When the realms of Story and Scenic forge together, the pinnacle of compelling of universes is created – and within lies the coveted title of Most Immersive. It is here that guests are no longer players within a game, but rather vital characters within a flowing storyworld, drawn into the narrative in such away that it’s possible to entirely suspend disbelief. It is here that the notion of “escape” transforms away from “escape the room” and into the infinite possibilities of “escape reality.”
Escape Authority is honored to announce our 2019 Keys To Greatness – Most Immersive winners:
The Elevator Shaft
(Sylmar, CA)
Horror-themed games can sometimes be easy to suspend disbelief; after a few well-timed jump scares, even the most stoic of players could be left on edge. The true art, however, lies in the psychological scare – wherein a game is so immersive that it’s impossible to not believe the dangers around you are very, very real. Immersive horror transports guests from “obviously this is make-believe” to repeating “it’s only make-believe, it’s only make-believe” while trying to muster up the courage required to proceed. Simply put, there’s no better Immersive horror than what lurks at the bottom of The Elevator Shaft. A warped and psychotic world full of Taboo Puzzles pushes guests’ limits, all while a rickety old six ton elevator looms over head, threatening to fall with just one wrong move. If you don’t find yourself immersed in this world of nightmares, you’d better check your pulse.
Click here to read our full review of The Elevator Shaft.
Inventor’s Attic
(New Orleans, LA)
Guests’ Immersion into the world of the old DeLaporte Mansion starts long before their sixty-minute countdown begins. With a lobby that’s fully ‘in world,’ it becomes immediately apparent that Escape My Room is something special; Immersive to a degree few others could ever dream to achieve. And speaking of time clocks – don’t expect to find anything so cliché or out of place once you enter Uncle Remy’s Attic. An old-timey radio acts as your intricately themed countdown mechanism, adding just another level to the suspension of disbelief that’s furthered by each and every narrative-driven puzzle step. Escape My Room masterfully crafts a truly personalized-feeling Immersive experience that makes it far more than “just another escape game.”
Click Here to read our full review of Inventor’s Attic.
The Man From Beyond
(Houston, TX)
Several venues have aimed to blend the world of escape games with that of immersive theater – and each have seen their own degree of success – but only one venue pulls it off so seamlessly that it can be discussed among such industry peers as Sleep No More or Then She Fell. Strange Bird Immersive is as different as its name implies – and simply put there’s just nothing else like it in the escape game world. A traditionally timed sixty minute game is but a fragment of an over-arching experience that can run anywhere between ninety minutes to a whopping two hours. And like all compelling immersive theater, the true length is often determined by just how interactive you yourself are willing to become. The perfect blending of atmospheric and physical effects with a compelling narrative script and improvisational acting, The Man From Beyond not only brings the spirit of Harry Houdini back from the great unknown, but with it inspires our sense of wonder and imagination with the proof that no escape game ever again need be “just an escape game.”
Click Here to read our full review of The Man From Beyond.
Congratulations to our winners of the first ever Keys To Greatness – Most Immersive award!
With nearly 1,000 games played across the site, being picked as one of the best three in the country is a well-earned honor to truly be proud of!
With so many deserving games worthy of recognition, our goal is to ensure these Keys To Greatness awards are attainable to all – not just those with blockbuster budgets that might be otherwise out of reach. As such, it’s important to note that with just one exception, a given game can only win in a single category – but every game will still be qualified to win the coveted Keys To Greatness – Best Game award on June 2, 2019.
*Although the games I’ve personally designed are consistently very highly rated by both enthusiasts and newer players alike, I cannot in good conscience nominate an attraction I created. As such, those games and the venues that call them home have been intentionally omitted from consideration for any Keys To Greatness award.
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