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michaelyoung

Reviews

@michaelyoung
Morty score132
  • Escape rooms132
  • 334Wishlisted
  • 117Reviewed

michaelyoung

    Daniel Kelley (he/him) | Tucson, AZ

    http://www.martin.com/

    @andebauchery@rita58
    k

    followed by

    and 11 others

    • Bio
    • Experiences (133)
    • Wishlist (334)
    • Reviews (117)>
    • All (117)
    • Escape rooms (117)
    • IRL (111)
    • Tabletop (4)
    • Portable (1)
    • Virtual (1)
    L'Île perdue de la Reine Vaudou [The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen]

    L'Île perdue de la Reine Vaudou [The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen]

    Escaparium Laval

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    This one rocks — literally!!! Yes, the pirate theme has been done to death, but this game breathed fresh life into it by upping the immersion and making the 3 acts of this room all completely different from each other in a way that serves and progresses the narrative. The ship is the star of the show here, as it actually rocks. Plus, it’s got a lot of other thematic features that I won’t spoil here. There’s a little searching involved, but it’s mainly observation, abstraction, and object manipulation. The one traditional lock here fits in with the theme, and it’s actually very satisfying! Wonderful room that has a few tricks up its sleeve and does some really novel stuff!
    Mogollon Monster: Scouting for Arizona's Bigfoot

    Mogollon Monster: Scouting for Arizona's Bigfoot

    The Nemesis Club

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    Deeply thematic, immaculately crafted, cleverly written… This is why we play escape rooms! It delivered a memorable, unique, and genuinely exciting hour for us. Very few traditional locks meant you had to interact with props and the world in some fun and novel ways. The atmospheric effects may be the best I’ve experienced in a room. And few escape rooms nail the intro and finale like this one!
    Whatever Happened To The Garretts?

    Whatever Happened To The Garretts?

    Maze Rooms West LA

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    Hope End

    Hope End

    The Ministry Of Peculiarities

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    Wow! I’ve visited over 50 escape room companies, and no other company does immersion BEFORE the game starts. When you enter the lobby, you’re entering a new world. All the acting is top-notch, though the voice acting doesn’t hold a candle to the host and cast. The combination of tech, clever physical puzzles, actor interactions, and teamwork makes for a dynamic, immersive, and exciting experience. It’s easy to get lost in the story when every piece of the game serves it so well. All the puzzles make sense in-world and don’t require insane logical leaps. It’s simultaneously funny, eerie, ambitious, and down-to-earth. What a fantastic experience!
    Storyteller's Secret

    Storyteller's Secret

    Boxaroo

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    An exceptionally polished room with wonderful theming, non-linear puzzles, magical technology, and no traditional locks. The room encourages deeply out-of-the-box thinking at times, but it always is logical, fair, and fun. The final puzzle is really simple and elegant, a beautiful culmination of all that came before.
    Armoire a Vendre [Wardrobe for Sale]

    Armoire a Vendre [Wardrobe for Sale]

    Escaparium Laval

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    This is so much more than just an escape room. I know the descriptions of this room are vague, but understand that's because the joy of this room is in the surprise, theme, and discovery. Enjoy the story and the ride! From the setup to the puzzles to the environment, this room does so many things that no other escape room would even dare. This is seriously next-level.
    Sal's Cybernetics

    Sal's Cybernetics

    The Immersive Machine

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    Such a wonderful experience! From the exceptionally pleasant staff to the unique theming to the playful and rich environment to the satisfying puzzles, this room offers something for every type of escape room lover. You can tell this was a room made with love by people who have deliberately designed an experience, as opposed to just a room with puzzles.
    Evil Robots

    Evil Robots

    The Nemesis Club

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    A exceptionally well-plotted room with a clear sense of momentum. It’s enhanced by Disney-level set design and animatronics. Most puzzles are delightfully tactile and offer novel interactions. The story offers twists and turns, and there’s a very unique ending. There are a couple puzzles that are exceptionally fiddly, taking you a long time to solve after you’ve figured it out. However, this transgression is easily overlooked when you consider the creativity and immersion of this room. While I give Mongollan Monster the edge at this location, both games are world-class and must-plays.
    The Last Supper

    The Last Supper

    Quest Tavern

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    A masterclass in building complexity and intensity, this room cleverly teaches you its rules in small-scale interactions and puzzles before having you stretch your wings. The level of actor interaction is the best I’ve encountered in over 100 games, as your interactions will build the mood and then serve as a fascinating puzzle with many paths to victory. The final sequence of the game is incredibly intense. This game thrusts you into the action and makes you fully invested. Add on some nicely layered and abstracted puzzles, and you have a game that will be fun, challenging, and engaging for all groups!
    Stash House

    Stash House

    Stash House

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    A true puzzle gauntlet. This game forces your group to split up and think fast, as there are almost always many things to do at once. While some puzzles require creative thinking, two puzzles ask for deciding, and one long sequence requires a lot of simply finding the right numbers is a busy and cramped space. The puzzles that require teamwork are often more one person does something while the other plays admin or scribe. This feels more like you’re doing multiple solo escape rooms at times. Pluses are a creative ending, unique props, a large space (though AC is lacking in parts), and a game that truly necessitates a large team and a longer run time. It’s an elevated Gen 2 room that serves as an exemplar of the medium’s potential but also isn’t absent of some of its sins.
    The Body Shop

    The Body Shop

    Red Fox Escapes

    • Escape room
    • IRL
    A highly-unique theme in a room with truly novel tactile interactions and some of the fairest, most genuine puzzles around. This room will have you scratching your brain one minute, gazing in admiration another, and then laughing the next. There’s no searching for hidden objects, as the game respects your time. Many props and puzzles utilize objects thematic to the room, and the story is shown instead of told. It’s a wonderfully cohesive experience, and every moment is deeply satisfying. Lastly, with a unique adaptive difficulty system, this is a great room for escape room newbies and enthusiasts! Do this room!