Room Escape Artist

The Lost Duchman’s Mine is one of the best games in Oklahoma. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Oklahoma.

Mine games.

Location:  Oklahoma City, OK

Date Played: February 3, 2024

Team Size: 4-8; we recommend 4-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $160 for the first 4 players, $35 for each additional player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: At least one player needs to climb stairs and crawl

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock; however, there is a section where some of the team opt in to a locked area where the exit is controlled by the gamemaster.

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

I first heard about The Sanctuary Escape while on an escape room trip to Phoenix. While chatting in the lobby with another team, we were emphatically told, “You have to play The Sanctuary Escape in Oklahoma City!” I had my doubts; I hadn’t heard of the company before and the group had only played a handful of games. Still, I made a note to check them out. Spoiler alert: That team was right; it was worth the trip!

We first entered a tall, cave-like room built out of “stone,” cryptic symbols etched into the walls, and high ceilings with wooden support beams and lightbulbs dangling from above; it had the look and feel of a rustic mine shaft. And that was just the lobby.

From the moment we stepped into The Lost Dutchman’s Mine, we were on an adventure to discover the motherlode that had eluded so many past explorers. It was a spacious game with an immersive, detailed set that immediately put me in an old mining cabin. The innovative use of space made the game feel even larger than it was. Attention to detail was evident, down to the log cabin walls, rocky dirt floor and subtle, in-world props that were often used in puzzles. Though the puzzles were mostly task-based, and not groundbreaking by any means, most were so thematic and in tune with the set and story that we had a blast solving them. There were several stand-out moments, including one special effect that surprised us, ramping up the level of realism. Unfortunately due to the structure of the game, there were key moments that not everyone could experience in quite the same way.

The Sanctuary Escape is doing really interesting work on set design with an emphasis on immersion. When you visit, play The Lost Dutchman’s Mine first, then take on Seed of Hope, their newest and even more impressive experience.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle
• Players who don’t mind getting a little dirty

Why play?

• Detailed, immersive set
• Realistic special effects

Story

The Lost Dutchman’s Mine started with a lengthy backstory about centuries of explorers in search of an Arizona gold mine, only instead of finding the motherlode and becoming rich, they often ended up dead, one way or another. Jacob Waltz, nicknamed the Lost Dutchman, had found a map that led him to this cabin, but he’d died before finding the entrance to the mine. That’s where we came in. Could we locate the mine, discover the motherlode, and live to tell about it?

Setting

The game started in a rustic mining cabin with minimal furnishings and a rocky dirt floor. A large, old-fashioned water pump took over one part of the room, but it was the skeleton silently watching from the far corner that caught my attention.

Gameplay

The Sanctuary Escape’s The Lost Dutchman’s Mine was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, reading and making connections, and puzzling.

Analysis

➕ Set design was immersive, with log siding on the cabin walls, dirt on the floor, and small rocks scattered throughout. (My knees can attest to the realism of the rocks.) Attention to detail and seamless tech brought the space to life. The few locks in the game were thematic and appropriate; even the countdown clock blended into the environment. 

➕ Puzzles were generally task-based, with some solves relying on clues and details found in artifacts in the room; they were highly themed and made sense in this world. Though most puzzles were not overly complex, they contributed to the narrative and effectively moved the game forward.

➖ At one point during the game, our team had to split up to work in different areas. Although this enabled a teamwork element later on, the tasks were somewhat uneven, causing a lag in gameplay for at least one player. It unfortunately also caused each player to miss at least one exciting reveal. 

➕ Gameplay traversed quite a large space, and even with 4 players, it never felt cramped; there was plenty of room to puzzle.

➖ Though the tech worked flawlessly, there were a couple of times we triggered something, but didn’t notice and had to be redirected. There’s opportunity for better alerts via sound and/ or lighting to make players aware they caused something to happen.

➖ Compared to the energy and momentum throughout the game, the finale was underwhelming and left us wanting more.

➕/➖ Players will most likely get dirty or wet or both at some point throughout the experience. The one person on our team who did not get wet still got dirty, so dress accordingly.

❓The Lost Dutchman’s Mine v2.0 is a remake of a similarly-named game at The Sanctuary Escape’s prior location. Though a couple of puzzles are similar, most are new, as is the overall gamespace.

Tips For Visiting

• The venue is located in an outdoor mall; there is plenty of parking
• There are several restaurants within walking distance

Book your hour with The Sanctuary Escape’s The Lost Dutchman’s Mine, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: The Sanctuary Escape provided media discounted tickets for this game.