RATING: 4 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: 19:56
Only kids (and those young at heart!) are allowed in this exclusive club!
Embark on a daring and thrilling mission, your goal: to recover your stolen valuables hidden away in the covert refuge of the neighborhood punk. Trustworthy sources have provided a valuable lead, indicating a narrow one-hour window during which you must infiltrate, navigate treacherous heights, and reclaim your possessions. Can you outsmart the wily culprit, unlock the concealed secrets, and make off with your goods before Fido, his loyal watchdog, returns?
Somewhere in this cluttered treehouse are lost treasured trinkets, and it’s time to get them back and show that no bully can get away with it! Of course, kids are crafty, so it’ll take the unique flavor of brainpower and curiosity of an elementary schooler when approaching every nook and cranny so that everyone gets the information and tools needed to get that stuff back.
No more climbing is required once in the treehouse, but surely some secrets are hiding in crevices and crawlspaces waiting to be discovered. And those trusted eyes on the outside are keeping a close watch on the guard dog that usually prevents trespassers from even setting foot into this bunker atop branches and are willing to lend a hand if everyone gets stumped.
The mission is simple. Get the stuff locked away among the leaves and bark before Fido gets a chance to bark for the bully’s return to put everyone in a world of pain – It’s time to unleash the inner child and play!
Exemplary of the treehouse every youngin’ dreams about, the space is filled just as much with nostalgic parents-not-allowed outdoor club aesthetics as it is with escape game puzzles! Setting foot inside The Treehouse Raid at Fort Knocks reveals a cozy kid castle that displays its carefree character through its imperfectly aligned planks of wood butting right up against the bark-covered trunk itself.
It’s certainly an elevated estate fit for just one and maybe a few friends. Anyone finding themselves spending playtime in it has to tread carefully and trade places with their buddies to navigate around the tight treehouse space.
It appears as though sunlight pours into the room both through the webbing of leaves above as well as through the carved out window, screened for privacy of course – it is a secret treehouse club after all. And that light makes more obvious the dark places that only the bravest of kids dare explore.
Littered about those walls are decorations most befitting for a child’s outdoor refuge, like license plates and road signs, an old bike, a personal mini-fridge, sports posters and flyers. Surely among this clutter must be clues to lead to where the bully is hiding the goods!
There’s a lot to discover in the treehouse, and the puzzles call on adventurers to be both observant to detail and curious of their surroundings. Whether it’s looking closely at signs, peering headfirst into a private built-in cave, or reaching into a mysterious hole (but what if something yucky is in there??) – embracing childlike exploration is a big part of the experience.
The eyes on the outside aren’t just looking out for the ferocious guard dog. Help is just a call away – and on the most trusty of communication devices, of course – a can attached to a string! This adds authenticity to an already whimsical environment! After all, no cell phones are allowed, and for a specifically witty reason that may cause equal parts grins, groans, and gritted teeth with how obvious it reveals itself to be.
The limited party size fits not only the smaller space but also the mostly linear puzzle sequencing that includes a sprinkling of physical activity. However, teamwork is absolutely still needed to find success throughout the game, and communication is key throughout. There is another unexpected reveal during the heist that is likely to create a barrel of laughs, even though it is also comically obvious in an almost toony way.
The Treehouse Raid at Fort Knocks brings forth a fun presentation of a quintessential childhood memory – or that of an ideal for those who didn’t have one of their own! By overlaying a heist objective on top of that motif, Escape Factor combines the pressure and tension of the mission with the joy and silliness of this kid-coded environment and puzzle set.
The way the whole scenario is set up gives everyone a personally vested interest in finishing the game with a victory. Come the end of the adventure, whether success is achieved or not, it’s time to make like a tree and get outta there!
#JaysonForgotToTakeAPhoto
Show your support for Escape Authority and get social with us:
Venue: Escape Factor
Location: Forest Park, Illinois
Number of Games: 4
GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:
Duration: 60 minutes
Capacity: 6 people
Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.
Cost: $43-60 per person (depending on total group size)
