Room Escape Artist

Editor’s Note: Puzzle Corp. Escape Rooms was previously called America’s Escape Game.

Apartment Hunting

Location: Orlando, FL

Date Played: April 5, 2025

Team Size: 1-6; we recommend 2-3

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  $44.99 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: All players must clamber over a low wall

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [B] Mechanical Release (1 player is restrained for a short period of time)

REA Reaction

We’ve been captured and chased by murderous fiends on several occasions. Yet, once again our hubris and curiosity got the best of us and we found ourselves trapped in the clutches of another captor. Clearly, our judgement was not the best when it came to avoiding the lairs of deranged killers.

As we entered the killer’s playground, the set felt grungy and dilapidated. Puzzle Corp. Escape Rooms partnered with The Escape Ventures and created an ambience that made us feel isolated and trapped in a sick game of cat and mouse. There was a non-contact actor present in the game, which amped up the tension and provided some well-timed jump scares. The actor can be omitted, but we recommend including the actor for the full horror experience.

We began in a space that was intended to be a closet. However, the entrance from the lobby, the location of the hung clothes, and the inclusion of some props that felt out of place left some of our group believing we had instead started in an alleyway. After escaping the killer, our group had an animated debate about what the first room was intended to be. The initial space was also small and encompassed a fair amount of play time with a multitude of puzzles packed into the space. Due to the limited area, we wouldn’t recommend playing Echoes at Murder Heights with more than three players.

We were extremely impressed by the quantity of puzzles and content packed into a relatively small footprint. The puzzles flowed logically, were mostly non-linear to keep the group occupied, and often tied back thematically to the killer being a horror fiction fanatic. Books, movies, and posters all were cleverly utilized to provide solutions which aided us in escaping this maniac’s lair. We also noticed several classic escape room puzzles that were implemented in refreshing ways and delighted us as we solved them.

We would recommend Echoes at Murder Heights to players looking for a horror escape room with a heavy puzzle component. We also suggest that players entering Murder Heights have some previous experience with evading a serial killer due to the quantity of puzzles and the space constraints leading to a smaller maximum team size. Finally, to enhance clarity of the story, we advise all team members read the description of Echoes at Murder Heights before playing this escape room.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Horror fans
• Best for players with at least some experience

Why play?

• The excitement
• The puzzles
• The actor-centric jump scares

Story

We had decided to check out the rumors of a deranged horror fan haunting the halls of the abandoned Frank M. Heights apartment building. As we crossed the threshold into the long-empty building, a heavy thunderstorm hindered our retreat. Strange noises drew our attention deeper into the building and in short order we found ourselves captured and locked in a closet. The killer wanted to play a game of cat and mouse before ending our lives, so they provided us with all of the clues we needed to escape. It remained up to our intellect to see if we could solve their puzzles. Time was of the essence to outwit this murderer.

Setting

The cramped closet started our journey through the apartment that the sick maniac had trapped us in. The derelict rooms, damaged walls, and worn furniture evoked an abandoned apartment building as we moved further into Echoes at Murder Heights. The lighting and ambience enhanced the unsettling feeling as we traversed the domain of someone twisted and evil.

Gameplay

Puzzle Corp. Escape Rooms’ Echoes at Murder Heights was a standard escape room with a moderate-to-hard level of difficulty.

Gameplay was puzzle heavy and didn’t require much searching. There was a large variety of puzzles and they revolved around logic, visual connection, audio, and reasoning.

Analysis

➖ The intro to Echoes at Murder Heights felt clunky and awkwardly transported us into the first scene from the hallway. We would have preferred an intro that played out how we ended up in our predicament. The inclusion and orientation of certain props in the initial room also left some of our team confused about whether we were meant to be in a closet or an alley.

➖ The first gamespace, which encompassed a significant amount of time and puzzles in the escape room, was claustrophobic. The rest of the scenes were tight with a group of four. I would not recommend playing Echoes at Murder Heights with more than three.

➕ The set evoked the disrepair and rot of an abandoned, half-renovated apartment building which added to the creepy ambience.

➕ The puzzles were logical and non-linear. We never found ourselves with downtime while playing Echoes at Murder Heights. Furthermore, several of the puzzles were unique implementations of classic escape room puzzles, which made them fun and fresh.

➕ We were impressed by the quantity of puzzles included in a relatively small footprint. Due to the quantity of puzzles and limited space, preferring a smaller team size, we would recommend this room to experienced players.

➖ The team was forced to shackle a player with restraints that only have a mechanical release. Although the player was only shackled for a very short period of time, the choice of restraint was a major safety concern in case of an emergency.

➕ The actor interactions were well-timed and added to the tension of the game.

Tips For Visiting

• Ample parking
• Numerous restaurants near by

Book your hour with Puzzle Corp. Escape Rooms’ Echoes at Murder Heights, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Puzzle Corp. Escape Rooms comped our tickets for this game.