For years folks had been telling us to visit Pittsburgh… at almost 6 hours (by car) from home, it was always either too far or too close. When we were looking for our first escape room destination post-vaccination, it suddenly seemed like just the right distance.
The best escape rooms in Pittsburgh all balanced quality set design with puzzle-focused gameplay.
You won’t be disappointed if you decide to visit escape rooms in Pittsburgh.
The Search for Leviathan is one of the best escape rooms in Pittsburgh. Here are our recommendations for great escape rooms in Pittsburgh.
Mysterious Depths
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Date Played: July 3, 2021
Team size: 4-10; we recommend 4-6
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $165 up to 4 players, additional $26 per person up to 10
Ticketing: Private
Accessibility Consideration: you need to walk up stairs to get to this game
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
The mystery in The Search for Leviathan was its unusual blend of high highs that followed an opening act loaded with low lows.
This was an escape room in which multiple teammates stopped dead in their tracks from sheer amazement, in the best of ways.
The thing is, if you want to be amazed, there’s a moat of less-than-stellar gameplay that you’ll have to overcome. The first act of The Search for Leviathan felt like it was designed by a completely different company. Fortunately, this segment was not the bulk of the game.
Somehow, these two worlds are part of one whole that was entirely worth playing… even if I truly believe that a handful of little improvements could elevate this game in countless ways.
Image via Enter the Imaginarium
The Search for Leviathan is worth traveling to play, especially if you haven’t played the other offerings at Enter The Imaginarium. It’s certainly not perfect, but I encourage you to push onward when you stall because there’s something worthwhile on the other side, and the stuff that makes this game great is rare.
Who is this for?
Jules Verne fans
Adventure seekers
Story seekers
Puzzle lovers
Scenery snobs
Best for players with at least some experience
Why play?
Some spectacular set design
Killer transitions
A strong second act
Story
Our mission was to dive deep beneath the waves to tangle with incredible beasts between us and buried treasure.
Seeking Sasquatch was a unique game that did a stellar job creating an exterior environment.
The gameplay was puzzle-focused, which worked great while surrounded by such a nifty space.
The opportunities for improvement in Seeking Sasquatch were in detail refinement, spotlighting, and in-world hinting.
Puzzle Room Pittsburgh did a ton of great things with Seeking Sasquatch, and I think it’s an under-appreciated gem in the Pittsburgh region. Go check it out if you’re in the region.
Who is this for?
Adventure seekers
Puzzle lovers
Scenery snobs
Any experience level
Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle
Why play?
A unique set with some surprising features
Unusual interactions
Story
Our crew had set off in search of Sasquatch. As we came upon his trail, we learned that he was hunting us as well.
Carnegie’$ Million$ set the tone immediately with a beautiful entryway into our game space. As a fantastic soundtrack flooded the room, we were able to traverse a massive set in search of the Stone of Destiny left by Andrew Carnegie himself. Using the building to their full advantage, Escape Room Pittsburgh integrated so many thematic and complex puzzles. While we found the experience lacking a clear starting puzzle and thus slow to start, the gameplay flowed well during the second half.
I’m sure Carnegie’$ Million$ was once an absolutely gorgeous game, but the wear and tear from years of play showed. Some of the puzzles unfortunately felt like homework to our team, while some were creative yet process-heavy.
If you’re in Pittsburgh and want to play a game with roots tied to the city, Carnegie’$ Million$ is the game for you. I’d also recommend playing Escape Room Pittsburgh’s other offering, Tomb Explorer, if you’re stopping in.
Who is this for?
Puzzle lovers
Best for players with at least some experience
Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle
The Inventor’s Paradox was at its best in times of transition. Enter the Imaginarium used lighting, sound, and space to create vivid moments that the entire team experienced together. These transitions were the glue between beautiful but unlike sets that somehow belonged in the same whole.
Image via Enter the Imaginarium
Where The Inventor’s Paradox faltered was in the unevenness of the gameplay in between these moments. Some puzzles were brilliant. Others were tedious, or in one case, barely a puzzle at all. Thus the segments could drag until we came together again for the next chapter of the experience.
Enter the Imaginarium is a world worth traveling to. If you’re visiting, The Inventor’s Paradox is a must-play, and it may surprise you even if you’ve played Chamber of Illusions (also highly recommended) and you think you know the secrets of Enter the Imaginarium.
Who is this for?
Adventure seekers
Story seekers
Puzzle lovers
Scenery snobs
Any experience level
Why play?
A grand opening
Strong puzzles grounded in the ambiance of the space
A fantastic conclusion
Story
We were tasked with turning back time, to explore the archives and memories of the Imaginarium’s creator.
