Room Escape Artist

The hero we need

Location: Chicago, IL and the surrounding area

Date Played: April 27, 2025

Team Size: Played in tables of 5-6, all playing simultaneously

Duration: about 2 hours

Price: contact The Mystery League about pricing for private events

Accessibility Consideration: This game is played seated around tables.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

It’s rare to find a tabletop puzzle game that can fully engage a team of 5-6 serious puzzlers. Search for a Superhero did this masterfully with puzzle rounds in different styles, each built around one big aha that yielded many small ahas… enough for everyone to have their moment to contribute.

The game was built around cards (essentially beautifully designed oversized index cards), which could be laid out on a table and organized in various ways. This design made participation easy. Anyone could pick up a card and examine it, leaving plenty of others on the table for teammates to engage with. We had no difficulty sharing materials.

The card artwork was outstanding. Not only was it detailed, and hiding puzzles… it looked cool!

We loved how the same cards were used in different ways in each round, requiring a different observation, and a new way of thinking. In this way, no single player dominated the entire game. Different teammates excelled in different rounds.

Our 4 tables of 6 players each were racing against each other, which kept the game moving, but detracted from my overall experience. There were game moments between the frenzy of puzzle rounds that asked us to be creative, but this type of thinking was at odds with the setup as a race. We could have put more into the creativity if we hadn’t been in race mode.

The Mystery League pulled the group together at the end with a lighthearted group finale. It was also the perfect implementation of a technology that is usually dubious in games… but fit perfectly here for group laughs.

We included Search for a Superhero as part of Escape Immerse Explore Time & Space in April 2025. Creator Sandy Weisz hosted it at our hotel in Schaumburg, IL. We loved the game, and we are so glad we could include it in this event.

Who is this for?

• Puzzle lovers
• Superhero fans
• Best for players with at least some experience

Why play?

• So many moments for group and individual ahas
• Elegant puzzle design with impressive depth
• The fun theme

To run this game at your event, contact The Mystery League, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

To learn more about Sandy’s puzzle design, check out our interview with him on REPOD. And to solve alongside him, check out his appearances on PG’s Playhouse.