Andrew Reynolds, Author at Room Escape Artist

Someone left the ghost light on…

Location: Bethlehem, PA

Date Played: July 25, 2021

Team Size: 4-7; we recommend 2-6 (though the current minimum booking is 4 players)

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $28.50 per player; minimum of 4 players

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: One step, not necessary for all players

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Captured LV’s latest game at their Bethlehem, PA location might be new, but the game itself is a spooky time capsule taking you back to the 1920s. The designers of The Haunted Theater clearly wanted to evoke the creepiness inherent in an abandoned and possibly haunted location. I believe they achieved that through a mix of sound, lighting, and possibly some supernatural help.

A well-lit makeup mirror over a desk backstage at a theatre.

The Haunted Theater was an entertaining room to be in, and I would have liked to have played longer. Admittedly, our team of three set the top time for escaping, but we did this without trying for it. This isn’t an attempt at a humblebrag; it’s just to point out that there was some more time and underutilized space to incorporate another puzzle or two.

Not only were most of the puzzles very on-theme for a spooky theater back room, but every puzzle in The Haunted Theater was fun to work through. Each team member went back to a device that had been used already just to play with it. The experience as a whole was very enjoyable. There were almost always multiple puzzles open to solve at any time, allowing each player to stay busy and engaged in the game. If you’re in the area, this is a game worth checking out.

Who is this for?

Story seekers
Scenery snobs
Musical theater fans
Any experience level
Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Continue reading →

Escaping: 101

Location: Bethlehem, PA

Date Played: July 25, 2021

Team Size: 3+; we recommend 3-6

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $29.99 per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

The team at escape.exe has set their sights on a very ambitious format: a series of escape rooms all woven into a detailed story. This story starts on their website and carries over into their first in-person escape room. Site: 117 was puzzle-dense and tech-heavy.

We were helped along by escape.exe’s A.I. companion GAVIN. (To note, the company escape.exe also exists as a company in its own lore.) GAVIN was our friend, offering us vital information and occasional nudges. At times GAVIN was a little too present, and sorting out the difference between banter and important game cluing was a touch difficult with everything else going on.

A locker room in leading into a clean room.

Site: 117 gave our team the chance to spread out among multiple parallel puzzle paths. This allowed each teammate to not only find something personally interesting to solve, but also something that played to their individual strengths. Of particular note were the puzzles that were enhanced by coordinating and communicating with other team members. We all know that communication is important, and Site: 117 gave us plenty of opportunities to practice it. The narrative comes to a meaningful conclusion at the end of the experience, setting players up for the next game. If you’re in the area, you should stop by and check out escape.exe’s first chapter.