◣ VENUE FACT SHEET 🏢 COMPANY: Trapped Puzzle Rooms • Website • Audio Escape Adventures 🏘️ ADDRESS, BRANCH 1: 561 Snelling Ave S, St Paul, MN 55116 • Google Map 🏘️ ADDRESS, BRANCH 2: 708 N 1st St, Minneapolis, MN 55401 • Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United States ◣ GAME INFO & BOOKING 🕹️ GAME: Prehistoric Park (Audio Led Escape Room) • Booking/Pricing ⏲️ DURATION: 90 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Company) • Moderately Challenging (Mattster's Team of 6) ◣ AUDIO LED: SPECIFICATIONS 🖥️ PLATFORM: Discord (Multimedia Chat Room/Channel) 🔊 MEDIA INVOLVED: Audio, Still Images ◣ PREMISE & OBJECTIVES It’s your lucky day. You have been randomly selected to be the first visitors to Prehistoric Park! Boarding a private helicopter, you head off on the all-expense paid vacation of your dreams... After all, what could possibly go wrong on an island filled with dinosaurs? ► TL;DR: REVIEW SUMMARY ◄ 😺 THE GOOD: Trapped Puzzle Rooms spared no expanse in creating an exciting "Jurassic Park" inspired narrative, with unusual situational puzzles to boot, in an excellently hosted audio led escape game, featuring my long time obsession--dinosaurs! So much goodness in one sentence. 🙀 THE NOT SO GOOD: Honestly? As far as an audio led escape room goes, this is pretty great! The graphic designer can and probably will further improve their craft over time, but this is more of an encouragement than true criticism. 🤝 BEST FIT FOR: Creative minds who are open to, or familiar with, the concept of an audio led escape room. A general love for the fossil reptiles or the film franchise helps, but not required. Ideal for groups of 4 to 6, because a diverse, outside the box thinking benefits game progression. ► A ROUND OF APPLAUSE! ◄ needs a thorough scrubbing in the shower after a trip to the park... Yuck! 🎖️ "PREHISTORIC PARK" OFFICIALLY JOINS THE "RECOMMENDED" RANK! 🎖️ ◣ THE REVIEW A LITTLE EXPOSITION 🦖 Mattster. Loves. Dinosaurs. 🦕 When "Jurassic Park" came out in the 1990s, it created a huge wave of dino craze one simply could not ignore. Whether it be movie commercials, licensed toys and trading cards, or products from every other brand jumping on the cash-in wagon, these huge lizards were EVERYWHERE. The passion or borderline obsession for these fascinating creatures spawned back then never once left my being. Even to this very day, I still literally *run* to the skeleton displays of prehistoric giants in natural history museum, much like I would 20 something years ago. And today, it's exactly that same kid at heart that selected "Prehistoric Park" from Trapped Puzzle Rooms's 3 available audio adventure options without any hesitation. SIMILAR FATE There's little pretense that this audio led escape game is a homage to the Spielberg classic. From the logo to synopsis, logic safely predicts your once in life time visit to the nature park will surely go awry. But still, they had me at "all expense paid trip". Free means "YAS, PLEASE!". Stepping into the majestic Visitor's Center, I could almost hear the beautiful theme from the motion picture, invoking a sense of wonder and amazement. I can hardly wait to see a Brachiosaurus do a hind leg stand... ...AND THINGS IMMEDIATELY WENT TO A BIG PILE OF [POOP]. "Welcome to Prehistoric Park!" The way "Prehistoric Park" plunged its players right into the midst of chaos without wasting even minutes of transient idyll made my jaw drop (yes, that happened). Some other colossal jaw exhaled onto us a sense of urgency, and we were immediately immersed in a surprisingly effective atmosphere of impending doom... We held on to our butts, because this was do or die! The ensuing 90 minutes was a curious and amusing fight for survival as we wandered and explored every inch of the Center for a possible chance of rescue. Danger could lurk at any corner, but humor was most certainly present in every room. (More on that later.) TIME TO SWITCH GEARS Accompanying the compelling narrative was a list of "puzzles" to be solved, if we were to get out of this alive without ending in a T Rex's stomach. Having done many escape rooms recently, I subconsciously expected a certain type of challenge format, and when PP remodeled the puzzles to better fit the storytelling, my brain's processing HQ came to a "Uh uh uh!" halt at first. These puzzles felt different and delightfully difficult! I was glad that Trapped pushed my noggin's reset button and encouraged me to think outside of the box. Admittedly, should an enthusiast do too many puzzle games too frequently, they get repetitive, but PP managed to stand out from the crowd like a 38-foot gentle herbivore. While a number of riddles were escape room puzzle like, the most enjoyable, most memorable, and most laughter unleashing steps of our adventure were ones best achievable by audio led escape games. No longer confined to a physical set, literally anything and everything is possible. If I could audibly utter it out of my lips, it happened. And if you know me at all, I'd say a lot of things. Having the freedom to be as creative as we wanted to be, both the game designers and the participants can go nuts. You'll be doing things you definitely can't do in a brick and mortar escape room venue... nor would you want to! At one point, we couldn't believe the ridiculous suggestion that I frivolously threw around turned out to be the exact solution that we needed. We were floored, as in ROFLMAO kind of floor. THE REMAINING PIECES Other game components worthy of mention were our lovely game master, the many graphic files, and the hosting platform, Discord. Firstly, Kaylene was a highly trained, well oiled machine of a game host. This experience would've turned out completely different had someone else operated. In a genre like audio led escape game, so dependent on constructing a mental picture only through verbal descriptions and still images, the game host is a make or break role. Kaylene possessed excellent showmanship, knowing exactly how to move things along in a sensible pace while not sacrificing any passing opportunities to foster a continually fun and hilarious environment. I tend to steer my audio games in a ludicrous direction for comedic effects, and this gm was able to ping back our every move with equal playfulness. Clever girl. The visual aspect of PP was also commendable as the company provided an all original, no stock image experience. While I wouldn't say these are the best graphics I've ever seen, they looked cute, vibrant, and detailed, and I most definitely can't do any better. Notably, dinosaurs like the T Rex and Utahraptor received their research updates, and their once scaly bodies in the 90s now rock luxurious coats of feathers. Incorporating what science had uncovered between then and now made the dino nerd in me gush with appreciation. And finally Discord... not as popular as Zoom for the current market, but good in its own right. For me, it was just not as good as Zoom when it came time for video conferencing. I love seeing my teammates' faces, so Zoom takes the win. In its defense, however, Discord provided a better chat and share interface, learning curve was low, and overall experience was smooth. FINAL DECISION? After careful consideration, I've decided, not to endorse this park... wait, wrong park. Do over. After careful consideration, I've decided, 100%, with full confidence, to endorse "Prehistoric Park" from Trapped Puzzle Rooms for all my dinosaur lovin', audio led escapin' needs... But safety precaution advised on all future visits! ◣ PARTING TIPS ★ Life, uh, finds a way, and if you can't, try visiting other parts of the Visitor's Center first! ★ Attentive study of dinosaur facts will prove helpful in a park featuring nothing but them. ★ "Prehistoric Park" must be sponsored by Nickelodeon, because SO MUCH SLIME! Signing off, Escape Mattster If you've enjoyed this, please consider following us on our social media: Instagram @EscapeMattster • Facebook.com/EscapeMattster ◣ DISCLAIMERS "Escape Mattster" thanks the company's hospitality. Though game access was complimentary, review was written basing on only unbiased and genuine opinions. All official media are credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this publication. No copyright infringement intended. ◣ RELATED RESOURCES ⤻ Search For All Posts With Key Word(s) "Trapped Puzzle Rooms" ⤻ Search For All Posts With Key Word(s) "Prehistoric" ⤻ Prehistoric Park • "TPRPrehistoric"

◣ VENUE FACT SHEET 🏢 COMPANY: Clue Cracker Live Escape Games • Website • Online Games 🏘️ ADDRESS: 68 St John's Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9PE • Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United Kingdom ◣ GAME INFO & ACCESS 🕹️ GAME: The Disappearance of DJ McDee (Online Puzzle Game) • Game Access ⏲️ DURATION: 30 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Company) • Very Easy (Mattster's Team of 2) ◣ ONLINE PUZZLE: SPECIFICATIONS 🖥️ PLATFORM: Web Browser 🖼️ MEDIA INVOLVED: Text, Images, Audio Files, Videos 🎒 RESOURCES NEEDED: None, Strictly Web Based ◣ PREMISE & OBJECTIVES In the town of Tunbridge Wells, local celebrity DJ McDee is due to release his Number 1 album at a once in a lifetime gig, “DJ McDee: Live at The Forum”. You, as a dedicated fan and fellow Raver, are due to attend, but when you arrive at The Forum, ticket in hand, you can see something’s not right! Follow the trail of clues left behind by his evil nemesis MC Floggin, save our local DJ and help release a Number 1 hit! (Spoiler alert, the song is really catchy!!) ► TL;DR: REVIEW SUMMARY ◄ 😺 THE GOOD: A high quality, FREE online puzzle adventure backed by stunning graphics, silly humor, and unusual theme. The final reward for reaching conclusion was arguably even more satisfying than other paid games' congratulatory screens. 🙀 THE NOT SO GOOD: Lack of proper transition highlighted the disconnect from story to puzzle occasionally. (The total amount and overall difficulty of contents also left something more to be desired by expert players--but that's just my being overly critical!) 🤝 BEST FIT FOR: Anyone who's bored in the house and is in the house bored! Great introductory puzzles, ideally reserved for solo or duo play due to easy setting. ► A ROUND OF APPLAUSE! ◄ found our missing DJ and saw the world premiere of his music video. It's... something. 🎖️ "THE DISAPPEARANCE OF DJ MCDEE" OFFICIALLY JOINS THE "RECOMMENDED" RANK! 🎖️ ◣ THE REVIEW MUSIC INDUSTRY RIVALRY This is my first encounter with Clue Cracker, and already I'm in love. These guys from the UK are just so bloody funny. Their unmistakable brand of humor leans on the sillier side, but they commit to that self-aware ridiculousness, and it pays off every time. Even the whole premise of "The Disappearance of DJ McDee" was ludicrous (and I am here for it!): a threatened rival of DJ McDee, named MC Floggin, straight up kidnapped his business enemy, and hid him God knows where because he's about to drop the predictably #1 album?! Move over, 50 Cent, the real gangtahs are from Tunbridge Wells! Also worth mentioning is the signature skit like videos that would become the a stable of storytelling for all Clue Cracker online games going forward. They're done with intentional over-the-top theatrics, and I look forward to every laughter inducing clip. EVERY INCH IS BEAUTY What's also readily apparent was the mastery of presentation: this online game looked GORGEOUS! And it was not just the graphics, it was EVERYTHING. Due to COVID, companies are forced to now deliver their products via a new modality, the web. Truthfully, some are still struggling, sometimes falling short aesthetically. Meanwhile, Clue Cracker found their preferred formula quickly and perfected their game, especially aesthetically. The visual aspect of "DJ McDee" was probably one of the best I've seen in this market. All was prepared professionally, rendering me envious of their superb Photoshop skills. The web interface was also intuitive, undoubtedly easy to use for even the most novice players: Game title on top, a clear progress bar, helpful time count down, then puzzle contents, and solution input beneath. A gradual hint reveal system was also conveniently included. If this is the the format Clue Cracker has set its mind on, I honestly have little to suggest for further improvement. It's fairly great as it is--simple, clean, and effective. THE RESCUE JOURNEY Because this was after all a free game, designed to capture a broad spectrum of audience, I expected it to be a bit short and a bit too easy for experts. And yup, bingo on both. Clue Cracker online games seem to focus on gen 1 style game play, so you should theoretically always arrive at some form of alphabetical or numerical code. If not, something's awry! The familiarity of these beginners friendly puzzles did not detract from the overall entertainment value; in fact, my partner who has less puzzle solving experience found these to be satisfying, especially given that he could complete them without much external help. What a proud boy he was that day, awww. The last puzzle (not pictured) was a blatant advertisement for several local businesses, though ingeniously crafted to be an integral plot device that actually made sense! I usually hate ads when surfing the web, but these, infused with such slick and smart marketing, I liked! One spot that may warrant a quick tweak was when the narrative described a scenario, abruptly stopped, then suddenly expected the player's answer submission. For instance, I am backstage at the a concert, my idol is missing, and now I gotta put in a 5-letter word code... Huh?! Because there is occasionally no segue from story to solution input, it made me very aware that I was only solving a highly decorated challenge, as opposed to being immersed in the plot. Despite really minor shortcomings, "DJ McDee" was still positively enjoyable--a short but sweet 15 minute or so experience, and the best was yet to come... YOUR HARD EARNED REWARD If you manage to complete your mission, DJ McDee will thank you with the only compensation that made sense--an exclusive access to his sick new beat and its accompanying music video. It's... something. You gotta see this gem to believe it, but I'll leave you one single preview: If this isn't indication enough that you should try this free game, I don't know what is. ◣ PARTING TIPS ★ The first thing to do, always, is to look at what kind of code you're solving for. ★ Instead of avoiding ads, maybe actually read them carefully just this once. Signing off, Escape Mattster If you've enjoyed this, please consider following us on our social media: Instagram @EscapeMattster • Facebook.com/EscapeMattster ◣ DISCLAIMERS All official media are credited to respective contents owners, and are used under fair use doctrine of copyright law, in an effort to advance interests for both the companies and their entertainment contents. No copyright infringement intended. ◣ RELATED RESOURCES ⤻ Search For All Posts With Key Word(s) "Clue Cracker" ⤻ The Disappearance of DJ McDee • "CCMcDee"

◣ VENUE FACT SHEET 🏢 COMPANY: Breakout Saint John Escape Rooms • Website 🏘️ ADDRESS: 107A-212 McAllister Dr, Saint John, NB E2J 2S7 • Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: Canada • Check Time Zone Before Booking! ◣ GAME INFO & BOOKING 🕹️ GAME: Remote Play - The Heist (Remote Escape Room) • No Longer Available ⏲️ DURATION: 80 Minutes (Unlisted) 💬 DIFFICULTY: 3/5 (Company) • 2.5/5 (Mattster's Team of 5) 👬 CAPACITY: 4 Players Minimum, Up To 10 Players 🔐 BOOKING TYPE: Private ◣ REMOTE: SPECIFICATIONS 🖥️ PLATFORM: Zoom (Video/Web Conferencing App) 🚶 LIVE ELEMENTS: Live Avatar Control, Live Video & Audio Feed 🎒 SUPPLEMENTAL: Company's Own Customized, In Theme Inventory System ◣ PREMISE & OBJECTIVES Your target for this Heist mission is James Fawkes, a wealthy collector of rare artifacts, CEO of Fawkes Industries, and puzzle enthusiast. This isn’t an ordinary heist. Normal people keep their valuables in a metal safe but not Mr. Fawkes. He keeps what we are looking for hidden behind a number of elaborately constructed puzzles. X’s job was to get into the mansion undetected. Your team will be responsible for helping them through the mansion, gaining access to Mr. Fawkes’ financial information and making a transfer of funds from his account into your team’s account. Be careful to ensure your team stays undetected. Can you direct your team and weave your way through Fawkes elaborate puzzles in time to pull off “The Heist”? ► TL;DR: REVIEW SUMMARY ◄ 😺 THE GOOD: Interesting way of bending the story so it made sense--puzzles turned home security measures! The continuous stream of good puzzles offered even expert players challenges, and highlighted every team member's personal strength. Avatar was swift and responsive. Pricing is affordable and frankly a steal for its value for team of 4 and up. 🙀 THE NOT SO GOOD: Wasn't quite sure of the set... Home to a super rich CEO? I don't know... (Purely a trivial aesthetic issue, however.) Inventory system had hiccups. 🤝 BEST FIT FOR: Given the lengthy allotted time limit and adjustable game ending, players of various experience can complete the mission with confidence. Everybody wins! Team of 4-6 recommended. ► A ROUND OF APPLAUSE! ◄ emptied Fawkes's account... Not once, but twice. Double cha-ching! 🎖️ "REMOTE PLAY - THE HEIST" OFFICIALLY JOINS THE "RECOMMENDED" RANK! 🎖️ ◣ THE REVIEW Please note: This room, experience, or game is currently not available for booking or purchase. The blog entry will remain on site for your reading enjoyment, and for Mattster's own personal bittersweet trip down memory lane. Please inquire with company if this will become available again in the future, or what other exciting options are currently available. Thank you. ARE WE THE VILLAINS? The premise of the story was instantaneous attention grabbing because, without explaining why James Fawkes became the target of "The Heist", besides being stinkin' rich and a puzzle lover, were we just maybe robbing the innocent? I mean, he loves puzzles, and I love puzzles. We could've been friends! But never mind the top 1%, he'll recover just fine. Instead, let's focus on the creative, if not a little ludicrous, fact that Fawkes chose a series of mind bending brainteasers to protect his assets in place of an actual, certified, and insured security system? Well, he only has himself to blame, because here comes a team of 5 with the combined escape room experience of possibly more than 1000 rooms. His valuables were as good as gone. Folks, this is "Ocean's 11", Canada edition! A FRUGAL SPENDER For someone as wealthy as the CEO of Fawkes Industries, his multi-million dollars worth of a home sure looked a bit plain. Rare artifacts were plentiful and proudly displayed on various walls, though the overall decor was... unconvincing. I want a little less of the average Joe, and a little more Kardashian. Perhaps a grandeur inspired refurbishment may give this currently subdued set the immersiveness that it deserves. NOT A DULL MOMENT! Though the production value leaned on the more modest side, the puzzles that Fawkes was ever so fond of were anything but lacking: there was a lot to see, and a lot of do. The game presented us a variety of tasks of different formats, presentations, and mechanics. The puzzles were not super innovative, involving familiar tricks like pattern recognition, logic deduction, a bit of scavenging, etc. However, most solution inputs were fashioned with tech based props, which kept the experience consistently fascinating. It did make sense after all, since an affluent tycoon would definitely have easy access to all the latest toys. Glad to say, Breakout Saint John really brought out all the stops, and it would be almost implausible for anyone not to have fun in this game. It is highly likely that "The Heist" was already a regular on this company's roster, and now converted for online play, because there were instances of puzzles that seemed unfitting for a remote experience. The laser field, while looking mighty awesome, made me sad that I wasn't able to display my Catherine Zeta-Jones "Entrapment" flexibility. Later, an exciting "stop and go" exercise made me envious of my speedy avatar. This must be a fun room to experience in person. Despite minor "I wish I was there!" moments, the puzzles that we did get to solve were interesting and entertaining. And because they were just so eclectic and required so many of our skill sets and talents, everyone on the team offered their respective strengths and was integral to success. COMMENDABLE APPROACH An already pleasant remote experience, "The Heist" even came with a stylized, in theme, interactive inventory system that displayed room views and key item photos. Such system actually enabled multiple players to work on different puzzles at the same time. I also really appreciated the effort of incorporating a customized supplementary interface, especially one resembling a security camera control panel. It further immersed the audience in the storytelling by unlocking inactive windows for more "footage" access as patrons advance. However, due to the small scale, the inventory was at times too finicky to use. Also, occasional coding hiccups occurred. Nothing that minor tweaking wouldn't fix, however. EVERYONE HAS A FAIR SHOT Although only my conjecture, I would bet good money (from the large sum that I was about to steal) this company's goal was to make every customer feeling like a super star. Each team is given a very generous 80 minutes time limit to complete every given task. And although there is honestly a large amount to conquer, it would be unlikely for even a novice team to fail. In addition, this escape room has two tiers of completion outcomes. Upon finishing the first illicit bank account transfer that made my team millionaires, if time permitting, bonus puzzles would be unlocked for a possible second transfer. The fun must continue! We, equipped with expert level of puzzle solving artistry, stole every cent of the Fawkes fortune and walked away 10 million dollars richer. And you know what? With the new cash flow on hand, I will make sure I install a state of the art and reputable home security system to safeguard my belonging. You know, just in case the sore loser is planning his own revenge Ocean sequel. ◣ PARTING TIPS ★ Recruit a sharp eyed looker, they will come in handy on multiple occasions. ★ Knowing the Chinese language will not give you an edge in Asian inspired puzzle(s). ★ Pay attention to all the prized collectibles throughout the residence. Signing off, Escape Mattster If you've enjoyed this, please consider following us on our social media: Instagram @EscapeMattster • Facebook.com/EscapeMattster ◣ DISCLAIMERS "Escape Mattster" thanks the company's hospitality. Though game access was complimentary, review was written basing on only unbiased and genuine opinions. All official media are credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this publication. No copyright infringement intended. ◣ RELATED RESOURCES ⤻ Search For All Posts With Key Word(s) "Breakout Saint John" ⤻ Search For All Posts With Key Word(s) "Heist" ⤻ Remote Play - The Heist • "BSJHeist"

◣ VENUE FACT SHEET 🏢 COMPANY: District 3 Escape Rooms 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Online Games 🏘️ ADDRESS: 2237 6th Ave, Regina, SK | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: Canada 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone ◣ GAME INFO & BOOKING 🕹️ GAME: The Cabin 🚶 TYPE: Remote Escape Room 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 4.5/10 (Official) | 4/10 (Mattster's Team of 3 or 4) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 2-8 Players (4-6 Players Recommended) 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $27 (CAD) Per Person, 2 Players Minimum ◣ REMOTE: SPECIFICATIONS 🖥️ PLATFORM REQUIRED: Zoom (Video/Web Conferencing App) 🚶 LIVE ELEMENTS: Control A Live Avatar, Live Video & Audio Feed 🎒 INVENTORY/SUPPLEMENTAL: Telescape Live By Buzzshot 🔎️ OTHER NOTES: Features 360° View ◣ PREMISE & OBJECTIVES There has been a series of kidnappings near a cabin. After locking your group up, the kidnapper leaves to find more trespassers. In trying to escape, you begin to learn more about who's cabin it is, who the enemy is, why he kidnapped you, and what he is trying to hide. ► TL;DR: REVIEW SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Kidnapped by a sick mind, locked up in a cabin, now try to escape! 👀 VISUAL: Wooden cabin with appropriate decor, expectation fulfilled 🧩 PUZZLE: Best feature: challenges were well designed, executed, and presented 🧠 IMMERSION: Adequate, about what you'd expect from a lightly creepy cabin theme 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Telescape Live inventory system, featuring 360° view 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Lovely and polite interaction, avatar with swift and no wasted action 💭 OVERALL: Strong online option that plays well, happy to recommend 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Players with good grasp of gen 1 puzzles, or else may stumble 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: With average experience, 3-4 should yield best result ► A ROUND OF APPLAUSE! ◄ escaped yet another cabin! But this time it's a Canadian cabin, eh? "The Cabin" officially joins the "Recommended" rank! ◣ THE REVIEW A CABIN IS A DANGEROUS PLACE In the American escape room industry, a cabin means death. There is no relaxing weekend getaway, no family and friends bonding over a warm fire, none of that sweet and cuddly stuff. Cabin means abduction, potential death, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST! Apparently, it's the same with our upstairs neighbor Canada. Nice to know there is consistency to count on in this world. All right, "The Cabin", what did I get into this time? HOW DOES THIS CABIN COMPARE? Well, not bad. There's definitely decent effort put in to ensure this escape space appeared to be made out of woods, as a cabin should be. Initially, I was confused by one single white wall, then I Googled for "Cabin Interior", and surely, yup, that's how they could look like. There's a fireplace, rocking chair, and tealight candles! Hope they're scented! I would've preferred a bit more decor at certain bearer areas, but that's possibly due to the business's not wanting to confuse patrons with too many red herrings--and that isn't so bad. One particular area also made me think, "Huh, kinda smart there", though I can't explicitly state it here since it could venture into spoiler territory. There's also a window, half boarded up with wooden panels, featuring a sunset that I cannot faithfully enjoy, because I am kidnapped. The window also occasionally doubles a clock for the count down. Resourceful! Kidnapped, you ask? Yes. I am kidnapped from my forest jog. I should've led in with that. You see, this cabin owner likes to collect people. Hikers, campers, nearby pee-in-a-bushers. He gotta catch 'em all. The captured must leave before he comes back, or else fate is lookin' grim. GREAT GAME PLAY With 1 reviewer and 2 escape room owners on the team, we've most definitely seen our shares of cabin escapes. Hence, admittedly, these elements didn't seem to us as the most creative or unique, yet we still greatly enjoyed "The Cabin", primarily due to all the well designed puzzles. This room can be played either in person physically in Regina, Canada, or it can be enjoyed remotely via live streaming with an avatar. Because the in real life version is designed to be mostly linear, this actually translated very well as an online option. Clues are just detailed enough to both narrate the main story line and also concisely give the participants a clear idea on where to start and how to advance. One of my usual panics is when I just can't figure out how to get started--not at all the case here. Once we completed our first stated task, the unlocking of padlocks commenced, and we kept on going with great momentum. There were a total of, maybe 5 of 6 locks, and none of them felt out of place. One of the advantages of using a commonplace setting like a wooden lodge is that, hey, locks actually make sense! Not wanting to make the experience all one note (as in, just locks), the designers mixed in various moments of tech or gadget based puzzles or reveals, which I appreciated, since the overall journey felt more energized and rewarding when... Listen! Something just popped open! However, every challenge at its core still uses gen 1 logic, which actually means I am a fan! These rooms often turn out to be my jam, because these puzzles actually require some active thinking, as opposed to other lazier "puzzles" just treating customers as mindless zombies, instructing them to follow a laundry list of actions. I am here to do some brain work, to occasionally struggle, and to feel accomplished--and we did. The final puzzle made us forfeit our "no hint" status, so damn you, finale puzzle, but sweet freedom was worth the price... maybe. My ego argues with gusto otherwise. So much gusto. Furthermore, one puzzle late in game was unanimously described as sneaky. But the good kind. How often do you see an escape game put in an anti-cheating device baked right into its clue prop?! We were both impressed and humbled by the puzzle writer's ingenious foresight. BOLSTERED BY SUPPORT Undoubtedly, the puzzles made the game, though this wouldn't be as nearly possible without a great avatar and a now familiar inventory system. Our in-game avatar, Lindsay, was agile at exploring, searching, opening locks, practically everything. He was able to control the camera view with absolute expertise, never once leaving his audience's view out of frame. His occasional reminder of his mortal danger helped increased a sense of urgency, and also instilled immersion--though only moderately so. This wasn't anyone's fault, but purely a consequence of using a common trope theme. The web based inventory webpage was, once again, from Telescape Live by Buzzshot. Having already used this for at least 2 to 3 times now, I can attest to its versatility to many companies' needs, and it continues to supplement game play seamlessly. This was, however, my first time seeing its capability to display an entire room with true and complete 360° panorama, from left to right, and from top to bottom. Having witnessed this feature, I feel like every virtual escape room should do this. Why is this not a gold standard yet? LAST WORDS This solid rendition of a classic from District 3 proved to be an excellent choice as a remote escape game. Strong puzzles, terrific interface, pro staff, and a silky smooth experience. Especially when considering this is the first and oldest room released by this company, "The Cabin" aged gracefully and retained much of its rustic and murderous charm. I can only imagine what a treat I'll be in for my next booking. I bet it'll be "Hauntedly" good... Signing off, Escape Mattster If you've enjoyed this, please consider following us on our social media: Instagram @EscapeMattster • Facebook.com/EscapeMattster ◣ DISCLAIMERS "Escape Mattster" thanks the company's hospitality. Though game access was complimentary, review was written basing on only unbiased and genuine opinions. All official media are credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this publication. No copyright infringement intended. ◣ RELATED RESOURCES ⤻ Search For All Posts With Key Word(s) "District 3" ⤻ Search For All Posts With Key Word(s) "Cabin" ⤻ The Cabin • "D3Cabin"

The Puzzle Room presents... "PUZZLE WARS" (HOST GUIDED EXPERIENCE) ✧ Played In Jul 2020 • Super Team of 10 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: The Puzzle Room 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🗾 COUNTRY: United States 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: Puzzle Wars 🚶 TYPE: Host Guided Experience 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 1/4 (Official) | Varies, From Super Easy To Super Hard (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 1-10 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $10 (USD) Per Game For "Solo", $60 Per Game For "Team VS Team" ► SPECIFICATIONS: HOST GUIDED ◄ 🖥️ PLATFORM REQUIRED: Zoom (Video/Web Conferencing App) 🚶 LIVE ELEMENTS: Host Moderates Progress, Web Based Game Interface 🔎️ OTHER NOTES: Features Time Countdown, Points System ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from The Puzzle Room): Welcome to Puzzle Wars! This is a non-traditional virtual escape game that you can complete from the comfort of your own home. Challenge your friends and family to the ultimate puzzle-solving battle. Work against the clock to solve as many puzzles as you can in sixty minutes. Work as one team or split into two teams to compete against each other and prove who is the true puzzle master! But be warned, sabotages and challenges are hidden within the game. Only one team can be victorious. Will it be yours? NOT AN ESCAPE ROOM First off, The Puzzle Room proudly declares, this is not your typical escape room. "Puzzle Wars" is a pure battle of wits; you fight valiantly for one hour to see which side emerge victorious at what we love doing the most--solving puzzles! In a way, if you strip away the story and set component of an online escape game, then have all the puzzles line up and rapid fire at you in the face, that's roughly what you're getting here. You, (and your team), many many MANY puzzles, 1 hour count down on the clock. GO GO GO! (UN)FRIENDLY COMPETITION The company describes the experience as a friendly competition, set to prove who fits the title of the greatest puzzle solver evahhhhh! But friendly? I dunno, man, I just dunno. I am here to WIN! The game comes in two flavors: solo team, and team vs team. If you have no friends, (hey, same here, I get it,) go for the solo experience; it only costs $10 to play. You will gain access to the exact same gaming interface and same puzzles to solve. You have one hour to tackle them all... but will most likely fail if only one player is involved. (There's a lot to do.) When time's up, you get your final score. Pat yourself on the back. The more interesting way to play would be to gather enough people for two teams. It costs a reasonable $60 flat for a private, game master hosted session, and it's so much better! Two teams will go head to head, solving as many riddles as they can against the clock. The group with a higher total score in the end wins! HUES VS SHADES For illustration's sake, I'll use my event as a specific example: We have a total of 10 players (max capacity) assembled, bloggers and enthusiasts galore. On Team Rainbow, we have me (Escape Mattster), Daphne, Kayla, Gordon, and Liz. On Team Monochrome, we have Christine, Jeremiah, John, Ace, and Anna. We all first met in one big Zoom meeting to exchange ominous dagger eyes and menacing battle stares. (And in my case, awkward crazy eyes.) After our host went over the basic rules, we were separated and ushered into our own breakout rooms. Whew, just in the nick of time, 'cause things were heating up! BATTLEGROUND AKA GAME INTERFACE Once there, we loaded up our puzzle roster screen in a web browser. With one click on the "Start" button, the time started counting down! Time to get thinkin' and start solvin'! The game setup was simple, clean, and easy to use. On the left column, you have a list of challenges to choose from, grouped by point values. Supposedly, easier mini warm-ups are worth less points, and harder riddles grants you more... though I did not find that always to be the case. When you click on a specific puzzle, it's displayed on the right. Yellow link means solving in progress, and green link means puzzle completed. Don't all work on the same puzzle now! My team of 5 picked off each puzzle one by one depending on our own strengths; even then, we were not able to finish every puzzle listed. We were 3 puzzles shy from completion! Again, there's A LOT to do. The breakout room feature revealed to be essential and critical in solving puzzles together as a team: We could openly ask one another for help, delegate specific member to certain puzzles, or just give each other smiles of approval. 👍 PUZZLES SELECTION The meat of the experience, of course, depended on the available puzzles, and this list was a true definition of a mixed bag. You got your classic puzzles, ones that you can solve in a heartbeat. Next! Then you have some that you kinda saw before, but they are just not that strikingly memorable. You kinda know the framework to solution, but you still gotta feel it out a bit. Then came the "original" bunch, ones that were most likely designed and written specifically for this experience. I always cherish brainteasers that are "brand new" to my mind--ones that I've never seen before. They compel my brain to really think. However, these varied in quality. After examining every single puzzle for reviewing purpose, I'll say there's a healthy amount, good variety, and large percentage of logical ones to keep things interesting and enjoyable. Some did warrant slight adjustment or rewrite in my opinion, as they required outside knowledge. But that's to be expected of any game--it'll continue to improve and evolve. Though currently the contents of puzzles is static and same for every game, I see endless potential for this aspect in the future: theoretically, there could be a bank of many, many riddles stashed away in a central bank. And each purchase session could randomly draw a selected batch from this database, rendering each game more variable and unique. AND THE RESULT IS IN... Both teams fared well and did their best... But one team did slightly better, barely edging out the other by a measly 100 points. Talk about a close call. Congrats to Team Rainbow! (Hey! That team included me! 😇) The important thing is, we all walked away having had a good time. Team Rainbow and Team Monochrome, if you're reading this, thanks for making great memories together! POST GAME THOUGHTS ○ This was something different! I was very glad to have given a chance to try this out and share this unusual experience with those I've bonded over our shared passion--our collective love for escape rooms and puzzle games. ○ The game featured trigger puzzles, which would either reveal bonus hidden puzzles, or a sabotage chance, aimed to hinder the opposing team. I see opportunity to get creative here! I was forced to do a little dance while losing precious time off the clock. What would you get? ○ If you get stuck and would like to not waste a hint, check that puzzle title! ○ Technical difficulties sometimes arise. Just refresh the page. Staff is also available for immediate assistance. The company is professional and will take good care of you. ○ Quarantine has inspired a lot of businesses to offer hosted group activities for an affordable fee. The most common one I've seen is trivia night. Since I am basically 💩 at unimportant details, "Puzzle Wars" actually stood out and rang truer to my heart! ○ If you want to arrange an easy, no fuss, no mess game night for your family, give The Puzzle Room's "Puzzle Wars" a chance to make your night. (Or day, or afternoon.) It's like running an intense game show for an hour without having to do any preparation. Just book and enjoy. Signing off, Escape Mattster If you've enjoyed this, please consider following us on our social media: Instagram @EscapeMattster • Facebook.com/EscapeMattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES ◄ ⤻ Puzzle Wars • "TPRWars"

60Out Escape Rooms presents... "TIME MACHINE" (REMOTE ESCAPE ROOM) ✧ Played In Jul 2020 • Team of 5 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: 60Out Escape Rooms 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Branch 🏘️ ADDRESS: 135 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United States 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: Time Machine 🚶 TYPE: Remote Escape Room 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: Medium (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 2-5 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $115 (USD) Per Game ($10 Off If Booked 1 Week In Advance) ► SPECIFICATIONS: REMOTE ◄ 🖥️ PLATFORM REQUIRED: Zoom (Video/Web Conferencing App) 🚶 LIVE ELEMENTS: Control A Live Avatar, Live Video & Audio Feed 🎒 INVENTORY/SUPPLEMENTAL: 60Out Customized Inventory System 🔎️ OTHER NOTES: Features 360° View, Time Countdown ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from 60Out Escape Rooms): You have been invited inside of one of the most brilliant minds of our time. Nikola Tesla has welcomes you inside his workspace -- a place where sparks fly and time stops. Just know that the clock is ticking as you search for one of his most secret, prized inventions. ONLINE TRANSLATION I've played this incredibly magnificent escape room, "Time Machine", in person roughly 1 year ago when it first opened. To date, it remains to be one of the more special games I've participated. For what other room can I really say I've witnessed a true exothermic chemical reaction happening right before my eyes? None so far, I'd have you know! Since I've already reviewed this room, I am instead focusing on the web features of this avatar led, Zoom based online rendition, available for booking now until this pandemic business in the US sorts itself out... it may take a while. GAME OPERATING INTERFACE 60Out is a fairly reputable franchise in the Los Angeles market, so it came as no surprise that the game appeared so slick and polished on the net even on first glance. The overall combo is Zoom conference app plus supplemental inventory screen, pretty standard. While the Zoom side is pretty self explanatory and unremarkable, for video and sound live feeds, the inventory side merits a couple of compliments. First, it features a true 360° panoramic view from top to bottom. Think Google Map. Not only can you drag your room view left and right in a full circle, you can also go vertically from ceiling to the floor. Even without the live camera feed, you'll get a pretty solid idea of the layout. And of course, the room looked just as gorgeous as I still fondly remember it. On the left side of the inventory system, it features a column that display certain areas or objects of importance for closer looks. A piece of poetry on Tesla's desk, for instance, can be found here once you avatar gets ahold of it. Finally, there is a handy timer on the top right to keep track of time with ease. PUZZLES PLAYABILITY "Time Machine" is inherently a very visually focused and hands on escape adventure--think of it as a historic tour with Nikola Tesla, laced with the occasional science experiments here and there. Enjoying this electrifying gem of an experience in real life was a blast, (even literally at some point). The virtual version, however, stumbled a little bit due to its very nature of being an immersive showstopper. Immersion wasn't completely lost, but a lot of the puzzles and special effects are meant to be and best enjoyed in person. Consequentially, some parts of the game may need some appropriate modifications and tweaking before it can realize its full potential. All puzzles that I've played in person were all intact in the live streaming room, so rest assured, the business will give you its 100%, bringing the game to you at home as completely and as authentically as technology would permit. We were one of the first groups to have partaken this temporal journey back in time when the virtual option became available, so our avatar was still a little green with her camera work and performance. Once these little details are ironed out with time, it'll be one of 60Out's most attractive offerings on its roster. And relax, don't rush, take all the scenery in slowly. You have 60 minutes to complete the game, and that's plenty of time for most groups. Dare to be mesmerized by the beautiful set, despite potentially being miles and miles away. Talk to your avatar, interact with them, chat it up, and even goof off a bit. Time is on your side--you're controlling a machinery for it after all. OVERALL IMPRESSION My entire team of 5 agrees that despite some shaky details that warrant a second look from the show runners, the production value undoubtedly shone through even across the the barriers of computer screens. (Everyone sans me is from the east coast, and this is their first time graced by Tesla's greatest invention.) I am not at all surprised at their reactions, because when a room looks this good, it sells itself! With utmost sincerity and honesty, I would recommend, of course, to experience "Time Machine" in person if you at all have the luxury and opportunity to do so. However, for those who reside outside of Southern California, this is your golden ticket to something special without the need for risky air travel. (Remember, stay safe!) During this period of intense uncertainty, with so many confounding factors at hand, visiting (my favorite) K-Town 60Out branch may just be out of question for the time being. So why not give this remote escape room option a try? (Nautilus at the same location is also available.) Signing off, Escape Mattster If you've enjoyed this, please consider following us on our social media: Instagram @EscapeMattster • Facebook.com/EscapeMattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ TIME MACHINE - 60Out Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ TURING TEST - 60Out Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ THE ORPHANAGE - 60Out Escape Room ⤻ NAUTILUS - 60Out Escape Rooms

Escape Room LA presents... "THE LOST PYRAMID" (AUDIO LED ESCAPE GAME) ✧ Played In Jul 2020 • Team of 2 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Escape Room LA 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Live Streaming Games 🏘️ ADDRESS: 120 E 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United States 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: The Lost Pyramid 🔊 TYPE: Audio Led Escape Game 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 4/10 (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 2-6 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $16.50 (USD) Per Person ► SPECIFICATIONS: AUDIO LED ◄ 🖥️ PLATFORM REQUIRED: Zoom (Video/Web Conferencing App) 🚶 LIVE ELEMENTS: Live Audio Narration, Media Shown Via Share Screen 🔎️ OTHER NOTES: Host's Face Not Shown ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Escape Room LA): You fall into a deep hole in the earth and find yourself trapped inside an ancient lost pyramid, deep in the Mayan jungle. Solve the riddles and challenges of the mysterious pyramid and escape before your time runs out! (Note to previous participants: If you’ve played THE PYRAMID at Escape Room LA, this is a completely new and different game!) ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Lost in a Mayan pyramid deep in the jungle, must get out! (Mosquitoes!) 👀 VISUAL: Lacking; an image overhaul and revamp would do wonders 🧩 PUZZLE: I enjoyed majority of them! Nothing difficult, but a decent roster with no true dud 🧠 IMMERSION: Okay; I would suggest more sound and transition effects for best results 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Zoom conference app, screen share function with live audio 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Laura, my host from "Dark Raven", moderated once again; lovely experience 💭 OVERALL: A great first effort from the company, though already surpassed by its siblings 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Those who prefer an audio led experience, or an "exploration" theme 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: 1-2 for experts, 3-4 for all others I'M A COMPLETIST Escape Room LA offers a total of 3 live streaming, audio led escape rooms. As of my publishing of this final review, I have officially completed all 3! Whoo! Not familiar with audio led games? Consult my previous two posts, please. Make note, however, I did the 3 games in reverse chronological order of debut. "The Lost Pyramid" actually came first, then the other 2 titles were added later. This would become relevant later. THE LOWDOWN Visually, I have to be honest, "The Lost Pyramid" only had so-so graphics, and easily the least impressive of the 3. However, considering how this was the company's freshman effort at this new genre, it's understandable. In addition, there's a general trend of improvement in later games, so I'll overlook it. Plot wise, it's a bit trite, but the classic "falls into a pit, though it turns out to be the exact entrance we're looking" shtick still works. No need to fix what's not broken. ITZA PYRAMID! The actual puzzle portion of the escape room was, to my delight, much better in execution. The setup was simple, but clean, and easy to comprehend, and I am a fan of such organization. In short, an overheard view of the main chamber is presented on screen, much like a map, with points of interests marked. Our job was of course to interact with each, collect clues, then input solutions to advance. The total amount of challenges were adequate; variety was also sufficient. Some did not come off as natural as the Mayans did not use the English language (I think); otherwise, they were mostly appropriately themed and enjoyable. Yes, they still leaned towards the "easy for kids" genre, but by now, I've come to know what to expect and decide to just embrace it. In fact, in the game's defense, the same puzzle concepts could've been translated into a real life physical escape room quite easily, and I could imagine its being a real hit, even among adults! Of course, you know, they would have to be introduced in an Indiana Jones like movie grade set. It's all about the presentation, my friends. Overall, there were some rather solid puzzles in "Lost Pyramid", but the less than stellar stock images were unfortunately weighing the game down from becoming truly outstanding. WE TRIO MADE IT EXTRA FUN This duo explorer team, consisted of Escape Mattster & Kayla (another local enthusiast), were determined to transform an otherwise novice escape game into an excitement filled experience--we did it as a speed run! Knowing we would probably solve everything promptly due to our combined experience, we ran through the imaginary historic site as fast as we could. 24 minutes later, we emerged victorious! Part of me was aiming to attempt the impossible, to finish the game within a quarter of the hour. Alas, it was indeed impossible this round, though our game host Laura congratulated us on our record breaking time--the shortest she's seen in her hosted sessions. All right, we'll take that! Laura was also amiable, quick on her feet, and knew how to handle our silly request to make popcorn. (Yeah, that happened.) A friendly post game chat also revealed she was none other than the famous detective's assistant who once mingled with a certain funny O'Brien. All in all, fun times. Though my preference order, purely based on pre-set game contents and materials, would be: 1) Dark Raven, then 2) Planet X, then finally 3) Lost Pyramid. ONE LAST NOTE Due to the current pandemic, many indoor businesses in Los Angeles county, including escape room companies, have been forced to shut down, unable to operate at their physical locations for months. My patronage for "The Lost Pyramid" was a tiny gesture of support, and I hope this series of reviews for Escape Room LA's online options will prove helpful for everyone. The reason why we even have this massive escape room culture of a pastime is you: owners, creators, designers, and investors of the industry, especially those who had been nothing but kind to me in the past, you continue to be in my prayers. Until then, we should band together in solidarity: wear a mask, wash your hands, and social distance whenever and wherever possible. Do your part to keep our small businesses open. Signing off, Escape Mattster If you've enjoyed this, please consider following us on our social media: Instagram @EscapeMattster • Facebook.com/EscapeMattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES ◄ ⤻ ESCAPE FROM PLANET X (AUDIO LED) - Escape Room LA | Review ⤻ THE CURSE OF THE DARK RAVEN (AUDIO LED) - Escape Room LA | Review ⤻ The Lost Pyramid • "ERLAPyramid"

Escape Room LA presents... "ESCAPE FROM PLANET X" (AUDIO LED ESCAPE GAME) ✧ Played In Jul 2020 • Team of 3 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Escape Room LA 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Live Streaming Games 🏘️ ADDRESS: 120 E 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United States 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: Escape From Planet X 🔊 TYPE: Audio Led Escape Game 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 5/10 (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 2-6 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $16.50 (USD) Per Person ► SPECIFICATIONS: AUDIO LED ◄ 🖥️ PLATFORM REQUIRED: Zoom (Video/Web Conferencing App) 🚶 LIVE ELEMENTS: Live Audio Narration, Media Shown Via Share Screen 🔎️ OTHER NOTES: Host's Face Not Shown ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Escape Room LA): A vacation in outer space takes a wrong turn when your spaceship crash-lands on an uncharted alien planet. You discover that all of the crew have disappeared and the aliens are getting restless! In this fun, wacky adventure, it’s up to you to find a way to get the spaceship up and running and escape from Planet X before the aliens attack. ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Crashed into Planet X with adorable but predatory aliens, time to leave! 👀 VISUAL: Leans heavily on kids friendly and "too kawaii for words" graphics 🧩 PUZZLE: Designed for children, don't expect any real challenge for adults or experts 🧠 IMMERSION: Light, would improve if more audience interaction incorporated 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Zoom app based, audio led puzzle adventure with still images 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Professional but very by the book, would prefer a more personable approach 💭 OVERALL: Enjoyable though honestly not for grown ups, unless tweaked or modified 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Children up until high school age, family game nights 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: Adults playing for giggles, then 1-2; otherwise, up to 4 max 1 of 3 live streaming options Last week, I covered "The Curse Of The Dark Raven" live streaming, audio led escape game from Escape Room LA, and saved a village from the ill fate of forever living in pitch blackness. Today, my team experienced "Escape From Planet X", also an audio escape room, chronicling our fight for survival, and the return from the title planet to a more habitable environment, far away from green aliens. To be more specific, much like Chihuahua, cute but hostile critters. For those who are not familiar with the concept of an audio led game, it's quite simple: No live video feed will be broadcast during your Zoom session. The game host will use the screen share function, and present scenarios and puzzles through the usage of still images and vocal narration. Think of it as a fun, PowerPoint interactive lecture that will not proceed until you successfully solve the many intermittent puzzles. ONE WORD SUMMARY: CUTESY! This one struck me immediately as the obvious token choice for family and younger kids. The power of cute graphics command and control young minds! Incidentally, I am also susceptible to this phenomenon, so here we are, playing this "kids" game. So cute!!! On a more serious note, I was actually quite satisfied with the art style and the designer's commitment to carry the same trend more or less all the way through. Whereas "Raven" occasionally fluctuated from obvious fairy tale book inspired graphics to maybe less impressive images, "Planet X" was consistent, rendering the whole package much more cohesive visually. wacky premise As an adult player, I cracked up at the notion that the entire space aircraft crew would just abandon me and my teammates for dead. First off, HOW DARE THEY? Second, hello, morals?! As a kid at heart, however, I said, WHO CARES! Let's just go with it, fix the spaceship by completing puzzles, and pilot it back home without proper training or galaxy issued flying license... Actually, Hmm. It is at this point that I realize no option can end well. puzzles in space When it came to the puzzles in this interplanetary adventure though, I actually have much to share. First of all, though rated 5/10 officially, this is 100% a game geared towards kids. Therefore the difficulty should be adjusted, according to scale, via my patented formula: Say, if this was a 5 rating for 12 year old, and I am now thirty-*ahem*, older, let's go with older... Assuming an inverse relationship... carry the 5 over... factorials and exponents and decimals... Algebra tells me it's roughly a 1.5/10. Whew. Math is useful. So yes, as grown up expert players, we didn't think this was the ideal mental challenge; we blasted off in our newly repaired rockets after a short 27 minutes, after all. I would've preferred roughly 5 to 6 more riddles inserted for best perceived value. However, if you have kids, younger relatives, and are hosting a family night for the target core audience, I can declare with conviction that this is a respectable option to consider. Puzzles generally fell under the categories of counting, color and pattern recognition, and as one may logically expect, alien foreign language play. Yaj'a'? It's fundamental, nothing too out of this world (ironically), but all appropriate for the its theme, demographics, and general entertainment purpose. Overall, "Planet X" is well done for what it's set out to achieve. MOMENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS 🛸 The shape of the space ship. What do you see? 👾 One puzzle actually had us temporarily stumped, albeit ever so briefly. An overeager game host blurted out a little nudge before we could try it all on our own. Judging how we had plenty of time left, we wouldn't mind having to struggle a tad more--it's part of the fun. 🛸 As a science degree holder, upon seeing a certain color puzzle, I unintentionally gave an impromptu mini lecture on how smaller wavelength corresponds to higher energy, and also its resulting in the violet end of the rainbow spectrum. I nerd-ed out in a kids game! Thanks, "Planet X", for keeping certain scene(s) scientifically accurate! 👾 Believe it or not, one particular puzzle actually "required" outside knowledge! However, the solution can be easily deduced, even by brute force, but those with prior knowledge on the topic would potentially benefit from the injected humor a bit more so than others. 🛸 Speaking of humor, we were actually trying to jest around and have some fun with our puzzle solving since it was too easy for us. However, our game master was more of the strictly here to moderate type, and did not roll with our punches. It kinda killed the buzz. Reasonable flexibility and deviation from the script can add on to our experience! 👾 Finally, one crucial plot point and its associated mini game emphasized inter-players interaction, and potentially the one single best moment in our entire game. I saw that this approach was later more heavily utilized in more recent title "Raven", so I would firmly request more of these elements to be added to other currently available and future offerings. How else are we gonna get embarrassing in game photo like this one? And I think that about does it! Where shall we explore next--how about the Mayan Jungle? As soon as I figure out how to back my spacecraft into the parking space, we'll switch on up to my Indy Jones Jeep! Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES ◄ ⤻ THE LOST PYRAMID (AUDIO LED) - Escape Room LA | Review ⤻ THE CURSE OF THE DARK RAVEN (AUDIO LED) - Escape Room LA | Review

Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms presents... "THE DETECTIVE'S OFFICE" (REMOTE) ✧ Played In Jul 2020 • Team of 4 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Online Games 🏘️ ADDRESS: 2333 Albert St, Regina, SK S4P 2V8 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: Canada 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: The Detective's Office (Remote) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 75 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 5/10 (Official) | Easy To Slightly Medium (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: Minimum Of 2 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $26.25 (CAD) Per Person ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms): In 1951, Private Investigator Rick Murphy was investigating a case involving a stolen necklace. Suddenly, Rick vanished without a trace. Step into his office and find out what happened to him. (This is the first of THREE story rooms that involve the Case of the Stolen Necklace.) ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Detective searches for missing necklace, then he goes missing himself 👀 VISUAL: Realistic, adequate, but not a standout production 🧩 PUZZLE: Very enjoyable from experts' standpoint, a good mix of classic & tech variety 🧠 IMMERSION: Average immersion supported by a detailed backstory 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Telescape Live inventory system, smooth running 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Same as always, Mystery Mansion's Mitch is always a pleasure to work with 💭 OVERALL: One of my better rated "office space" escape games, very fair pricing 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: If you enjoy puzzles in an escape room, this one's worth a try 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: 4 worked out well for us, but even 3 may pull it off snooped around, collected clues, and cleared the first of three stages. "The Detective's Office" officially joins the "Recommended" rank! DO YOU LIKE DETECTIVE SHOWS? Playing "The Detective's Office" is much like starring in one. Take this 3-part episode special from Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms for example: We have an unsolved case. A necklace of great value goes missing, and many people who have come into contact with it end up either passing away or disappearing, including private investigator Rick Murphy. Is the necklace cursed, or is something more sinister afoot? The truth won't surface easily, but we as his associates gotta start somewhere--his office seems like the logical start. Episode 1, scene 1, action! Cue the theme music! YUP, THAT'S AN OFFICE Remote escape room or not, it's often very difficult to make an office space astonishingly breathtaking. Only in Hollywood movies does a detective's work place look glamorous. Without special lighting, the set comes across as adequate but realistic. The real charm derives not from a visual standpoint, but rather, the secrets hidden all over this ordinary looking space. Early on, it was revealed that this exact same room once housed valuables, so many secret compartments and security measures are scattered throughout to ensure their safety. And that means we get to sniff them out one by one. Yasss. At first glance, you'd really think this is a pure gen 1 room, guarded by padlocks and combo passwords exclusively. As we advanced though, it became apparent that was not the case. There were more than a handful of unexpected tech automation--they the drawers just start popping open left and right, hah, lovely. immersion aspect As to how immersed I felt in the story, this effect greatly depended on our game master, aka avatar. Due to the matter-of-fact nature of the story, my host attempted his best to be interesting, enthusiastic, and humorous with the subjects. I would fairly say, some jokes landed, some did not, but I felt the passion. And it wasn't for a lack of trying. The story was actually well composed, narrated through a series of found letters left behind by our PI, and moderately interesting. Nevertheless, because the theme leaned more towards solving a mystery rather than resolving an urgent matter, especially for remote play, it would be a challenge to evoke deep emotions. On a plot level, I felt ok; but on a game play aspect, I found myself invested to clear as many puzzles as quickly as possible, and therefore feeling accomplished. I was also happy for genuinely enjoying some good solid puzzles. SMOOTH & SATISFYING PLAYTHROUGH Very often, the topic of detective profession lends itself to a more logic and mental based game, and "The Detective's Office" falls precisely in this category. The general audience is given 75 minutes to complete this escape game, instead of the usual 60, so imagine the amount of brainteasers one may find in Murphy's office. The answer is "a lot", in case your sleuthing skills is a bit rusty. And I love "a lot". A lot means more to do, more to play with, more challenging good times. My team, consisting of myself, Christine ("The Haunt Girl"), and "Escape The Roomers" duo Cici and Brandon, is no average players composition, however. Off the top of my head, I can't recall any puzzle, sans maybe one, that escaped our collective ability to rapid fire back an answer within a brief moment. Our stint as junior detectives concluded after roughly 50 minutes. Though our victory was swift, the entire task force unanimously agreed that the puzzles were well written, carefully thought out, appropriately executed, and offered very solid mind puzzle fun. Everything made good sense, nothing needed any leap in logic. To add a cherry on top, there's a very wide range of format among the brainteasers. Because there is no single player that is good at every type of puzzle, this grants every participant the fair chance to become the coveted "first one!" to solve a riddle. TELESCAPE LIVE SUPPORT Much like the company's other killer offering "Cut-Throat", "Detective" uses the same live video escape room inventory system supported by Telescape Live. Inventory page features overview of room, selected close up shot (marked by icon "i" for info), and items collected/revealed via password trigger. Teammates can also see each other's mouse cursors, enabling one to show another a specific portion of interest on a photo or a passage. A useful feature to consider during all games. ONLY ACT ONE "The Detective's Office" is designed for beginners in mind, somewhat, and offers a great introduction to novice players for both in-person physical and online remote play. Incidentally, I also see this first chapter as only the hors d'oeuvres to its main courses, setting up the stage for what's more dramatic to come in subsequent episodes. It's a shame that I don't reside in Regina, Canada, because if all 3 chapters are available for a back-to-back-to-back connected mega experience, it would surely catapult this series into flagship attraction status for not only the company, but possibly the business district area as well. Seen you later, Mystery Mansion. ;) Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ CUT-THROAT (AUDIO LED) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ CUT-THROAT (REMOTE) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ NIGHT TERRORS (REMOTE) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review

Society Of Curiosities presents... "MADOK'S LOST TREASURE (SEASON 1, ADVENTURE 1)" ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Society Of Curiosities 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🕹️ GAME: Madok's Lost Treasure (Season 1, Adventure 1) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Subscribe By Mail ⏲️ TIME DURATION: About 60 Minutes (Per Episode) 💬 DIFFICULTY: For Age 14+ (Official) | Medium To Hard (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 1-4 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: Depends On Subscription Plan ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Mail Subscription Service, Play Online, Account Required 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Mixed Media Online Puzzle Adventure ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Society Of Curiosities): [From Society Grandmaster, Aldora Pennywig] Our ground teams in France have uncovered artifacts during a recent investigation that we hope will lead us to the fabled treasure of Captain Edus Madok. He and his ship, the BonAncre, mysteriously disappeared in the Caribbean in the early 18th century. If the legends are correct, we hope to find not only treasures to fill the society’s coffers but a curious item that was stolen from Admiral LeBlanc in 1715. You will receive a box via the post that contains more information and resources. We will let you know when it has shipped. ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Grab the maps from your last adventure, we're going treasure hunting! 👀 VISUAL: Fantastic, uber authentic feel mail package contents, plus pretty graphics & sites 🧩 PUZZLE: As with the last installment, many "think outside the box" moments, stumped me 🧠 IMMERSION: Leading charm of Society of Curiosities--immersion of a an alternate reality 💭 OVERALL: Very unique approach to of subscription mail puzzles, looking forward to more 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Enthusiasts comfortable with solving multi-step, diverse challenges 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: A pair for experts, or 3-4 beginners with effective communication longs for a peaceful and quiet resort vacation after a triumphant treasure hunt. "Madok's Lost Treasure (Season 1, Adventure 1)" officially joins the "MUST DO!!!" rank! THE ADVENTURE THUS FAR Last we checked in with the Society of Curiosities, hmmm... what did we do again? If you suffer from sudden memory loss, then just check your convenient debrief letter from Grandmaster Aldora Pennywig. Debrief is an included feature of your online adventure, something I forgot to mention that in my last post. Whoopsie! In any case, a quick refresh: I solved the then still open case of missing treasure maps from Detective Jean-Bolippe Garminet. The maps weres stolen by [CENSORED] and subsequently hidden in [CENSORED], located inside the historic guesthouse. Of course, of course. Let's put the recovered maps to good use--an old fashioned pirate treasure hunt. SUBSCRIPTION BOX CONTENTS Unlike the previous free adventure, the first episode of the paid subscription service, "Madok's Lost Treasure", requires physical items mailed to your house for game play. The suspense of waiting for the package, torturing. But the satisfaction of opening your package, exhilarating! In a fancy envelope addressed to the esteemed Escape Mattster, as he shall be referred as from this point forth, there lies various intriguing items needed to begin your new online game. I don't always do this, but I gonna give you a special spoiler here: the parcel from the Society contains... Gasp! Treasure maps! Remember you got the exclusive from EscapeMattster.com! Also included is two pages ripped from a family magazine, which for me was the highlight when going through all the contents for the first time. I remember staring at them, reading, touching, then staring at them more, then got perplexed, "Wait. Are these from a real magazine? Because I swear these could be from an actual publication." Society's gorgeous package is screwing with my perception of reality--again! A HYBRID OF TWO CLASSES With the mandatory artifacts in hand, you can now officially initiate the search for the hidden treasures. Nonetheless, keep in mind: Society of Curiosities adventures blur the line between a strict monthly mail structure and a web based escape game. Whatever skills you've acquired from your previous assignment, that is, the texting, the web surfing, the Google searches (don't ever forget to Google), and the online shopping (Wheeeee!! I'm a big spender!!), these still apply. However, to succeed, you often need information from both the items in front of you physically, and that appearing on your computer screen virtually. Combining key clues from both sources is often, if not always, of essence to finding the answers. REALITY CHECK ONCE MORE As already mentioned briefly, Society continues its expertise at augmenting on existent reality, and thereby creating a story universe that is part truth, and part fiction, and all enjoyment. Custom made websites to facilitate your research continue to be a signature for this company, and they've gone even bigger and better this round. One particular vacation resort website central to your map hunt received my particular attention during my first run. So authentic! I think up to 50% of my game was just my fiddling with every section of every website I came in contact with. Playing with all the links and functions was, at one point, arguably even more satisfying than solving the puzzles. (And oniomanics, you still get to flex your skill.) Because the designers have successfully molded their own version of reality to narrate the story line, I found myself more engaged and invested as events unfolded. The exchange back and forth via cell phone texting continued lay the foundation that these plot characters actually exist. Will real friendships blossom between me and Grandmaster Pennywig, Capt Steiner, and the rest of the research team? I've been told, no, because that'd be creepy. PUZZLE NEWNESS & VARIETY In addition to providing a large variety of challenges, whether it be the format, or the way to solve, or the different types of media clues, "Madok" took the mantra of "thinking outside the box" and ran with it. I saw so many new and creative things. The final product therefore featured numerous riddles that I haven't quite encountered before, thereby once again crushing my poor, bruised ego as a puzzle aficionado. Fortunately, with assistance from the hints page, I advanced all the way to the final meta puzzle and completed my objective--I found the greatest treasure of all... Love 💕 (I am only half kidding.) "Madok's Lost Treasure" was a sheer joy to experience while staying in, and easily ranks as one of the best at-home games I've had the privilege to review to date. WHEN TALENT MEETS HARD WORK Creator team Yacine and Michelle actually own an escape room business in Hawaii, so it came as no surprise to me that all their endeavors have been extremely well received. Talent wise, I have zero doubt in those two. However, what really gained my respect for them as content designers was that they really do their due diligence before introducing their baby out to the world. For example, they do extensive research on their topics, and they manually age their treasure maps. (Dedication!) Attention to details continues to be obvious, as evidenced by an official soundtrack and the addition of beverage and costume suggestions. Turns out the Society knows how to write a good mystery and how to have a good time. Cheers! TREATS ALL YEAR LONG It seems like in between major episodes, there will be little bonus mailings, dubbed "coffee break mysteries", to keep your mind in tiptop shape. I haven't received my copies of these lovely bonuses yet, but I have set camp next to my letter box in anticipation for that eventful delivery. Please look forward to my next review then. P.S. Mom, camping out until further notice. Please send sustenance. Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ FREE ADVENTURE: MYSTERIOUS MAP HEIST (ONLINE) - Society Of Curiosities | Review

Escape Room LA presents... "THE CURSE OF THE DARK RAVEN" ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 5 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Escape Room LA 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Live Streaming Games 🏘️ ADDRESS: 120 E 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United States 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: The Curse Of The Dark Raven 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 7/10 (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 2-6 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $16.50 (USD) Per Person ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, By Booking/Appointment 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Audio Led Escape Room ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Escape Room LA): The curse of an evil witch has brought eternal darkness to a small secluded village. Now it’s up to you to travel to the village and reverse the curse before dawn. Along the way you’ll outwit trolls, play pub games to win gold, and cast powerful spells! Can you break the Curse of the Dark Raven? ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Reverse the evil witch's curse and rescue a village from eternal darkness 👀 VISUAL: Fairy tale book style of art work punctuated with puzzles of simpler graphics 🧩 PUZZLE: A large variety of average or easy difficulty, some fun interactive ones as well 🧠 IMMERSION: Most immersive when players are asked to physically participate... :X 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Zoom audio conference call with screen share function 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Professional, quick, and efficient game host 💭 OVERALL: Not a bad option, engaging story, especially given affordable price point 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Family night, introduction to audio led escape room or puzzles in general 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: Probably would max it out at 4 people, can easily be done with 2 AUDIO LED EXPERIENCE I have done one audio led escape game to date, so this is actually just my second one. And spoiler alert, I feel fortunate that both ended up being entertaining! For those who have never done one before, I've learned to best describe the experience as "Dungeons & Dragons" mixed with escape room puzzles: Though participants still "congregate" via Zoom app, there is no actual live video feed of a physically constructed set. They are instead presented with still images or other multimedia, while a moderator narrates the story and validates the participants' puzzle solutions. Upon hearing this, one of my teammates, who's an avid player of D&D for years, exclaimed the same sentiment, "It sounds just like Dungeons & Dragons!" And he proceeded to excitedly wait to the game to start in the Zoom lobby. Eeeeeek! Can't wait for the town to be cursed! A VILLAIN'S BEST FRIEND Maleficent had Diablo, and in "The Curse Of The Dark Raven", this village's token evil witch also had a dark raven! Cawwwww! Poor misunderstood black aviator, once again forced to be the embodiment of malice in another fairy tale. Circling high above doomed village, the raven spread its wings and banished the sun. Total darkness befell this unfortunate little town. I hope everyone likes Marco Polo. What's worse is, they never bothered explaining why the evil witch has done this! Was this evil doing for evil's sake because "Shrug, it's 2020"? Whatever the case was, 5 very experienced escape experts were ready to reverse the spell. BRING IT AROOOUND TOWWWN We first headed to the village's mayor's office where we received a note of gratitude from the mayor for our brave attempt to end this misery, and also a handy dandy town map. Our adventure's itinerary then became clear: visit all indicated locations, collect clues, items, and solve puzzles, and most importantly, uncover a way to break the curse before sunrise. Point of interests included story world stable like a mysterious old house, the local favorite tavern, and of course, the spooky witch's cabin. And just to lightly touch on the graphics aspect of our journey, most scenes employed a similar oil canvas painting style artwork, appropriate for a medieval vibe fairy tale. At times, the style would slightly change, or resolution/quality would suffer, but overall not critical to game play. A non-linear, logical, and structured format of game play, it's very easy to just pick up and go. The OCD personality in me loved the simple but effective organization. I am sure even a family with average puzzle solving experience will handle this experience just fine. A VILLAGE FOUNDED BY PUZZLES LOVERS Everywhere we went, there was always some form of lock or, if you will, a "bouncer" that detered us from walking right in. But since most puzzles were ones we've seen before, we metaphorically flashed our VIP passes as seasoned experts and entrance was granted. Variety, however, was plentiful, and there was never a dull moment. Even though "Raven" in its entirety was enjoyable, there were indeed a couple of mention worthy locations and moments to point out: The tavern opened with a somewhat questionable riddle that I felt was era inappropriate, so some tweaking would be ideal. After that though, it's party/pub games time! This was one of the most interactive section of the audio led escape room, and the participants even had a degree of freedom as to what they wanted to play, rendering each experience totally unique. The witch's house is where you would encounter the most amount of puzzles of the traditional escape room sense, so get ready to solve, solve, solve. Puzzle lovers would get to expressively flex their big, bulgy brain muscles in this area, arguably the most difficult portion of the game. (Incidentally, I can see the witch's home easily transformed and constructed as a physical, in-real-life escape room if the owner should ever consider such implementation.) My absolute favorite moment during our quest, however, was a performance done not by our game master, but by one of our own, resulting in these gems of photos: I won't spoil the what and why, but I love everything about the above. The final sequence was also, as one would predict, a test of wits, though not difficult so. I would actually rate everything children friendly, so this one's a clear contender for family night. TEAM MATTSTER, 1; WITCH'S CURSE, 0 Breaking the curse was no big problem, and we pretty much laughed our way from beginning to end. Thanks to Escape Room LA for creating a lighthearted virtual adventure for many to enjoy in times of uncertainty. Staying safe at home is a privilege. If I were to make a few suggestions for improvements, I would suggest players of high experience level to relax, take their time, and really explore the town as clueless tourists. We completed the entire plot within 35 minutes, so we could've circled the Town Square twice, gotten drunk off of the pub's home brewed beer, took numerous selfies along the way, and still have time to make some ruckus at the witch's house, and maybe a tarot card reading even! I jest. Either that, or possibly add in another building or two for 3-5 additional puzzles. I'd love that. The game master could also consider a more dramatic portrayal, perhaps in character as one of the villagers longing for a ray of light once more. Not everyone is a thespian, but those who can act will surely bring another layer of complexity to the game. This was a decent experience... I may just sign up for a vacation in outer space next! Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ THE LOST PYRAMID (AUDIO LED) - Escape Room LA | Review ⤻ ESCAPE FROM PLANET X (AUDIO LED) - Escape Room LA | Review

Society Of Curiosities presents... "MYSTERIOUS MAP HEIST" ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Society Of Curiosities 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🕹️ GAME: Mysterious Map Heist 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Purchase This Game ⏲️ TIME DURATION: 30-90 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: For Age 12+ (Official) | Medium To Hard (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 1-4 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, Purchase Anytime, Account Required 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Mixed Media Online Puzzle Adventure ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Society Of Curiosities): Solve the case of the mysterious map heist! You can start your mission right away! This game can be played completely online. (We hope you love getting a taste of The Society of Curiosities with this mini-adventure. We promise to wow you even more with our full-length adventures by mail, in which you get packages full of artifacts and clues!) ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: A nominal "map hunt" that turned into the world's most fun web research 👀 VISUAL: Fantastic, not a lot of actual art images used... but the WEBSITES! You'll see! 🧩 PUZZLE: Innovative; came in various shapes, forms, and media; text and web usage heavy 🧠 IMMERSION: Somehow, Society made me feel so immersed--reality even seems blurred 💭 OVERALL: Mind blown. How blown? Completely out of the water level of blown. 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Every puzzle (and escape game) enthusiast; yes, that's everyone 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: Doing this entire quest solo was difficult, playing in pairs recommended finally found someone who'd text him back. Pippa O'Shanter, you're the one for me. "Mysterious Map Heist" officially joins the "MUST DO!!!" rank! FINALLY INDUCTED INTO THE SOCIETY I've followed Society of Curiosities's Instagram for the longest time. So long, in fact, I have no idea when I added them as IG friends. Even more strangely, we've remained on each other's radars without my ever knowing just exactly what kind of puzzle games they actually offer. (Looking back, I really wish I explored much sooner!) The creators, Yacine & Michelle, must've thought the exact same, because one lucky day in June, they graced all their followers with a mini, taste-test adventure! (See website for details.) Time for a map heist! AN ALTERNATE REALITY The journey started with a simple letter from the Society Grandmaster, Aldora Pennywig (not Pennywise, mind you). She informed you to work with another Society researcher Pippa O'Shanter (Pip) on deciphering a mysterious journal page. So go ahead and give Pip a text. A... what? Text? As in on my cell phone? That's right. Right off the bat, it caught me off guard that this wasn't your ordinary expectation of an online puzzle game. At no given point would you follow the mundane formula of solving a riddle, finding an answer, chug it in a text field, submit and repeat. The entire map hunt took place in a psuedo-reality in which I was ostensibly communicating with Pip from the "ground team", who would do all the traveling abroad, running around town, and other investigation related labor, while I sit at home like a happy potato. (Works for me!) As the story progressed, even more mind bending resources will be unlocked, and every piece of online "prop" would be fully accessible for anyone out there on this planet via the world wide web. If you as the player couldn't tell what's real anymore after a while, don't worry, that's 100% intentional. It's called immersion, my friend. Tip: The Society endorses great Google searches as legitimate research efforts. THREW ME FOR A LOOP There's a good reason why membership in this Society is so highly regarded, because the mysteries the researchers face are of no ordinary difficulty level. I encountered my first roadblock at the beginning, and it was extremely disconcerting for me to stumble at puzzle numero uno. My pride as an "experienced" puzzle solver, and my name as an escape "Mattster", down the crapper. It was only after a brief moment of quiet shameful sobbing and a quick peek at the "Hints" page that I realized, dang, these puzzle writers meant business. The ever so sneaky detail hidden in plain sight in a seemingly normal piece of mail was my missing key. From there on, you will learn about a famed detective and his past works, and subsequently be sent to several almost-too-authentic looking websites. Little clues are sprinkled and scattered throughout, and it took real mental focus to apply all your available information at hand, possibly in the said websites, maybe. Heh. So difficulty wise, everyone's fair game, and every noggin will be challenged. Even experts'. Fans of online retail therapy will be absolutely delighted at the final showdown. Rarely is there a chance for them to put their years of training to good use. I also found it ironic that the treasure map itself is the treasure this time around. Ha. Overall, every requested task or mini mission felt real, unique, and just a really refreshing way to experience online puzzle gaming. A first of its kind for me in many aspects, this game blew my mind, and I was thoroughly entertained, a little mentally drained... but extremely satiated. little details There were other things there might not have impacted game play much, though I still appreciated the attention to details. Firstly, although there was a light use of images overall, those that did appear in game were most definitely professionally produced, and looked both magnificent and era appropriate. Next, how about that official "Mysterious Map Heist" soundtrack, huh? Though I am not big on auditory distraction when I play, I cherish the gesture. The music itself is part relaxing, part melancholy, and instantly reminded me of the popular Professor Layton game titles. Both the "Tips For Success" and "Hint" help pages were formatted in the most user friendly way possible. Not only is the navigation intuitive, the step by step hint reveal system also gently nudges you along the right track without letting you give up too easily. Also props to always including transcripts for all cursive handwritten notes--total life savers. I also purposely texted nonsense to Pip and fiddled with extraneous links and contents on various game websites, and the results were amusing. They really thought of everything, huh? BOTTOM LINE: you gotta try! First of all, this is an essentially free game. (You'll get the equivalent monetary value back should you decide to subscribe for the full service. See website for details.) This is such a low risk gamble, and whatever your final decision may be, you'll probably just end up having the best hour you'll spend on solving online puzzles. No matter the contents, whether it be the story, the puzzles, the "sets and props", the art visuals, and everything I've covered above, everything's the definition of epitome of quality. I simply don't see a reason why you wouldn't play this. In fact, I will go on record and say that it's almost ludicrous this is advertised at such a reasonable price tag. (I've seen games that are a lot less entertaining, without half the innovation, cost around the same OR MORE.) But you are your best judge. So go ahead, try it out. If a little low-cost, test sample tastes this good already, imagine what kind of absolute beast of a feast the main course will be! If you are anything like me or the Society, and are ever so curious to see what's in store in the coming months, subscribe now. Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ MADOK'S LOST TREASURE (SEASON 1, ADVENTURE 1) (SUBSCRIPTION) - Society Of Curiosities...

CW, ATX, & The Wild Optimists presents... "SAVE THE CAST! NANCY DREW ATX QUEST" ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: CW, ATX, & The Wild Optimists 🕹️ GAME: Save The Cast! Nancy Drew ATX Quest 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Access This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: N/A 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: N/A 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: Free ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, Access Anytime 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Online Puzzle solved the mystery like a true Nancy Drew. Now to watch the show on The CW... "Save The Cast! Nancy Drew ATX Quest" officially joins the "MUST DO!!!" rank! ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from CW, ATX, & The Wild Optimists): Explained via introduction video clip, performed by Nancy Drew's actress, Kennedy McMann. JUST BRILLIANT Upon completing this free promo game from The CW, I just thought, "Wow, I loved absolutely everything about it!" It's free, it's of great quality, and it worked really, really well. What's not to like? I don't expect what's essentially an advertisement to rank "MUST DO!!!", but it happened. There are many reasons why I would recommend this game, besides the free price tag: ➼ The Wild Optimists are involved. While I don't know them well, I certainly know of them, and I believe they are the creators of Escape Room In A Box. Considering their extensive experience in puzzle writing, it's no wonder why "Save The Cast!" came to be such a delight. ➼ This never once felt like an ad. Even if you have never seen the show and don't know any of the actors involved (*me raising my hand*), you can still head in blind and have a great time. (Well, maybe it'd help if you know what the heck an Aglaeca is.) ➼ In fact, now that I am introduced to this program, I may actually start watching it. I am such a big suck for mystery shows. (Who else remembers "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo"?) I think that means this genius commercial actually worked! Here I come, online streaming app... ➼ This was probably filmed and produced while all the actors were in quarantine, just like the rest of us. This real world scenario was written into the plot and helped shape the objective of our mission. Talk about making the best out of an unfortunate situation! EYE CANDIES, BRAIN TREATS As for the "visuals" aspect of this escape game, fantastic. You wouldn't expect any less from The CW, which specializes in teen drama, now, would ya? Most certainly, the entire cast was easy on the eyes, but the beauty doesn't end there. The entire website was designed with great aesthetics. It's simple, clean, non cluttered, and effective. Probably made with and hosted by Wix, this webpage made the best use of all of Wix's resources. Great choices on font face, size, and colors. Reliance on video clips means minimal text to read, a bonus. AND OF COURSE, I LOVE THEM PUZZLES, TOO. Let's go into that now. MINI MYSTERY CASE FILES The puzzles revolved around saving each cast member from a certain magical object suddenly appearing in their homes. These cursed items, backed by the power of the Aglaeca, act as seals that prevent the actors from leaving their homes or contacting each other by any mean. After successfully solving each mini challenge, you're rewarded with a "reveal" moment, much like you would commonly witness in an actual escape room. I didn't initially expect this part in a TV series based game, especially when done so splendidly. Every instance involved, let's just say, some form of cute "magic trick", and it was just so much fun to watch. And with every step of the way building anticipation up the grand finale meta puzzle, the entire experience felt complete and so satisfying. I truly wish it lasted longer! CASE 1: poetic mirror This started out strong. I was surprised the first puzzle's being at this level of difficulty for the general audience. As an escape room enthusiast, I've never seen this hidden code presented in a poetry before, but now I have and I enjoyed every line. Tip: outside knowledge required. CASE 2: GAZING PORTRAITS I thought I got stuck at first when trying this case my iPhone. This is when I thought, "Ah, they got me. I dunno any of the cast's names, and I gonna have to do a some research." Then I saw the puzzle image in bigger resolution on a PC, and ahh. Clear as day now. An easy one. CASE 3: CRIMSON WALLPAPER A little bit of Instagram magic. Not so much as a puzzle as following directions. Still fun. CASE 4: INTERRUPTED CALL It seems like every puzzle designer out there is getting on board with this particular modality of clue giving, eh? Not complaining, as injecting a bit of real world authenticity is always welcome as far as I'm concerned! The reveal, however, was the best part of this segment. CASE 5: TRAVELING PAIRS This was a tricky one. Essentially an Instagram treasure hunt, you have to follow a specific digital trail to obtain your solution... And that crucial chain between the IG accounts was* broken. Therefore, I was extra proud of myself for solving this puzzle via true detective sleuthing--I really had to snoop around a bit! [*Update: Contacted the game makers and the error's been fixed! Yes!] CASE 6: SCATTERED BUTTONS A juvenile children activity turned interesting puzzle; kind of haven't seen this one before! CASE 7: ACQUIRED WORDS This one wasn't particularly exciting, though it was still an important conclusion to your investigation. Ending in a meta puzzle always provides a sense of achievement and closure to your hard work, but I wished the actress and I were both given more to work with. All in all, professionally and fantastically produced, this is a better option than some paid contents, even. I am about 3 weeks late, but so glad to have finally done it. LASTLY... AHHHHH! Jump scare! Crap! It got me good. Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ All official media are credited to respective contents owners, and are used under fair use doctrine of copyright law, in an effort to advance interests for both the companies and their entertainment contents. No copyright infringement intended.

Not An Escape Room presents... "THE ORIGINAL BUNDLE" (CRYPT, HEIST, & ENIGMA) ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Not An Escape Room 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🗾 COUNTRY: United Kingdom 🕹️ GAME: The Original Bundle (Crypt, Heist, & Enigma) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Purchase This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 30, 45, And 60 Minutes, Respectively 💬 DIFFICULTY: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert (Official) | Very Easy to Medium (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 1-8 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: £25 (GBP) For Bundle ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, By Purchase, Start Play Anytime 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Online Puzzle, Google Form Based ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Not An Escape Room): Crypt: You wake up deep in side a pyramid, in the dark. Solve the puzzles and get past the traps to escape! This beginner level map is perfect for those new to escape rooms, younger players or those who don’t want to work their brain too much! Heist: Your team had planned for every eventuality, You had the plans, the codes, the firepower.. but at the last second the FBI worked out your plan and shut down the bank you had targeted for months! You need the money as soon as possible to stop them coming for you, so you find another bank, in a smaller town, and decide to go in blind, with no knowledge of it’s layout. You’re in, it’s midnight, the place is empty. Can your team complete this intermediate level escape room without alerting the authorities? Enigma: You and your team of codebreakers must work together on this expert level map to crack a variety of codes and ciphers before it is too late. Use your collective knowledge and the clues you pick up from the various virtual rooms to break down firewalls and hack systems, and save the world. GOOGLE FORM BASED START UP Most online puzzle games I've played in the past are purely webpage based. I expect images, text, sometimes video clips, and of course, a password box at the very bottom for solution input. The approach is straightforward, and usually similar across many companies. Not An Escape Room defied the norm, and decided to take a different route: Google Form. Google Form is usually used for surveys and questionnaires. Its being utilized into an escape game, or escape game adjacent challenges, is a first for me. And why not? Google Form already came pre-formatted to look tidy and neat, so re-purposing it for online games seems somewhat clever--to the very least, one can safely assume, it will always come out looking clean and presentable without much additional effort. CLEAN, MINIMALISTIC APPROACH As far as accompanying graphics go, the game author took good care of the overall presentation, as one can tell easily across the three title "covers": Though different fonts were chosen for the three games in the original bundle, color schemes remained simple, choosing only neighboring colors within the same family, nothing too flamboyant, and yet still pleasing to the eyes. The 3 resulting end products complement each other, clear saying, "We're from the same brand." If anything, this was a decent way to grow your brand--consistency. This approach seems to extend into the experience's core visuals as well. Images are curated to look unified and not overly flashy, which in itself are more fitting for the Google Form format. level 1: crypt This first production takes place in a burial ground complex in a desert. In "Crypt", You start off in the Queen's Chamber, and your main objective is collect broken pieces of map to ultimately find a way out. Not much frill here. There are a couple of simple riddles or decoding challenge along the way, nothing that an escape room fanatic hasn't before. These are most suited for very green beginners. Due to the surprisingly low number of actual puzzles, this felt more like a guided version of "choose your adventure" story. This story is linear, and with brute force of clearing out all possible options, you'll eventually find the exit. This should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes to finish. level 2: heist "Heist" puts you in the shoe of a master burglar on his way to robbing the bank vault. It's a typical scenario in the escape room industry, and my favorite game of 3 overall. The bank building is divided into 4 main sections, and player can systematically go over each one by one, clearing the associated main brainteaser embedded in each room, and ultimately arriving at the giant vault door. The puzzles in this installment were the most logical within the bundle. Again, the total number of challenges provided was still too low for my taste, and left something more to be desired. On the bright side, though, these were at least well written and of decent quality. It took me roughly 25 minutes to clean out the bank. Time for me to create a Scrooge McDuck pool! Whoo hoo! A slight suggestion was made to connect a certain puzzle and its clues in a more intuitive manner, and I would be thrilled to see its being implemented one day. level 3: enigma Finally, the boss level, "Enigma"--what's a captured spy to do? Escape to avoid the enemy's imminent torture, of course. This was a very polarizing experience for me, because on the one hand, as an escape game, it required an unacceptably large amount of outside knowledge to succeed. By convention, puzzles should be ideally solvable without any extraneous help. Given, Google search is never explicitly banned, and is indeed the intended route to solve these aforementioned problems. On the other hand, after a brief discussion with the maker, I've come to the understanding that "Enigma" also serves to teach the players some interesting, otherwise little known facts in computer science, coding, and the likes. And since this actually relates back to the overarching spy universe and the plot line, I've begun to see this product's hidden appeal. Funnily enough, upon replay (as I often will do for review purpose), I discover that had you possess enough outside knowledge, and was able to deduce the correct door code, you could've ended your mission within minutes. (Can you imagine?!) The little Easter egg on the title banner was also cute. A YOUNG DEVELOPER IN THE MAKING If I was being 100% honest, the amount of contents prepared for each of these titles seems light in comparison to other similar products already on the market; correspondingly, when comparing value among competitors of similar price point, dollar to dollar, Not An Escape Room may lose the edge. Nonetheless, business startups are rarely perfect, and rest assured, this has been brought to the maker's attention. This, along with other feedback, will be taken into consideration when our young game developer, Kelsie, continues crafting his future pieces. In contrast to my usual escape room "experts" crowd, he may still have much more to explore and experiment. As he invests more time in his projects and gains more experience along the way, he will furthermore tap into his full potential. I wish him all the best and look forward to seeing vast improvements in the future. want more? I've actually done 4 total playthroughs for Not An Escape Room, with 3 of the 4 games (from the original bundle) covered in this review post. These freshly published online adventures are a new online endeavor founded by a young man named Kelsie. He created them as fun alternatives to the usual video chat quizzes for his friends, and now, for an even broader audience. He also enjoys performing magic as a hobby. If you enjoy his work, also explore "Breakout", a more developed creation themed after a prison breakout, with puzzles more in line with a typical escape room experience. Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ BREAKOUT - Not An Escape Room | Review

Not An Escape Room presents... "BREAKOUT" ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Not An Escape Room 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🗾 COUNTRY: United Kingdom 🕹️ GAME: Breakout 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Purchase This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 45 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: Intermediate (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 1-8 Players 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: £10 (GBP) ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, By Purchase, Start Play Anytime 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Online Puzzle, Google Form Based ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Not An Escape Room): You’re in prison. Probably because you tried to rob a bank or something.. You heard from other inmates being transferred in that you’re entering the cell of a previous inmate, one who mysteriously disappeared one day without a trace. Did he escape? Probably. Can you? Let’s find out... MORE GOOGLE FORM BASED FUN "Breakout" is a follow up entry to "The Original Bundle" by Not An Escape Room. This website uses Google form web tool as the base for all its puzzle and escape games. You'll navigate the story with multiple choice radio buttons, drop down menus, and password input fields. THE USUAL STAGE We find ourselves in a prison in the company's fourth entry, one of the staples of the escape room world. A previous inmate has successfully escaped the very jail cell you're currently residing, and they have left behind clues to help you do the same. Will you also succeed? And cue the clock! WHAT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME Within the first five minutes of clicking around my virtual jail cell, I noticed that this new game was much more image heavy than all the previous offerings. And every single image seemed to have carried significant clues, and not one red herring spotted. To help you smoothly overcome all obstacles, I highly suggest right clicking on every image, and open the file in a new browser tab, so you can refer back to them swiftly with ease. The game overall was also more structured and linear, in a way that made sense: You first aim to free yourself from handcuffs, then the cell metal gate, and finally out the facility to sweet freedom. Because of this natural progression route, the story had many opportunities for more puzzle check points, and this game finally delivered the proper number of challenges I expect to see. (Previous efforts were lighter on actual puzzles contents.) I happily congratulated the maker for a job well done, and expressed my sincere desire for him to continue upholding this new standard as the bar to reach or beat in future projects. UNDENIABLE VIBE OF ESCAPE ROOM Whereas "Enigma" strayed a bit far from what you typically envision from an escape game, "Breakout" pulled a 180 and followed some of the most classic formulas. Similar to a physical gen 1 room, this game zoomed in on decoding secret messages and working out lock combos. The clues were scattered apart just the right amount to offer a good level of challenge, though with good note taking, one could easily group relevant clues together and solve the puzzles efficiently. I took roughly 30 minutes to finish the entire game. Though the riddles this time were not as "edgy" (or abstract) as the ones found in "Enigma", I did find myself both enjoying and preferring Breakout's classic choices due to my ability to finish them without serious frustration or struggle. Is it possible that I found them more appealing partially due to my clinging dearly onto my comfort zone? Maybe. Who knows? I can confirm, however, that these riddles were undoubtedly better written, logically speaking, and required no outside knowledge to complete. And that's always better in my book. Hence, out of all the options in the web store, this would be my pick. MUSINGS & SUGGESTIONS The latter end of your penitentiary escape involved some "decision at a crossroad" moments, and you could seemingly embark on several paths of possibly different fates. However, in actuality, it doesn't quite matter what choices were made--you eventually have to backtrack and follow a pre-determined path to win the game. And that got me thinking, what if your arbitrary decisions actually affect your outcome, and would sequentially unlock one of several possible scenarios, coupled with completely different puzzles? Wouldn't that be so neat?! Instead of being a pseudo-choose-your-adventure story, actually be one! Numerous video game titles, and even some movies, feature multiple possible endings. Let's implement the same here. Not to mention, this would increase replay value. want more? I've actually done 4 total playthroughs for Not An Escape Room; this review post covers the company's fourth publication, "Breakout". These freshly published online adventures are a new online endeavor founded by a young man named Kelsie. He created them as fun alternatives to the usual video chat quizzes for his friends, and now, for an even broader audience. He also enjoys performing magic as a hobby. If you enjoy his work, also explore "The Original Bundle", a discounted package with three of his earlier creations: Crypt, Heist, and Enigma. Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ THE ORIGINAL BUNDLE (CRYPT, HEIST, & ENIGMA) - Not An Escape Room | Review

Escape From Home presents... "HISTORY RE-WRITTEN" ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Aw, Almost! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Escape From Home 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Online Games 🗾 COUNTRY: United Kingdom 🕹️ GAME: History Re-written 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Purchase This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 90 Minutes To 3 Hours (Average Game Time) 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Official) | Medium (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: None Specified 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: £10.00 (GBP) ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, By Purchase, Access Anytime 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Online Puzzle ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Escape From Home): Our online game takes place in the past and the present. Ever thought you'd like to alter history? History Re-written Inc. are looking for people like you. A curious START You're not given very much prior to purchasing "History Re-written" online. You kinda know time traveling is involved, but that's about it. After payment, you download/receive a letter from Tristan Clearwater, Head of Operation at History Re-Written Inc, letting you know that you've been chosen among numerous applicants! Hurray! You did it! But... for what? You soon find out that you will participate in a program that aims to alter the course of history--to transverse across space and time, and to erase some catastrophic events from ever happening, benefiting mankind in the long run. FAMILIAR FORMAT RETURNS Beside the intriguing premise, having already finished this company's 3 free games, I recognized the overall presentation of this escape game. While this is convenient for returning users to jump right into this new installment, I was a little disappointed to see that the overall visuals did not receive an aesthetics upgrade. Certainly not a deal breaker, rest assured, because I am here to solve puzzles. There was, however, a deliberate removal of all hints from the puzzle web pages; all help related contents had been consolidated into one single self-paced reference guide. Very convenient and easy to use, so bravo on this choice. TIME TRAVEL POWERED BY PUZZLES To truly begin this web based adventure, you'll need to solve Puzzle #1 from Clearwater's letter to even obtain the actual game web address. A final admission test, eh? Unfortunately, the very first puzzle lacked an obvious tie to the overall theme, besides perhaps "science, just because". A certain questionable wording also hindered a smooth takeoff. The bulk of this time machine ride, thankfully, was quite delightful. While some puzzles may not be strong contenders for being the most interesting or memorable, some I found to be clear winners with younger kids! This is most definitely still a family oriented game, and I find joy in knowing there are developers out there who cater to this age group. There was certainly a big variety of challenges from start to finish, and if I need to name one strong pro for this title, it would be the wide array of new activities appearing in this new title that have not yet made their debuts in the company's previous online games. Details detection, paper craft (printer & scissors required), logic riddle, cipher decoding, and even a rather peculiar crossword puzzle, you really got a lot to deal within in the next hour. Regrettably, my experience ended up on a sour note, as the last puzzle suddenly became unnecessarily convoluted. It was impossible for me to solve, and I seriously doubt the average puzzle enthusiast, let alone one at a young age, would find this doable. Even after careful examination of all the hints, it still took tremendous effort and close to a full 10 minutes for me to fully comprehend the solution. So, in the spirits of positivity, and not to detract from all the other great features the game did manage to provide, I'd just pretend the last puzzle never happened! On a side note, there were a couple of humorous moments that I wish to see more of in the future. Puzzle lovers not only love a good challenge--we appreciate a good laugh, too. ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS This game has the best concept of the four online games I've reviewed for Escape From Home, though actual execution can be further perfected! As mentioned, some puzzles could stand a revision or two. More graphics, audio files, or videos could liven things up, rendering the experience more immersive. Game play wise, there were several points in the game that I got super confused as to what exactly I was looking for. The most extreme example was: here's a paragraph of text, here's where you enter the password, GO! (Uhhhh... where do I start?) Though the point of writing a puzzle is mystify and stimulate, it should never frustrate the audience. Minor tweaking with a quick couple of lines of text would eliminate much of the potential confusion. Solution input format can be further standardized as well. Lastly, since the mission involves correcting tragedies that occurred in actual history, why not take this opportunity to educate as well? A convenient link to each event's Wikipedia page could provide a quick reference point, should the player choose to learn more. FINAL THOUGHTS All in all, there were highs and lows, but I enjoyed a large chunk of my short stint at History Re-Written Inc. Given the low price point, it's a great way for locals to support a small business, and also a decent enough option for those overseas to consider. As mentioned in a previous blog post, Escape From Home has 3 great options for children starting at age 8 to enjoy, completely free of charge. A desert expedition? Sail with the pirates? Or a global world tour? Which mysterious path will you or your little one embark on? Whether you choose a paid or a free title, either way, grab the young ones in your household, gather around a computer, and have an leisurely impromptu family game night. Afterwards, make sure to drop the owner a thank you note for his contribution! Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ THE EGYPTIAN ESCAPE, A PIRATE'S PROBLEM, & GLOBAL GATEWAY - Escape From Home...

Escape From Home presents... "THE EGYPTIAN ESCAPE" "A PIRATE'S PROBLEM" & "GLOBAL GATEWAY" ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Escape From Home 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Online Games 🗾 COUNTRY: United Kingdom 🕹️ GAME: The Egyptian Escape, A Pirate's Problem, & Global Gateway 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info (Egyptian / Pirate's / Global) | To Access These Games ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: None Specified 💬 DIFFICULTY: Easy, Easy, & Intermediate (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: None Specified 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: Free ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, Access Anytime 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Online Puzzle ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Escape From Home): None provided, though the titles are self-explanatory, and all your magical journeys will begin with the opening of the attic wardrobe. AN EXPLOSION OF AT HOME PUZZLES Like many parts of the world, much of Europe experienced a long period of economy shutdown due to pandemic control measures. While entertainment venues, including beloved escape room companies, were not allowed to open, many puzzle and game makers shifted focus, and started providing online options to their customers instead. Today, we examined not one, not two, but THREE free games from UK's Escape From Home. THREE FLAVORS TO CHOOSE FROM While all 3 games are more aimed towards younger audience, say up to early teens, these are actually 3 separate adventures with quite the contrasting themes. Each episode is a self-contained quest that can be done out of order without much impact on the individual plots, though playing them in publish chronology (Egyptian, Pirate's, Global) makes the most sense. Each story begins with your being bored at home, casually venturing through the magical door of the attic wardrobe, and eventually landing in the outside world, wherever that may lead you! The first two puzzle scenarios are always similar in theme, providing a common launching point for all 3 journeys, and a sense of cohesiveness and familiarity that's reminiscent of a TV series. Like the kids in "The Chronicles of Narnia", when playing these games back to back, I thought to myself, "Here I go again!" Pro tips: Do not play these on a mobile device. The hint system employs your mouse cursor hovering over a button, and thereby revealing extra help and ultimately the solution. This, however, does NOT work on your cell phone. You will flat out see your answer right away. Also, pay attention to the password's requested format--use capital letters, or type in all small letters, use space, or eliminate any space, when asked. (It's a bit disorderly, I know.) IN HOT WATER, OR LACK THEREOF It came as no surprise that the magical portal of the clothing closet led us to the hot desert in Egypt, placing us right next to the pyramids of Giza. This is, after all, one of the most often chosen themes for escape games, and it's always proper to start the kids early with the traditions. Youngsters, this is Escape Room Culture 101. "The Egyptian Escape" (difficulty: easy) sets up an expectation and trend of how Escape From Home will present its games. All following installments will be identical in format. You get a section of text, some form of media, whether decorative or integral to the puzzle, a password field to enter your solution, and hint buttons at the bottom. Of the puzzles available, some were typical escape room "padlock combo" seeking challenges, and some were image based brainteasers that often appear on Instagram posts. A couple stood out as "Google searches" questions, and I kinda realized a newfound respect for them as they taught me some random facts that I never knew before about ancient burial customs. PIRATES, OF COURSE, A CLASSIC TROPE It seems like we, as escape room lovers, can never escape the fate of seeking hidden treasures and inevitably arriving at the face of mortal danger as, you guessed it, pirates. From being locked in a cell, to climbing onto the deck, and finally arriving at a sandy beach with a treasure chest sure to be uncovered soon, you've seen it, you've done it. Love it or hate it, this is Vol 2. "A Pirate's Problem" (difficulty: easy), as all sequels should, bulked up the body count... whoops, sorry, puzzle count. You have slightly more to do this time around, and the adventure may last a bit longer. However, the puzzles in this chapter were not my favorite since they resembled a lot like elementary school education activities packet. While the previous game provided some didactic moments, this one fell flat for me. Children may appreciate some pattern recognition and math practice, nonetheless. AIR TRAVEL WITHOUT HEALTH RISKS Finally, third time's the charm, and the supernatural wardrobe sends the players on a "Global Gateway" (difficulty: intermediate). Ironically, in a time when public flights may not be the safest transit option, we're sent all over the world virtually on the screen. Alas, we don't actually do a lot of sightseeing, since most puzzles are confined within airports and planes. Puzzles newcomers included investigation on actual existing websites, origami based activity (fun!), and again some Google search learning moments. My personal favorite was trying to find my departing gate via logic--while learning a new vocabulary word! However, game developer should take note, Google search results vary from user to user, especially if they are physically located in different countries. One particular puzzle proved to be very complicated to impossible solve when playing in the US. Perhaps in future games, the search subject could be a little less locally oriented to fit a broader audience. A COMPLIMENTARY SAMPLER Usually a company would give you a small taste of what they offer before transitioning to their purchase-to-play model, so I thought it was quite generous for the owner to provide multiple games, completely free of charge, for children with little to do at home to pass time. This wasn't even a modestly sized supermarket sample; this was a straight-up buffet. Best of all, these are actually somewhat educational (I myself learned a thing or two) and trump passively staring at the telly, as my mother always taught me. As an adult escape room enthusiast, these are admittedly a bit on the drier side, and I think a more uniform and unique art style would benefit the various web based contents. Good visuals help things pop! However, I am in no place to complain since I am not part of the core audience. And still, I gotta once again emphasize, they packed a lot for you to do in each game, not asking for a single cent! (Or as the British say, a single pence!) If you have played through any of the above online games, enjoyed what you saw, or you simply would like to support the creator's future endeavors, they have a paid title available for purchase, entitled "History Re-written". Head over and see if you could right the wrongs in the course of history? (Maybe we could turn back time and exercise better containment strategies and efforts for this viral outbreak? Anyone?) Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ HISTORY RE-WRITTEN - Escape From Home | Review

Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms presents... "CUT-THROAT" (AUDIO LED) ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 1 Player • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Online Rooms 🏘️ ADDRESS: 2333 Albert St, Regina, SK S4P 2V8 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: Canada 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: Cut-Throat (Audio Led) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 4/10 (Official) | Easy (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: Maximum of 10 Players Recommended 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $65 (CAD) Per Game ► FORMAT & SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, By Appointment 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Audio Led Escape Room ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Mystery Mansion): Your police captain has gone missing and you know this is the work of the notorious "Handcuff Killer". You received one final message from your captain, which included a strange address. Equipped with a live-streaming head-cam, you send the last able-bodied detective to the address to investigate. Can you save your captain? ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Handcuff Killer terrorizing his next meal--your police team's captain 👀 VISUAL: Exactly the same room presented via photographs rather than a live Zoom feed 🧩 PUZZLE: Same puzzles as prior, mostly gen 1 padlocks, with a few "gadgets" mixed in 🧠 IMMERSION: Improved, largely thanks to the avatar's committed and humorous acting 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Virtually all presented by interface Telescape Live, smooth experience 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Mitch continues to impress, never a dull moment with this guy 💭 OVERALL: An enhanced version from previous remote version, a solid audio led game 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Beginner to medium experienced; appreciate dark, mildly dirty, adult humor 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: 3 seems about just right, up to 4 if you feel unsure ► CUT-THROAT: REBORN & NAUGHTIER ◄ And... we are back! I've very recently written about "Cut-Throat" the remote escape room experience prior to its closing, only to find out soon after that it wasn't exactly dead and buried. In fact, it's pretty much still alive and kicking, and in some ways, better than ever. While the physical location that once housed Handcuff Killer's hideout is being renovated for, well, another slayer's torture chamber (see "Seen"), the legend of "Cut-Throat" lives on with a game master hosted, audio led online experience. If you didn't get the privilege of meeting the Handcuff Killer (HCK) the first time around, good news, the game is still 95% identical, with only minor puzzle changes; even better news, many of the weaknesses I've discussed previously have now been remedied. Treat this new review as an updated look at "Cut-Throat", if you will. (If you have yet to read the first entry, I highly encourage you to do so right here.) The beginning of this audio led version began similarly with a backstory intro, though this time, it was narrated via a pre-recorded sound file, done by professional voice acting, complete with menacing score and effects. Though the contents was 100% same, this improved delivery set the foreboding tone much more so effectively. My game avatar, Mitch, who remained to be the last able-bodied officer of the most unfortunate (and/or incompetent) police task force ever, with all team members sustaining crippling injuries but one, set out to save their captured captain. We, who are part of the bedridden backup, continue to command the clueless on-site officer via voice command from home (while praying for a speedy recovery). Then the enhancements for this new version kicked in! One of the biggest changes implemented was inventory system utilization with an interface called Telescape Live by Buzzshot. Whereas Zoom was absolutely required to broadcast a live video and audio feed for the previous remote room experience, it's now essentially taking a backseat and just casually providing a voice over from your host. Instead, Telescape took over, and the entire "room" was presented with still photographs transmitted by your investigating officer on location, all displayed within the inventory site. Certain key areas with a photo can be zoomed in and examined for a closer look. In addition, a password field was available at all times for inputting puzzle solution. For example, if you think the answer to the 5-letter combo lock at the locker is "DUMMY", then you can actually punch that in to check if the answer is correct. (If not, then you're dummy.) Though not exactly the same sensation, that's still one way to imitate padlock unlocking. If the solution is indeed legitimate, more photos will be granted, and the game progresses in this overall format. (Items that are used will also automatically disappear from inventory.) In addition, from time to time, HCK would grace the players with a cameo appearance in the form of audio recordings, providing some of those promised "dark humor" moments. This semi-automated inventory was a welcoming change due to 1) I no longer risk missing an important clue due to camera angle or occasional blurry visuals, and 2) our avatar, who's no longer preoccupied with broadcasting a live feed via a body cam, is now free to perform! Well, more accurately speaking, voice acting and improv. And jokes. Lots of jokes. What really made me enjoy this updated audio led version 2.0 was the avatar's commitment to make this online experience more immersive by becoming the plot's character, and more entertaining by being outlandishly strange and wackily humorous. Having done a good amount of remote escape experience to date, I assure you, an enthusiastic, charismatic, or funny avatar can help elevate a game to "memorable" status. For every chance that he can conveniently insert a double entendre, Mitch did it. And for every instance I could invoke an emotional response from my goofy avatar, I took a shot. Playing off each other's dynamics was a highlight for quarantine gaming, and I genuinely invite everyone to try the same if the staff is also gamed--it could be very fun and rewarding. Admittedly, some of the humor borderlines on being really out there, a little immature, and some may even call it lewd; but damn it, this is all up my alley, and I actually really ate up every little risque jokes and naughty moments! And perhaps the host has a talent of feeling out who their audience may be, and tailor made some custom jokes that would resonate with specific customers/groups. Now, I am not sure how Mitch looked at Escape Mattster's angelic, innocent face and concluded "dirty puns!", but hey, he most certainly wasn't wrong. Overall, this was no worse so than an episode of "Family Guy" or "South Park", though if you adamantly oppose to this sort of adult-leaning humor, do communicate with the business for possible alternative accommodation. As mentioned, puzzles remained about 95% same from prior remote version, but now even furthermore streamlined by Telescape inventory system. Mostly basing on gen 1 locks and codes gaming system, this audio led escape game is easy in difficulty and novice friendly. My experience with Regina's Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms has been positive thus far, so expect more coverage from yours truly with our Canadian friend in the future. Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ THE DETECTIVE'S OFFICE (REMOTE) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ CUT-THROAT (REMOTE) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ NIGHT TERRORS (REMOTE) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review

OFFICIAL INFO FROM COMPANY... 🕹️ Alone Together 2: Together Apart 🌐 Enchambered ▪ Puzzles & Games 🗺️ Based In United States ⏲️ N/A ▪ 💪 N/A ▪ 🔢 2 Teams THE PREMISE 📚 Play with a friend! Can you decipher enigmatic puzzles that require constant communication between you and your teammate to solve? Your escape is dependent on how well you work together to find your way through gadgets and clues to solve the puzzle. Using two separate devices, play with a friend on the couch or even all the way across the globe on the phone or video chat! This is the sequel to the free puzzle game Alone Together. THE GUIDE THIS IS CLASSIFIED AS... ▪ Play At Home » Purely Online Digital Game ▪ Cooperative (Co-op) Communication Puzzle Game MY BODY IS READY! NOW WHAT? 🛒 TO BUY, CLICK HERE! THE REVIEW Alone Together 2: Together Apart ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room THERE'S A PLOT NOW... KINDA In a nutshell, instead of throwing the players two random work tables and just begin working puzzles of various nature and objects, there's a modest attempt of tying all the brainteasers together with a overarching story world: The two players, Player 1 and Player 2, will fulfill the role of the Fortune Teller and The Clock Maker, tasked to solve the magic of two pieces of magical artifacts. Though two separate entities, these separate objects respond to each other through supernatural forces, as one should rightfully expect, lol. Solve the mysteries within to save... our... lives...? Honestly, I didn't find the plot line too believable, they oughta fix that. Player One, Clock Maker ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room MORE OVERTLY THEMED Though I wasn't quite on board with the plot per se, the resulting theme that each player got to witness was deserving enough for anyone to overlook the narrative shortcoming. Since Player 1 is now the Fortune Teller, everything is dripping with an occult flavor. (And in some cases, typical "witch-y" ingredients and potions.) And yay, Tarot cards! Love these. I do believe the title of fortune teller was more of a politically correct-driven choice, because most of the items I saw was more in line in the world of witchcraft. I would've preferred the more appropriate and esteemed title of a warlock! (This is my preferred side of the two options.) On the flip side, Player 2 the Clock Maker receives a much more mechanical looking box, with a lot of metal gears, buttons, and similar contraptions to fiddle with. There are cogs turning, handles to pull, and keyhole to look through. Somewhat fascinating still, just not as exciting. One or two particular new puzzles now involve parts manipulation, in a similar fashion to that of a sliding puzzle; and while I acknowledge this as a respected form of puzzle and long standing member in the history of brainteasers, (and I am actually quite proficient at solving them,) it still felt more chore like than actual fun. So a bit of a pet peeve there. Player Two, Fortune Teller ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room PERPLEXING PUZZLES The challenges do not seem to have any common theme, and rather random and eclectic. There's really no explanation why there are playing cards and alien language symbols just laying around, thus making the communication hurdle aspect that much more interesting. Overall, this is a pattern recognition game relayed over a conversation without face to face contact, though some of the brainteasers really do remind me of the exact types one would commonly confront in an actual physical escape room! STILL IMPRESSIVE ARTWORK One thing that remained equally awesome from the previous game, and still radiated brightly across the board was the art work. Whoever's been rendering these images for these lovely puzzle games, a loud round of applause. You have done it again. This only further fuels my desire to play their in-real-life, physical games with this company. I bet they would look beyond awesome. Sacramento just became a destination spot for me! Alone Together 2: Together Apart ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room DOH! IT HAPPENED AGAIN! Having completely botched my first attempt at Enchambered's first installment, my partner and I played the sequel immediately after, thinking we would do much better and hopefully redeem ourselves from any further embarrassing performance. And in a way, yes, we did that, kinda? We were able to advance through much of this second game without any major obstacle... except until the final stretch. There was one particular puzzle towards that end that my partner, whom I adore dearly, though I was beyond frustrated with at the moment, just flat out refused to understand. It just so occurred that the puzzle clues didn't align with how he thought they should be presented. He was at a mental gridlock. A complete standstill. Gah. Long story short, after patiently waiting for him to have a breakthrough for roughly half a hour, I broke my vow to stick with the game rules, walked over to his screen, and examined his clues, and proceeded to finish the game within 3 minutes. AHHH! I could just strangle him! 😇 So my advice for the last game still stands this time around: If you, like I, have a team that include participant(s) of varying level of experience, it's best to play with at least 2 players on the side with less past puzzle solving knowledge. That helps leveling out the playing field, and also fills in the gaps of weaknesses. Expert players with great communication skills should do just fine with 2 people. Alone Together 2: Together Apart ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room HELP IS INCLUDED What's new in this sequel is the self guiding game hints page, available for you to use should you ever get stuck. (You can only access this guide with an active license key, however.) Obviously, spoilers alert, so only use this if you absolutely have to. The guide webpage is also gorgeously designed, so do have a look after you beat the game. While I didn't know this hints guide existed during game play, I doubt it would've helped my team specifically since the problem was rooted in a misinterpretation of the graphics, rather than truly baffled by the question, so to speak. Just my luck! Haha! Speaking of help, your donation of $5 (USD) or more to access this game helps the company pay for rent and their staff during temporary forced closure. Your monetary support assists their ability to retain all the wonderful people who have skillfully served their guests all these years. This is definitely a worthy cause, and I was happy to oblige. THE FUN DOESN'T END All in all, Enchambered has done it again with an exceptional new product with a cheap price tag to match. You're getting a great value for paying very little out of pocket. Having gone over the entire game one more time by myself for reviewing purpose, I can tell you this is a winner. If you enjoyed what "Alone Together 2: Together Apart", don't forget to also check out its previous installment "Alone Together"! Puzzles format is similar, and it's generally regarded as the easier of the two. You'll sail right through it with ease! If you need further challenges still, Enchambered has even more riddles and brainteasers available, all executed with the same high quality graphics that have come to become a signature for all the online games from this venerable Sacramento company. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster All media are sourced from and credited to rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended. In certain cases, media materials are made available under fair use doctrine of copyright law. ESERApart.

OFFICIAL INFO FROM COMPANY... 🕹️ Alone Together 🌐 Enchambered ▪ Puzzles & Games 🗺️ Based In United States ⏲️ About 45 Minutes ▪ 💪 N/A ▪ 🔢 2 Teams THE PREMISE 📚 Play with a friend! Can you decipher enigmatic puzzles that require constant communication between you and your teammate to solve? Your escape is dependent on how well you work together to find your way through gadgets and clues to solve the puzzle. Using two separate devices, play with a friend on the couch or even all the way across the globe on the phone or video chat! THE GUIDE THIS IS CLASSIFIED AS... ▪ Play At Home » Purely Online Digital Game ▪ Cooperative (Co-op) Communication Puzzle Game MY BODY IS READY! NOW WHAT? 🛒 TO PLAY, CLICK HERE! ▪ For this: Per company, the game works best on larger screens. Laptops and tablets work best. Phones may be harder to play on due to smaller text but you can zoom in. If using a pen tablet, put the device into laptop mode. THE REVIEW Alone Together ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room I HERD U LIEK CO-OP GAMES Back in May, California was under a stay-at-home order, and most escape room companies were not operational in an effort to keep coronavirus from further spreading. Even to date, a section of the escape room audience may still not be comfortable with going out just yet. For those who cherish a good team effort "split team" escape game, but can't go out, behold! An online alternative has long existed! "Alone Together" is an online puzzle game designed to test (and/or torture) one's ability (or lack thereof) to communicate effectively with another. Two teams are given different game interfaces with various but contrasting clues scattered across the screen. What Team 1 sees on its panel is completely distinct from Team 2's, and verbal exchange back and forth is key to helping each other "escape", or reach the ending. EYE-PLEASING GRAPHICS I am not familiar with this company since it's based on NorCal, but I imagine its art department reigns supreme since this puzzle game is legitimately one of the best you would encounter during your stay-at-home stint (hopefully not for too long). This is absolutely not something the art team has just slapped together on a Saturday morning to provide temporary boredom relief for its followers. This is a highly thought out, meticulously drawn, and then artistically animated piece of puzzle gem. Just. Wow. The art style is a little "aged" and carries a 1960s or 70s nostalgia, if I'm dating the era correctly. Sounds effects are also present. The overall format is easy to learn, just pick up & go. Alone Together ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room MIND-BOGGLING PUZZLES The challenges do not seem to have any common theme, and rather random and eclectic. There's really no explanation why there are playing cards and alien language symbols just laying around, thus making the communication hurdle aspect that much more interesting. Overall, this is a pattern recognition game relayed over a conversation without face to face contact, though some of the brainteasers really do remind me of the exact types one would commonly confront in an actual physical escape room! ALAS... EXPERIENCE REQUIRED My own experience with this puzzle game, however, was a far cry from what most people have reflected upon. While there seems to be a consensus that this game was both entertaining and genius, my almost 45-minute long struggle was nothing but frustrating. (For reference, some of my friends finished within 15 minutes.) But, don't worry--I have a good idea of what went wrong, and I am just an outlier. The central problem lied in that I only had a team of exactly 2 players. My partner and I each received our own respective set of clues, and if either of us was weak at clearly explaining what's in front of us, or not observant enough to catch more elusive clues, we're done for. And that's exactly what happened. Player One (that'd be me!) has done nearly 100 escape games, and my beloved Player Two has only completed maybe 20 something rooms, 25 tops. And the divergence in experience and communication skills negatively affected our road to success. Somehow, I was able to guess and solve all my puzzles, most likely by luck, all the way to the end, while my partner was still stuck about halfway through his overall progress. Imagine that! With that said, you'll probably do just fine. For best results: Gather at least 4 people for this game, especially for beginners. Put at least 2 players on each side. Try to distribute participants of different experience level equally between the two teams. With players backing up each other, the game would run a lot more smoothly. Alone Together ▪ Enchambered: Sacramento Escape Room THE FUN DOESN'T END Don't let my transient frustration deter you from playing this game. After all, it's FREE! And it really doesn't get better than that. It's a short, sweet, and very well done online puzzle package, and I can totally see why it's received much acclaim within the community. If you enjoyed what "Alone Together", don't forget to also check out its sequel "Alone Together 2: Together Apart"! Puzzles format is similar, and it's sure to bring you another hour or so of head-scratching fun. If you need further challenges still, Enchambered has even more riddles and brainteasers available, all executed with the same high quality graphics that have come to become a signature for all the online games from this venerable Sacramento company. Signing off, ESCAPE MATTSTER Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster All media are sourced from and credited to rightful owners. No copyright infringement intended. In certain cases, media materials are made available under fair use doctrine of copyright law. ESERAlone.

Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms presents... "CUT-THROAT" (Remote) ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 2 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms 💻 WEBSITE: Company | Online Rooms 🏘️ ADDRESS: 2333 Albert St, Regina, SK S4P 2V8 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: Canada 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: Cut-Throat (Remote) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | Remote Version No Longer Available ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: 4/10 (Official) | Easy To Medium-ish (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: Up To 4 Zoom Connections 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: Remote Version No Longer Available ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Mystery Mansion): Your police captain has gone missing and you know this is the work of the notorious "Handcuff Killer". You received one final message from your captain, which included a strange address. Equipped with a live-streaming head-cam, you send the last able-bodied detective to the address to investigate. Can you save your captain? CUT-THROAT'S BEEN CUT Please note: This room, experience, or game is currently not available for booking or purchase. The blog entry will remain on site for your reading enjoyment, and for Mattster's own personal bittersweet trip down memory lane. Please inquire with company if this will become available again in the future, or what other exciting options are currently available. Thank you. Well, sorta. The original space reserved for remote escape room "Cut-Throat" is currently undergoing dismembering and/or reconstruction for a future attraction experience. Thus, this *exact* remote version, the subject of this blog post, is no longer available for enjoyment. However, an audio led rendition of a game by the same name is open for booking, and if interested, please visit Mystery Mansion's official website for details. [Note: This review focuses on recounting the experience, game play analysis, and some minor critiques of the remote version, not the new audio led option. Update: review for the audio led option is now up. Read it here.] ahh, mr killer, we meet again In all honesty, any serial killer themed escape game, no matter the title, is a familiar friend in the industry. I've made acquaintances with several psychotic physicians in the States, and it seems like sadistic murderer with a penchant for brainteasers is also prevalent in Canada. When first introduced to the "sitch at hand" by our game master prior to game start, I actually smirked, hard, at the narrative. Basically, a beloved police captain has been captured by the "Handcuff Killer" (HCK), and it's up to our last ambulatory officer to save his life on location, while the rest of us act as backup at command HQ since we all uniformly suffered from bedridden injuries. ...What?! We are ALL fallen soldiers except one?! Ridiculous, but I don't mind a good laugh. battle of the wits The next hour of operation is a combination of the brawn and the brains. Namely, the one single able bodied member would provide the muscles, but the mind, that part's all you! This particular style of game play features a very "dependent" avatar; the participants must be very specific in terms of vocal command to achieve results. For instance, if you don't tell them to lift up that metal box on the table, he probably won't--on purpose. I am not discounting this as a game weakness, but rather, it's a true test to gamer's ability to articulate precisely what needs to be done. It's a little sneaky, but I kinda dig the challenge. However, that notion, along with a lack of an inventory system, made the game more difficult than initially expected. Haughty Escape Mattster only brought a total of 2 for a game intended for at least 3. Oh man, trouble's a-brewing! inside the killer's mind Predictably, the HCK left a number of puzzles around the room as a potential offering to save a human life. Though quite unfortunately, we hit a snag right off the bet. Feeling extremely anxious after being stuck for 10 to 15 minutes with no true progress, we opted for a hint. And gosh darn it, once the hint was provided, we realized we simply did not see the starting puzzle because the Zoom feed didn't clearly capture the clue the first time around, and we brushed it off casually without even knowing it. So remote escape game developers out there, hint hint: an inventory system providing photos of all encountered key items is often beneficial and appreciated! Indeed, once we got a feel of what the challenges were like in this room, things went rather smoothly. The basis of the linear room was definitely gen 1 oriented, with many common goals of finding lock combos, keys, and passwords. I saw a lot of weird symbols, nonsensical alphabets, and casually misplaced body parts. You know the drill. There was a bit of "scavenging" thrown in as well, and I imagine I would've fared better in person. Majority of my subsequent hints were spent on finding well hidden clues. A couple of puzzles really got me, but I am no novice! Having found all but one digit/letter of a combo padlock, I simply told my avatar to rotate through all possible options until successful unlocking. Ha! Take that, HCK! (Overall, I'd say this room is doable by even beginners.) ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS My one gripe with this game is that, ironically, it is not cutthroat enough for me. Cutthroat, by definition, means ruthless, a descriptor of a great magnitude. And in that sense, I did not feel Mystery Mansion brought its full monty. I want more visuals, more gore, more dark humor, and more emotions! Gimme more! While I commend my game host for being an exceptional game master, (especially at giving out delicate hints without giving away the answers blatantly,) I did wish he would push the envelope as an in-game avatar, and play his story's role with much more commitment. Really channel and become that last member of the police team with working limbs, ya know? CONVERSION TO AUDIO LED Overall, even though I don't think "Cut-Throat" was as mind-blowing-ly impressive as "Night Terrors", I am happy that I got to do it before its planned demise, and it's always a pleasure to support a recently discovered business that I find personable. Though we bid farewell to this remote version, a re-imagined, audio led resurrection of this game lives on. Perhaps now a virtual depiction of the story world can be better represented with bloodier, gorier, more extreme images, and the complementary inventory system will remedy some of the aforementioned shortcomings. And of course, more dark humor, please! :D [Update: review blog post for the audio led version is now available. Read it here.] Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post. ► RELATED RESOURCES◄ ⤻ THE DETECTIVE'S OFFICE (REMOTE) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ CUT-THROAT (AUDIO LED) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review ⤻ NIGHT TERRORS (REMOTE) - Mystery Mansion Escape Rooms | Review

Bruum Escape presents... "THE SEARCH FOR THE MAGICAL ARTIFACT" (Remote) ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 4 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Bruum Escape 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🗾 COUNTRY: Italy 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: The Search For The Magical Artifact (Remote) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Official) | Medium To Hard (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: Up To 4 Zoom Connections 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: €30 (EURO) For 1-2 Connections, €40 For 3, and €50 For 4 ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Bruum Escape): None. A mysterious Mr. X will contact you after booking. ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Straightforward and established a simple & direct goal 👀 VISUAL: Quite impressive and extensive, especially considering the limitations for a vehicle 🧩 PUZZLE: Most definitely the best part of the game; logical, well thought out, challenging 🧠 IMMERSION: Not sure if this was heavily emphasized, but the situation felt organic enough 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Relied on Zoom's live feed more so than provided pictures 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Staff was a sweetheart, excellent customer service, provided great debriefing 💭 OVERALL: A respectable online game, a standout due to its robust challenges 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Team with at least a bit of experience, or time may run low 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: Use 3-4 connections (if novice, fill each connection with 2 brains) let out a sigh of relief... No getting cursed by the fortune teller! Whew! "The Search For The Magical Artifact" officially joins the "Recommended" rank! ► *always* remember to pay ◄ "The Search For the Magical Artifact" is one of those games that really surprised me. Most mobile escape rooms or games taking place in a recreational vehicle (or "trailer") that I've seen in the States don't seem particularly impressive. And although I've never actually tried one, my initial perception of them as a genre was never quite outstanding. Indeed, there may be some unexplained and undeserved bias going on, but in the back of my head, I think, "How much can you really achieve in a travel home?" This is the exact moment when Bruum Escape goes, "HOLD MY PHONE." "Magical Artifact" really changed my perspective--for the better! Despite this being a "one room" setting adventure, since you really can't hide another secret area behind a fake wall in a vehicle, Bruum's genius puzzles really made this game worthy of praise, and I found myself thoroughly entertained despite the static "one room" nature. So what exactly is going on? To be completely honest, I am a tad shocked at the lack of specific information pertaining to the game when you book it on the official website. You get the title of the game, one single photo, and a brief description of how a Zoom based remote room works, and that's it! Whether that was intentional or not, I hope I can shed some light for you in this review. First, the plot: in essence, Mr X, who's been cursed by the fortune teller who owns the caravan (aka the mobile vehicle), seeks a way to break the hex. You see, he neglected to pay the fortune teller the last time he visited, and his life's been miserable ever since. Desperate as he is, he's wiling to break into the trailer illegally, but he'll need your help to retrieve the magical item that is responsible for his misfortune. Now, this exact story will be introduced to you via email after booking, presented as Mr X's urgent plea for help through a video message. While this most definitely increased the immersion factor and the players' understanding of their mission, I still think a brief or even cryptic message of some sort on the booking site would do good in a customer's perspective. However, everything's smooth sailing from this point forth. Once my game appointment time arrived, on the dot, Mr X made contact. He swiftly jimmied his way into the travel vehicle, and quickly snapped a few photographs. He then emailed all pictures to us, (this photo gallery would function as your only supplemental "inventory" screen), and the clock countdown officially began. And folks, man, oh man, we gotta move fast. Ironically, for an escape room game that took place in a very defined and limited space, on a parking lot even, this caravan was jam packed with all sorts of occult items. Anything associated with the supernatural and mystical, they probably carried it here somewhere. I actually thought the "production value" was pretty decent, way beyond to what one may anticipate for a mobile experience. I put production value in quote because this wasn't exactly a set; it literally WAS a fortune teller's caravan. The authenticity took care of itself. What I then appreciated the most was the clever usage of space--there was no wastage! Every surface, walkway, and corner, if they could fit a prop, a puzzle, or a decoration there, THEY DID. The instant overall effect it had on me was that the designer really took the time to fine tune and to perfect this experience for its customers. The overwhelming amount of decor, however, did result in a rather lengthy exploration, which was necessary to eliminate red herrings, (which there was quite a handful, due to the extensive theming). (A quick side note: this game heavily relied on the Zoom's video feed to relay information, since you're only given a limited amount of supplementary photos, so do make sure to give clear and precise instructions to Mr X, your avatar. You won't want to miss anything of significance.) Nonetheless, once my team got a good bearing on what's puzzle relevant, and what's not, the red herrings did not present much of a problem at all. In fact, it didn't take us long to discern which props, objects, or areas to focus on, because the clues were cleverly "marked". Thank you very much, Bruum, for good puzzle design and execution. I always appreciate a game that gives its participants a fair chance of success and minimizes frustration. Even given such consideration, these puzzles were not easy! And that's probably what hooked me the most effectively, because as an expert player (haha, I kid) playing in a team that has collectively seen hundreds of escape rooms prior, finding strong mental challenges that actually make us stumble is no easy task. And "The Search For the Magical Artifact" managed to do so... Several. Flippin'. Times. Most of the puzzles we had to solve ultimately led to a solution for a lock, but no one journey was the same. It often took us several steps to arrive at the final destination, and the complexity overall made me smile with satisfaction. And since each path was vastly different from the prior, really keep your mind flexible enough to activate those idea light bulbs! While the game was technically non linear, we didn't exactly split up to solve different things at once to save time because: 1) it's a little difficult to do so in a remote game setting, and 2) these puzzles really needed our collective brain power. Again, they were not easy! And this made it all the more rewarding when the team FINALLY got it right. Of note, though the game took place in a mobile vehicle, there were still a few tech related and magic inspired moments, which was surprising since I didn't expect (or know) if these could be installed in a car... apparently, it's doable. After an almost hour long of persistent effort and occasional struggles, we found Mr X's highly sought after belonging, and not a minute too soon, either. Another minute more, the fortune teller would've returned after 60 minutes, and all would've been for naught! I can't imagine the next curse they would use on the already cursed Mr X if they found his meddling with their precious caravan... But most likely a slow and painful death?! Not only was the game itself a fantastic online experience, I must also cordially and explicitly thank our game host/avatar Paolo for being such a trooper, running our game at 6 am (Italy time). Yes, you read that right, he woke up extra early, so we could play at a comfortable hour during the evening in California! As one can see, the time difference between Europe and the States could be quite dramatic, so I am especially grateful that Bruum Escape could accommodate such an arrangement with absolutely no complaint--nothing but impeccable customer service. To the most experienced, or some even jaded, escape room enthusiasts out there, "The Search For the Magical Artifact" may just be the rival you've been long waiting for. Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post.

Improbable Escapes presents... "SEVEN DWARFS: MINING MISSION" (Remote) ✧ Played In Jun 2020 • Team of 4 Players • Success! ✧ ► VENUE & GAME FACT SHEET ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Improbable Escapes 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🏘️ ADDRESS: 303 Bagot Street, Kingston, ON, K7K | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: Canada 🕒 TIME ZONE: To Check Time Zone 🕹️ GAME: Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission (Remote) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Official) | Easy-ish To Medium (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: 2-5 Players (Recommended), 14 Players (Maximum) 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $74.99 (CAD) for 1-5 Players, $10 Per Each Additional Player ► PREMISE & OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Improbable Escapes): One year has passed since the seven dwarfs helped Snow White defeat the evil queen, and now they’ve retired to a quiet cottage deep in the forest. But happily ever after is never that easy, and evil is rising once again! The evil queen’s followers plan to use the poison apple to bring about her malevolent return. Snow White has tasked you to destroy the devious fruit once and for all, and rumour has it that the only way to rid the world of its evil is to cast it into the very centre of the earth. ► "GAME AT A GLANCE" SUMMARY ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: The untold sequel of "Snow White", just alluring enough to attract 👀 VISUAL: I haven't seen all of Canada, but I'm pretty sure they're one of the best 🧩 PUZZLE: Nothing was ever that difficult, but all were well designed and enjoyable 🧠 IMMERSION: Mostly reliant on the incredible set--but hey, IT WORKED VERY WELL! 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Beautifully crafted and worked seamlessly with Zoom video 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Masterfully trained, my first company to offer quick scan of room by default 💭 OVERALL: 7 OUT OF 5 STARS! One star for each of the dwarfs and beyond! 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Disney fam, obvi; also fans of family friendly games & great production 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: The company's right! 2 (experienced) to 5 (novice) is perfect gave a "heigh-ho!" and mined all the way to h*ll and back! "Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission" officially joins the "MUST DO!!!" rank! ► A DISNEY SEQUEL THAT I DIDN'T KNOW I NEEDED ◄ "Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission" is one of those games that I had little doubt walking in that I knew I was gonna love, for two big reasons: 1) Literally everyone I knew who played this remote room recommend it to the highest degree. It's very rare for a game to have unanimously glowing reviews without actually being something of substance. 2) Improbable Escapes's official website spoke volume. Not only was the website itself well polished, the publicity photos for "Seven Dwarfs" revealed impeccable production value. Hmmm, how so very fitting, Disneyland level of sets and props for a Disney popularized fairy tale inspired escape game. Looking good. So yeah, I had GREAT feelings about this. And I wasn't wrong! 😉 Before the game started, we were instructed to watch the trailer video one more time, to ensure everyone's on the same page. The game's plot was a creative take on what happened after "happily ever after". As it turned out, both the queen and the infamous toxin laced apple survived to present day, and if those two ever reunite, dire consequences follow! We the dwarfs must transport the poisonous fruit all the way to "earth's molten core" and destroy it once and for all! ...Snicker. I love the way they tiptoed around actually saying "h*ll". Yes yes, I know, this is a wholesome, family friendly game, moving on. Once our lovely avatar Liz led us into the Seven Dwarf's cottage, we immediately sprang into action... WAIT. NOPE. This is where Improbable Escapes did differently than all other companies I've worked with so far, and I loved them for this. Our avatar, upon entering any/every new room, would first complete 2 mandatory tasks: First, she would circle the room with her camera quickly and concisely, briefly but effectively showing us what's around, and what may be of importance. During this period, you're asked to kindly refrain from solving puzzles, and to focus on acquainting yourself with your setting. This is often something I prefer to do anyway in a remote play, and I am glad this was done without my having to request the avatar to do so, or sometimes, having to talk over my teammates to achieve the same result. Second, a password would be provided for your inventory webpage. Inputting the pass code would reveal pictures galore. You'll see everything in the set, a fairy tale book style drawing of the room map (nice touch), and other puzzle pertinent images. Not only was this one of the best inventory system I'd seen, the photographs again showcased just how dazzlingly attractive this room was. Without exaggeration, this was, by a far margin, the closest I'd felt to actually being on location. The live video feed, the avatar led room scan, and the exceptional inventory system all worked synergistically to yield an extremely user friendly experience, even for first timers. And the game's only getting started. After this quick tour, we got to work! Fast! (We were told we had a lot to do in 60 minutes!) And fortunately for us, the apple's sitting RIGHT THERE on the dinner table. How convenient! Now we just gotta mine to the center of the earth and destroy the cursed fruit. How?! Surely, a series of well themed puzzles stood in our way, but thankfully, all were very intuitive. The very first puzzle made use of shapes and patterns, and that set the tone for the rest of the hour more or less accurately. Majority of challenges that followed were similar in terms of difficulty, rendering them suitable for any adult beginner or even teenage participant. Additionally, though the set was positively decked out with movie set quality decorations, red herring was absent, and it was very easy for us seasoned players to connect each clue to its corresponding solution. Hence, we -sped through- the first room like champs. As our journey advanced, some action based tasks were skillfully performed by our avatar via our instructions, and I bet they would've been loads of fun to perform and witness live irl. Throughout the hour, there was a very balanced and nice mixture of locks and tech puzzles, occasionally furthermore embellished by special or video effects. Our mining effort eventually took us deeper into the earth, where challenges became just a smidgen harder. But one thing didn't change--from start to finish, every puzzle was tightly fitted with "Snow White" in mind, and every minute of game play was oh so delightful. If you like Disney films, theme park rides, puzzles, escape rooms, and just all that mashed into one fantastic glob masterpiece together, PLAY THIS! And what a glorious glob this is. Some may even say, "it's the fairest of them all." Of note, "Seven Dwarfs: Mining Mission" is a remote escape room converted from an existing physical room that Improbable Escapes was already running regularly. Therefore, every puzzle presented was already in place. As such, there were some challenges, eg those with audio clues or action involvement, that would not digitally translate well online, and axed from the live video version. Quite sad, really, as I knew I would've loved blasting red hot lava at subterranean monsters. If only I was physically in Kingston, Ontario, Canada! "Seven Dwarfs" is an incredibly produced escape room that's a pleasure to play for both remotely and in person (presumptively), and the only semi-critique that I can come up with is, perhaps it may be a tad too easy for experts. We claimed victory after only 47 minutes. I am also neutral on the avatar's duty of "just being an avatar", so to speak, instead of being in character, fulfilling the role of a mining dwarf. I felt this rather conscious choice worked well for this experience, though some may argue otherwise to maintain absolute immersion. And even then, I had way too much fun to nitpick. Who am I kidding?! This is perfection! (This may even rival one certain other mining attraction!) Improbable Escapes, thank you for setting such a high industry standard. You know what's next? Neverland, "Here we goooooooooooooo!" Signing off, Escape Mattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post.

Mad Genius Escapes presents... "THE TRUTH ABOUT EDITH" (Virtual) ✧ Kinda like an escape room, but also kinda not, still stay-at-home fun! ✧ (Played In: Jun 2020, With 4 Players, Success!) ► VENUE AND GAME INFORMATION ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Mad Genius Escapes 🏘️ ADDRESS: 1444 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United States 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🕹️ GAME: The Truth About Edith 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: N/A (Official) | Medium To Hard (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: Need *Exactly* 4 Connections 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $80 Per Game ► STAY-AT-HOME GAME SPECIFICATIONS ◄ 🖱️ DISTRIBUTION ROUTE: Online, By Appointment 🎧 PRODUCT TYPE: Mixed Media Virtual Escape Room ► PREMISE AND OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Mad Genius): You may recognize Edith Humphreys, your sweet neighbor with 24 cats. You may have even helped her out, snooped around her apartment. But there's something about Edith that doesn't quite add up... she looks way younger than she is, she says she was born in 1902 but that she's 97 years young... and she lives at a business called Mad Genius Escapes?! What is going on here... ► GAME ESSENCE AT A GLANCE ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: A side quest to their "Cat Lady" room, fantastic addition 👀 VISUAL: All the online media were purposefully weird and so fitting! 🧩 PUZZLE: Creative, eclectic, and eccentric; all team work required 🧠 IMMERSION: Super-sucked into the world of Edith, even without a set! 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: Must be proficient/familiar with internet to play 🏪 VENUE: N/A 💁‍♂️ STAFF: Both the actress and Katie were dears & pleasant to work with 💭 OVERALL: Doesn't even feature a set, but BLEW. MY. MIND. 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Those who embrace peculiarity, laughter, AND CATS 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: *Exactly* 4 Zoom connections (not players) required couldn't believe the truth! What in the world, Cat Lady?!?! "The Truth About Edith" officially joins the "MUST DO!!!" rank! ► CAT LADY GONE WILD ◄ "The Truth About Edith" kept showing up on my radar, and everyone seemed to be buzzing about how unique, different, and crazy fun it is. So yes, I had to find out for myself. However, even before the game, during my routine research on the product before actually trying it out, I was already very confused--but in a great way--by so many aspects of it. First, Mad Genius Escapes from Portland is the company behind this kooky concoction, and I noticed right away that they offer a physical room entitled simply "Cat Lady", featuring a sweet elderly neighbor named Ms Edith Humphreys. She has 24 cats! Count 'em! 24! And while "Truth" is not an exact online duplicate of "Cat Lady"--in fact, they're two completely different experience--it does heavily focus on the one and the same Edith Humphreys. Since popular media has trained me to equate cat lady as eccentricity for years, this set up the tone nicely. The company officially advertises this online play as "a 4 player, hour-long timed adventure sprinkled with interactive theater and a good dose of humor", and as such, I was instantly fixated at the 4 player part. This game requires exactly 4 Zoom connections to work. No more, no less, exactly 4. Additionally, I was extremely intrigued at how the live Zoom video element would factor in. Indeed, so many questions, none can be answered until you play. My dream team, John, Kayla, Jesse, and I, were tasked by a fellow in an office suit to find out what exactly is happening with Edith in an appropriate "The Office" parody intro video: Edith is 118 years old, claims she's only 97, but is looking like 60 something at most, and beating 20 something year olds in marathons?! What age defying facial cream and miracle drug is she using?! I'll take a dozen. And oh yeah, she lives at the Mad Genius Escapes venue now. She's not exactly homeless, but more like a business invader! The plot thickens... Each of us, given a secret code name by our game host, were thrown into the mission head first. Once the clock started ticking, we found out instantly that team work is of UTMOST importance! Though no physical set was ever directly involved throughout the entire game play, the very first puzzle immediately reminded me of split start escape room, in which all 4 of us had to work together, live in real time, if we were to get to the bottom of this investigation. In a strange sense, the entire internet is our "escape room set", a stage for us 4 performers to flex our brain muscles, presented through the eye of an internet browser. The limitless web awaits our arrival. We may not have to physically move our butts from one end of the room to another, but we surely traveled wide and far all over the internet to gather clues and solve puzzles. Prior to signing up for a game, be sure that you're proficient in the basic literacy of web surfing. Playing flash based internet games, maneuvering password protected websites, composing electronic messages, and inquiring geographical information via online map websites, these are all fair game. Be prepared! When I categorized this as a mixed media virtual escape game above, I really meant it. Within the hour we spent with the loony Ms Humphreys, we saw so many different mini games or puzzles, one after another, and none was similar to the one came prior or after. It was an intellectual omakase! Of the many "oh so weird, but so good and fun" challenges we faced, several really stood out and stayed on my mind even to date. I am reliving my journey mentally as I am composing this review blog post. And cats. So many cats. If you love cats, you're at the right place. CATS. The actor led interaction towards the end, the grand finale, if you will, brought something of importance given to us in the beginning full circle, and this real time game sequence was my absolute personal favorite! Kicked off by a familiar board game like activity, we then dived into the most difficult group effort assignment received thus far. John, who was randomly chosen to be our group leader, looked ever so frustrated when the rest of us just couldn't understand his directions for the rest of the team. Seeing my friend almost spaz out, (nah, jk, he's a cool dude,) partially due to my stupidity, was not on the expected menu, but it's an ever so delicious treat from Bastet (the cat God) herself. Overall, there's one particular sequence that encountered slight technical difficulty, but even with that aside, it's a very intense ride from beginning to end. This game had child like elements, but definitely offered adult level difficultly. We had only 3 minutes left, nonetheless, mission accomplished! Turned out, Edith was... *GASP!* Since this virtual online game doesn't actually occupy any of Mad Genius Escapes's physical rooms, I anticipate its being run indefinitely, which is great news because the owners created something very special here. And it merits being shared among all escape room and puzzle fanatics out there. And just in case you want a random fun fact: Edith featured on the "The Truth About Edith" game poster is played by owner Katie, who is rocking a CAT-TASTIC apron dress given to her by my friend Michelle. The amount of awesomeness in that statement can hardly be contained. "The Truth" is truly more ludicrous and meta than I could ever ask for. Meowwwww out, EscapeMattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post.

Fuzzy Logic Escape Room presents... "VET OFFICE" (Remote Version) ✧ Mattster's Game #104 Overall; Game #9 for Remote ✧ (Played In: June 2020, With 5 Players, Success!) ► VENUE AND GAME INFORMATION ◄ 🏢 COMPANY: Fuzzy Logic Escape Room 🏘️ ADDRESS: 130 Ogden Ave, Downers Grove, IL 60515 | Google Map 🗾 COUNTRY: United States 💻 WEBSITE: Company 🕹️ GAME: Vet Office (Remote Version) 💻 WEBSITE: Game Info | To Book This Game (Discount Applied) ⏲️ TIME LIMIT: 60 Minutes 💬 DIFFICULTY: Hard (Official) | Easy To Medium (Mattster) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 CAPACITY: Up To 8 Participants 🔐 GAME TYPE: Private 💰 PRICING: $69.99 Per Game ► PREMISE AND OBJECTIVES ◄ Official Premise (from Fuzzy Logic): Animals have gone missing, and all signs point to the local veterinarian! Complete your rescue mission before authorities claim you are accomplices! (An award-winning escape room, this room embraces core escape room techniques and incorporates them in fun ways!) ► ROOM ESSENCE AT A GLANCE ◄ 📚 NARRATIVE: Objective is all-ages friendly, a bit of urgency thrown in 👀 VISUAL: A standard but complete set that supports the game suitably 🧩 PUZZLE: Golly gosh! So many of them! :D (Gen 1 locks/keypads based) 🧠 IMMERSION: A tad light, but our avatar does good job at hyping us 🎮 REMOTE INTERFACE: 2 camera angles, plus Trello inventory screen 🏪 VENUE: N/A 💁‍♂️ STAFF: The very definition of being both affable and hospitable 💭 OVERALL: Really lives up to the brand of being fuzzy and logical! 🎟️ BEST FIT FOR: Family oriented groups, wholesome theme fans 🎫 IDEAL TEAM SIZE: 4 to 5 (experienced), even 6 to 8 (if inexperienced) Fuzzy Logic Escape Room is officially certified by the NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce) as a business majority-owned by LGBT individuals. Your patronage helps support diversity and the LGBT community :) ► WHY ARE PETS AFRAID OF THE VET? ◄ Fuzzy Logic Escape Room features an adorable raccoon logo with the critter wearing the letters o and g from "logic" as his spectacles. Cuteness overload, anyone? And that, to me, is a pretty accurate preview of what you can expect from this company--cute, family friendly, and fuzzy all over. Well, perhaps not the last one exactly, though it does somewhat pertain to "Vet Office", an escape game involving furry good boys and the titular building. Only one problem: the animals are actually... missing?! Creatures, big and small, in seem to be all disappearing in the city, and the authorities only have one lead, the local veterinarian could be up to no good. All right, mystery gang, it's time to check in while the doctor is away, and see if we can find the latest missing pet, Mr Mittens the cat! Hurry! While I do have some burning questions about the plot setup, let's acknowledge that this is a decent premise, especially for their younger audience. You have two clear objectives: 1) Find your feline friend, and 2) get out before getting arrested for breaking and entering. Our delegate (or avatar), Jayson, who's still a little skittish about the entire mission, (well, it wasn't our fault that you drew the short straw now, was it?) awaited our commands. We can see his live body cam video feed, AND an additional overhead security camera feed. Tech was on our side! He managed to sneak into the waiting lobby, but had then activated the security system. Now we gotta get him outta there within 60 minutes, or he's toast! Unfortunately, luck was NOT on our side! With a quick scan of the room through the two camera angles, and some additional photos of the room overview and key items on a Trello-based inventory screen, navigation and investigation were easy. Now, if I may, let's divert our attention to the Trello-based inventory system for a brief moment: First of all, prior to this day, I had no idea what a "Trello" is. (Gosh, I am old and falling out of the interweb.) Apparently, "Trello’s boards, lists, and cards enable you to organize and prioritize your projects in a fun, flexible, and rewarding way." Hmmm, so, a collaborative bulletin board. While Jayson was the "face" of the game, another staff member Andrew was quietly but busily working behind the scene at updating found objects and removing items used on the Trello board for the players in real time. In my, ie the customer's, perspective, this worked smoothly without a hitch. Great job on an innovative use on an existing internet tool. Another commendable point: a comprehensive list of all locks to be solved within an area was pinned on the Trello board as well. This simplified our own note taking and enabled us to focus only on solving the puzzles, sparing the frustration of recalling which combo code goes where. This high level of structural organization was also evident in the puzzles. If I recall correctly, "Vet Office" was a classic style gen 1 room, with 100% of its puzzles emphasizing on finding the correct combo for locks or keypads. While this may attract (or repel) specific subsets of the escape room community, I am happy to report that these challenges were thoroughly thought out and executed with precision. If I were to sum it up, it'd be "nice and clean". There's absolutely no misleading red herring at all. Though a few puzzles fell flat for me due to their predictability, there was at least a good handful that made a lasting impression: some due to their respectable difficulty (one got me staring at a blank, hard), and some naturally because they're fun to do, simple as that. One in particular would probably have me smirking if I ever walk down a dog toy aisle in the future. So simple, yet the "a-ha!" moment felt so pivotal. Though not overall too perplexing, this is a very ambitious room with what some may consider an overwhelming amount to do. I consider it "a lot more bang for your buck". Either way, be prepared accordingly! My team was highly experienced, and Jayson performed phenomenally, being as swift as a... umm... coursing river; we found Mr Mittens, alive and well, with 4 minutes to spare! Considering how much was thrown at us in only 1 short hour, we petted [yes, it's a pun] ourselves on our backs. Though potentially a family favorite, "Vet Office" has room for improvements. For instance, I would love to see a more pronounced check in station or window at the waiting lobby area because that would seriously complete the look! That's what struck me as obviously missing while I first arrived, so if incorporated, the added authenticity would greatly benefit the aesthetics. But way more importantly, why was there no clear explanation at the conclusion? Don't leave me hanging! Where are all the other (purportedly) kidnapped animals, and will the vet, if found guilty, be punished to the fullest extent of the law? Those are the questions that will keep me up at night. "Vet Office" is a wholesome adventure that delivers on both mind stimulating puzzles and impeccable customer service. Owned by some of the warmest people I've met, due to both the fuzz and their hearts, Fuzzy Logic Escape Room is a company that I'm proud to support. (Stay tuned for coverage for one of the other rooms in the future!) Signing off, EscapeMattster ► DISCLAIMERS ◄ We at "Escape Mattster" appreciate this company's hospitality and the opportunity to publish an honest review. Though game access was complimentary, we aim to provide *only* genuine & unbiased opinions. All official media are provided by or credited to respective contents owners, and are used with proper permission for the purpose of this post.