Room Escape Artist

It has a lot up its sleeve

Magic Heist is one of the best games in the Chicago area. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms around Chicago.

Location:  Schaumburg, IL

Date Played: October 23, 2024

Team size: 2-8; we recommend 4-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: from $90 per team for a group of 2 to $320 per team for a group of 8

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Magic Heist was a compelling and beautiful puzzle-driven escape game.

60 to Escape built an aesthetically marvelous world and populated it with magic-themed puzzles that were all well-rounded and explored a wide variety of puzzle types.

In this broadly refined game, there were a few places where the puzzle design could have benefited from a bit of additional refinement. Plus, the ending really could have benefited from more heft and drama.

Overall, 60 to Escape delivered a phenomenal escape room. I truly wish that every escape room in a mall was built to this exceptional level of quality. We’d have a lot more escape room players.

Who is this for?

• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Magic fans
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• A strong collection of puzzles
• Fantastic set design
• Great interactions

Story

Calastof the Great, the world’s most renowned magician, had assembled a group of the finest magicians and thieves to engage in a challenge of skullduggery. He wanted us to break into his magical vault and attempt to steal the source of his power.

Setting

Magic Heist had us enter through a vault door into a beautiful brick corridor. There was an impressive level of detailing in the entryway and opening space that also continued throughout the game. Everything throughout Magic Heist was evocative of the game’s stage magic foundation.

Gameplay

60 to Escape Schaumburg’s Magic Heist was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observation, making connections, communicating, and puzzling.

Analysis

➕ The magical set design was great; the lighting was especially strong.

➕ The puzzle and interaction design were phenomenal. This was one of the more challenging games at 60 to Escape Schaumburg, and the puzzle set earned the difficulty, paying it off with strong props and interactions.

➖ One exception to the quality interaction design was an alarming moment that was confusing and chaotic with no payoff… and another puzzle that should have worked regardless of the direction chosen by the team.

➖ From an accessibility standpoint, blurbs of text were far too verbose, with fonts that were too small… and a critical puzzle was entirely too difficult to make-out, even when we knew what we needed to do.

➕ After the game, we found ourselves reflecting on one specific puzzle, as it truly stood out.

➖ And upon reflection, another puzzle felt like a better idea than it was in practice.

➕ As you’d want from a magic game, there was a well-executed reveal.

➖ The late-game lacked narrative drama.

Tips For Visiting

• 60 to Escape Schaumburg is located near the center of the Woodfield Mall. Park wherever you desire.
• Arrive with enough time to navigate the mall. This mall’s layout is a little strange.
• 60 to Escape also has its own bathroom, separate from the rest of the mall.
• The Woodfield Mall and surrounding area are filled with food options.

Book your hour with 60 to Escape Schaumburg’s Magic Heist, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: 60 to Escape Schaumburg provided media discounted tickets for this game.