[At the time of this review, 60 Out Escape Rooms was called Escape Key and Casino Heist was called Casino.]
This one ends with a bang.
Location: Los Angeles, California
Date played: March 19, 2016
Team size: 2-6; we recommend 2-4
Price: $120 per room in less popular timeslots, $140 per room in moderately popular timeslots, $160 per room in highly popular timeslots
Theme & story
There are millions of dollars stored in the depths of this Casino and you need to get to the money before the bad guys do… and get out before the demolish the building.
We entered a casino outfitted with the appropriate games, tables, and decorations. The staging was beautiful.
The casino walls were wired with dynamite, which intensified the drama of the game scenario.
Puzzle assortment
As we progressed through the puzzles, we operated the casino set pieces. The puzzles varied dramatically, but each one was extremely tactile. The puzzles were highly interactive and these interactions were incredibly fun.
Later in the game, there was one puzzle that relied on a huge logic leap. I doubt it can be solved without either a hint or sheer luck. We moved through all the puzzles methodically until we needed two hints to solve this one.
The puzzles progressed along with the story. This experience was beautifully themed from start to finish.
Mechanisms
Escape Key uses technologies and different mechanisms to drive many of the puzzles in Casino. While both Casino and Senator Payne relied on technology, we never felt like Escape Key repeated the same tricks.
In Casino, we experienced brilliant construction as well as mechanisms that needed additional fine tuning. There was at least one moment that felt unfinished, like it was missing the polish that the rest of the game exhibited.
Escalation
Escape Key designed Casino to escalate differently from Senator Payne.
Whereas Senator Payne became increasingly dramatically staged, Casino became increasingly sparse and raw, which was deliberately uncomfortable.
Coupled with the dynamite that was readily apparent from the first moment of the game, these later puzzles put the squeeze on us in a way that few rooms achieve. We escaped with plenty of time to spare, but we still felt this tension.
The final puzzle intensified explosively.
Should I play Escape Key’s Casino?
From a puzzling standpoint, Casino was exquisite. We loved the variety exhibited in the tactile, technologically-driven, fun puzzles.
We also loved how the game’s escalation created additional tension.
This was a top notch game.
That said, the story didn’t escalate as cinematically as Senator Payne. If you can only play one of Escape Key’s games, choose to experience the brilliant climax of Senator Payne.
But if you have enough time to play multiple games at Escape Key, we highly recommend Casino.
Book your hour with 60Out’s Casino, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Full disclosure: Escape Key provided media discounted tickets for this game.
