After a dark and stormy night of chaos, the local villagers trapped Count Draven in his coffin with silver. We were tasked to get into his castle and complete his trials. If we surpass his expectations, Count Draven may turn us into vampires so that we may become as powerful as him. We stepped into Southern Escape’s “Forbitten” ready to test our wits with the first test—payment.

The total cost of the escape room was $24.40 for five college students, totaling $122.10. Southern Escape did not seem too busy when we attended—we were able to book within the week.

Feel free to let us know if you think Southern Escape is worth the money.

Logan Buum, Contributing Writer

This was my second time doing an escape room at Southern Escape. Both times were smooth experiences, with employees making it easy to start and understand. Some of the puzzles we faced felt like a scavenger hunt. With us all scurrying around and rummaging through everything we could see it was hard not to imagine it as one. That first room was the only thing to go smoothly for us. Almost every puzzle afterwards felt like our search was done with blindfolds on. My favorite moment that hindered our progress was a hint that was so clear, impossible to misunderstand even, that went unnoticed by the group for at least five minutes.

Keith Webb, Editor in Chief

I enjoyed Forbitten not because the experience was well-crafted, but because of the group I went with. I am not the best at picking up on subtleties or hints at the moment, so after piecing together one of the easier puzzles, I emotionally checked out. While I did not contribute as much as I could have (or should have), engaging in an activity with a group I consider close friends is something I still love. I fumbled some locks and lost us a few minutes, causing some playful teasing and banter between us all. We finally received the last hint, and while the clock looked suspiciously as though our game master added a few extra minutes, we rushed to the front door to input the code.

I did have a great time, but I can definitely see how frustrating it can be with the wrong group of people. In the future, I might go with a smaller group to avoid any unnecessary tension.

Stirling Terry, Opinion Editor

For an hour of entertainment, the escape room price of $24.40 was worth it, especially considering this activity is something that keeps you busy until you are done.I enjoyed Forbitten; it was challenging but remained enjoyable throughout. Some of the placements of certain clues were less than ideal, but we were able to sort things out. But the design of each new unlocked room added a whole new element to the story of Count Draven. It made me more determined to become the vampire I am destined to be.

Emma Sullivan, Copy Editor

Though the first clue was rather easy to find, the rest of the experience was delightfully challenging. We weren’t on our own though—players can ask for help from an employee by having all group members raise their hand at the same time. This safety net allowed us to tackle puzzles without stressing too much about running out of time.

We freed Count Draven and made it back into the lobby with only five minutes to spare, which has a dedicated photo wall with props.

Alayna Pellegrin, Managing Editor

This was my fifth escape room experience, each of which cost around $20, so I do not think that Southern Escape was overpriced at $24.40. Forbitten blended the perfect amount of challenge and fun. It included searching for notes to piece together codes, collecting physical items and placing them in the correct place to unlock clues, flashing lights to complete a puzzle and multiple rooms that have their own unique dynamic. We booked the room for 4:30 p.m., but the entire party needed to be present by 4:15 p.m. to prepare. In those 15 minutes before our escape room, the workers were extremely nice. The room itself was beautifully decorated and matched the theme. Our game master was also very helpful and gave great hints when we got stuck.