Ben wrote his review first so he got to say everything about service below. I would just like to add that there was a lot of confusion within our group about how the room was exactly going to play out. We asked a lot of questions, and the staff member giving us the briefing was patient enough to answer all of them. That’s extra points for their service.

BEN

We’ve been to Breakout East before to do The Ark and Anna and both times the staff were great so we knew to expect great service coming in. That’s exactly what we got!

One of my favourite parts of Breakout (that doesn’t have to do with their actual rooms) is the fun record board. There’s always a fun little drawing on there! There might also still be our record for this room. 😉

The puzzles are the room’s main selling point. In terms of number, there weren’t very many. In terms of innovativeness, there wasn’t very much. So I’m asking myself: Why was the room so fun when all I really did was solve a few generic puzzles?

I think it’s because of what happens after you solve the puzzles–instead of opening a box with another clue for another puzzle, you instantly earn the right to sabotage your opponents in the other room.

So while solving puzzles is the focal point of the room, sabotaging is really your ultimate goal. In a sort of ironic way, your reward becomes punishment, and that’s what made it so damn fun.

This room is pretty much all puzzles. I’ve found that Breakout rooms (especially in the West location) tend to be very heavy on logic and math puzzles and this room is no exception. There wasn’t anything mindblowingly amazing about the puzzles here, but they were solid.

I agree with Ben that this component takes a backseat, and I think this is purposeful so that players focus on the puzzles and nothing else. I gave it a point higher because I think their use of space is ingenious.

There’s not a ton going on in this room, but it’s because the focus isn’t on giving you a visually appealing room. The focus is on the puzzles. This isn’t to say that the room is run-down or anything like that – it’s just not a room that an interior decorator would really stop and marvel at.

Our time here flew by. I blinked and it was over. As soon as I entered, I felt panicked and overwhelmed. There is that immediate and inherent sense of urgency–you just want to beat the other team. Every competitive fiber in your being becomes shook and awoken. This is a unique type of immersion that I had never encountered before which I found refreshing and made our experience unique.

I am a very competitive person. That said, when I do escape rooms, I still take the time to enjoy the experience. I look around me to take in and appreciate the visual design of the rooms I do.

Now, since this room doesn’t really have much of a set design, I could really focus on the puzzles, which kept me very occupied. Elle and I really only took breaks to laugh at Paulie in the other room.

Player versus player rooms have been popping up everywhere. However, what’s unique about this PVP experience is the sabotage, which just intensifies the entire experience. Overall. this room had an innovative concept and a polished execution.

There wasn’t really a theme to this! I think someone on the staff mentioned something about a game show but there wasn’t really anything to support that.

Instead what I’ve rated is how cohesive the different aspects of the room was. In addition to the puzzles, there was the opportunity to sabotage your opponent as well as a door that closed more and more as time progresses. These components together make for a very fun and fast-paced game!

I would also give this a #diamond rating. Unfortunately, I was on the losing side. That’s the risk you get with PVP rooms–not everyone’s going to be happy. Fortunately, it’s been awhile since we’ve completed the room and I’ve gotten over my loss. The overall experience was unique, which is something I don’t get to write about many rooms nowadays.

I would give this room a #diamond! This was the first PVP room I had done and it definitely brought out the competitive side in me. This room is doable by larger groups just because of the way the puzzles are set up, so I recommend gathering as many friends as you can (up to 7 plus you!) to try this room out.

NOTE: Elle (my partner for this room) and I got on the leaderboard! 🙂