Evil Dead 2 is included in our recommendation guides for Remote Horror Games and Avatar-Guided Online Escape Games . For more of the best online escape games in these styles, check out the recommendation guides.
Note: The online version of Evil Dead 2 (reviewed here) runs until March 31, 2021. The in-person version, located in Seattle, WA, runs until 2022.
Evil Dead 2 is a digital adaptation of a real-life game created by Hourglass Escapes in Seattle, WA.
Format
Style of Play: digital adaptation of a real-life escape game
Required Equipment: computer with internet connection
Recommended Team Size: 3-5
Play Time: 70 minutes
Price: approximately $30 per person (varies slightly based on team size)
Booking: book online for a specific time slot
Description
You’re a team of paranormal investigators who are being shown around by your boots-on-the-ground companion. Not only is he your eyes and ears, he also has your trusty evil-dead-vanquishing toolkit that you can interact with throughout the game. In addition to this gamemaster/ avatar, this digital adaptation included a webpage with pictures and 360-degree scans of the room.
Hivemind Review Scale
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Theresa Piazza’s Reaction
Fans of the Evil Dead 2 movie will really appreciate the attention to detail in this officially licensed room, though no film knowledge is required to play the game. While the room is a recreation of a cabin out of a campy 80’s horror flick, it is not scary, and I spent the entire game with a big smile on my face. This avatar-style remote escape room utilized an inventory management system we’d seen before, which was essential since there was a lot to see in the gamespace. The gamemaster leaned into his character and added another wonderful layer of personality to this game. I would have loved to play Evil Dead 2 in person, but playing with an avatar who really knows how to act the part is the next best way to play this room.
Cara Mandel’s Reaction
The escape room Evil Dead 2 (based on the film of the same name) was frenetic, but highly enjoyable. Our players were encouraged to don costumes in advance of gameplay (a suggestion we’re told is carried out in real-life versions of this game as well). We had a selection of character archetypes from which to choose. The game itself had high production value and was filled to the brim with Easter eggs and references to the film. To top it all off, our gamemaster/ avatar was an enthusiastic, humorous addition. Fans of this film franchise will no doubt enjoy this experience.
Theresa W’s Reaction
Evil Dead 2 nailed the balance between a cool escape room, a good web interface, and an awesome in-character gamemaster. All aspects of the game tied in perfectly with the theme and the experience was definitely top-notch. The game was littered with references to the movie that fans would love, but players without knowledge of the movie will not feel left out of. Hourglass Escapes took the immersion of the experience further by including character and costume recommendations for the players as well as on-theme cocktail recipes. Any excuse is a good excuse for a costume, so our team had a blast dressing up as our respective characters.
Tammy McLeod’s Reaction
Evil Dead 2 was a lot of fun. We had pre-game instructions for characters, costumes, and custom Zoom backgrounds, which my teammates and I all took advantage of. The game itself was an impressive homage to the movie and the entire experience felt like a themed party. The puzzles were solid and the gamemaster was an over-the-top character that totally enhanced the experience.
Brendan Lutz’s Reaction
I love this room. As a big fan of Ash Williams and the Evil Dead franchise, I was smiling from start to finish.
To get the most out of it I recommend that if you haven’t watched Evil Dead 2 recently, you make the time to do so. However, being a fan was additive and not a requirement to completing this room or enjoying the experience.
Hourglass Escapes puts a lot of care into the entire experience, beyond just the time you’re solving puzzles. Ahead of the game you’re given a dossier of different characters’ backgrounds and recommended costumes to select from, a custom Evil Dead Zoom background, and even a recommended signature cocktail recipe to enjoy during the game.
All of the above, combined with a stellar in-character avatar/ gamemaster performance, meant that what I lost by not being in person was a balanced trade-off to what I gained by being remote.
For added fun, keep your eyes out for Easter eggs throughout the game. Now, if they can just make an Army of Darkness room…
Disclosure: Hourglass Escapes provided the Hivemind reviewers with a complimentary play.