Room Escape Artist

🦀🥥🪫

Location:  Oakland, California

Date Played: February 16, 2025

Team size: 2-8; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: from $50 per player for teams of 2 to $38 per player for teams of 10

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  None that we’re aware of

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

For a less puzzle-dense take on an escape room, consider Shipwreck Island.

Clockwise Escape Rooms built a compelling set for this escape room, with detailed surfaces, and some intriguing custom-built props.

While the goal was pretty standard (make connections > get rescued) and there wasn’t any depth of backstory, that didn’t seem to be the intention. Clockwise Escape Rooms succeeded at making a collection of nautical- and island-themed tasks, challenges, and puzzles that generally flowed well and led to our eventual escape from the island.

Shipwreck Island was less puzzle-y than Clockwise Escape Rooms’ Candy Factory, and it would be an approachable game for those more interested in a collaborative adventure in a themed environment. Furthermore, in the puzzle-dense Bay Area escape room market, Shipwreck Island offers a lighter game, which we think will appeal to newer players and families.

Who is this for?

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

Why play?

• A detailed, gritty set
• Strong flow

Story

Our tropical boat tour had been cut short when a storm wrecked us and deposited us on the shore of a deserted island. Could we cobble together a way to signal a rescue before the storm finished the job?

Setting

The Shipwreck Island set was an interesting blend of things that might wash up ashore after a shipwreck. From food stuff, to fishing equipment, and a shipping container, there was plenty of nautical nonsense to play with.

Gameplay

Clockwise Escape Room’s Shipwreck Island was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, and making connections. The gameplay was more task-focused and less puzzle-y.

Analysis

➕ The set immediately created a dark and stormy vibe for the game. It was fully designed, down to the details on the floor. The dim lighting created an appropriate ambience.

➖ Additional spotlighting would have made the gameplay more comfortable, and could have been accomplished without diminishing the ambience.

❓ The gameplay was heavily task-based. We expect different teams will appreciate this play style to different degrees.

➕ Our favorite puzzles were the most puzzle-y ones, for example, staring into the eyes of a light logic puzzle.

➖ We did not appreciate solving riddles, which feel like the type of puzzles that can really sink a team. We experienced the flip side of this potential problem by solving these puzzles instantaneously, long before we could use the answers. We needed to remember much later that we had these solutions.

➕/➖ Clockwise Escape Rooms leaned into hefty interactions. In one case, we liked the oversized prop, but the interaction that powered it felt hollow.

➕ We were impressed with 3D printing that mimicked actual branding. This significantly dialed up the coolness of a one prop.

➖ We wanted a more dramatic finale.

Tips For Visiting

• They are located right outside of the 19th St BART station. There is a parking garage on the other side of the block and metered street parking in front of the building.
• ℹ️ The games at Clockwise Escape Room were created by Giant Dream Productions. Traveling players take note that it’s possible to have played these games elsewhere with different names.

Book your hour with Clockwise Escape Room’s Shipwreck Island, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

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