Steal and Escape - "The Lost Expedition"

LOCATION:  San Diego, California, USA

Photo above is property of Steal and Escape

📝 ETR DECODER

🔑 GAME: The Lost Expedition
📅 DATE PLAYED: April 20, 2024
🎬 GENRE: Historical, Archaeological
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 ppl): 7/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 4-8 ppl
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins.
💰 PRICE: $40.00/ pp (Min. 4 ppl required)
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes

📖 THE STORY

200 years ago, a group of archaeologists were exploring a dig site. Their party had begun to uncover the remains of an ancient society, but then vanished without a trace and the location of the ruins was lost…until recently, when a new group stumbled upon the site and renewed the excavation. Unfortunately, they just lost contact with their sponsors as well. It is now up to you and your team to make sure the third time's the charm. Hopefully, you can find the clues the other groups left behind, piece them together, and eventually uncover the secrets of this lost civilization before your fuel runs out and you're plunged into eternal darkness!

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

Puzzles in this room are interactive, and some have multiple components that require your group to collaborate, rewarding you for your teamwork.
The well thought out decor and ambience spans eras, as is appropriate for a dig site where work is separated by a couple of centuries.
Much of the decor is reclaimed or otherwise reused materials. It's clear that a lot of thought and effort went into the design and build phase.
Roles are assigned (with associated working props!) to each group member, helping encourage the idea that 'everyone gets their time to shine!'
It has a unique timing mechanism appropriate for the experience, whereby you have until you run out of fuel. This unusual approach allows you to make choices that impact the amount of time you have to complete the mission.

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

The nature of the roles and the way the room unfolds can lead to at least one person with little to do for some of the time, and it's possible to end up being assigned to a task you find unfulfilling.
Some of the text displayed during the course of the game was small and poorly placed, making it harder to read than it needed to be.
The game is built such that there are a few different endings; ours was somewhat anticlimactic, but we are unsure of how others would have played out.

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

This room is a good time, especially for a smaller group of people who are observant and willing to experiment with their environment. It utilizes tech in a wide variety of ways while keeping it unobtrusive, enhancing the experience while keeping the illusion that - although it is set in the modern world - you are working on an ancient site and using some intel left by people two centuries ago. Bring your spirit of adventure and communication skills with you and you'll have an unforgettable time!

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

Steal and Escape puts a lot of thought into the storyline of their rooms, as well as the build process. They use reclaimed, authentic materials whenever possible for a fabulously realistic, immersive experience that transports you into the adventure you're having. There is ample free parking out front. Inside, the waiting area has lockers, a bathroom, and a fun mix of puzzles - including a ten minute puzzle box specially designed to introduce neophytes to the world of escape room puzzles.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

BOOK NOW

(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure: We thank Steal and Escape for offering us a media discount for our tickets to this game. Although a media discount was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.