The Seventh Room is one of the best games in Orlando. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Orlando.
Stairway to…
Location: Kissimmee, FL
Date Played: February 25, 2023
Team size: up to 6; we recommend 3-4
Duration: 105 minutes
Price: $44 per player
Ticketing: Private
Accessibility Consideration: At least 2 players will need to access small, dark spaces alone. One of these players will need to climb.
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
The Seventh Room was a wonderful, epic game. At 105 minutes, Dare 2 Escape stretched out what they had to offer. This was truly one of our favorite experiences we played in Florida. It had incredible solo moments, exciting team ahas, and some unexpected set-based misdirection.
It suffered in a few spots: The first act was a bit of a slog – not bad, just a bit more grindy than it needed to be.
The second issue – and this persisted across all of Dare 2 Escape’s games – is that they hit us hard with exposition before the game began, rather than delivering the story beats through the gameplay itself.
This is one of the scariest games that we encountered in Florida. There were a couple of points where 1 or 2 players had to take an action that was legitimately scary for some players (and fine for others). Note that if you don’t offer yourself to do these interactions, this game will be haunted, but approachable for most. Before we entered the game, however, Dare 2 Escape amped up the fear factor, and this had negative ramifications. For those of us who like horror, it made the game more underwhelming than it would otherwise have been. And for those already afraid, the setup scared one of our teammates into sitting out, and he would have been fine… and later regretted not playing the strongest game from this company.
Overall, The Seventh Room is a must-play if you enjoy horror and are traveling to Orlando. It stood out from other games in the region. Plus, it showcased many of Dare 2 Escape’s strengths as creators.
Who is this for?
- Adventure seekers
- Scenery snobs
- Horror fans
- Best for players with at least some experience
Why play?
- For the solo moments
- Scene transitions
- Thrills
Story
Having just purchased a charming old six-bedroom fixer-upper, we came to the eerie realization that there was a seventh room. As the door slammed shut behind us, we were forced to explore the dark mysteries of the space.
Setting
We began in a creepy space inside our newly purchased home. It had a lot of detail and props that felt of the world and enhanced the creepy vibe. As more of the game opened up, the set transitioned to increasingly exciting spaces. This game felt bigger than it was.
Gameplay
Dare 2 Escape’s The Seventh Room was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
The creepy vibe and solo moments added intensity. If you don’t solve puzzles well in haunted settings, it will be a more challenging game.
Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, solving puzzles, communicating, and braving dark interactions.
Analysis
➕ The set sold the haunted manor staging with a dimly lit, creepy opening scene. As it opened up, the set design became increasingly impressive. Dare 2 Escape used vertical space well to make the space feel bigger than it was, and add moments of discovery. One reveal was especially exciting.
➕ The Seventh Room was a puzzley room with a lot to keep track of. Dare 2 Escape varied the lock inputs and mapped locks well, so that we never tripped up entering codes. They also added auditory feedback, helping us find different interactions and stay attuned to any changes.
➖ In the first act, many of the puzzles had a lot of little components. We crowded around the one surface where we could organize these components. The gameplay felt cramped in a space that didn’t need to be.
➖ Dare 2 Escape could add fit and finish to the props. For example, they could eliminate handwritten and faded sharpie.
➕ The puzzle design was at its best when the puzzles were large and engaged the whole team. We especially enjoyed a late-game spatial reasoning puzzle that combined props and set design into a satisfying solve.
➖/❓ The setup to The Seventh Room overhyped the horror. This was not a heart-racing, blood-pumping experience that kept us on edge for 105 minutes. It was a creepy, foreboding atmosphere. However, with each space we explored, we eventually became comfortable within it, and we were able to focus on the puzzles. The scary parts were the solo moments. If you don’t like horror, don’t opt in to these segments. The escape room didn’t need to be anything different than what it was; it just needed to set realistic expectations.
➕ The solo moments were the highlights of the experience. On three occasions, a player entered a small, dark, and unknown space alone. These were intense and unsettling, but also thrilling. Furthermore, they were designed with safety in mind, keeping players separated from any haunting presences.
➖ A cheesy joke undermined the finale. It didn’t fit the vibe of the experience. We craved a more resounding culmination of our exploration of The Seventh Room.
➕/➖ The Seventh Room was part of the Tillman saga, a narrative that links the characters and events across many of Dare 2 Escape’s experiences. We love the depth of character and story that this enables. That said, the start of this game required a lot of exposition. We wanted more of the character-building and storytelling to come from the interactions, puzzles, and gameplay within the experience.
Tips For Visiting
- There is a parking lot.
- We enjoyed a quick meal at King O Falafel in the same plaza as Dare 2 Escape.
Book your session with Dare 2 Escape’s The Seventh Room, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Dare 2 Escape provided media discounted tickets for this game.
