Author: Lisa Spira

Onomastician and Room Escape Enthusiast, among other things.

Mission Escape Games – The Ultimate Bank Heist [Review]

by Lisa Spira, posted in Anaheim, Mission Escape Games, Orange County, Reviews

Currency Exchange

Location:  Anaheim, CA

Date Played: March 6, 2022

Team size: 2-10; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $120 for the team for teams of 2-3 players or $32 per player for teams of 4-10 players (Monday-Thursday); $135 for the team for teams of 2-3 players or $35 per player for teams of 4-10 players (Friday-Sunday)

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

We go way back with Mission Escape Games and The Ultimate Bank Heist is one of the few games that they have produced that has never been available in their New York City location. So while we were in Anaheim, we had to make a withdrawal.

An old bank tell's counter in Mission Liberty Bank.

The Ultimate Bank Heist felt like it was more focused on beginner players… which made a lot of sense for its location in the Anaheim GardenWalk mall. The set was elegant, the puzzles were well-executed, and there were a few memorable effects that functioned as short cut-scenes.

Overall, it felt like a sort of prototype for the style that Mission Escape Games is developing and realized more fully in their newest game Carbon: 3708 in NYC.

If you’re newer to escape rooms, The Ultimate Bank Heist is a fantastic choice of adventure. Mission Escape Games introduced us to many of our favorite early experiences, and this game feels like it’s part of that tradition. If it were closer to me, I’d take newbie friends there.

Who is this for?

  • Puzzle lovers
  • Bank heist fans
  • Newbies

Why play?

  • Solid, puzzle-focused gameplay
  • Creative cut-scene interaction moments

Story

Mistakes were made, and we were in a lot of debt… debt that we couldn’t pay. We figured we might liberate some cash from the local bank.

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Project Avatar (Hypno Dive) – Mystery Hotel [Hivemind Review]

by Lisa Spira, posted in Hivemind, Project Avatar

Mystery Hotel is an avatar-led online escape game created by Project Avatar of Hypno Dive based in Ukraine.

Card reads, "This escape room created in Ukraine."

Format

Style of Play:

  • Adaptation of an in-person game
  • Avatar controlled by the players
  • Includes video segments

Who is it For?

  • Adventure seekers
  • Any experience level

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 2-8

Play Time: 60 minutes

Price: $100 for a team of 4 players plus $25 for each additional player

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

Mystery Hotel is first-person avatar-led escape game with graphic overlays and cut scenes that give it a videogame style.

First person view, with a HUD. Hands reaching out to open an ornate book.
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The Nemesis Club – EVIL Robots [Review]

by Lisa Spira, posted in Phoenix, Reviews, The Nemesis Club

Kill all humans?

Location:  Phoenix, AZ

Date Played: March 11, 2022

Team size: 4-8; we recommend 4-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $35 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: One person needs a bit of agility.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

If someone told me that EVIL Robots was actually an escape room designed by Pixar, I’d believe it. This feels like it could be their work. From the look to the characters to the storytelling, it’s a really cool game.

Oh, and it’s built around a larger-than-an-adult-human animatronic robot:

A robotic lab with a large red robot, a small robot dog, and a number of other equipment that looks like it could be from the Jetsons.

Animatronics in escape rooms often feel rigid and lifeless, repeating the same movements without intention. However, that was not the case in EVIL Robots. That big robot felt alive, relevant, and actively interacting with us.

Additionally, Nemesis Club had some clever ways to adapt the difficulty of the game on the fly. Even with these affordances, there were a few places where the clue structure could be further refined. There were a few instances where it was a bit confusing as to what the game wanted from us.

Nemesis Club is one of the newer companies to watch in the escape room world, and this was their first game… which is insane. It’s so overwhelmingly strong. If I had to choose just one game from them, of their first two, I’d pick Mogollon Monster (by a hair), but the truth is, if you’re playing one, play both.

Nemesis Club is a company worth traveling to see, and they have more in the works. I cannot wait to see where they take us next.

Who is this for?

  • Adventure seekers
  • Story seekers
  • Puzzle lovers
  • Scenery snobs
  • Robot or 60s sci-fi fans
  • Best for players with at least some experience

Why play?

  • Incredible set design
  • Some great characters
  • Brilliant interactions
  • Challenging puzzles
  • Nemesis Club’s ambiance
  • Milkshakes

Story

While we were on a tour of the Experimental Virtual Intelligence Laboratory, Robots Division, their biggest, strongest, and smartest robot turned evil, with a desire to kill all humans. Could we stop it in time?

Continue reading “The Nemesis Club – EVIL Robots [Review]” →