Hi Everyone,
We’ve been getting reports about problems purchasing our games through certain online discount sites. If you are one of them looking to book for yourselves or to give as a gift, please contact us! We will do our best to match the deal when you purchase directly through us. Either call us at 331-481-9535 or email at CluedInEscapeRooms@gmail.com.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
If you like escape rooms, there are now many options for you to get your fix at home. We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite board games that are either an escape room in a box, or have the deduction and puzzle solving aspects of an escape room.
There are a lot to choose from out there. The escape room in a box concept will have you solving a series of puzzles along a story. You’ll be interacting with the pieces of the game in various ways to accomplish this. They are fine with just one person or a small group. Just from our experience, more than 4 players could mean that some people sit around watching instead of playing, but your experience may be different. The two we’ve played and enjoyed the most are the Exit series and the Unlock series.
The Exit games had the more clever puzzles and enjoyable experience. You will be interacting with the pieces of the game, sometimes even destroying them in the process. For us that was both a reluctant and then satisfying experience. This means that once played, the game is going in the trash, or burned in a bonfire if you’re like us.
The Unlock games were also very enjoyable. The puzzles are still clever and fun, but not as interesting at the Exit games. That’s partially due to the game mechanics. It’s all played with cards and an app. This made it somewhat more fun for group play, but didn’t have the tension or “cool” factor of Exit. The big plus of Unlock is once you solve it, you can pass it on to friends or family.
The next few games while not escape room games, they will test your deduction and puzzle solving skills.
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective is an amazing, and sometimes difficult game. You play apprentices to the famous Sherlock Holmes, tasked with solving one of 10 cases included in the box. Each can take an hour or more, all depending on how long you decide to spend on them. In fact the whole game feels like a “choose your own adventure book” broken down into board game form. After reading about the initial crime scene you, you use a map, special book, and a newspaper to travel around London interviewing suspects, getting evidence examined, putting together the pieces of the puzzle, and maybe even uncovering more mysteries. Your ultimate goal? Do it in fewer steps than Sherlock did. Once you decide you are ready, you skip to a section where you answer a series of questions about the case, then Sherlock will explain everything to you. It’s a great experience as a single player, or in a group. The only draw back is once you finish all 10 cases you are done. But realistically that could be an unforgettable 20+ hours.
Watson and Holmes is another game themed around that famous detective. However, where Consulting Detective is a cooperative game, Watson and Holmes is competitive. After hearing the initial case, each player takes turns travelling to various locations around the game board (which is a series of cards laid out). However, players can bid on that location to see who gets to look at the information. Bidding chips are a limited resource, so you have to choose wisely. Once a player thinks they know what the solution is, they can choose try and solve it. You only get once chance, so if you get it wrong the other players will get a chance later. It’s almost like an advanced version of the game Clue. It’s a tense and very fun game! Much like Consulting Detective once you finish the 13 cases you are done with the game. But for both you can then regift them!
The last two games are a little different. In both one player will know the mystery, in these cases the details of a murder. That player will silently give hints to the other players so they can solve it.
In Mysterium one player is a ghost silently trying to get the other players to solve their murder. Through the use of pictures they can piece together what happened. The other players are mediums who try and interpret the pictures. At the end of each round if a majority of the mediums are correct, they win. But time is limited, so you all must work together to solve the mystery.
In Deception: Murder in Hong Kong one player is the detective, while the others are suspects. Each has a series of cards in front of them depicting various weapons and items. Secretly one of the suspects is chosen as the murderer, and they will show one weapon and item to the detective. That becomes the means and key piece of evidence. Using special tiles the detective can point to a series of keywords and try to piece together the murder for the other suspects. The detective cannot speak though. At the end of each round the suspects can discuss what was presented. Of course they know one is secretly a murder, so the discussion is intense. Each player get’s one chance to guess the weapon and key piece of evidence. If no one gets it right, the murder gets away with the crime!
Where should you buy these games? We recommend Wandering Dragon in Plainfield, and TPK Gaming in Glen Ellyn. Be sure to call before hand to make sure they have your game in stock! Both places have some great specials going on Black Friday and over the weekend. We love players who support local small business!
Let us know your favorite games in the comments!
Come play games before or after your escape room experience, or any time during our business hours.
While we continue design work on our 3rd escape room game, we turned one of our unfinished rooms into a gaming space*. We’ve provided some games, or you can bring your own. Some, like the one pictured above, are perfect for groups of 8 people and last 30-45 minutes.
The room is open to the public, and it’s free to play board games. You can also use this space for your work party, team building, birthday party, or outing. You can reserve the space for a private function for a small fee. Please contact us at 331-481-9535 if you would like to use the room for a private function.
Skeleton Key Brewery is having it’s second annual Halloween party on Saturday Oct. 28th from 5-11 pm, and we’ll be creating a special 15 minute Halloween escape room for them. The event and the escape room are free, but spaces are limited, so reserve your spot as soon as possible!
Skeleton Key Brewery is located at 8102 Lemont Rd #300, Woodridge, IL 60517
We are introducing a brand new referral program for our customers! Earn credit towards your next escape adventure at CluedIn Escape Rooms by referring people to us. Read more about it below, or sign up HERE.
We are trying an experiment. Let’s have the community; the players, the fans, students, etc., submit ideas for our next escape room. The rules are simple. You would post an idea you have, it could be just a theme, or a full story. The public would then vote on their favorites. The one that has the most votes across all of social media and the internet would win! The winner will get a pass for a full group to come to one of our escape rooms ($232 value) plus their idea will become our next escape room!
Ideas can be as simple as “A zombie escape room in a high school,” or a more complex story, “Your group is a team of young adults who travel the country solving mysteries with their dog. They stumble across an abandoned theme park where people have gone missing. Can you follow the clues and unmask the villain?”
We often get asked, “Where is a good place to eat and drink?” after their escape room experience, so we thought we’d make planning your night out a little easier. Below is a list of some of our favorite places. It’s a work in progress, so we’ll be adding more as we discover them. At each the service is fantastic, but stands out in their own way. Let us know your favorites in the comments!
Ellyn’s is just down Roosevelt from us and has become a favorite for food and drinks after. Excellent beer and cocktail list and great pub food. They are great for families as well as adults looking for a night out. Reservations accepted and recommended. (The best way to find them is head East on Roosevelt, turn left at Baker Hill Dr., then right into the strip mall.)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ellyns-tap-and-grill-glen-ellyn-3
If you are looking for a place to get fresh burgers and sandwiches with the family this would be our go to place. Only a few blocks East of CluedIn on Roosevelt, during warm weather you could walk there! Plenty of seating for lunch or dinner. Free fry for people who play any of our escape games! Just let us know you saw this post and we’ll give you the voucher.
https://www.meatheadsburgers.com/menus/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/meatheads-glen-ellyn
One of the newest to Glen Ellyn, Maize & Mash is a whisky bar featuring american and southern inspired food. Located on Main Street a few blocks South of the tracks. Their whisky cocktails stand out, as well as their cozy lounge complete with couches upstairs. Small shareable dishes are featured. Call ahead seating is is recommended for parties of 6 or more.
https://www.maizeplusmash.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/maize-mash-glen-ellyn
For a finer dining experience Fire and Wine should be your next stop. Just off Main Street, a couple blocks South of the tracks. Rustic Italian food with a modern twist. They have great small plates and full dinners. The decor really stands out, with a city feel in a suburban spot. They have a new menu twice a year, and often feature a signature dish and cocktail. For parties of 6 or more they take call ahead priority seating.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/fire-wine-glen-ellyn
Located off Park just south of Roosevelt, Reserve 22 features clubhouse fare. The standout is their incredible patio space. With 3 fireplaces and plenty of seating. They also feature daily specials and entertainment. Reservations accepted and recommend.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/reserve-22-glen-ellyn
A Toda Madre is just off Main Street on the North side of the downtown area. They specialize in Mexican street food, and are known for their tacos and margaritas. Plenty of seating for large parties. Reservations accepted and recommended.
https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-toda-madre-glen-ellyn-2
Main Street Pub is a sports pub known for their burgers and extensive rotating beer tap. You’ll find them just North of the train tracks on Main Street. Live music every Wednesday night. Reservations for parties of 10 or more.
http://www.themainstreetpub.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/main-street-pub-glen-ellyn
The mayor has been kidnapped! It’s all due to a villain who calls himself “The Game Master.” He’s holding him captive, but if you can solve his board game and video game puzzles he promises to let him go.
Hello readers. Gilmore here, reporting on a most unusual experience I had while researching a story. So keep reading if you want to look “Inside The Asylum.”
Now open in Glen Ellyn, CluedIn Escape Rooms! Our first challenge, The Asylum is ready to be tackled! Do you and your group have what it takes to solve the riddles and destroy the evil entity in The Asylum?
