Guess HQ - The Heist

This room was probably our worst escape room experience thus far, and really it isn't so much the fault of the room but the employees that interacted with us. We got pretty far to the end and then just couldn't open something even though we had the right code. After fifteen minutes of trying. And this isn't a type of lock we've never opened before, so when the employee told us that we were just doing it wrong and wouldn't show us how that was the case, it was really annoying. And then he just kept poking at us. In any case, given that I have opened this type of lock both before, and since, and there were instructions on the wall, and he slipped us more instructions under a door, we aren't convinced that we were the issue here. And if we were (again, doubtful) then the employee definitely should have handled this better. I think that even though we didn't get out, we could have been okay with that (we've lost other rooms) if the employee hadn't been a jerk about it or showed us what we missed.

Price:$$$30 CAD per person

Theme:★★★★This is actually pretty neat - some parts made us have bits of adrenaline and were just neat.  This was perhaps the most technologically interesting room we've done.

Quality:★The first parts were fine, other than it being clear people tried to open things that shouldn't be. However, spending fifteen minutes trying to do the same thing only to be told we don't know how to use a lock (see the number of rooms we've done to clear that up) was a bit annoying.

Difficulty:★★The puzzles in this room were not hard, but keeping from doing something wrong with them was an exercise in futility. The hardest thing was using some of the codes, not the puzzles.

Fun:★This was so frustrating that even though some parts were fine, debacles at the end made this overall a pretty big let down.

With:2 peopleEvan, Judy

Outcome:☹Loss

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SmartyPantz - Morning Never Comes

Again, we were given 45 minutes to complete this room, although we used more like 20 minutes because it was easy to get through. The parts that held us up the most were a broken puzzle. This would be a great room for those new to escape rooms, as there isn't really anything super tricky, but enough to be a slight challenge at least.

Price:$$$25 CAD per person

Theme:★★★★This had a good theme - great decor and seemed very realistic.

Quality:★There were a couple of broken things that led to us solving a puzzle at the wrong time and then having no idea what to do next without help.

Difficulty:★This was VERY easy - so easy that we didn't know until the person came in to tell us that we had won.

Fun:★★Really,with the broken items and how easy this was, it was a little anti-climatic at the end. Definitely made for those new to escape rooms.

With:2 peopleEvan, Judy

Outcome:☺Win

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Find and Seek - The Majestic Theatre

Another room in BC, another 45 minute escape room. We enjoyed many of the puzzles in here - in fact, there are at least three puzzles in this room we haven't seen in others that we've done (at least, not yet). There was a lot put into this room, and it was a great experience even though we didn't make it out. We really just got stuck on a puzzle that we've never been all that great with (it may have worked out with our normal escape room buddies there who rock at these). Also, a few of the puzzles could have been easier with more people, but we got through those fine with just two (they likely just took a few minutes longer). I also really like that the host explained to us how to finish the room - this is one of the best things I think rooms can do (especially when we were clearly tourists and couldn't come back and try again).

Price:$$$26 CAD per person

Theme:★★★This was good, but parts of this were better than others (I didn't for one minute forget we were in a mall).

Quality:★★★★Well done and they've done a great job keeping things in working order (unlike other rooms with similar ideas inside).

Difficulty:★★★★Some of the puzzles were quite tricky for us for a couple of reasons - we just aren't so great at a couple of those types and some of these would have been better with more than two people.

Fun:★★★This was enjoyable even though we didn't get out.

With:2 peopleEvan, Judy

Outcome:☹Loss

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SmartyPantz - Thirst for Murder

For this room, we were given 45 minutes to get out (this seemed to be the norm in BC), and we had plenty of time to succeed. From the introduction to the room, to the theme, to the puzzles, everything about this room was exceedingly well done and we had such a good time. Two people for this room was perfect, and there are some things in the room we keep thinking back to over time because there were just some creative and fun puzzles inside.

Price:$$$25 CAD per person

Theme:★★★★★From the staff bringing us to the room to the design to the props, everything about this room made you feel like you were really in the situation described.

Quality:★★★★★Everything worked perfectly and was just well put together.

Difficulty:★★★This was not the hardest room we've gone, but it definitely had some challenges and some things we've never seen before.

Fun:★★★★★This room was super fun! Enough to make us think, but enjoyable.

With:2 peopleEvan, Judy

Outcome:☺Win

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Ultimate Escape Game Dallas - Enigma

We had a fun time and some of these challenges were awesome - in some ways you really feel like you could have been doing this in real life (which is really such a wonderful thing about the rooms here - they do a fantastic job in making things realistic and suspenseful). The were opportunities for us to break into pairs and work on different parts, which kept us all engaged. It was very nice that we all felt like we contributed and had things we were good at.

Price:$$$28 per person

Theme:★★★★The props and feel of the room were spot on - a real air of authenticity.

Quality:★★★★Very well arranged and put together - this was great.

Difficulty:★★★This was the perfect level of difficulty (or would have been had we not missed something very early on).

Fun:★★★We had fun due to some of the puzzles and interactions we had with them and each other.

With:4 peopleEllie, Evan, Fred, Judy

Outcome:☺Win

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This was good

Ultimate Escape Game Dallas - Amnesia

We had another great introduction to escape rooms and the room from Shiloh - he is quite amusing and cannot wait to see what comes for the other rooms here in those videos. There was clearly a lot of effort put into the design of the room and puzzles and this was a great experience. We got very good luck in the other three who joined us, as well, as they weren't afraid to try things out.

Price:$$$28 per person

Theme:★★★★★I think this is the best themed room at this location - very neat.

Quality:★★★★★This was well put together and nicely done.

Difficulty:★★★There were some challenging puzzles (and creative too) and we liked how everyone in the group was able to contribute.

Fun:★★★★We had fun and the room design and puzzles really prompted this. The group we were paired with were also helpful.

With:7 peopleEllie, Evan, Fred, Judy (and three others)

Outcome:☺Win

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Ultimate Escape Game Dallas - The Vault

We had fun in this room, from the puzzles to the decoration. We were paired with two others who we felt pretty sure were attending on a date, so it was mildly interesting to watch how they worked together. It was also their first escape room, so that was also neat to watch. Anyways, the room itself was fun and well made and just a blast to complete.

Price:$$$28 per person

Theme:★★★★Had a great vibe and was well themed for the purpose.

Quality:★★★★Things worked great - even some of the trickier things we've seen fail in other rooms.

Difficulty:★★★There were some challenges, and some unique puzzles, but these puzzles were fun and intriguing more than hard.

Fun:★★★★There were a lot of fun puzzles and the theme and environment made this fun real at points.

With:6 peopleEllie, Evan, Fred, Judy (and two others)

Outcome:☺Win

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