The Box – Predestined (Review)

Location: Charlotte, NC

Players: 2-6 (We recommend 3-4)

Price: $27 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

Seize your destiny!

Theme:

Several artifacts have been taken from important moments in history, throwing off the time stream, and causing a ripple effect that could cause massive damage to our existence! Even worse, the perpetrator is most likely a traitor within your organization, a secret group that is sworn to protect the time stream! You only have a short amount of time to get everything back to where it needs to be and unmask the traitor before the damage becomes irreversible!

First Impressions:

It’s been a while since we visited The Box, but we’ve definitely been anticipating our return for quite some time! Predestined is one of our most highly anticipated rooms, especially after the amazing time we had in Cold Case Killer, which remains one of our top rooms ever. When I received the email that Predestined had gone live, I knew it was time, once again, to make our way down to Charlotte, NC for another marathon!

The Box knocks it out of the park with their excellent movie posters again!

High Points:

Our experience started off fantastically, as the always amazing Andy greeted us in character and explained the story as he led us towards the temporal paradox we were meant to resolve. He always does a great job bouncing between his host persona and the characters who lead us towards our missions, and this trip was no exception. The room itself was themed excellently, and the sense of immersion was bolstered immediately by the lighting effects. The story is also superb; as we have come to expect from The Box, small details were hidden around the room that tied into the overarching story, cluing us in to what has been going on, while still leaving a fair amount of mystery to keep us intrigued. The storyline and room also ties into Cold Case Killer and The Ventriloquist amazingly, setting up an interconnected Box universe that teases something grander.

The game flow itself is great as well, tying incredibly created and hand crafted puzzles into the theme seamlessly. Nothing feels out of place, and everything is important to the game. There was plenty to keep our group, who had maxed out the room, engaged and puzzling for the full experience. One particular favorite puzzle spanned the entire room and encouraged us to use props in interactive and satisfying ways. Perception really is key to this room, but nothing is unfair or unduly difficult to find, ensuring that the interactions are the star of the show, rather than becoming a glorified scavenger hunt. The whole experiences culminates in a rather exciting climax, and once we had completed the room, we were jazzed and ready for more!

Low Points:

The room felt a little smaller than the other experiences, and while the story feels as though it takes place on a grander scale, the area itself feels more confined. The room itself is comfortable for the maximum of six, however.

Verdict:

After completing Predestined, my only disappointment is that there wasn’t yet another room at The Box to escape from! This business remains one of our top favorites, and we cannot wait to see what they come up with next. I recommend trying this room, but strongly urge you to complete Cold Case Killer and The Ventriloquist first! Though you can still enjoy Predestined without doing so, you’ll get the full experience if you complete those rooms prior. Book your trek(s) through The Box’s amazing adventures here!

9/10 (Excellent)

Full Disclosure: The Box provided our group with Media Discounted tickets.

The Box Room Escape – Cold Case Killer (Review)

Location: Charlotte, NC

Players: 2-6 (We recommend 3-4)

Price: $27 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

Just a friendly visit from the neighbors!

Theme:

Usually I type my own interpretation of the theme, but The Box has a perfect write-up for their room. Per The Box’s website: Enter the House of Vincent and Margaret Harden, the newest residents of the neighborhood. Explore through their house and follow along the story. But beware, if you uncover the truth you may just find the not so happy ending.

First Impressions:

Stepping into The Box is an always immersive experience, and our second visit for Cold Case Killer was no different. (You can read about our first visit with the Ventriloquist here!) After a quick sign in, Andy gathered us around and gave us our excellent introduction to the story, then led us to our room. The Box continues to do a fantastic job of ensuring that story and puzzles come first from the very start, and the care they put into doing so shows.

High Points:

First and foremost, Cold Case Killer tells an riveting story that our group could not stop talking about hours later. Small things we did during our experience added to our revelations, and it really blew our minds. I won’t spoil anything here, but as usual, it adds a lot to the experience to read the case files provided on The Box’s website. We began the room in a non-traditional way, which was a very enjoyable touch. All puzzles were well clued and the connections set up in the room directed us towards where we needed to be in intuitive ways. There were a couple points of confusion, but they were not frustrating and added to the story, which may not make sense now, but will once you’ve played the room. The overall atmosphere and theming of the room feels very 1950’s, and everything belongs. The staff is really great and personable, but also stay in character in order to keep an immersive feel going.

Low Points:

The ending felt slightly abrupt, and I feel like there was room for more puzzling, but everything already in the room works very well as is, so it’s a minor nitpick. I feel like any more than 4 players may be too many cooks, especially towards the latter half, but our group of 4 felt just right.

Verdict:

With one of the most excellently crafted stories I’ve ever experienced in an escape room, The Box delivers a finely tuned Escape Experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting the Charlotte area. Beginners and Enthusiasts alike will find something to enjoy about Cold Case Killer, just make sure to read your case files beforehand to get the full experience! We are looking forward to our next escape at The Box, whatever mind bending adventure that may be!  Book your time with the Hardens here!

Full Disclosure: The Box provided our group with Media Discounted tickets.

9/10 (Excellent)

The Box Room Escape – Ventriloquist (Review)

Location: Charlotte, NC

Players: 2-7

Price: $27 per person

Time to Escape: 60 minutes

What’s that boy? Little Timmy’s gone missing in the old theatre?

Theme:

The old Ventriloquist’s theatre has been under investigation recently after a rash of child disappearances in the area, but after a fire broke out in the building, the inquiry has come to a halt. Another child has gone missing, and now it’s up to you and your team of detectives to break into the theatre to save him, and hopefully put an end to the horror.

First Impressions:

From the start, The Box was a fantastic experience. The lobby is decorated like an old movie theatre, and the gentleman at the front desk played his part well. It’s always good for the immersion to begin immediately, and The Box had this down perfectly. As we were led behind the velvet rope, it felt as though we were sneaking backstage into the Ventriloquist’s lair. The game began soon after a great in-theme briefing by our game master, so with only an hour to solve the mystery, we drew back the curtain on our adventure and wow, was it a creepy good time.

High Points:

From our first step into the Ventriloquist’s old theatre, I felt like we were really there. Theming was on point, with a creepy mood set, and held, throughout. The puzzles were fun, but not overly taxing, and our searches found something new at almost every turn. Clever hiding spots abounded, and there were quite a few moments that made me say ah ha! There was an extremely good twist on an old escape room favorite, as well as a few spooky touches that activated as we made our way through the mystery.

Low Points:

There were a couple clues that seemed to point towards the same puzzle, which was confusing, but we didn’t lose any time on this due to a small mistake in the reset. The puzzles trended toward the easier side for our group of enthusiasts, but that was a really minor nitpick as the room was so much fun. And that’s really it!

Verdict:

The Box has crafted a fantastically solid experience that ups the creep factor without being overtly scary, and draws you in from the second you enter the door. I highly recommend this room to anyone looking for an all around fantastic adventure. Book your escape from The Ventriloquist here!

9/10 (Excellent)