Peanuts In My Pocket

My wife and I solved an escape room named Timeliner: Train Through Time, one of several rooms at the newly opened The Escape Game located at the outlet mall in the City of Orange. This was our third escape room hosted by The Escape Game, and all have been challenging, engaging, and fun experiences.

The room is designed for up to 8 players, is rated 7/10 in difficulty, and, of course, players are given 60 minutes to escape. Cramming 8 people into the room would be a challenge, as it is a small space. My wife and I played alone as a party of two, and afterward, we thought adding 2 more people would be about the right size.

We solved the room with 2 minutes left. We were not rushed and did not feel like the room was beyond our skill level, even at a 7/10 difficulty. We have about 14 rooms to our credit so far, and the only failure I can remember was our first attempt at The Hex Room, which was much too hard to be our first experience. If you attempt the room, plan on 3 to 4 people, but no more than 5 or 6.

As we’ve come to expect, the production value of Timeliner was high. It felt like the immersive experience one comes to expect from The Escape Game. They captured our attention from the moment we walked in and held it until we walked out the door.

The room follows a linear design approach, with one puzzle leading you to the next, and so on. It all made sense and left us with a clear sense of mission. I find non-linear rooms quite frustrating with a small team.

I found the use of tactile puzzles impressive and fun. Tactile puzzles are my favorite. My wife handles the thinking puzzles. Together, we make a good team. Plus, I’m tall with an expanded reach, and my wife is short, which helps with the low stuff. Both capabilities came in handy in this room.

Give the room a go and let us know what you think.

The AI prompt for the image used in this post: Create a cartoon-style illustration of an escape room scene, featuring a couple solving puzzles inside a vintage train setting. Include elements like a ticking clock on the wall, a map, and various puzzle pieces scattered around. The couple should look focused and determined, with one person reaching high for a clue and the other crouching low to inspect a hidden compartment. Add a sense of urgency with motion lines and bright, warm colors to convey the excitement and adventure of solving the escape room.