Fro Archives - Room Escape Artist

Expedition Escape – The List [Review]

9 July 202127 June 2021 by Fro, posted in Expedition Escape, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Reviews

Christmas in June

Location: Montgomeryville, PA

Date Played: June 13, 2021

Team Size: 2-10; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $29.99 per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

It’s never too early to revel in some Christmas cheer. If you’re eagerly looking toward December and have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, The List is a good room for you.

Elf workshop with the back of a train caboose.

I would describe The List as a room that has a lot of potential, delivering a few cool moments while falling short in others. Minor refinements to the scenery and gameplay could go a long way to improving the overall experience. For those who haven’t played many (or any) games since early 2020, The List would be a great way to ease back in and brush up on your escape room skills.

Who is this for?

Puzzle lovers
Christmas fans
Players with some experience
Strong searchers

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Virtual Escaping – Underground Murder [Hivemind Review]

27 May 202118 July 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind, Virtual Escaping

Underground Murder is a collaborative point-and-click game created by Virtual Escaping.

An old, rundown subway platform that is the scene of a crime.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Play on demand
Point-and-click

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, pen & paper

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: 75 minutes, but experienced groups will complete it much more quickly

Price: $28 per team

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

This is a point-and-click game with built-in video chat, allowing for team members to collaborate via a browser-based system. Solve puzzles by searching, using inventory items, and opening locks. At the end, use the evidence to figure out who the killer is and why they committed the murder.

How to play was a bit confusing. As it turned out, one player purchased the game and received a code that was shared with the other players. There was a location on the site to enter a “voucher” for the game and then everyone was in the same instance and the team could “press start” to play the game.

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Wizards Against Lizards [Hivemind Review]

23 May 20211 August 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

Wizards Against Lizards will offer this experience as part of the Game Hall at RECON (August 22-23, 2021.) If you’re interested in playing this game, or any of the other amazing experiences offered, grab yourself a play pass here. Hope to see you there!

Wizards Against Lizards is a blend of immersive theater and escape room-style puzzles.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Interactive NPCs
Immersive theater

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection

Recommended Team Size: 3-6

Play Time: 90 minutes

Price: £100 per team (~ $140)

Booking: book online for a specific time slot

Description

You are roleplaying as trainee wizards drafted into a secret mission against the lizard people, who are bent on destroying the world and increasing human misery.

You will need to solve puzzles and infiltrate the lizard people by tricking them via conversation. Multiple puzzling styles are used along with a good amount of character interaction and improv.

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Scott Weiss’s Virtual Escape Rooms – Book Smart [Hivemind Review]

18 May 202123 May 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in Hivemind

Book Smart is an audio escape game created by Scott Weiss.

Wired, over-ear headphones laying on a surface.

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Audio game

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, pen & paper

Recommended Team Size: 3-5

Play Time: 2 hours

Price: Pay-what-you-want with a recommended $15 per player (as payment to the creator or donation to a charity)

Booking: fill out the form to book at a specific time

Description

This is an audio room with accompanying Google drive links. The host provides a map of the space, and then describes areas as you request them. Most of the game is solving puzzles provided as Google documents, with some puzzle interactions handled by asking the host questions or describing your actions.

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clueQuest – Print + Cut + Escape: Operation E.G.G. [Hivemind Review]

20 April 202123 April 2021 by REA Hivemind, posted in clueQuest, Hivemind

Print + Cut + Escape: Operation E.G.G. is a print-and-play escape game created by clueQuest in London, England.

Incredibly adorable puppy with a paper puzzle piece in her mouth. — Ginger The Goblin Pup is all in on chewable puzzles

Format

Style of Play:

Online native experience (can NOT be played IRL)
Play on demand
Print-and-play

Required Equipment: computer with internet connection, printer, scissors, pen, and paper

Recommended Team Size: 2-4

Play Time: ~90 minutes

Price: £15

Booking: purchase and play at your leisure

Description

First you download and print a PDF. Then you play along with a step-by-step web-based interface. The online interface accompanies the printed and cut pieces, and both work in tandem to advance the story.

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