Escape Room games

[TrickyD]

Would one of these be a good idea for a post-Christmas family evening?
Any recommendations? The cheaper sort without boards and big boxes would be ideal.

Look up the exit games! Small box. One-use type thing as you use the contents to solve the puzzles. We get them as an occasional treat and they take us 60-90 minutes.

We did exit game the other day. 12 year old and 2 adults. All really enjoyed. Took about 100 mins

Try Amazon

Although it’s not cheap I can thoroughly recommend Neil Patrick Harris BoxOne-it’s absolutely brilliant. Supposed to be for one person but we did it with the 3 of us recently and I’d say it’s better with more brains.

Can you pass the exit games on to others once you've solved it? Or is it literally one use?

We have had games from the Mystery Agency which were absolutely great but both difficult and quite expensive.

We played Starline Express last year which was good fun and manageable for a ten year old. It took us a little under an hour to play. It can all be put back together afterwards and passed on which is a bonus.

I got it in the Argos clearance so I’m not sure if it’s still available elsewhere.

I’ve also used the ones that you download, and set up in a room. We enjoyed this Harry Potter themed game. There was quite a lot of work in setting it up and then as I knew all the answers I couldn’t join in. I thought it was very good and would have ordered another but they seemed a bit samey.

Last year I bought one of the EXIT games. I read the reviews and was careful to choose a game that, for our first attempt, I felt we could do (The Cemetery of the Knight).
I was so looking forward to playing but it was very disappointing. We are three reasonably intelligent adults but we struggled. Some of the clues were very vague and even when we looked up the answer, it didn't make sense. Eventually, the other two I was playing with wandered off, bored.
I would recommend you read reviews for specific games carefully and don't necessarily trust the manufacturers skill level rating.
I managed to keep our game in tact (some pieces are meant to be cut up/written on) and passed it on to a friend to try.

I've not given up, but this year I'm thinking of something like this instead:

www.amazon.co.uk/University-Games-33280-Murder-Mystery/dp/B08G3MS9NP/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&crid=1492TKVJGQMB7&keywords=murder+mystery+game&sprefix=Murder+%2Caps%2C177&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1635257172&sr=8-5

Thanks, everyone, for your help.
It seems to be a choice between cheap but only useable once, or expensive but lasting.
We are seeing all the family tomorrow, so might canvas their opinion.

@SpringsBack

Last year I bought one of the EXIT games. I read the reviews and was careful to choose a game that, for our first attempt, I felt we could do (The Cemetery of the Knight). I was so looking forward to playing but it was very disappointing. We are three reasonably intelligent adults but we struggled. Some of the clues were very vague and even when we looked up the answer, it didn't make sense. Eventually, the other two I was playing with wandered off, bored. I would recommend you read reviews for specific games carefully and don't necessarily trust the manufacturers skill level rating. I managed to keep our game in tact (some pieces are meant to be cut up/written on) and passed it on to a friend to try.

I've not given up, but this year I'm thinking of something like this instead:

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I would definitely suggest starting with easier ones, as it takes a couple to get into the way they operate. We started with the cabin one and then sunken treasure. We then progressed onto the Knight one this summer, and although it was tricky, we did crack it in the end. I only chose the 2/2.5 to do with our preteens otherwise they’re too hard.

@TrickyD

After I posted the above I started having another look at the EXIT games because I do like the concept of them and I was thinking of trying Haunted Roller Coaster.
I'll have a look at the Abandoned Cabin as well.

Thanks.

Apologies, @TrickyD - that message was meant for @MeanMrMustardSeed

Love these, I just bought myself one for Christmas after reading this thread 😆

We got the Murder on the Orient Express Exit game. I didn't realize it was the most difficult level, so it took us ages, but it was fun. We are going to get an easier one for Christmas for sure.

We have a few of the Exit the game ones and if you get some tracing paper you don't have to cut up the game so it can be used more than once. My husband is a bit obsessed about keeping the game intact haha

We did an escape room on boxing Day, it was an exit use once, easy level (DS12) and was about £15 from Amazon.

It was good fun, but what made it more of an event was theming the room. From memory it was some kind of escape a castle, so we got the Halloween cobwebs out, put some paper shields up, played eerie music in the background, all had drinks from goblets, each had a notepad and pen like a quill etc

Haunted rollercoaster was good. Definitely try the abandoned cabin. I remember especially enjoying it. The children (10 & 8) loved the sunken treasure plastic shapes 🙄. I wouldn’t dare try anything too hard - I need more sleep before I do that!!!

Could someone link to recommended games please?

Are any of the games suitable for 5 players?

Exit: The Game are good but the writing/pictures is very small so not suitable for more and 3 or 4 people as you wouldn't be able to see. My mum and dad struggled in the dim evening light to see what was going on.

Loved the Exit games. we've gone through all of them bar the new advent calendar ones. I think the older ones e.g. haunted rollercoaster, the Pharoh's Tomb and the house of riddles were far better than the newer ones.

We found the puzzle ones a bit too difficult and we are two smart people who are very used to these games and escape rooms in general. just found the connections between clues a bit tenuous.

If they're not your forte then the unlock ones are also good but i didn't find them quite as fun as they're just cards you put together rather than cutting things up and doing lots of weird things

@MagpieMary

Are any of the games suitable for 5 players?

I think the "Escape Room: The Game" ones are suitable for 5 players. i enjoyed them but found the one time use plastic stuff very wasteful

Has anyone ever tried the escape room in a book? (Journey 29 or the cypher files) I nearly bought one for myself today and couldn't decide...