Room Escape Artist

Seaward ho!

Location:  Killeen, TX

Date Played: January 6, 2024

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $29 per player; must pay for a minimum of 4

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  Not ADA accessible

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

I’ve said before that central Texas is saturated with pirate-themed rooms, but Treasure Island expands on the theme in both narrative and creative ways, from small details to the entire premise itself. Rather than confining us in a single spot, it took us on an adventure through multiple locations, giving the game momentum and style. And it referenced Goonies! There was a lot going on.

Each space on our journey was beautiful and interesting. The creators used an impressive amount of glue to keep it that way; it was generally clear what enticing things were off-bounds because they were solidly stuck in place. Sometimes we were sad we couldn’t interact with them, but they were still glorious to behold. The set really was a star here.

The puzzling was also on-point, combining extensive physical interactions with multi-layered connections. Some of the tasks were admittedly wacky ways of navigating the situation and might not hold up in an authentic treasure hunting venture, but they were well-clued and exceedingly fun to execute. Our only quibble in the whole affair was a set of interactions that seemed misaligned and therefore ambiguous to read.

Treasure Island is yet another reason that Austinites and visitors should take a day-trip to Killeen and scope out Great Escape of Central Texas’s offerings. It’s gorgeous, adventurous, and just plain fun.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Scenery snobs
• Pirate fans
• Any experience level

Why play?

• For a rollicking pirate adventure across the seas
• To admire some unique set pieces

Story

We had heard tale that treasure lay beyond the sea for anyone with the gumption to navigate both land and water to find it. Gumption we had, so navigate we did.

Setting

Our journey towards seafaring and riches began, like for many a sailor before us, in the Admiral Benbow Inn amidst an interesting conglomeration of rustic doodads. If the opening space didn’t loudly proclaim PIRATE, it was only to build the aesthetic momentum for later spaces. Everything felt both lavish and solid, enabling confident interactions.

Gameplay

Great Escape of Central Texas’s Treasure Island was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Gameplay consisted of searching, making connections, and thoroughly interacting with the environment.

Analysis

➕ Each space was well-constructed and enticing. We wanted to play with everything, and usually we got to.  There were also several remarkable set pieces throughout the game. They were lovely, realistic, and even witty.

➕ The room expanded on some common pirate escape room tropes, adding complexity and surprise to these tasks. 

➕ Nods to both Treasure Island and The Goonies were fun and, at times, hilarious. 

➖ One puzzle with several moving parts seemed to have some misalignment, leading us to guess a bit about what it was trying to tell us.

➕ Several segments of the game were well-suited for parallel or collaborative problem-solving while still being approachable for duos.

➕ The mechanical dexterity puzzles in this room struck an impressive balance by being approachable for a broad audience while making us feel like we were accomplishing something. 

➕/➖ From a gameplay perspective, we enjoyed the connections between different parts of our adventure. Narratively, a couple were a bit of a stretch. 

➕/➖ The final puzzle sequence had a satisfying level of difficulty for the culmination of the game, but the multi-step connections resulted in jagged pacing that interrupted momentum. The effort felt gratifying but anticlimactic.

Tips For Visiting

• There is plenty of parking.

Book your hour with Great Escape of Central Texas’s Treasure Island, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.