815 Escape — Local services in Rockford Township

If you’ve never done an escape room before, maybe these will seem good. Maybe we’re just spoiled by all the escape rooms we’ve done elsewhere but I would not recommend these or come back myself. Part of the fun of an escape room (for me at least) is the variety of puzzles that don’t necessarily go in order, so maybe in the beginning you’ll find a random red block and have no idea what it goes to but then halfway through, you solve a couple other puzzles and then figure out what the red block goes to. We supposedly did their hardest room and id say 95% of their puzzles were all linear - this solves this now this solves this now this solves this. There was really no mystery. Also, almost everything you had to solve is either a combination lock or lock and key and it’s all in one giant room. No hidden rooms, no trap doors, etc. Now let me say that we did not escape this room and I am not writing this because I am salty and a sore loser. There have been a couple other rooms we have not escaped and those were fair losses, we were really stuck and did not complete everything. I am frustrated we “didn’t escape” because we were literally less than 10 seconds from finishing; ok so you can ask for clues right. So we were a bit lost with something so I asked for a clue, waited for a while, nothing. Asked again, nothing again. Asked again and finally got one but the clue we got was something we had already figured out and didn’t help us. The whole exchange probably came close to wasting 5 minutes. We had the combination and were fumbling with the last lock (which wasn’t even working right) to get out as the time ended and the game master walked in. Had all that not happened, I believe we would...

Game master was not very helpful with the hints, they were just confounding. We werent interested in any record time, we werent experienced game room experts, just looking for a fun time. Asked for hints and we got successive riddles, when all we wanted was the straight answer for the current puzzle so we could move on to the next. This is a problem when the puzzles are set up in a linear order (as others have noted here) , meaning there is no progression until the current one is solved. A good escape room should have multiple goals, and various paths towards them. Otherwise it gets crowded, everyone stumped on the same problem. We asked for clues many times and often it seemed there was a delay in getting new information/clues, like there was no response ... "figure it out". Game master should be clued in that beginners need a lot of help and are more interested in having fun, reading the stress/frustration level of the room. This was truly the Dark Souls...

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My recent visit to 815 Escape was nothing short of amazing, thanks to the outstanding hospitality of Callum and Ella. Their kindness and patience elevated the entire experience.

From the moment we walked in, Callum and Ella welcomed us warmly, creating a friendly atmosphere. Throughout the escape room challenge, their patience was remarkable. They guided us with subtle hints, ensuring we stayed on track without spoiling the excitement for us first-timers.

Callum and Ella's attention to detail and dedication to customer satisfaction shone through. They took the time to debrief with us, sharing insights and celebrating our successes. Their genuine enthusiasm for what they do made our visit memorable.

In conclusion, if you're seeking an exceptional escape room experience with hosts who prioritize kindness and patience, 815 Escape is the place to go. Kudos to Callum and Ella for making our adventure unforgettable! Five stars...