Room Escape Artist

Trapperkeeper

Location: Fairfield, NJ

Date Played: December 31, 2024

Team Size: 2-12; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $40 per player up to 4 players; $35 per player for 5 players or more

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: At least one player will need to crawl

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

As a lifelong resident of New Jersey, a nearby escape room company opening up a room based around a legendary local road put them very high on the must-play list. Fairfield Escape Room is a relatively new company, so we were extra eager to see what they offered to the local scene. We were promised the chance to get into the mind of a serial killer. The House on Clinton Road delivered an experience that was conservatively decorated for a murder house, and the props that were there were charmingly creepy and very memorable.

Fairfield Escape Room nailed the puzzle flow in Clinton Road. Our team moved comfortably from puzzle to puzzle, taking the necessary time to solve and savor the ambiance, but almost never feeling unsure of what to do next. The biggest bump in the road was partially on us and partially on the choice of lighting that made color recognition difficult. The House on Clinton Road could benefit from spot lighting or more reliable flashlights.

It’s great to see a new company strongly come out of the starting gate. Fairfield Escape Room has some room for improvement, but The House on Clinton Road is a solid offering. If you’re looking for something new to check out in the area, The House on Clinton Road is a good choice.

Who is this for?

• Puzzle lovers
• Prop snobs
• Any experience level
• Weird New Jersey readers

Why play?

• Creepily detailed props
• Local flair

Story

We were part of a special task force put together to investigate a series of disappearances in the area. Our investigation led us to a mysterious house on Clinton Road.

Setting

The House on Clinton Road took place in both the inside and outside of a murder house. For extra local context to the setting, Clinton Road is a real “haunted road” located in West Milford, New Jersey.

Gameplay

Fairfield Escape Room’s The House on Clinton Road was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around making connections and light logic puzzling.

Analysis

➕ The puzzle flow was nearly perfect from start to finish. We only stumbled with our solutions near the end of the game.

➖ We were offered two different play modes before starting (limited clues vs. unlimited clues) that weren’t substantially different from each other. Because we could switch from the harder mode to the easier mode at any time, the choice had no real stakes or value.

➕ There was a real New Jersey charm to Clinton Road that appreciators of local weirdness will find delightful.

➕ The House on Clinton Road had multiple detailed props that were both charming and horrific.

➖ One puzzle that relied on color differentiation was made more difficult due to the dim lighting and similarly colored props.

Tips For Visiting

• Parking: There is plenty of parking in the parking lot.
• Food: We did not stop in, but there is a restaurant, Tortas Lokas, in the same parking lot as Fairfield Escape Rooms. For something else authentically New Jersey, Calandra’s (the bakery and the restaurant) is a 4 minute drive west on route 46.

Book your hour with Fairfield Escape Room’s The House on Clinton Road, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Fairfield Escape Room provided media discounted tickets for this game.