldn't say there were any puzzle element that was innovative, or I'd never seen before. As someone who's been in the hobby for a while, I could very much predict what I needed to do in order to advance, just that I was constantly missing a vital piece somewhere... (Alas, I wasn't at my best game.) However, I do commend the owners for embracing the elegance of simplicity, and presented the so-so puzzles in the most intriguing or entertaining way possible. What lacked in puzzle originality was aptly made up with the impeccable mixture of padlocks, and well-used, well-placed tech elements throughout. The aesthetics, the puzzles, the presentations all melded together nicely to progress the narrative. And that's really something they should be proud of. As mentioned, difficulty wasn't bad, so really, anyone could play and have a great time. (I actually thought this game was very suitable even for 2.) But that made it all the more painful for me... just imagine how bitter I was after the game, knowing that I could've earned a place on the leader board had I not used more than 1 hint. ...Should've read my clues more carefully. Of note, despite the very horror movie looking poster that the company uses to promote, the game itself was FAR FROM anything remotely scary. (That's both a plus or a minus, depending on what you're into.) For what it's worth, anyone from teenage and up should be able to play without problem, given they're aware of the plot's mature elements. Finally, my only gripe with this business, pricing and public booking. At $32 pp for a public game, that's too steep for my taste... and I definitely couldn't afford the even pricier private option. So my fellow escape artists, if you're on a budget, hunt for a promo code, book smartly at cold time slots, and hope no stranger would join your game! Aside from that, a 5-star business, and I hope to see them continue to develop, mature, and improve. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

The alien-themed room meant for kids for tough for a solo player! | Escape Plan Clue Rooms GAME INFO COMPANY: Escape Plan Clue Rooms ADDRESS: 520 N Euclid Ave, Ontario, CA 91762 GAME: Alien Rescue THEME: Alien Encounter, Farm Life GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 11/25/2018: First off, I want to be forthcoming and honest why I chose Escape Plan: I am addicted to escape rooms... but I had yet to tackle a room solo. Out of the many businesses I've tried, EP was one of the very few that would accept a solo booking, albeit having a small risk of being placed in a public game with other strangers. (I got my wish today, though!) Additionally, as an active Yelp escape room reviewer, I noticed the rating for this venue had been very erratic. EP as a relatively new business, I figured, could probably benefit from a helpful, or at least, honest review that could help grow the business in the right direction. And I ain't crazy. I know I was playing with only my own one singular brain, so I booked the easiest, family-friendly game "Alien Rescue". I had 2 strict, simple goals: 1) to get out, and 2) to have fun. Alien's plot: You lost your pet, the aliens probably took it, rescue it before the spaceship leaves. Upon entering and after solving a few initial puzzles, I'd mostly confirmed my expectation: production value was leaning on the low side, with gen 1 (lock based) puzzle ideas that're often recycled in an enthusiast's eyes. However, I could see a younger crowd, or a family based team, really enjoying this room, because it could potentially serve as a quick intro course of what this hobby's all about, with many elements/activities that kids could participate in and have a blast. What I took away from Alien was that you'd be darn proficient in their native tongue after mission completed. Moreover, I found my pet in time, and I had fun giving my brain an exercise, so I asked if I could stay and pay cash for their hardest challenge, "Hiker's Refuge", since it was vacant. (I no longer cared if I had to request excessive amount of hints, or if I failed. Just wanna try!) The friendly staff took care of me right away, and onto room #2. Hiker's plot: classic lost in the woods, escape cannibalistic hunter type of deal. Having more than 50 rooms under my belt, I honestly thought I would do fine in the deathly cabin, but NO, I DID NOT. The gen-1 puzzles were noticeably harder, obviously intended for more than a small group because there were lots to do. One particular puzzle required extensive sorting, which made me extremely nervous. Aside from some busy work, there were perhaps 1-2 puzzles that required logic leaps or at least much escape experience to even get started. Buttload of hints later, I avoided being hunted as game, and survived another day. I much preferred Hiker over Alien since the puzzles were more in-theme, and they did successfully instill fear into my psyche briefly, elevating urgency and desire to escape. Though this was just 1 big room, it looked substantially better than Alien, and was spacious as well. Both games mentioned featured atmospheric soundtrack and air conditioning, which I really appreciated and should give praise for. They may seem like small gestures to some, but they actually made my experience comfortable and more convincing. If budget allowed, this venue's weakest aspect, which was production value, could use some much-needed improvements. I'd seen similar building layout transformed into awe inspiring, movie set quality rooms; and although I'm not really asking the owners to do the exact same, outsourcing a bit of artistry assistance could probably up the "wow" factor. As I was about to leave, the staff asked if I could stay and alpha test an upcoming room. My answer: HELL YES. While understandably I'm not at liberty to reveal any spoiler, this 3rd room was actually my favorite, since the whole package (plot, setting, prop, puzzles, etc) were all more well developed, felt more maturely produced, and just altogether more of a solid effort. (A handful of puzzles were cute and memorable.) This final product'd most likely be more well received than previous released rooms. In conclusion, EP came off as more of a mom and pop vibe of a business that, while definitely not in the leagues of the top dogs, could serve a more niche-y audience at a reasonable price range (ie, watch for discounts). Rooms were more on the basic side, did not quite feature secret pathways or the likes, but displayed genuine attempts to entertain. If you want a hardcore immersive experience, go to LA or OC's bigger names. But if you want a leisurely brain workout (with Groupon available), give this a try. Beginners, casual players, families would enjoy this spot; and solo/duo players looking to hone/test/review some basic gen 1 skills could use some solid practice here. As long as you maintain a rational expectation going in, a good time's to be had! I walked away feeling accomplished, content, and no regrets. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

"The Lair" was a puzzling room, but for more reasons than one | Trapped! Escape Room (Upland) GAME INFO COMPANY: Trapped! Escape Room (Upland Branch) ADDRESS: 600 N Mountain Ave Ste B204, Upland, CA 91786 GAME: The Lair Of The Puzzlemaster PREMISE: You are federal agents tracking the notorious international criminal known only as “The Puzzlemaster”. After several years of investigation, you have finally found his hidden lair. You are moving in to take him down, but now the question looms: have you trapped him, or has he trapped you? GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 11/25/2018: It's always a very weird feeling walking away from completing an escape room successfully, yet entirely unsure whether you liked it or not. It's even stranger considering a company that you have so much confidence in, one like Trapped!, induced this unexpected sentiment. Tonight, "Lair of the Puzzlemaster" was such a mix-bag for me, writing this very review's filling me with ambivalence. Unlike the previous rooms I'd played here ("Down the Rabbit Hole" and "Sector 13", see "Previous Reviews"), which I still strongly recommend today, this Mattster's reception of the Puzzlemaster was at best lukewarm. Let's be clear: Lair was far from a bad game--Trapped! simply doesn't produce bad games. I do, however, and I still continue to, expect this brand to wow me with excellent rooms, and this just wasn't it. I'd admit, it's most definitely a mixture of the game's design, puzzle choices, *and* my own expectations that ultimately rendered tonight a near-miss. I still had fun, and well, at least we had some good laughs. The plot was simple but interesting enough: Puzzlemaster had been outsmarting (and possibly eliminating) Special Interpol agents for a while. The impatient public's demanding his arrest, and headquarter's sending in the best of the best (that'd be us) to infiltrate his hideout and apprehend him once and for all. Judging from the story and its promo photos, I thought this would a fun/cute gen-1 puzzle rooms where my friends and I would solve numerous challenging puzzles, unlock countless locks, and fight our way to justice. Once we're in the room though, one thing's apparent--everything looked different! As it turned out, the pics I saw were from ver 1 of this room, and we're playing the revamped ver 2. While the puzzles reboot was 100% within my knowledge, I really thought the photos I saw were representative of what I'd see tonight. This little surprise absolutely did not ruin game play, but it did subconsciously make me compare what this room could've been vs what it actually was, and that undeniably affected my rating. Puzzles wise, the designers wanted something difficult, even for the most seasoned players, so there were a handful of puzzles that required multiple steps to solve, and a select few were even meta-puzzles, riddles that required several answers from previous puzzles to produce a final solution. They really took a chance here, because some attempts I thought were incredibly clever, but one in particular took such a huge logic leap, it made me almost speechless... in a bad way. Without giving much away, this particular puzzle was so "out there" that, for the first time ever, I asked for a clue, received it, solved the first step with hint, then was immediately stumped again. It literally went like, "Ohhhh! Ok. Um... Now what?" And repeat. My team required the gm's intimate hand-holding to guide us step by step to reach the final conclusion. Though technically we did successfully solve the puzzle, the sense of accomplishment that'd usually rush over us was utterly absent--because we plainly just didn't do it ourselves. And hey, feel free to call me stupid, but to me, the initial clues just weren't fair enough. ...Maybe that's what this hard room was going for? Though the rest of the game offered a variety of puzzles both in format and presentation, even some that I hadn't quite seen before, the aforementioned kick-in-the-nuts feeling just lingered with me the entire game. It also made me very nervous when we were seemingly running out of time quickly, so we requested more hints out of desperation, but only to find out we weren't that far away from game completion. There were fewer puzzles than I first estimated; we escaped with more than 10 mins leftover. Overall, in my utmost sincerity, I swear I am not trying to fault a room for being "too difficult", but rather, I truthfully felt handicapped, rather than elated and excited, to have finished a room with very extensive assistance. Chalk it up as not my cup of tea, if you will. To briefly touch on production value, it's decent. A plot and setup like this one, it's obviously and unapologetically a puzzle room. And because this was the earliest constructed room of the 3, it looked somewhat dated; but good maintenance preserved the meat of the game (and its fun) in good condition. With that, I'd officially graduated from Upland branch, having finished all available rooms. And though Lair wouldn't be on top of my to-recommend list, it's still a solid entry from its creators, and worth the admission, esp for a completist. Rabbit Hole and Sector 13, on the other hand, were some of my fondest escape room memories, and it'd be a real shame if any hardcore escape artists were to pass on them. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

"World Of Illusion" is no illusion--this one's truly great! | Maze Rooms LA (Hollywood) GAME INFO COMPANY: Maze Rooms LA (Hollywood) ADDRESS: 1328 Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028 GAME: World Of Illusions PREMISE: Welcome to the world of illusions! Learn the Great Wizards secrets and cast your spells, it is the only way to find your way out of this topsy turvy world of magic and mystery! Welcome to the Maze Room’s World of Illusions Game You find yourself trapped and existing in an alternate universe full of illusions and strangeness. Nothing you see is real, no matter how real they appear. You need to stay careful, so you don’t get deceived and entrapped further in this world of illusions. The situation can get a bit frustrating, and you have to be sharp and on a constant lookout if you hope to escape before 60 minutes run out. Your only form of escape is your smartness and ability to understand and adapt quickly to the situations you find yourself. You will have to make acquaintances with Great Wizards who will teach you how to cast spells and find your way out of this topsy turvy world of magic and mystery. You will have to do this quick or get lost and become a wanderer in this world of illusions. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 11/03/2018: Wow. This room, "World of Illusions", lived up to every last bit of my expectations. The narrative was a bit wacky: rival magician is doing his act in the circus, and now it's the perfect opportunity to find and break into his apartment, shut down his magic out of jealousy, and escape into the night before he comes back in 1 hour! A bit of a cowardly crime, but whatever. Despite the questionable plot, the game play itself was super fantastic. From a game design point of view, I'm just in awe at how talented minds out there even conjured up such a mindblowingly entertaining room. Not a single inch of the play area felt like a residential building. There were vines in the courtyard, ticket booth with cash register, wooden gate entrance to the circus, a realistic phone booth... No expanse was spared! Not only did the set & props look great, they also *felt* just as impressive. The materials they chose to construct with made sense. Flag banners were made out of canvas cloth, stone walls had tangible rock like surface, and so on. This level of details forced players into an immersive environment with no chance of escape back to reality. And that's the only kind of escape I'm willing to forfeit. Next, they definitely delivered in the difficulty department. We wanted something challenging, and we perhaps tried to bite off more than we could chew. Given, we escaped in about 55 minutes, but that's after A LOT of clues! Having played close to 50 rooms, I sometimes find it unlikely that I'd be stumped, just because experienced enthusiasts would be able to recognize puzzles, and their respective solutions, almost out of 2nd nature. But in this game, the clues were so cryptic, I got my butt kicked REAL GOOD several times! I kind of have this love-hate relationship with the puzzles post-game. With my first play-through, I thought the clues were extremely confusing. It's almost as if we had to read the minds of the game designers to know what's our next steps. Upon reflecting back, however, I kinda blamed my own's team not being observant enough. Had we been more focused on processing the subtlety of key words or moving items, we would've had the pleasure of solving some of the most creative riddles without asking for hints. Of note, an unusually high amount of red herring also correspondingly buffed up the difficulty... but at least these time-wasters were aesthetically pleasing. I should also mention, with much respect, a majority of the puzzles followed the theme of magic pretty darn well. Well known magician motifs like rabbits, wand, daggers, playing cards all made their appearances in the game, & they came together organically enough that I couldn't help appreciating the level of sophistication the game was able to achieve. The more I thought about it after, the more I love it now. Usually, such a marvelous room means an automatic 5-star rating for the business, but... 1) There's one puzzle with clue reveals that's not reversible. That means if you miss it, you miss it. (Technically, there were visual cues you could go back for review, but that only dawned on me post-game. As a first time player of the room, with no prior knowledge to reflect back on, it's extremely hard to backtrack to formulate the solution.) Honestly, guys, that's a tad bit of bad game design. 2) Walkie-talkie clue system SUCKEEEDDD. Multiple times, I couldn't understand what my gm was speaking to us. It's extremely static-y. Inversely, when I asked for a time check, gm gave me a clue instead--that means she couldn't hear me well either. I'm sure Maze Rooms could work out a better solution in due time. 3) Photo policy. Listen, a post-game picture means much to me. (For example, check out some of my other post-game pics. I often put in effort in either posing or costumes to make them unique.) Furthermore, I have tons of passion for this hobby, and I often spend a lengthy amount of time to carefully craft a detailed and fair Yelp review, posted along with a cute pic, to essentially help promote the business. Tonight, I was denied of taking a pic in front of the ticket booth. (I even had an awesome play-pretend pose in mind.) Instead, the policy was to photograph in front of the circus entrance, and nowhere else. ...REALLY?! I fully understand the business's desire to keep the magic and secrets of their games intact, but the entire ticket booth area is NOT a spoiler. You guys LITERALLY use that in your promo materials on the official website. So whyyyyy, Maze Rooms, whyyyyy? That alone made me disappointed, though not critical enough to affect rating by itself. Sadly, however, along with other 2 reasons, 1 of the 5 stars performed its own magic trick and vanished in an amazing disappearing act. Abra kadabra! And poof! it went. Perhaps there'll be room to improve this rating in the future? Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Our way down the rabbit hole is a lengthy and rewarding one | Escape Reality (Las Vegas) GAME INFO COMPANY: Escape Reality (Las Vegas) ADDRESS: 5182 Arville St, Las Vegas, NV 89118 GAME: Down The Rabbit Hole PREMISE: You and your friends were enjoying yourselves at a party when, suddenly you found yourselves transported into another world. Whether it was the drink, the food or some bizarre phenomenon that caused this rapid change of fate doesn’t matter now as you are all in danger. This dimension does not work as you would expect, in fact things can go quite topsy-turvy very quickly if you are not careful. You may not realise at first but there is an evil twist to the game. Have your wits about you, this room will try its best to tease and taunt you. Your team’s challenge is to escape sane and unscarred, whilst finding your way around this peculiar place. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/24/2018: Oh boy. I did 2 rooms back-to-back at one of the best escape businesses found in Vegas; that means I have a lot to say... Let's be concise. Price was great. Full price of $32 is fair, but between promo for holidays, and option for voucher from Tix4Tonight, you're looking at around $20 something/person for private bookings, they are GREAT DEALS. First, some interesting features used at this business: They do a very detailed briefing before each game, and they give you an iPad as part of the setup, also your portable timer. Every puzzle has a number attached, which you can scan using the iPad via QR reader. Doing so will give you a "hint" and add 5 minutes penalty to your total time. But this "hint", as informed by GM, is very close to actual solution (only use it if 100% necessary). Having a number attached also made puzzles conspicuous, separating them from pure decors. A lil bit too much hand-holding for my taste, so pros & cons. As an alternative, you can also request a free "nudge in the right direction", in which the GM would physically come in and give you a lighter clue to help you move along. Having these two options is wonderful, but having the GM physically entering breaks immersion. So again, pros & cons; would prefer a system without breaking 4th wall. When you exit the final door, you scan an "E" to record your time. Such innovative tech usage of QR/iPad! Now, onto the rooms. I did "Alcatraz", jail escape room. It was so fun, but felt short, my team decided to stay and do another one right after. We chose the HARDEST available "Down The Rabbit Hole", their rendition for Alice in Wonderland... What a difference in difficulty. Both recommended! :) Alcatraz had a generic prison break back story, and started us off separated in two cells, which is somewhat commonplace for this genre. I'd say the selling point was the initial breakup of the team, which emphasized the players' skills at communication. You cannot see each other, so you gotta figure out ways to relay info by other means. This is my first prison themed escape experience, also first with me being SOLO for a short while, so it was extremely thrilling. A lot of dexterity involved in my part; I was very proud of myself. :D The rest of the puzzles were linear/rather easy, especially when they were sequentially numbered. You just go from one to the next and so on. Due to my stupidity, we stumbled a small bit, but rest of the ride was crazy smooth. Even though they rated this room 5/5, it felt more like 2 or at most 3/5, but I am no beginner at this hobby. I did appreciate that most puzzles fit into the theme of the setting aptly; (mostly gen 1 stuff). Contents wise, there wasn't a lot to do, and since the puzzles were mostly things I've seen before, we made it onto the leader board even. Btw, the set looked great, and I liked usage of metal sheet that we could write on. Convenient and green. Next, Rabbit Hole, our goal was to escape Queen of Heart's Kingdom in 1 hour or she'd behead us. Ouch. A story that needed no real intro, ER's translation of Alice into an escape experience was fantastic. The production was equally beautiful, and since this was a whimsical tale, the colors were much more varied (mood lighting). Good job there. The gaming area also felt bigger, as this game divided the space into many rooms, so we'd solve puzzles in one room, then move on to the next, and this went on for quite some time, much like falling down, down, and down some more the rabbit hole metaphorically. Puzzles wise, again linear, but they could afford a little more effort into connecting the pieces back to the plot, because some gen 1 elements didn't quite belong. Locks, keypads, and switches, imo, wouldn't exist in Queen of Hearts's Kingdom. That's a shame since there're few puzzles that were completely immersive, and then there're some that were just borderline appropriate due aforementioned input modalities. This game was indeed more difficult, partially due to the complexity of certain puzzles, but also, yet again, my carelessness. One scene in particular had extremely confusing wording, not my cup of tea (haha, reference), but also suitable for the Alice theme--because Wonderland IS confusing. Overall, we needed one real "nudge", but we were able to escape mostly our own. Experienced players would succeed for sure, and I would personally rate this medium-difficult. It's my conjecture that this company aims to cater for tourist population (non fanatics), which is sufficient reason to "dumb down" puzzles a bit. Customer service was top-notched; I had some very pleasant conversations with the staff about escape rooms. They also provided complimentary beverages post game. Everything was well taken care of, so here's your stellar review, ER. Ty, and yw. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Many, many, MANY paths of experiments later, we defused the bomb. Whew! | The Laboratory Escape Room GAME INFO COMPANY: The Laboratory Escape Room ADDRESS: 117 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015 GAME: The Laboratory PREMISE: Dr. Crowl is a brilliant geneticist who was the best in his field. In the course of his studies he became convinced that our world was dying. Overpopulation, global warming and endless war were just a few of the problems he believed would destroy humanity. To ensure our future he developed a simple solution: rebuild the human race with only the best and the brightest. Ready to take action, he disappeared to a top secret lab over 20 years ago. Today his plan is complete. Dr Crowl had developed a special gas masterfully created to alter a subjects genetics. The infected appear to be normal on the surface, but in the background the virus is growing; spreading to anyone with similar genetics. When the time is right, Dr Crowl will activate the virus, painlessly eliminating the infected, leaving only the best to inherit the planet. To determine who will live and who will die he created The Laboratory. Pretending to be an escape room gave him the perfect cover, providing an endless supply of willing volunteers. Even when people are told exactly what is happening; they assume it is all a part of the game. By the time the true purpose of The Laboratory is discovered it will be too late. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 11/14/2018: Wow. I *really* liked The Lab. But let's back track a bit to show how I got here: The world is overpopulated with, why of course, stupid folks, and the most efficient way to resolve this overcrowding problem is, well, genocide. (Straight out from the book of Thanos.) Those who pass the lab tests under the time limit are deemed intelligent & thus worthy of survival. (The foolish would be subjected to the mercy of biological weaponry--a viral bomb, to be exact.) Together, the brightest will rebuild the human race! As dark as the backstory may be, the game play was anything but. These "lab experiments" were random, playful, and clever. The overall game flow was commendably extremely-organized and well-structured as well, so much in fact, there's a road map available to guide players through the process: The complete game features 6 rows, or series, of tasks; when all 6 are completed, you'll get your 1 shot to diffuse the bomb. The designers even made the difficulty adjustable, with puzzles easily taken out or added back in, depending on team size... Smart, right? ...Originally, my team of 3 was supposed to play the 4-row version under 60 minutes, but since circumstances allowed, gm/owner Dan graciously offered us to tackle the complete experience with extended allotted time, should we desire--UHH, HELL YEAH. I couldn't be happier to be able to witness & participate the game in its entirety as intended. And that in turn made writing this favorable review/rec that much easier. As mentioned, there're 6 rows, or tracks of action, that could occur simultaneously, sufficiently keeping everyone busy. Within each row, puzzles must be solved linearly, with one leading to the next. The variety and randomness of these mini games (as a whole) ensured a whimsical fun time, while the overarching theme (within each row) kept the series congruous. This high level of organization gave my OCD mind a brain orgasm. Ahhh. Such a good room. Another advantage of the overview diagram: team work made easy! Individually, you'd never lose track of progress, since you could always refer back to the road map. Team effort wise, if any member got stuck, swapping duty was a piece of cake, even without any explanation--all you gotta do was to check the objectives on the flow chart. It infused the game with a very school project vibe that's reminiscent of my chem lab days--loved it! The puzzles themselves were gen 1, with 100% of the solutions leading to combos/keys to locks. But due to the nature of the plot, the game was able to incorporate numerous eccentric formats of puzzles, wide array of gadgets and tools, all under the umbrella of lab tests, because, you know, tests! This is one of the few instances where blatantly giving me puzzles for puzzles' sake actually worked, & so well, too. Certain games stood out for challenging our underused senses, while 1 puzzle in particular was just so cute because it made so much sense in a lab. (Spoiler: microscope!) You can "phone a friend" to get hints every 5 minutes if you get stuck. My team used 2-3 hints total because, well, I was panicking, thinking we might run out of time. (We didn't.) Overall, had I been more patient, all puzzles were fairly solvable by enthusiast-level players; novices could always opt for more help--hence, qualifying The Lab fit for players of all experience. 4-6 players is probably the ideal group makeup, though it isn't so much about the quantity of people, but what each person can offer. To excel, you want some to be good at brainteasers, while others proficient at more physical tasks. Production wise, yeahhh, it's a bit on the bare side, but hey, at least that stays true and honest to its source material, a laboratory! But during my session, not a minute passed by boringly due to the set design--it simply wasn't an issue. The excitement derived directly from the carefully crafted/constructed puzzles; no fancy theatrics was required to produce such pure enjoyment. Spanning across 2 rooms, game space was spacious enough for a large group. For my small group, I ran around frantically with no problem, no chance of tripping over props or bumping into furniture. What complemented so perfectly with the experience was our host, Dan. We showed up early, but he got the game up & running in record speed. After we emerged victoriously, he was SOOO patient with us, (well, really, it's just me), who kept yapping away and asking him about each individual puzzle. It was getting late, and he probably wanted to reset the room and go home, but he made not one single complaint, and answered every question we had. 1st class gentleman & gm. If I still failed to convince you to go play, pricing's *attractive*! Admission's extremely affordable (Groupon, or d/c code found right on their site)! Not every day you find a gem like this a steal ;) Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Restoring a soul back to a tangible body via wizard's magic was surprisingly easy | 60Out Escape Rooms (Marina Del Rey) GAME INFO COMPANY: 60Out Escape Rooms (Marina Del Rey) ADDRESS: 13336 Beach Ave, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 GAME: Wizards Workshop PREMISE: You are the students of a wizard. Unfortunately, your teacher made a mistake during an experiment and became a soul without a body. You, his new students, need to put the little magic you've learned to use so you can save him before he completely disappears into the fourth dimension. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/27/2018: I was here to complete the 2 remaining rooms at this location and I was really hoping these rooms would impress me so much that I could upgrade the rating from 4 to 5 stars. (I did "Zen Room" and "Titanic" months ago, see my "Previous Review".) Ordinary Saturday morning, disaster struck, and now we're all infected with a deadly virus. With no readily available treatment, we must then venture into an armored bunker to synthesize our own cure. We had 60 minutes before all organs would suffer total failure. Aw sh*t. "Outbreak", by far, was the most sci-fi action flick vibe room I have played from 60Out. And I actually found myself loving this room, due to the subject matter, even more than I initially expected. There were many surprising elements revealed, and they're all right up my alley, hence this instantly stole Titanic's spot as my favorite MDR escape room. The set had such a clean and slick design... it's dark, it's grimy, it's suspenseful--it's perfect! Sharp-eyed visitors would notice roaches crawling all over. The entrance "door" was a large, circular metal bunker cover with a huge bio-hazard sign, and all infected patients needed to crouch down to even enter. From that point forth, the immersion was never interrupted, until the very last victory moment. Along the way, the set looked good consistently. (Think Resident Evil. That's what Outbreak was.) The puzzles were creative, with many employing either tech or key items in ways I had not, or had rarely, encountered. Many solutions put you in the shoes of an action movie hero, literally destroying opponents whom might stand between you and your antidote. Though enjoyable, there's either insufficient number of steps, or these puzzles were too easy, because we succeeded with 0 hint in about 35 minutes. (The only challenging puzzle was near the end, and that one had slight tech issue.) Game felt short. Hmph. Next, we were transformed magically into wizard apprentices that must rescue our mentor's lost soul from another dimension, and restore him back in a tangible new body. "Wizards Workshop", here we came. At some point, I noticed the set, though nothing wrong really, looked more plain and bland compared to the promo media. They overdid their photoshop for this room, hence setting up a bit of a false expectation. It's still a good 60Out level quality, nevertheless. I will say this, however: as implied by the theme, there're plenty of magical moments when transitioning from room to room, one of which required an able body--at least one player needed to be mobile. The rest of the room felt somewhat... above average. To say there's something wrong with this room would be inaccurate, but I just didn't find it particularly challenging (for a hard room) or felt especially rewarding. It's a weird feeling because there were many little moments that I felt, "Wow, that's kinda neat!", but as a whole, I left feeling somewhat unsatiated. The last room, strangely in particular, felt more sci fi than Harry Potter, especially when a machine with buttons was involved? Immersion was actually quite completely intact up to that very last stop, therefore also contributing to the slight disappointment. I guess I just wanted this room to be stunningly beautiful and mentally stimulating, but it kinda fell short on both grounds. Sadly, even less thinking was needed for this room. We were almost robotic, and there lacked that ah-ha! satisfaction after a brief struggle when solving a puzzle. We got out even faster without hint in about 30 minutes, and that's including a malfunction time-waste midway. Come to think of it, I disagree with the difficulty system found on official website for all 4 rooms: First, none of the rooms is hard. (I am looking right at you, Wizards!) All of them are easy to medium. If you excel in more abstract thinking, Zen and Outbreak would come easy to you. If you're more used to escape room types of puzzles, you'd most likely fly through Titanic and Wizards. No good game could be possible without a great game master, and today, Jacob was the man. He's definitely a pro, so much in fact, I thought he was a little speedy/pushy. That soon became obvious why, because he was the ONLY DUDE running the place during the morning shifts. It takes a master of multitasking to ensure multiple games can progress smoothly with just one body, and Jacob, you did very well while still being polite. High 5. Alas, my experience with Zen was so bad in my last visit, and these 2 rooms today were somewhat underwhelming, the overall averaged rating for the MDR location never quite reached a 5 star level--so it's staying at 4 stars. My general sentiment is that this branch offers some interesting rooms, though not ranked best or hardest in the entire 60Out roster, but certainly not shabby, either. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

The only thing that could survive a global viral pandemic is cockroaches. And us. | 60Out Escape Rooms (Marina Del Rey) GAME INFO COMPANY: 60Out Escape Rooms (Marina Del Rey) ADDRESS: 13336 Beach Ave, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 GAME: Outbreak PREMISE: Underground lies a serum that can cure a deadly virus that has decimated our world as we know it. Your search party comes across what appears to be a secret vault – little do you know, entering this passage means you’ll be taking on a mission that could save the human race. Please don’t come out empty handed. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/27/2018: I was here to complete the 2 remaining rooms at this location and I was really hoping these rooms would impress me so much that I could upgrade the rating from 4 to 5 stars. (I did "Zen Room" and "Titanic" months ago, see my "Previous Review".) Ordinary Saturday morning, disaster struck, and now we're all infected with a deadly virus. With no readily available treatment, we must then venture into an armored bunker to synthesize our own cure. We had 60 minutes before all organs would suffer total failure. Aw sh*t. "Outbreak", by far, was the most sci-fi action flick vibe room I have played from 60Out. And I actually found myself loving this room, due to the subject matter, even more than I initially expected. There were many surprising elements revealed, and they're all right up my alley, hence this instantly stole Titanic's spot as my favorite MDR escape room. The set had such a clean and slick design... it's dark, it's grimy, it's suspenseful--it's perfect! Sharp-eyed visitors would notice roaches crawling all over. The entrance "door" was a large, circular metal bunker cover with a huge bio-hazard sign, and all infected patients needed to crouch down to even enter. From that point forth, the immersion was never interrupted, until the very last victory moment. Along the way, the set looked good consistently. (Think Resident Evil. That's what Outbreak was.) The puzzles were creative, with many employing either tech or key items in ways I had not, or had rarely, encountered. Many solutions put you in the shoes of an action movie hero, literally destroying opponents whom might stand between you and your antidote. Though enjoyable, there's either insufficient number of steps, or these puzzles were too easy, because we succeeded with 0 hint in about 35 minutes. (The only challenging puzzle was near the end, and that one had slight tech issue.) Game felt short. Hmph. Next, we were transformed magically into wizard apprentices that must rescue our mentor's lost soul from another dimension, and restore him back in a tangible new body. "Wizards Workshop", here we came. At some point, I noticed the set, though nothing wrong really, looked more plain and bland compared to the promo media. They overdid their photoshop for this room, hence setting up a bit of a false expectation. It's still a good 60Out level quality, nevertheless. I will say this, however: as implied by the theme, there're plenty of magical moments when transitioning from room to room, one of which required an able body--at least one player needed to be mobile. The rest of the room felt somewhat... above average. To say there's something wrong with this room would be inaccurate, but I just didn't find it particularly challenging (for a hard room) or felt especially rewarding. It's a weird feeling because there were many little moments that I felt, "Wow, that's kinda neat!", but as a whole, I left feeling somewhat unsatiated. The last room, strangely in particular, felt more sci fi than Harry Potter, especially when a machine with buttons was involved? Immersion was actually quite completely intact up to that very last stop, therefore also contributing to the slight disappointment. I guess I just wanted this room to be stunningly beautiful and mentally stimulating, but it kinda fell short on both grounds. Sadly, even less thinking was needed for this room. We were almost robotic, and there lacked that ah-ha! satisfaction after a brief struggle when solving a puzzle. We got out even faster without hint in about 30 minutes, and that's including a malfunction time-waste midway. Come to think of it, I disagree with the difficulty system found on official website for all 4 rooms: First, none of the rooms is hard. (I am looking right at you, Wizards!) All of them are easy to medium. If you excel in more abstract thinking, Zen and Outbreak would come easy to you. If you're more used to escape room types of puzzles, you'd most likely fly through Titanic and Wizards. No good game could be possible without a great game master, and today, Jacob was the man. He's definitely a pro, so much in fact, I thought he was a little speedy/pushy. That soon became obvious why, because he was the ONLY DUDE running the place during the morning shifts. It takes a master of multitasking to ensure multiple games can progress smoothly with just one body, and Jacob, you did very well while still being polite. High 5. Alas, my experience with Zen was so bad in my last visit, and these 2 rooms today were somewhat underwhelming, the overall averaged rating for the MDR location never quite reached a 5 star level--so it's staying at 4 stars. My general sentiment is that this branch offers some interesting rooms, though not ranked best or hardest in the entire 60Out roster, but certainly not shabby, either. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

First jail cell separation game I've ever played. Rocked it. | Escape Reality (Las Vegas) GAME INFO COMPANY: Escape Reality (Las Vegas) ADDRESS: 5182 Arville St, Las Vegas, NV 89118 GAME: Alcatraz PREMISE: In 1934, Alcatraz transformed into a maximum high-security prison housing the most infamous and dangerous criminals. Situated in the chilly waters of San Francisco Bay, no prisoner has ever successfully escaped. Alcatraz has just reached its maximum capacity for the first time in history – because of you. You are all masters of escaping and no prison has managed to contain you. As highly skilled individuals you have been plotting your escape plan and now the time has arrived. A diversion has been caused by other inmates and the warden has sprinted off to help, leaving you in your cells unguarded. This is your prime opportunity to make your escape attempt. Can you escape before he returns and catches you? GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/24/2018: Oh boy. I did 2 rooms back-to-back at one of the best escape businesses found in Vegas; that means I have a lot to say... Let's be concise. Price was great. Full price of $32 is fair, but between promo for holidays, and option for voucher from Tix4Tonight, you're looking at around $20 something/person for private bookings, they are GREAT DEALS. First, some interesting features used at this business: They do a very detailed briefing before each game, and they give you an iPad as part of the setup, also your portable timer. Every puzzle has a number attached, which you can scan using the iPad via QR reader. Doing so will give you a "hint" and add 5 minutes penalty to your total time. But this "hint", as informed by GM, is very close to actual solution (only use it if 100% necessary). Having a number attached also made puzzles conspicuous, separating them from pure decors. A lil bit too much hand-holding for my taste, so pros & cons. As an alternative, you can also request a free "nudge in the right direction", in which the GM would physically come in and give you a lighter clue to help you move along. Having these two options is wonderful, but having the GM physically entering breaks immersion. So again, pros & cons; would prefer a system without breaking 4th wall. When you exit the final door, you scan an "E" to record your time. Such innovative tech usage of QR/iPad! Now, onto the rooms. I did "Alcatraz", jail escape room. It was so fun, but felt short, my team decided to stay and do another one right after. We chose the HARDEST available "Down The Rabbit Hole", their rendition for Alice in Wonderland... What a difference in difficulty. Both recommended! :) Alcatraz had a generic prison break back story, and started us off separated in two cells, which is somewhat commonplace for this genre. I'd say the selling point was the initial breakup of the team, which emphasized the players' skills at communication. You cannot see each other, so you gotta figure out ways to relay info by other means. This is my first prison themed escape experience, also first with me being SOLO for a short while, so it was extremely thrilling. A lot of dexterity involved in my part; I was very proud of myself. :D The rest of the puzzles were linear/rather easy, especially when they were sequentially numbered. You just go from one to the next and so on. Due to my stupidity, we stumbled a small bit, but rest of the ride was crazy smooth. Even though they rated this room 5/5, it felt more like 2 or at most 3/5, but I am no beginner at this hobby. I did appreciate that most puzzles fit into the theme of the setting aptly; (mostly gen 1 stuff). Contents wise, there wasn't a lot to do, and since the puzzles were mostly things I've seen before, we made it onto the leader board even. Btw, the set looked great, and I liked usage of metal sheet that we could write on. Convenient and green. Next, Rabbit Hole, our goal was to escape Queen of Heart's Kingdom in 1 hour or she'd behead us. Ouch. A story that needed no real intro, ER's translation of Alice into an escape experience was fantastic. The production was equally beautiful, and since this was a whimsical tale, the colors were much more varied (mood lighting). Good job there. The gaming area also felt bigger, as this game divided the space into many rooms, so we'd solve puzzles in one room, then move on to the next, and this went on for quite some time, much like falling down, down, and down some more the rabbit hole metaphorically. Puzzles wise, again linear, but they could afford a little more effort into connecting the pieces back to the plot, because some gen 1 elements didn't quite belong. Locks, keypads, and switches, imo, wouldn't exist in Queen of Hearts's Kingdom. That's a shame since there're few puzzles that were completely immersive, and then there're some that were just borderline appropriate due aforementioned input modalities. This game was indeed more difficult, partially due to the complexity of certain puzzles, but also, yet again, my carelessness. One scene in particular had extremely confusing wording, not my cup of tea (haha, reference), but also suitable for the Alice theme--because Wonderland IS confusing. Overall, we needed one real "nudge", but we were able to escape mostly our own. Experienced players would succeed for sure, and I would personally rate this medium-difficult. It's my conjecture that this company aims to cater for tourist population (non fanatics), which is sufficient reason to "dumb down" puzzles a bit. Customer service was top-notched; I had some very pleasant conversations with the staff about escape rooms. They also provided complimentary beverages post game. Everything was well taken care of, so here's your stellar review, ER. Ty, and yw. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

This room was okay. Loosely mummy themed and random insertions of puzzles, really. | MagIQ Room GAME INFO COMPANY: MagIQ Room ADDRESS: 1446 S Robertson Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035 GAME: Curse Of The Mummy PREMISE: One of the most mysterious figures of the Egyptian history is Tutankhamun. Find his tomb in Luxor and you might solve the ancient secret of the pyramid’s construction. If you find his tomb, not only thousands of treasures hit your grasp, but it would supposedly reveal the thousands of years old secrets of the pyramids’ construction. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/18/2018: I never pass up a decent Groupon deal, so hi again, MagIQ Room. Last we beat "Pirate's Den" (See "Previous Review") with a decent time record, let's see if we could do better today with "Curse of the Mummy". The overall "performance" of both rooms were consistent, though each had its own strengths and weaknesses. Let's start off positive: The puzzles were fun. Never mind how horribly forced into being "Egyptian" themed, this game has an eclectic collection of brain teasers that I, an escape room enthusiast, still thoroughly enjoyed. Not that they were super challenging, but they're so varied in formats and styles, they still tickled my fancy in all the right places. 1 or 2 puzzles in particular even wowed me for their cleverness. Next, production value. Even by a more DIY standard for MagIQ Room, (that's my way of saying even when NOT comparing MagIQ with today's leading franchise like 60Out), Curse's decor is still on the weaker end of the spectrum. Last we visited Pirate's Den, they've turned their office building into an authentic looking, wooden pirate's ship. In stark contrast, this mummy's tomb flat out sucks in comparison. Not even close. To the best of my recollection, little effort were spent on the walls, and this was essentially plain rooms with Egyptian statues standing in the corners. To add more insult, a miniature pyramid contraption is the center focus piece, and the mummy is resting in a plain, un-decorated, wooden coffin. I may not be a history buff, but wouldn't it make more sense if the walls were covered in hieroglyphics, and the coffin constructed in the shape of a human king's body, as popularized by... you know, all mummy related multimedia? Poor choice of props and sets lead to minimal immersion. Firstly, electrical outlets were exposed (I think), a big no no for any historically themed rooms. Next, almost all puzzles felt like puzzles for puzzles' sake. Why would there be giant maze box, sliding wooden blocks, and TAROT READING CARDS installed in a mummy's tomb? And for the many padlocks we opened throughout the game... early lock models were invented in the 19th century. So. The most authentic Egyptian "thing" in the room was probably my friend, who's full-blooded Egyptian, lol. Lighting, however, was spot-on, and the one single most successful attempt in keeping the players barely in the story world. It was just dim enough to instill a sense of dread, but not so dark that kids would be seriously creeped out. I did feel like I was exploring someone's eternal resting place, so for that, kudos. No matter how much I "bash" this game, there's always saving grace that is bargain pricing. With Groupon, each participant ended up paying less than $20, which is an incredible deal. (I could honestly lose $20 worth of credits at the local arcade within the span of 15 minutes, and today's game proved to be a much more cost effective hobby alternative.) At the end of the day, it is what it is--a mildly themed puzzle room, designed for kids party, not adults. (Had this been more immersive like Pirate's Den, it would've earned a solid "B", since Curse really did have better puzzles.) Nonetheless, I can say with good conscience and confidence that, we were entertained for a good 40 something minutes. It may not be the same heart-pounding experience derived from more intense escape rooms, but for the price we paid, and for games that are intentionally geared towards younger kids, MagIQ Room did a fantastic job. If I ever had kid(s), and want to train them into escape room artists at a young age, I would 100% bring them here, since this business knows their target audience well, always semi-educational (there's always a math problem, what's up with that?), and provides good customer service. It's with much regret to report that I most likely would not return for the last of the 3 rooms, Secrets of Wizardry, the Harry Potter-esque themed room. This is mainly because there doesn't seem to be discount available (Groupon or otherwise) for their most popular room, and if I had to pay full admission on their basic gen 1 style games, I personally don't think it's worth my bucks. Not that there is anything wrong with gen 1 room format; it's just that you can't just throw a bunch of locks together, paint a thin layer of "theming" over it, and expect it to be a good product. Alas, from what I've seen in various media, the Wizardry room is probably the closest solution to my complaint--it is fantastically decorated, seemingly the most immersive of the 3, with secret pathways, and with more magical puzzles embedded. (The puzzles are also rated the easiest, thus probably not going to offer big challenges for us enthusiasts anyway.) Aw well. Until a good promo rolls around, I guess this is where we part. Thanks for the good times! Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Residence at a low price, with bonus ghosts installed. Sold. | 60Out Escape Rooms (Silver Lake) GAME INFO COMPANY: 60Out Escape Rooms (Silver Lake) ADDRESS: 1333 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026 GAME: Amityville PREMISE: Finding a house this cheap is rare in New York. You're not one to believe the stories, but they say this home was refuge for one of the most evil spirits the small town of Amityville has ever known. All of the home's past owners and families have disappeared without warning. Everyone in town tells you to get out while you can -- loss is inevitable, and terror is unavoidable. We hope you enjoy your first night at your new home. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/06/2018: After solving the case of missing children at the Hyde Circus (see previous review of "Hyde & Seek"), I traveled through a space-time portal to 112 Ocean Ave a few feet over in 1970s New York. Having just purchased my fancy new house, I couldn't wait to spend my first night in my new home sweet home... Except something felt off. There're blood stains all over the window panes. And I was feeling a bit more murderous than my usual Saturday night. Gotta adjust to the new "Amityville" lifestyle, I guess! Raved among members of the escape room and 60Out fans community, this horror escape game elicited high expectation in the scare department by donning a title inspired by such well-known documented paranormal activity. (And what perfect time to play this room than October, the scariest month of the year?) So just how frightening did this room stack up against the likes of "Orphanage", another recently published terrifying 60Out game? (I also reviewed that room, at the K-town location, btw.) Well, not *that* scary! Compared to the ballsy move of starting players in 100% darkness in Orphanage, Amityville was never all that dark for a horror experience. Plenty of strategic lighting was provided even from the beginning, in addition to your personal portable candles, so I felt quite at ease. However, due to the excellently executed lighting, sound, and other special effects, the foreboding sense of being engulfed by the haunting within this house was more effective than ever. (I was in awe when things actually started shaking!) In fact, my sister felt quite the opposite, and confirmed to me that she felt more nervous throughout in today's game. There were plenty of sudden movements and loud, unsettling noises, some of which made us both screamed out loud, which were always greatly appreciated. If I don't give a couple of good outbursts, it ain't a legit horror room. Weirdly enough, since this room selectively fine tuned its intermittent frights in between puzzles, the jump scares, in a way, packed more punches because I was otherwise quite relaxed. Though the siblings disagreed which of our two evil-fighting adventures was scarier, we concurred, without a doubt, immersion was Amityville's best achievement. We both had A GREAT TIME. Though the overall gaming area wasn't that big, floor plan, set (GORGEOUS, btw), and props were employed efficiently to provide both a great narrative and game play. For the most part, key props made sense in the setting of a house, though usage of video screens seemed more iffy and out of place. Solutions mainly involved manipulating props and set pieces, never requiring the players to leaving the story world--overall, a beautifully crafted, immersive gen 2 room. The game designers also managed to create an organic, linear game flow that made so much sense, it was easy to follow the steps and progress the game. (I'd rate this room novice friendly. We completed the game in 40 mins without any hint.) Truth be told, the clues were so direct and obvious, you literally just had to follow directions. Not much thinking was needed. Furthermore, every time something was done correctly, there was obvious acknowledgment cue, and subsequent clues to push you further along. You'd either love/hate such close hand-holding, but either way, the game was so well structured, my inner OCD self was gushing with admiration at the genius organization. Lastly, alas, I did have a complaint: the game was too darn short. (Quite a number of enthusiast-level past patrons was able to finish in 30 minutes or less.) Though the ending was spectacular, potentially really challenging some participants to face off their inner phobias, there really were many missed opportunities, especially in the last room. Surely they could install more puzzles towards the climax, instead of wasting an otherwise perfectly creepy chamber. While I understand they tend to budget down the number of puzzles, factoring in players' stress levels in a terror experience, dare I say, they overdid it? There were really only a handful of objectives in each room, rendering it a so-so escape room challenge, but still an Excellent Eerie Experience (!) overall. To wrap up this review, I'd like to again point out, the friendliness level of this particular venue still ranked among the top out of all my past 60Out interactions. 60Out, as a brand, already guarantees premium level of service, but the team members at the Silver Lake location, so far, were all consistently cordial and patient. Sammy, who welcomed us upon entry, and Baxter, our game master, were more than welcome to answer my questions, which I'd habitually have post-game, most regarding technology used to achieve such a magical experience. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Woodland creatures surrounded us all while we attempted to hike our way out of Chronostopia | Chronos Escape Room GAME INFO COMPANY: Chronos Escape Room ADDRESS: 676 Fairplex Dr, Pomona, CA 91768 GAME: Chronostopia PREMISE: While on a overnight hike with your friends, you got lost in the woods and found talking animals trapped in a bird’s cage. The animals explained that you, also, are trapped in a magic dimension from the broken portal and in exchange to helping free them, they will help you get a key from the goddess in the castle to return the real world before the portal closes. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/24/2018: Having tried their horror themed ("Awakened") and sci-fi themed ("Inception") escape rooms at Chronos (please see "Previous Reviews"), I was back for the 3rd and final time for their fantasy themed game "Chronostopia". Having read very mixed reviews for this last room, I'd kept my expectations rather low. That worked towards everyone's advantage, because frankly, third time's also a charm! This was definitely the most family/kids friendly offering at Chronos, with no scare factor whatsoever, story went: you had accidentally ventured into another dimension through a mysterious portal during a hiking trip. Though this parallel universe looked similar to ours, woodland critters in this realm could talk, and you helped set them free from their trap. (It's a bit farfech'd, but let's roll with it.) Grateful for their liberation, they'd help you get home to your own dimension, before the portal's closing in 1 hour. Failure would result in... living in this fairy tale-like world forever!!! ...which didn't sound too bad, tbh. Though there was no real urgency to the narrative, the game itself was definitely full of fun features that kept me thoroughly entertained. First, the set. Tbch, Awakened had great production value, but Inception only so-so, so I thought Chronostopia would fall somewhere in between or worse. NOPE! Though the game area was a little confined and box-like, the first forest scene looked very, very pretty upon entrance. There's grass on the ground, colorful illustrations on the wall that DID NOT look tacky, and the "sky" had LED light decorations that resembled stars. There're also other nature related props that completed the look. The entire scene felt very Snow White, and made my team very giddy with excitement. (The later unlocked areas looked equally fantastic.) The puzzles themselves, however, continued this venue's same trend and suffered the same "problem", if you will. With the exception of a few puzzles, the main portion of them didn't really have tie-ins with the plot, but rather, they're brain teasers "as is", just sprinkled throughout with slight attempts to relate back to the world of fairy tales. This was somewhat justified in their sci-fi game, where math related challenges at least had to do with science; but here, it didn't work as organically in a whimsical setting like Chronostopia. The good news was that, the puzzles themselves were varied and interesting enough to keep our brains working hard constantly, so at least during game play, you're having a ball and could overlook the above shortcoming easily. The overall format stayed the same, with mostly gen-1 style riddles, seeking for letter and number combos as solutions. Of note, the staff made a conscious effort of using less number keypads, which were used abundantly (or to some, excessively) in their other games, and therefore an easy target for customers' critiques. And though the official site claimed this game was the easiest of the 3, I felt it wasn't exactly beginners' level, either. Some secrets were hidden really, really well, and required several rounds of inspections before reveal. In fact, there were several moments when we struggled hard and felt extreme needs to request for hints. ...But we didn't, and you know why? THIS GAME HAD BONUS PUZZLES! These were completely optional puzzles that needed not to be solved to escape, but each would grant you 1 precious gold coin upon completion. Collect all 5 gold coins, without asking for any hints, and escape within 60 minutes, each team member would win a REAL LIFE PRIZE. That's right. Chronos would give you a physical gift card for your hard-earned achievements. They're paying you to play! (When we first heard about this special mission during briefing, we already got so pumped, determined to jump over this extra hurdle--AND GASP! WE DID!) This rare reward-based element elevated an already decent game to another level--one that encouraged players to become more engaged, and more likely to give 110% extra effort to beat the game. It was this motivation and the resulting thrills and highs that merited this room an outstanding grade--because at the end of the day, I want a game that not only is fun, but memorable as well, and all aforementioned components worked synergistically to create this exact effect. Carrying a souvenir gift card as I exited only solidified this memory further. Overall, while having puzzles for puzzles' sake might not be the best approach for an immersive experience, the gaming aspect of Chronostopia was exemplary, making it a worthwhile option for escape room lovers. With ongoing promotion and hence very competitive pricing, for the quality you receive, it's a no-brainer, GO PLAY! Go for Awakened if you don't mind a little scary, and give Chronostopia a try for an incentive-driven experience. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Beautifully decorated, only to be held back by illogical puzzles | The Hidden Passage Live Escape Room Games GAME INFO COMPANY: The Hidden Passage Live Escape Room Games ADDRESS: 7430 Coldwater Cyn Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91605 GAME: The Pharaoh's Curse THEME: Egytian Tomb, Cursed Excavation GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/21/2018: By design, I played two Egytian themed escape rooms in the span of 4 days: first at MagIQ Room (also reviewed), and today at Hidden Passage's "The Pharaoh's Curse". After completion, my overall impression was that, while MagIQ's version was more geared towards kids, Hidden's rendition was several times more visually beautiful, with stunning productive value, and definitely designed with adult players in mind. Sadly, these 2 companies also shared common categorical shortcomings. In Pharaoh, we were archaeologists, exploring deep in the mummy's tomb. Too bad for us, one team member got separated, and inadvertently awakened a dormant curse. To reverse the curse, we must retrieve treasures scattered across the burial site, returned them to their rightful locations, and escape without being buried alive... FOREVER! Plot was ok interesting, but playful enough to explain the initial separation of players, (very short term,) which added on an extra layer of challenge in the beginning that I always appreciate. The production value was pretty amazing, considering this is a family owned business. (Everything was home built, and the owners had no prior escape room ownership experience.) Certain minor props were very "Party City", while others were straight up lifted from the movies. The entire game area was extremely large, rivaling the likes of 60Out. This led to what seemed like an endless game of discovery and exploration, as there was always 1 more room to reveal, which in all honesty, IT'S SUPER AWESOME, and a major selling point for this game. The puzzles themselves were fairly standard, sourcing from common puzzles found in gen-1 intro 101 handbook. (With a bit of tech mixed in.) There weren't any puzzle that I hadn't seen before, though that didn't mean they were not challenging. While the beginning puzzles were straightforward and easily solvable, the later ones were much more difficult, and required multiple layers of thought processing. (This is critical for me, who is somewhat of an experienced player, that there are still puzzles that'd stump me.) (And boy, did they ever.) Overall, this room was harder than I expected, and having brought along 3 gen-1-style virgins proved to be too daunting of a task, and hence, we didn't escape. We needed a solid 10 minutes more, perhaps, so we weren't even that close to completion. Sigh!! The fact that we didn't escape was not why I had to "grade down" this game. (In fact, everyone had fun! Absolutely no regret, and everyone should come try!) It was actually due to 1) design flaws, and 2) malfunctions. First, design flaws. Most conspicuously, gen-1 format clashed with the theme HARSHLY. However wonderfully decorated with such hearty endeavors, everything was negated, and immersion effectively diminished when you see key locks, combo locks, and even a combo safe (WHAT?), all in the midst of an ancient Egyptian tomb. This simply didn't make sense, (not invented yet,) and was the same cardinal misstep that MagIQ also took. (Intriguing puzzles, fun to play with, but misplaced in the era of the pharaoh.) This is especially a shame since the Hidden's productive value was so impressive. Furthermore, certain clues were a little too cryptic, or almost to the point of unfair, that participants would arguably be able to decipher without taking some great logic leap. (I can't be specific, or else it'd be spoilers.) These could be chalked off as creative choices, and probably be good spots in requesting a hint or two. Second, a major factor for docking off points, MALFUNCTIONS. And gosh, there were more than a handful. To recap quickly: one lock was broken by previous team, rendering it completely unused in my game. Prop manipulation puzzles that didn't unlock even when correct action was performed; multiple attempts needed. Flashlights failures. And finally, the worst sinner of all, a jammed number-combo lock that just wouldn't unlock even with the correct code, which wasted a good 5-10 minutes of very precious time. This was probably the final nail in the coffin for a lower grade--it's just too frustrating, 100% knowing that I solved the puzzle, but couldn't advance. (Ironically, gen 1 locks are usually considered be reliable than gen 2 tech.) BUT! ...No game is without flaws, and Pharaoh's Curse was no exception. There's a lot of potential here, and with the correct fixes, there's much to appreciate. I genuinely hope for this business to continue to improve and flourish, because I am very interested in returning to try their 2 new rooms (EXORCISM!!! AHHH!!!), slated to open in late 2018. PS: to echo other Yelpers, our female GM seemed disinterested at first, but was more lively when I took the initiative to engage deeper in conversation. Overall, she's ok, probably just isn't as into escape games as we enthusiasts. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Movie stars for a day. Well, not exactly. For an hour. | 60Out Escape Rooms (Melrose) GAME INFO COMPANY: 60Out Escape Rooms (Melrose) ADDRESS: 7270 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046 GAME: Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle PREMISE: It’s time you played our most raved-about experience yet at 60out Escape Rooms! Get lost in the wild and enjoy a game that extends the narrative of the Jumanji sequel and pays homage to the original, too! An adventure in the world of Jumanji with your friends and family is guaranteed to be an experience you will never forget! / The Iconic JUMANJI brand will be bringing us a new film December 20th and the narrative we will be introducing to you in this experience expands upon and captures the universe created in both JUMANJI films. / An extension of the films “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and the original “Jumanji,” this 4 – 8 player experience begins with you sneaking into your friend's room, but he doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon, so you start snooping around a bit. After uncovering a series of puzzles you get sucked into the world of JUMANJI and need to do whatever it takes to survive this new, wild world you’ve discovered. GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 10/13/2018: Today was a big deal for me. Not only was this the 40th milestone, my team was playing for Jumanji, finally, after waiting for months and months since they started teasing from production. Through construction to a delayed debut, I was following as a fan every step of the way. Having seen both the original film and the recent update in theaters, I couldn't wait to live out this movie in the form of an escape room adventure. Let me just re-emphasize--I followed this room's social media closely. I know every single promo pic and the trailer video well. I walked in with a certain level of knowledge already in mind, whether it be for the set, props, puzzles, and possible solutions. Expectations, naturally, ran high. And now, having experienced it and successfully escaped (9 mins left), I have much to share: Pricing is fairly justified. Running at $40 a pop on the weekend, you'd expect superb production value. Well, yes, true, you do get that, but I personally think you are more so paying a premium for branding. This is THE OFFICIAL motion picture experience, and so price is inflated to reflect its authenticity and exclusivity. If you've been to one of newer 60Out games (Hyde & Seek, Orphanage, etc), you'd have a good idea of how gorgeous the Jumanji set is visually, and perhaps another level more. (Just don't expect that extra $10 price gap to produce a miraculously huge difference. The bar is already set quite high in recent efforts!) On the plus side, Jumanji offered more magical, amazing, tech-assisted moments, which if you've seen the trailer, you've already gotten a healthy sampler of. And much like the stampeding animals in Robin Williams's film, more surprises would come rushing your way! Immersion was impeccable. They were able to incorporate the main plot points and devices of the original and the sequel at various steps of the game, and all these moments felt organic and well employed. I especially enjoy the beginning room in which my group were to figure out a way to transport ourselves into the digital jungle within the video game. The entire sequence was fun to play, amazing to witness, and hard to forget. The rest of the game continued this trend with solid endeavors, borrowing elements of team work from Dwayne Johnson's film, making everyone in the team a special and significant contributor to the group's survival, with each of us gaining a specialty power--a bit of RPG, if you will. I recommend bringing 6 (somewhat experienced) players. Having max capacity of 8 would make the space cramped, and cooperation potentially chaotic. At this point, I'd like to clearly state that, *I MOST DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS ROOM*, because the pros definitely outweighed the cons. But here come the cons. The designers tried their absolute hardest for a high-tech escape room; but on the flip side, when this much automation was involved, malfunctions were almost guaranteed. During my game, we ran into multiple instances of tech hiccups. For example, certain steps required us to place props a certain way to unlock the secrets. The sensors, however, required such exact placements that they didn't work. Sometimes, the gm had to prompt us to re-position items; other times, she straight up manually overrode the mechanics from the control room. (This actually happened at least 3 to 4 times.) Either way, it broke the 4th wall and took us temporarily out of our verdant fantasy. In an even stranger occurrence, at one point, a trap door accidentally opened, revealing the storage space behind the set. The door was never meant to unlock, only intended for the staff reset. That was kind of a funny hot mess, lol. Additionally, this game is rated hard, not necessarily because the puzzles were unusually challenging or innovative, but often due to logic leaps that would most likely escape the participants on their first run. This general pattern of expecting players to read the designers' mind inadvertently made finishing within 60 minutes difficult for the average players, rendering the escape rate quite low. To compensate, our game master would periodically give us (unsolicited) comments and gentle nudges along the game to guide us through--which may not be everyone's cup of tea. All in all, again, despite its flaws, THIS IS STILL A MUST-PLAY. I HAD A GREAT TIME. For me, as a supplement to my Jumanji movie experience, this was a godsend. As an escape room, it's still got some work to do. But nothing needs to be perfect to be well loved now, does it? (PS, I would like to express gratitude to my gm, Mel. She helped us take the most badass, movie poster vibe post-game photo I've ever attempted to date. Seriously, check us out, we donned our jungle adventurers costumes, and she's able to capture all that essence in the best angle. I am beyond ecstatic.) Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

The students are ready for the lecture of their lives... or deaths | Chronos Escape Room GAME INFO COMPANY: Chronos Escape Room ADDRESS: 676 Fairplex Dr, Pomona, CA 91768 GAME: Awakened PREMISE: Your team is a group of urban explorers who decide to explore the old abandoned high school in your town. Little did you know that this is the playground of the infamous serial killer Freddy who murdered his classmates several years ago, and now you are his latest victims. Can you survive his high school of horrors before time runs out? GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 09/23/2018: An apparently devil-possessed former classmate's up to no good at the seemingly innocuous high school reunion... drugging your drink, abducting you against your will, and left you in the now abandoned high school building to shiver in fear. Luckily for you, he kills in batches. You're the last of his survivors before he returns in 1 hour for more slaughter and bloodshed. It's your worst recurring nightmare come true--school's in session once again! "Awakened" puts a new twist to the killer-will-return-in-1-hour horror escape room trope by switching the setting to a school setting, which to me, is very much inspired by the ever-so-popular haunt events and horror films from Asia. For whatever reason, mixing evil with education seems to tickle that terror-loving bone for Asian audience. ...And uh. Yup, I'm most def Asian. Worked for me. I really love my experience with Chronos this time. Truth be told, just knowing the game takes place over a 1500 sq ft space, and having seen just how long the hallway is (ie the length of this room), I was already on board. I am a true sucker for a room-to-room-to-room adventure. And boy, Awakened is the valedictorian of this category. Plus, every room has a theme, the first is a classroom, then you see the long hallway, and so on so forth. Though only a condensed and miniature version of an actual school, the game space, for the most part, holds together cohesively (theme-wise) to provide a smooth and enjoyable experience. Production value is decent. This room was constructed 1-2 years back, so it might not stand out among more recently published venues, but it hadn't aged poorly either. To me, it's on par with Knotts Scary Farm mazes, which is a teen-friendly type of pseudo-scare, just a tad away from reaching the greats of movie-grade props. Just some minor details fixes needed. Grade wise, maybe B+? Body parts and red blood galore, though only 1 or 2 true jump scares, if even, appeared in game. (And no actor!) It was about as scary as a campy horror flick, much like Scream 3, which is frequently labeled as the Scooby Doo installment of the series... ...And I don't mean that in a bad way. There exists a niche where escape room players want a bit of terror without having to outright pee in their pants. Awakened is that level of "little scary" that can entertain many, even including younger teens and your team's token scaredy-cats. Puzzle wise, if you're an enthusiast, you'll surely get out under the time limit. Had we been more attentive to certain set pieces, we wouldn't have wasted 1 hint. Would be great to escape without any! (But! We had almost 20 minutes remaining!) Majority of the challenges revolved around finding letter/number codes to input to locks and pads, which is considered "low tech", but still *high fun* for me! There were some "high tech" magical moments sprinkled here and there to round out the experience. Be warned: some riddles did require minor leaps in logic, and like others mentioned, some involved math. But it's such BASIC MATH that... come on, guys. Don't dock points off for that. It's a school themed room! You need to pass that math quiz! (Though there was one BIG red herring--our consensus was that it neither added to our experience nor plot progress. So please remove?) For a lot of rooms, you're confined to a very small office space; with Awakened, you're actually traversing wall to wall, making you more aware of your successful progress, and the element of escape more immersive. Much of my adrenaline high derived from really actively running from room to room, back and forth--there's just something about getting your body in action mode that I am really attracted to. Additionally, the ending, once you fully understand it, brings a satisfying conclusion to the plot. With all that added together, this game earned its outstanding report card. ;) Of a *very high* note, I need to address the booking nature of this game. Today, having this game set to "private event" was such a delightful treat, and also *THE crucial* assistance in achieving a commendable escape time, because there was just no way we could've flown through many of the puzzles had we not been friends: When in turbo mode, players might speak in more demanding tone, louder volume, and not-so-calm manner. With other unfamiliar patrons, this very much comes off as rude. Among friendly faces, however, more is forgiven. Having completed this room in only ~40 minutes is solid proof that this formula works. And we had so much fun while doing so!!! Awakened may be not the most frightening room out there, but undoubtedly a very fun one. Our game master today, Dion, much like our last gm, brought a very positive energy, and made Chronos as a business more personable. Thanks for being awesome, guys! Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

Fixing some issues in someone's brain. Not my brain, obvi, because I have NO issue ever. | Chronos Escape Room GAME INFO COMPANY: Chronos Escape Room ADDRESS: 676 Fairplex Dr, Pomona, CA 91768 GAME: Inception PREMISE: In the year 2098, dream sharing technology is a medicine used to treat patients who have mental disorders. Now you and your group of best engineers are hired to operate the machine to bring a very important figure, who is currently unconscious, back to the reality... GAME REVIEW Here is a carbon copy of my Yelp review, posted originally on 09/01/2018: Escape room for birthday celebration! Chronos Escape Room's "Awakened" has been something I want to try for a while. Since there's a decent deal available on Groupon, why not? Chronos, 1st stop of a grand birthday escape room tour 2018! Sadly though, the implementation of "public game" (pairing up with other customers) had plagued me as of late... While this business model honestly boils down to how owners want to turn a profit, as a patron, I am *NOT* a fan of being forced to intimately cooperate with strangers. (So yes, my spirit was dampened when I found out my appointment was maxed out at 8 players--4 of us, & 4 randos. This was, after all, for a birthday; all must go off without a hitch!) I contacted support to see if there is any customer service magic they could perform to accommodate a special occasion. After a brief struggle & some exchanges, I was offered a private option of "Inception" instead, with rescheduling and other fees graciously waived, *if* I was willing to pay the price difference from the Groupon promo. SURE! ANYTHING TO MAKE A BIRTHDAY EVENT PERFECT! We couldn't be more thrilled for Chronos's assistance. And somehow, everything just fell into place, and some more, from here on out. Dare I say, a perfect night? Although parking area was somewhat sketchy but spacious, the atmosphere inside Chronos was vastly different from the outside. (Safety tip: don't hang around this area alone at night.) The front desk staff, who doubled as game masters, were warm and welcoming. And I, as a first time visitor, was just marveling at how large the store space really was. After briefing on rules and backstory by GM Sam, off we went! Obviously inspired by the blockbuster hit, "Inception" the room shared a similar plot with its movie counterpart: It's 2098, & modern science has realized, though not yet perfected, dream sharing tech. A client has fallen into a coma in a dream sesh, & you the engineers must venture into the dream machine, wake him from his stubborn slumber, all before 60 minutes run out... or you'll be trapped in the machine & join him in a coma as well. A refreshing theme not encountered often! Production wise, the set looked decent and cool enough. It wasn't exactly super "WOW!", but clear effort went into the design and execution. The room itself did not evoke any scenes from the movie, but rather reminded me of a recently revived cult classic "Cube", as seen on Netflix. It was minimalistic looking without being dowdy. The overall layout was clean cut, effective, and made sense. At its core, it was a sci fi room, with remote elements of Inception arbitrarily layered on. Though not the biggest room Chronos had to offer, this game was still roomy and very comfortable for my team of 4. Undoubtedly, the room's main charm derived not from its looks, but from the eclectic collection of puzzles embedded in the world of sci fi. Whatever brain teaser games you'd played in the past, they'd somehow incorporated them in here. And this is exactly where the genius of the theming came in--with a construct as random as "dream machine", you'd pretty much have the freedom to throw in any puzzles--and that's what they did. Just to re-emphasize and appreciate the true randomness of these puzzles, each riddle leading to the next was an entirely different specie from the former. And yet, most were familiar enough to any puzzle lover that you could dive right in. For me, the remix of classic mind games worked well, and they were presented craftily in a mixed gen1 (locks)/gen2 (tech) format--my favorite format. From start the finish, it was as if our minds were treated to a carnival of mental midway games. (But work fast! This room was jam-packed with these mini games.) Game play was heavily linear, and I firmly do not recommend a team more than 4, especially for enthusiasts. Any more would most probably result in players idly standing around, and any less would render one specific teamwork puzzle arduous to complete. I actually lucked out with the magical number of 4! Sam, our GM, provided hints via walkie-talkie when we got stuck, and was at the door, ready to congratulate us when we made our victorious "escape" with 5 minutes to spare. He was professional, well versed, and knew his duties well inside and out--he was exemplary. He commended us on a job well done on their hardest challenge. Difficulty wise, the official rating of 7/10 seemed accurate. Beginners might benefit by buddying up with someone more experienced, though not required. After the staff politely bid us farewell, my team left with nothing but smiles on our faces. What a perfect way to kick off our birthday escape room tour! An unbeatable experience! Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster