Price: $30.95 – $37.95, depending on the number of players
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
Fair Game brilliantly captured the essence of circuses with its bright colors, caricatured set pieces, and realistic activities. The room focused on all the right details to bring a circus to life. The set begged us to frolic and play while delivering everything it promised; we got to play with every prop the way we hoped we would. Delight abounded from start to finish.
Even though the soul of this room was alive and well, there were a few aspects that felt well-worn from use. Red Door Escape Room had recently freshened some parts of the room; we hope this continues for more set pieces so that they can fully reflect the vivacity of the experience.
The combination of a moderately low difficulty level and a rewardingly interactive environment make this room especially appropriate for anyone visiting Dallas with family or as a mixed-experience group.
Entrapment was far less dark and edgy than Confinement. It alluded to the themes from the first game, but never dove into them. It was a generally friendlier game.
The themes and setting were all over the place. There were three distinct locations in this room. Each one felt too different from the others, even though each one looked good individually.
Still huge
This was another massive game. Because Texas.
However, in spite of Entrapment’s size, there was one point when it became cramped and we experienced a tedious bottleneck.
Ranging quality
The puzzles in Entrapment were far more diverse than those found in Confinement.
There were a lot of incredible puzzles with interesting and unusual clues. There were also a few unexpected devices that added to the intrigue of the experience.
On the flip side, Entrapment hit its low points when the game leaned too heavily on devices. There was a point in the game where we had to ask for a hint just to make sure we knew how to use a device. Later, we were held back because we weren’t familiar with how to operate an unusual lock (which is one of my pet peeves).
Should I play The Escape Room Dallas Fort Worth’s Entrapment?
Entrapment was more family friendly than Confinement. It offered attractive settings and a number of interesting puzzles.
I wish it were as consistent as Confinement was, but the gameplay was held back by its reliance on more gimmicky locks and contraptions.
It was a solid game, and well worth playing, even if it could have used more polish.
[At the time of this review, Red Door Escape Room was called The Escape Room Dallas Fort Worth.]
The rumors are true… Everything really is bigger in Texas!
Location: Dallas, Texas
Date played:Â November 2, 2015
Team size: up to 8; we recommend 4-5
Price:Â $25 per ticket
Story & theme
The story in Confinement isn’t immediately apparent. The Escape Room Dallas Fort Worth’s website introduced it cryptically:
“A mysterious dwelling, a dark secret, and the foreboding presence of a shadowy enemy await you.”
Over the course of the game, the dark, twisted, and strangely soap operatic tale unfolds through angsty notes and journal entries.
The game itself is equally dark, twisted, and angsty. I wouldn’t quite classify it as horror, but it’s damn close.
Expansive game
The Escape Room started us off in a small room. That one room was equivalent to half the space of a typical New York City game. But as this Dallas game progressed, it revealed its immense size.
It was huge. Because Texas.
The space that fit Confinement would easily hold two to three games in most cities.
Fluid, well-paced gameplay
In keeping with the size of Confinement, there was a lot going on in this game. It was manageable because most of the puzzles had solid clues, and especially for its size, the game wasn’t bogged down with a ton of red herrings.
Every puzzle ended in a lock, but I wasn’t bothered by this because it flowed well and felt intense.
Dark & edgy
My hat is off to our gamemasters… They legitimately scared my whole team (of coworkers from my day job). They did it only once, but they got us so good.
The Escape Room’s website warns that Confinement is for mature audiences. I have to agree (especially considering where it is located). One of my coworkers, a Texan, was pretty surprised by the themes covered in the game. We all had a good time, but if you’re thin-skinned about darker themes, pick another game to play.
Serialized games
The Escape Room currently offers four games. Each one is an episode in an on-going story.
The story itself is hard to follow. I wish I found it as compelling as our gamemasters wanted me to, but I did love that they attempt to convey a larger narrative.
Should I play The Escape Room Dallas Fort Worth’s Confinement?
My team of coworkers crushed the record in Confinement (we work really well together) and we had a ton of fun doing it.
Confinement offered thrills and challenging puzzles that were produced with a lot of maturity. I can only think of one puzzle where the hints were a little bit confounding. Overall, this was a highly refined game. It is absolutely worth playing.
If you’re jittery or politically hypersensitive, then Confinement isn’t going to be your game. If you’re up for it, this game is well worth the money.
