Room Escape Artist

Update 5/13/25: If you enjoyed this article, we hope you’ll check out our interview with Gara Roda and Moritz Marti, the co-founders of MyssTic Rooms on Season 9, Episode 5 of The Reality Escape Pod.

The Bird is one of the best escape rooms in New York City. Here are our recommendations for great escape rooms in New York City.

The Hatchling

Location:  Brooklyn, New York

Date Played: March 10, 2025

Team size: 2-5; we recommend 2-3

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  ranging from $47.50 per player to $67.50 per player, depending on group size and day of the week

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  At least one player needs to be able to step up, but also due to the small game space, players with mobility struggles should contact MyssTic before booking.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Is it possible to build a top tier escape room into a (practically) closet-sized space?

With The Bird, MyssTic Rooms answered that question with a resounding yes.

First, they built a beautiful, detailed set. It felt like a place of yesteryear, but it was augmented by transformations, both technological and mechanical, that here, simply felt like magic, and belonged.

Second, the puzzles traversed the game space. We needed to notice details to make connections. We were constantly moving throughout the set, sharing information, and trying out ideas.

Third, there were memorable, wow moments that we think back on fondly.

While there were opportunities to deepen the narrative or character-development, the sense of place was enough to ground the puzzle-focused gameplay and give it meaning.

The Bird was the complete package, and we are happy to welcome it to New York City, our home escape room market. If you are visiting New York as a team of 2 or 3, The Bird should be at the top of your must-play list.

Who is this for?

• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Small teams
• Best for players with at least some experience

Why play?

• The puzzle design is exceptional
• The set and tech work together magically
• You have a small group
• It’s small but mighty

Story

For generations, the de Lille family had operated a thriving apothecary, providing magical solutions to the needs of their village. And for generations a small bird, the source of the apothecary’s magic, had lived and thrived… until he suddenly passed.

The de Lille family could never figure out how to revive the bird and moved on, but its possible that some magic still exists within those old walls. Perhaps there is enough to revive the bird and revive the apothecary with him?

Setting

The Bird was set in the apothecary lab of a family that had been passing on the knowledge of the craft for generations. It was overflowing with detail, while still keeping gameplay elements clear. Additionally, it had a uniqueness to its aesthetic that evoked apothecary while also looking like nothing I had ever seen before.

Gameplay

MyssTic Rooms’ The Bird was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around observing, making connections, and solving puzzles. Communication was key.

Analysis

➕ The set was beautiful. The dark wood and glass bottles gave it a historical feel. The plants gave it a vibrancy. The aesthetic was inviting, cozy, and also intriguing. It had secrets to discover. It felt handmade (in a good way!), bespoke, and singular.

➕ MyssTic Rooms maximized their small game space, by building gameplay that has us moving throughout the space. Our team of 3 never felt crowded.

➕ The Bird hid secrets elegantly. We couldn’t immediately pull them apart.

➕ Our favorite aha of the game was a clue that called back to an earlier moment, and rewarded the observant player.

➖ In one instance, physical objects and the clue structure for them didn’t look identical enough. We had less confidence in our puzzle solution because of this.

➕ The space evolved based on our actions, growing unexpectedly.

➕/➖ The narrative was simple, without excessive backstory. We had a clear objective, and the puzzles supported it. That said, we see an opportunity to further embed the characters and their story into some of the gameplay.

➖ The Bird began with an intro outside of the room, and a subsequent intro within the gamespace where the gamemaster called out two unusual and crucial mechanisms. Our gamemaster was phenomenal, and delivered both intros with clarity, energy, and a true passion for the experience. We would have liked these in-game mechanisms to introduce themselves, so to speak, such that we could have been immediately focused on the game from the moment we laid eyes on it, rather than distracted by it.

➕ The Bird was cinematic. With select technological augmentations, this small set delivered surprising, unexpected, and memorable moments.

Tips For Visiting

• MyssTic is easily accessible by subway. There is also metered street parking in Brooklyn.
• There is a flight of stairs down when you enter the building, but there is also an elevator available if needed.

Book your hour with MyssTic Rooms’ The Bird, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: MyssTic Rooms comped our tickets for this game.