The Ministry Of Peculiarities — Attraction in Azusa

Word from the grapevine is that once you experience this gem of an escape room, anything else after will pale in comparison. The calibre of this escape room is just something else. If escape rooms were a sport, the Ministry of Peculiarities- Hope End would be the gold Olympian. There is all the Hollywood magic in this quirky, quaint, and brilliant escape room. Please go experience this spectacular wonder.

I highly recommend that you request for actresses, Paris and Ellie, to be the characters in your escape room experience. They nailed their performances.

Here's 2 versions to my review: a TLDR and one with a bit more details.

TLDR version: What an incredible escape room experience with immersive storytelling brought to life by phenomenal actors/actresses. The moment the doors open for you to enter the establishment, your adventure already begins. I strongly feel that having 6 people minimum is a good, starting number (even though the actual minimum number of people is 4) for your investigation. The story is that an estate, called Hope End, can't be sold because it's haunted. As agents working with the Ministry of Peculiarities, your mission is to find out how the occupants who once lived in this home met their demise. The sets throughout are characters themselves. The puzzles/clues range from easy to more challenging, but there are hints (like good, hilarious ones too) along the way. This experience is perhaps the most unique of any escape rooms currently out there, and the attention to detail and care that goes into this is evident in every corner and crevice of the space utilized. I cannot recommend this enough for a unique and memorable experience.

Here's my detailed review (if you're curious to read more): 100/10 absolutely recommend this escape room without reservations. What an extraordinary and gripping escape room that is deeply immersive from the moment you set foot at the door of the establishment.

In particular, please ask for Paris to be the actress in your story. She is worth more than her weight in gold for her performance.

This is story-telling at its finest with notable acting. The premise of this escape room is that as agents, you've been summoned by the ministry to solve what happened to the occupants who lived on this ancestral home called Hope End. The home is deemed unsellable because it's haunted. Once upon a time, the occupants who lived here met their demise, with the peculiar exception of Dolores Wright (née Hope). And thus, your investigation begins.

The mechanics of the rooms, the costumes, and the makeup are all fantastic. The rooms you'll encounter are each so unique with so much attention to detail, that it will take time to take this all in. At some point in your adventure, you'll wonder who you can trust. Be forewarned, there are also some eerie moments especially because you're in the dark at times.

I am no escape room enthusiast nor connoisseur, and I'm definitely a novice. But I will tell you though that if I made it through, you will too. See, I tend to shy away from games, especially partaking in escape rooms, because I feel I am awful at them. I can usually imagine my anxiety kicking in, in enclosed spaces, and I would be the weakest link/dead weight to my team. Did I also mention that I am a first-class wimp? So be forewarned because there are elements about this escape room that can come off eerie, but the nature of it is not horror or gory. Thank goodness.

So much imagination, heart, and love went into the creation of this escape room, that I could absolutely tell the moment I entered. I immensely loved the time I spent here with my friends because this escape room was so well-written and highly executed, so I will treasure this magical experience. I hope to be back soon to explore the other missions when the Ministry of...

It is really hard to write this review because there is just so much to say about Hopes End. I have played hundreds of rooms and if you are also an escape room enthusiast you've heard of Crossroads, you've heard of Palace Games, you've heard of the Stash House. I can confidently say that while they are all great rooms, Ministry of Peculiarities tops every single one of them (and every other room I've ever played). This is, to put it quite simply, the best escape room experience that I have ever seen or heard of.

For the specifics, from before we even started the room we were greeted with a memorable and immersive experience that I won't go into more detail about here.

The room itself has some of the best technology and decor of any escape room I have played. You really feel like you are walking into a haunted house (it's not that scary, more spooky. They give you an amazing foreboding feeling without relying on jump scares).

The puzzles are extremely varied in what they ask of you and I would rate every single one as excellent. A lot of the times in escape rooms (especially ones as atmospheric and story driven as this one) the puzzles tend to suffer in favor of other elements of the room. This is absolutely not true here. In fact they might be the best puzzles I have seen in the industry. They leave you feeling accomplished and use your brainpower without feeling unfair or under-clued.

While the architects of room constructed the puzzles and set, Dolores brings the room to life (or death). Live actors are nothing new to escape rooms but never before have I seen one that so seamlessly integrates the actor into the room without being annoying or intrusive.

I live eight hours away from the Ministry and when they release another room I will make a trip back here for the express purpose of seeing their new experience. At the time of writing this review, it has been a week since I played and I still can't stop thinking about this room. I often sit at my desk and shake my head and say to myself "man ministry is SO good".

When it comes to puzzles and entertainment, you will never do yourself a bigger favor than booking...

Hauntingly good time for all at The Ministry of Peculiarities! We surprised my mother-in-law with a trip to this escape room for her birthday, and let me tell you, it was a magical (and slightly spooky) experience for everyone!

From the moment we stepped in, the cast transported us into another world. Their immersive characters instantly drew us into the story, setting the stage for an unforgettable adventure. The haunted house environment was incredibly believable, with every detail meticulously crafted to send shivers down our spines (in the best way possible, of course!).

But the real show-stoppers were the special effects. They weren't just gimmicks; they were seamlessly integrated into the puzzles and narrative, adding layers of excitement and surprise. We were all left in awe (and maybe a little breathless) by some of the mind-blowing moments.

This escape room is far from your average experience. It's a blend of immersive theatre, intricate puzzles, and genuine scares that will leave you talking about it long after you've escaped (with a ton of help from the cast)!

And the best part? It's right in our own backyard! We had no idea such a gem existed so close to home. We'll definitely be recommending The Ministry of Peculiarities to everyone we know and can't wait to return for another adventure ourselves.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a unique, thrilling, and unforgettable experience. If you're even remotely considering it, just do it! You won't regret it.

P.S. A special shout-out to the incredible cast for making my mother-in-law's birthday one she'll never forget! They truly went above and beyond to make it a truly special occasion.

Overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars (Would give 6...