C Block: Locked away in prison for a crime we didn’t commit, but we had a plan to fly the coop.

Pros: Escape Experience was our second stop on our whirlwind President’s Day weekend tour of the Nashville area. Although prison escape games are more popular than nearly any other theme, we could not resist the urge to once again test our expert jailbreak techniques. The game master enthusiastically briefed our group of eight strangers for our game. Once we were handcuffed to our respective game-play partners, we were escorted to our cells. The game began and we quickly progressed through the first puzzles despite being ridiculously cramped in the small space. We breathed a brief sigh of relief before embarking on the second part, and most difficult part, of the game. The puzzles were overall very logical although searching for hints was difficult mostly because of the limitations of so many people on a small space. The large group also hindered our tried and true communication strategies and definitely slowed our escape.

Cons: We loved the game and the game master but found being grouped once again with a large group of strangers less than enjoyable. We escaped not because of the larger group, but in spite of them, having solved all the puzzles largely on our own. This was especially unfortunate for them since they had no idea what was really happening. This is often a problem when newbies are paired with enthusiasts with the result that nobody has the best experience. We recommend much smaller group sizes (4 or less) in C Block. When possible avoid mixing groups of strangers altogether.

Despite the issues with group size, we appreciated the puzzle and set design at the Escape Experience and would definitely recommend that you check them out during your next visit to Music City!

Nashville Room: A famous music producer has gone into retirement but is willing to award one last music contract to one lucky group who can solve his crazy array of puzzles.

The Heist: An unscrupulous art collector has stolen a priceless Monet and we had to recover it before it disappeared for good.

Mission Mars: With power, communication, and oxygen systems down on our spacecraft, we had one hour to escape before the impending solar flare brought a swift end to our mission.

Gold Rush: A miner’s cabin held the key to a hidden gold mine of treasure. We had to find it quick before time ran out.

Pros: We arrived in music city with a song in our heart and escape rooms on our mind. After finding our ridiculously expensive parking spot in downtown Nashville, we entered the awesomely inviting waiting room of the Escape Game. The manager greeted us and quickly checked us in. We played the Nashville Room and the Heist and returned later to play Gold Rush. We also visited their Berry Hill location to place Mission Mars. The rooms were all consistently excellent in set design and storyline. We were especially impressed by the immersive set of Gold Rush. This was by far our favorite room of our holiday weekend escape room spree.

The puzzles varied appropriately according to the different themes of each room. Clues and puzzles aligned to the diverse storylines. The game masters used the electronic hint system to communicate with us as necessary. We found one or two hints necessary to complete each of the rooms we played at the Escape Game. Other than these few occasional moments of feeling completely stumped, our games generally flowed well.

Cons: We found that some of the puzzles were unnecessarily difficult in part because of a lack of guideposts to help players connect puzzles to locks. The logic issues disrupted the game flow requiring assistance from the game master. We imagine that this is always a problem for players in these rooms. Most likely, the game masters find themselves providing the same set of hints to players. A few minor adjustments in the form of guideposts and hints to help players make the necessary connections without intervention, could infinitely improve the game play experience.
 
The Escape Game in Nashville is quite a popular place. The result was that we were frequently grouped in games of six to eight in each room we played. Unfortunately, this is too many people for the size of these rooms. Four makes the ideal group size. Also, playing with children (or adults who act like children) often spoils our game play fun. We found ourselves struggling to solve puzzles and enjoy the games as a result. Private bookings are preferred but when not possible, limiting groups sizes to four is much more enjoyable. In our humble opinion, groups with children should be always be grouped privately for a better experience all around.
 
The Escape Game Nashville was by far our favorite escape room experience in Nashville. The customer service there is also stellar, making for an all-around great time. Gather a bunch of our friends and go play the Gold Rush or Mission Mars rooms!