Category: Recommendations

Room Escape Artist’s favorite games in the cities we’ve extensively reviewed.

Israel: Escape Room Recommendations

by Matthew Stein, posted in Recommendations

Latest update: November 24, 2022

Israel has a burgeoning escape room scene filled with highly creative, family-friendly games.

Most top escape rooms in Israel are within a short drive of Tel Aviv. We also heard about a handful of standout rooms in the northern part of the country, which we didn’t have the opportunity to visit on our trip.

You can read more of our observations about the Israeli escape room market in our Field Report.

And you can learn more about Gai Bosco, designer of many of these escape rooms, on this episode of The Reality Escape Pod:

Reads: "Israel Escape Room Guide." Depicts the Tel Aviv coastline.

Market Standouts

  1. The Intervention, Escape Center
  2. Kami Temple, Escape Center
  3. Robin Hood, Action Game
  4. Hollywood 117, Hype Escape
  5. The Sting, The Maze
  6. The Vikings, Escape Sign
  7. Kofiko, Amazon Escape
  8. Cube, The Maze
  9. Action!, The Maze
  10. Mega Burger, Panica (only available in Hebrew)

Set & Scenery Driven

Puzzle-Centric

Large Team

Something Different

Oculus Quest 2 Game Recommendations

by James Cobalt, posted in Products, Recommendations, Video Games, VR

Latest update: November 21, 2022

In our 2022 Holiday Gift Guide, we recommended the Oculus Quest 2… but why should you consider it?

Here is a selection of games that we expect escape room players to enjoy on the Quest 2.

Plus, the Quest 2 is the best value it’s ever been, so now might be your moment to indulge. Afterall, that’s what the holidays are for.

$350 (Meta)

Market Standouts

Puzzle Centric

  • Shadow Point – Perspective puzzles with light and shadow
  • A Rogue Escape – In the spirit of Nauticrawl (figure out a complicated machine with zero instruction)

Interlocking Puzzles

  • Tetris Effect – Tetris synthesized to music and mesmerizing visuals
  • Cubism – Interlocking block puzzles
  • Puzzling Places – 3D jigsaw puzzles based off 3D scans of landmarks
  • Shores of Loci – Like Puzzling Places but with a story in a fantasy world

Set & Scenery Driven

Newbie Friendly

Something Different

  • Superhot – A FPS but reflex mechanics are replaced with… er… body-spatial-puzzling? Hard to explain. Just try it.
  • Gadgeteer – Accomplish challenges by building Rube Goldberg machines
  • Moss & Moss Book 2 – Narrative puzzle platformers
  • Time Stall – Think Angry Birds + bullet time in mini escape rooms

Bust Out Escape Room – Curse of the Mayan Temple [Review]

by Lisa Spira, posted in Albuquerque, Bust Out Escape Room, Reviews, Special

Curse of the Mayan Temple is one of the best games in Albuquerque. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Albuquerque.

Adventure by torchlight

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Date Played: June 3, 2022

Team size: 4-8; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $30 per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Curse of the Mayan Temple shouldn’t be a particularly challenging game. It had less content than Bust Out Escape Room’s other experiences. The puzzles were varied in style and well clued.

That said, two unusual game design decisions make this a rather variable escape room. Either one can sink a team of even experienced players (we’ve seen it happen), causing them to spiral into the depths of frustration.

Our advice for Bust Out: add gating for one early solution so that a team cannot progress to the next unusual section without completing it.

Our advice for players: If the game feels inordinately frustrating, it probably doesn’t need to be. Search harder.

A large human skull surrounded by plants.

We enjoyed Curse of the Mayan Temple because it looked great, played well, and took risks. Although Rattlesnake Bend and Jumanji are our favorite games from this company, if you have time to add on another adventure, we recommend Curse of the Mayan Temple.

Who is this for?

  • Adventure seekers
  • Puzzle lovers
  • Scenery snobs
  • Indiana Jones fans
  • Best for players with at least some experience
  • Players who communicate well

Why play?

  • The unexpected mid-game introduction of a new mechanic
  • Momentum-building final sequence

Story

Legend told that the temple had been cursed… but we were determined to uncover the truth of whatever lay within.

A glowing torch hung from the wall.
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