Room Escape Artist

The Lakehouse is one of the best escape rooms in Oklahoma. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Oklahoma.

Something’s fishy…

Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Date Played: September 7, 2025

Team Size: 3-6; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  $40 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: All players need to climb stairs

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Having played several great games at The Sanctuary Escape, including The Lost Dutchman’s Mine and my personal favorite, Seed of Hope, I’ll admit I approached their newest experience with some pretty high expectations. The Lakehouse, set in a remote vacation cottage, offered a refreshing spin on the familiar cabin trope, and we were excited to see where the narrative would take us. Spoiler alert: it went somewhere we never anticipated.

Our story began with a visit to a peaceful lakeside retreat. It was our chance to get back to nature, get a little fresh air, and hopefully interview the cabin’s owner, a reclusive author of a popular sci-fi series. The set was immersive and rather welcoming, with cozy furniture, a touch of nautical decor, and a view of the lake out back that kept making me want to step outside and check it out. It looked like a nice place to hang out… except for the strange pink substance on the walls that told us that something wasn’t quite right.

The gameplay was smooth and intentional, avoiding time-wasting efforts and making great use of the available space. Only one puzzle early on was tedious, taking several tries to get it right; I was so glad when it was finally solved. As the story unfolded in unexpected ways, so did the set, revealing new spaces and perspectives that offered fun, unique puzzling moments. One large-scale puzzle utilized the space in a way I couldn’t have predicted, and I was impressed with how well they pulled it off.

Our visit concluded with an exciting finale as we put the last few pieces together. The Sanctuary Escape has built some of the best games in Oklahoma. The Lakehouse lured us with a compelling fish tale, which went far beyond the simple description online. Make your way to OKC, and leave your expectations at the door.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Sci-fi fans
• Anglers
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Immersive, detailed set
• Impressive reveals
• Unusual props
• Compelling story

Story

We had finally snagged an invite to interview Roland Donovan, the reclusive author of numerous best-selling books. Even better, the interview would take place at his family’s lake house, where three generations had written successful sci-fi novels. Would this be a quiet moment in an idyllic setting, or was something more sinister waiting just below the surface?

Setting

The Lakehouse was set in a writer’s retreat, complete with a writing desk and wall of bookcases filled with books, videos, and a touch of nautical decor. A comfy chair sat in front of a large stone fireplace, surrounded by hunting trophies and various family photos and keepsakes, giving a homey, peaceful vibe.

Gameplay

The Sanctuary Escape’s The Lakehouse was an 80s inspired, story-driven escape room with a moderate level of difficulty. 

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observation, making connections, and puzzling.

Analysis

➕ The Lakehouse offered a compelling narrative that went beyond the simple description online. We thought we knew what was up, but we were wrong.  Despite the setting, this was not your standard cabin game. 

➕ The set was expansive, creating an environment that used vertical spaces in creative and unexpected ways. A unique contraption occupied a central space in this layout – as both a plot point and a puzzle – and was really fun to interact with.

➕/➖ Immersive audio segments added context and backstory and moved the narrative along. That said, some went on a bit too long and stalled our momentum. The introduction, mostly a repeat of the pre-game briefing, could be shortened without negatively impacting the experience.

➕ Strong puzzle design blended well with the narrative; it often felt like we were furthering the story, not just solving puzzles. We had to think about how something fit into the story to determine the correct actions to take.

➖ We struggled with an input mechanism that was finicky and had confusing directions.

➕ Mechanized props and special effects created fun interactions and exciting moments, putting us right into the center of the action. One effect was so well-integrated, we were surprised (and delighted) when we noticed what had changed.

➖ One layered puzzle had numerous components, but some were unnecessary to get to the solution.

🐟 While The Lakehouse was set in the 80s and brought to mind a particular hit TV series, the team at The Sanctuary Escape disavowed any connection to that show, claiming it was just a happy coincidence.  

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot.
• The entrance faces the outside of an outdoor shopping mall.

Book your hour with The Sanctuary Escape’s The Lakehouse, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: The Sanctuary Escape provided media discounted tickets for this game.