Room Escape Artist

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

My Android VIN1

Location: Urbana, IL

Date Played: April 28, 2025

Team Size: 4-8; we recommend 4-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $32 per player for team of 4, $27 per person for teams of 5 or more

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  At least one player must climb steps and be a little bit agile. The game may include theatrical lighting and fog effects.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

CU Adventures in Time & Space has long been known for a blend of playful storytelling, strong gameplay, and beautiful game environments. Rise of the Icarus answers the question, “what would happen if CU Adventures maxed-out the set design knob?”

Rise of the Icarus was by far CU Adventures’ most aesthetically beautiful creation. This ship was loaded with details. Near as I could tell, not an inch was left undesigned.

Setting aside the look of the game, Rise of the Icarus also boasted a strong collection of thematic puzzles requiring teamwork, and an especially collaborative set of challenges that brought the whole team together for the finale.

Overall, CU Adventures continues to produce aesthetically elegant and narratively fulfilling games that never skimp on whimsy and fun. They have a distinct style, but a diverse catalogue… stay tuned for our review of their newest game, Forest of Fables, (which dialed up different knobs!). It’s difficult to cultivate a strong reputation when you’re 2-3 hours from an airport in every direction, but not only has CU Adventures done this, they build upon that reputation with each new game release. Get yourself out to Champaign-Urbana; Rise of the Icarus is a must play.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Sci-fi fans
• Best for players with at least some experience
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• An absolutely gorgeous set, packed with detail
• Strong puzzles
• A compelling teamwork sequence

Story

An alien spaceship had been discovered under the ice sheet of Antarctica. Our team had to investigate the craft and learn its secrets.

Setting

Rise of the Icarus was an exceptionally beautiful escape room. All of CU Adventure’s games are well-built, but this was, in my opinion, their strongest set build, by far. The layers of detail and weathering really brought this spaceship to life.

The aesthetic beauty was also backed up by strong interaction design. We didn’t just look at this ship; we engaged with it.

Gameplay

CU Adventures’ Rise of the Icarus was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around observing, making connections, team coordination, and solving puzzles.

Analysis

➕ The detailed set really sold the spaceship. Personally, I typically tend to be less interested in spaceship sets, with their smooth, futuristic designs. Rise of the Icarus was captivating, with exquisite detail that brought the spaceship to life.

➕/❓ VIN1, the playful android, was more than a hint system. He was a companion who added wit and humor to our mission. In my experience, VIN1 had a great read on the vibe of the team and fit right in. However, I understand that not every team has such a seamless experience, and it’s hard for VIN1 to always perfectly match a team’s energy.

➕ The puzzles were largely tactile, involving the set and physical props. It wasn’t all screens and buttons. While CU Adventures incorporated screens, they didn’t rely on them for every puzzle. Furthermore, they used the screens to create more layers of interaction across the ship. The gameplay felt balanced.

➖ One input seemed to call for reuse after we saw its solve state. Considering how CU Adventures brought back other areas of the set, this felt like a small missed opportunity.

➕ Most of the gameplay in Rise of the Icarus required collaboration and communication. This kept our whole team engaged the entire time.

➖ One area of the set was a bit too tight to allow the full team access to a series of interactions. We had to continually swap places or leave teammates out.

➕ Rise of the Icarus surprised us with late game reveals. We had a ball with one of these!

➕The frenetic energy on the finale sequence was outstanding. We all had to work together and communicate well, under time pressure. This made the ending impactful.

REPOD

During our first season of REPOD, we sat down with Anne and Chris Lukeman, the owners of CU Adventures in Time & Space to discuss where they get their design inspiration and what it’s like running an escape room in a smaller community.

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot.
• We recommend Black Dog for their burnt ends and brisket.

Book your hour with CU Adventures in Time & Space’ Rise of the Icarus, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: CU Adventures in Time & Space comped our tickets for this game.