Room Escape Artist

The real treasure was the puzzles we solved along the way

Location: Oakland, CA

Date Played: June 6, 2025

Team Size: 4-10; we recommend 4-6

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  $49 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  None

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Hidden Temple explored a well-worn escape room trope, the ancient temple, but executed it with effort dedicated to an authentic atmosphere, and a puzzle-dense structure that kept our entire team engaged from start to finish.

The set was sturdy and appropriately themed, with clean construction and decor that supported the gameplay. Importantly, it avoided unnecessary red herrings. Puzzle elements felt natural in the space and were well integrated into the narrative and environment. 

Our team of four experienced, puzzle-focused players split up early and stayed busy along various parallel puzzle paths. Many puzzles could be tackled solo, while others encouraged communication to solve efficiently. The design supported a smooth player flow, and everyone stayed productively occupied throughout the experience. With a strong puzzle framework already in place, upgrading the set and props could help this room deliver a truly memorable wow-factor.

The final sequence provided a satisfying conclusion that tied back into our goal and left us with a strong sense of payoff as we posed for our post-game photo with genuine smiles.

Who is this for?

• Puzzle lovers
• Any experience level

Why play?

• Packed with fun, varied puzzles that will fully engage a group from start to finish.

Story

Our goal was to find the treasure that our archaeologist grandparents had been seeking when they’d disappeared: the Lost Crown of Manõa.

Setting

The game began in a functional archaeologist’s work tent leading into a simple but clearly defined tomb chamber. While not highly atmospheric, the space supported the narrative and could shine with added detail and mood.

Gameplay

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

The puzzles were traditional escape room puzzles. Searching was not a critical component of the room. There was a good distribution between boxes with mechanical padlocks and electronic locks.

Analysis

➕ This game had multiple parallel puzzle paths that lent well to teams splitting up to work on different puzzles at the same time.

➖ A number of 3D-printed plastic components, while functional and thoughtfully designed, were visually distinct from the rest of the set, with visible print lines and sheen that occasionally pulled us out of the otherwise immersive environment.

➕ The trope of “Darkness as Difficulty” is normally annoying, but in this implementation, we could take action to mitigate the issue. The action was fairly reasonable in the context of the game, which is rare.

➕ The puzzle clues were fair and properly signposted where necessary. We did not find the need to take any hints despite the large number of puzzles we encountered.

Tips For Visiting

• There was street parking, but there were also public parking garages within walking distance of the venue.
• Clockwise was located in downtown Oakland and there were numerous eating establishments within walking distance.
• 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 Hidden Temple, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.