Purely Online

At times we were frustrated with this game, but overall it was a decent game. I have no doubt that it would be better in real life, but for a digitised room it should still keep you entertained for at least an hour

We really wanted to like this game but found the puzzles really let it down. It could be that the puzzles just didn’t click for us and you may enjoy it. If you do play this game, let us know how you get on.

Since the emergence of play at home escape room style experiences emerged nearly a year ago, one of the most sought after types is one that allows teams to play collaboratively from near and far. With Piper Asylum, Elgin Escapes has added another enjoyable game that is perfectly suited to players across multiple households

Reviewing this game was a hard one. A lot of work has gone into it, and there is a lot of game play with oodles of story. I think if we hadn’t got ‘lost’, we would have enjoyed it more. Saying that, if you’re looking for a game to really challenge you and have you questioning reality, then give this one a try

The more I look back on this game, the more I realise how much I enjoyed it. I don’t know if they’re planning on making another one, but I really hope they do! Fun puzzles, a great interface, and just a really enjoyable game to play

National Elf Service is an interactive Christmas audio adventure, perfect for a holiday celebration unlike any in recent memory. Bonus points if you gather your team and play on Christmas Eve, as I really can’t think of a better way to get into the holiday spirit, and save Christmas

This won’t keep enthusiasts busy for long, but apparently inexperienced teams often take an hour to finish it. It’s a cute little game with a fun ending and a good option if you’re looking for a festive ‘whodunnit’

We weren’t massive fans of a few puzzles, but Christmas wouldn’t be complete without a visit from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and thanks to RC Escapes, we can all now enjoy the Dickens’ classic as an escape game

This game is a step-up on their previous game but we found ourselves being more frustrated rather than enjoying it. With a bit of tweaking to the interface, a few enhancements to the puzzles, and a better and more graduated clue system, then this could be a decent game thanks to the sheer amount of content it contains.

If you are looking for a festive game that is suitable for the whole family, full of satisfying puzzles, terrible jokes, and of course, mince pies, look no further. B.R.U.C.E. Saves Christmas is a perfect game for a socially distanced holiday gathering

Genesis is another solid offering from Clue HQ, presented in the same format as the earlier games in the series. If you’re on the lookout for something that can be played remotely with ease, you can’t go wrong with any of games in The Hunt for the Clueminati series.

If you’re looking for some light-hearted family friendly fun, with some trickier puzzles to keep your brains sharp, Carnival is an excellent option, and perfect for remote teams.

This was a fun game, although we enjoyed their first game more. Decent puzzles, a creepy vibe, and some clever interactions made it enjoyable, although don’t forget, you really only have 60 minutes

We were impressed with ESC the Game’s first offering to the world of online escaping, and ESC From Sub TXI is equally as enjoyable, if not more so. With an arguably near-perfect online interface for remote teams, coupled with clever puzzles and a nice game flow, Sub TXI is one to consider

If you’re looking for an immersive, family-friendly adventure you can’t go wrong with The Bewitched Circus. The game is perfect for Halloween, but don’t worry, any spooky theming is very light, and the game would be a delight at any time of year

Even if it wasn’t free, this would have been a good game. It was hilarious from start to end and had us in hysterics throughout. The puzzles were good fun, but really came second to the humour, innuendos, and story. 

As with Plymouth Point, the less we say about this game, the better it will be for you. Just go into this game expecting mystery, intrigue, sleuthing, and twists and turns a plenty.

With a catchy theme song, immersive narrative, wacky humour, and clever puzzles, not to mention achievements to unlock and a nifty completion certificate, there’s nothing not to love about The Movember Virtual Escape Room

Yet another solid game from The Escape Game. You don’t need any knowledge from the series ‘Hanna’ to play and succeed with Hanna Unlocked, plus it’s free, so really what do you have to lose by giving it a try?

This game further blurs the line between video games and escape rooms, probably swaying more to the former rather than the latter. If you want a laptop killing and challenging communication heavy game, then this one could be worth a try – plus it’s really rather cheap ($4 at time of writing)

A basic but generally enjoyable point-and-click game. This game has a DIY feel about it but it’s better than some ‘professional’ games we’ve played. We’re looking forward to seeing what comes next from Control the Escape, hopefully a little more signposting.

If you’re looking for a light-hearted point-and-click escape room then they probably don’t come much more light-hearted than Edaqa’s room: Prototype. It kept us occupied and entertained for around 50 minutes and managed to provide puzzles we hadn’t seen before

If you’re looking for a game that you can play with the family and get everyone involved, then this is a strong contender for your choice. It’s well put together and has fun puzzles, plus an online leaderboard to give you something to aim for (if you care about those things)

A story driven game that takes a while to play because of all the narrative. If you’re looking for a quick game that you can rush through, then this probably isn’t one for you. However, if you want a game that sucks you into a new world, then give this one a try

This game had twists and turns aplenty! Play Plymouth Point without knowing what to expect, and an open mind and you are in for a good time. This isn’t your typical online game, this is like being in your own immersive online thriller movie!

I loved this game, so much so that I played it twice. If you’re looking for a digital game that has subtle humour, a strong story, and great puzzles, then this is the game for you

Ignoring some questionable accents, this was a fun game and arguably the best online game we’ve played by Hysteria so far. I could easily see this game being a family favourite

Part 2 of The B.R.U.C.E. Project was a fun game and provided a sense of closure to the narrative that began with Part 1

Imaginarium is a delightful little free game, enjoyable for all, but particularly perfect for families. If you want to try a digital escape room with the kids, it’s definitely one to try

We enjoyed this game as it felt like good clean fun, it was a bonus to learn some Canadian history. Canadians will likely have an easier time with this game, but non-Canadians should still enjoy

Of the two digital games currently available from The Escape Game, we felt that The Silk Road was the stronger, but only just, and we’re looking forward to the eventual release of Vol. 3

A Lost Memory was a perfect rainy day activity, that could be spread out for hours (or days) of entertainment. It’s on the more challenging side, but it’s perfect for people that love puzzles

Chasing Hahn was put together very well (as we expected from TEG), with solid puzzles, a clean interface, and a great hint system, this is a great collaborative game to play with friends

A point-and-click game that had some good puzzles and was well assembled, for £8 it’s on the money. If you like point-and-click style games then this is a good choice, although it may not keep you occupied for too long

This was possibly more video game than escape room, and very nearly killed our computers. If you’re looking for different, this is certainly that!

This game went beyond our expectations of a 3€ game and gave us nearly an hour of fun. If you like point-and-click games, this is a good option

Phase One lacked puzzles and felt like a warm up act for something bigger. Phase Two was the headliner, and delivered on the earlier promises

This was a really fun way to spend nearly an hour, time literally flew by! Some good puzzles and mechanisms meant we managed to be surprised on more than one occasion

If you’re looking for something that feels a bit more realistic and immersive than many of the online escape style games out there, look no further than Missing for your next mission

A really enjoyable game that kept us occupied for longer than it probably should have. A good interface, decent puzzles, and generally just a fun game

Mysterious Map Heist is a fantastic little intro to the world of the Society of Curiosities and, filled with real-world interaction plus one moment of nail-biting suspense, managed to create a surprising amount of realism I simply was not expecting from a free game

A few frustrating puzzles and a weak clue system meant that at times we were annoyed and our enjoyment waned. However, looking back at this game we can see that some puzzles were actually quite clever and our perseverance paid off to make a mostly enjoyable experience

CSI: Stranglehold was the strongest of the games in the CSI series from The Panic Room (that we’ve played), and was reminiscent of a detective/murder mystery live escape game, making me strangely nostalgic for one

While heist-themed games are unlikely to ever be my favourite, Operation Jackpot kept us entertained with decent puzzles for over an hour. It’s simple, but effective

This was a good game, but it could have been great. We felt like it ended just as it was getting going and felt a bit miffed when it was over. It’s definitely worth playing as it is beautifully put together and is a wonder to behold, but I wouldn’t set aside much time to complete it.

This game put puzzles and fun ahead of everything else and created a really fun, family-friendly game. The websites are rough around the edges but functional and everything worked as it should. Well done Get Lost!

Fans of Astra and Chronicle won’t be disappointed by the latest offering from Clue HQ, and if you’re looking for a digital multiplayer experience that also manages to be non-linear, look no further.

A firm 60 minute time limit makes this game different and adds more pressure, but it’s a really enjoyable game and the ending is so much fun!

The Haunting of Harlequin House is the most complex of the Clue Cracker online games filled with more intricate and multi-layered puzzles. This, plus the slightly more sinister theme, may mean it’s one to skip if you often play with very young children, but definitely not one to miss if you don’t (or once you’ve put them to bed if you do)

Deadlocked don’t do things by halves, and The Cyphstress is a work of art, with beautiful design, clever and complex puzzles, a strong narrative, all subtly blended with the mythology behind Siren Craft Brew

We really wanted to like this game, but I think we ended up hating it. It wasted nearly two hours of our life that we will never get back. You may enjoy it, we didn’t 

Easily one of the hardest online games we’ve played to date. If you want a game that is heavy on communication and is a real challenge then this is the game for you

We were pleasantly surprised by this game, ok the puzzles were on the easier side but the way we could both interact with the puzzles made for an enjoyable half an hour

A fun room but probably one of the easier games by the Panic Room. With decent theming, storyline and puzzles, it will keep you entertained for a little while

Not without its flaws, but with a mixture of complex, varied, and engaging puzzles, and over two hours of content, that can be played in one sitting or broken into multiple chapters, at $2.50 per person, it’s incredibly good value, and worth playing if you’re up for a challenge.

With lots of evidence to work through, decent puzzles, and a solid ending; if you want a game that will make you feel like a detective, then this game is a good shout.

Mansion Impossible is a fun, family-friendly way to spend an hour or two. With a lovely little homage to live escape games that made me giggle with delight, this was my second favourite of the digital games on offer from The Panic Room, but it only just missed out on being my favourite.

My Dearest Emily is easily my favourite of the online offerings from The Panic Room. With a lovely story, a bit of history, trickier puzzles, and some beautiful illustrations, what’s not to love?

This game was really well put together and was clearly designed to make it an enjoyable experience with the user in mind. Don’t be daunted by all the information that greets you, just get stuck in!

Chronicle took the strengths of Astra, and improved on any weaknesses. If you haven’t played any of The Hunt for the Cluminati series yet, you’re missing out

If you’re looking for a game to introduce someone to the world of online escaping, CSI: Grounded is a good choice, with a few “easy win” puzzles, bolstered by a few more difficult tasks to keep things interesting

The text-adventure game design means that Medogan may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed the narrative-driven, imagination-invoking adventure, and will definitely be on the lookout for Episode 3. If the strength of Modern Fables’ text game is anything to go on, then I can’t wait to finally make it out to their live games when the world restarts

Together Apart is a beautifully designed game and at (a minimum donation of) $5 it is a bargain, it would even be good at twice the price. Bring your communication ‘A’ game!

ClueHQ have done a great job in providing an online escape experience that teams can all participate in at the same time and solve puzzles simultaneously. With a couple of tweaks to how you interact with the puzzles it would be pretty close to perfect

If you’re looking for a family-friendly activity, look no further than Cosmic Panic and prepare for a fun, and surprisingly immersive, adventure

We very much enjoyed this game and came away with the same type of buzz that we get when we complete a physical escape room. We were truly immersed in the story and were saddened when we reached the end. For now, we’ll just have to wait for the sequel

If you’re looking for a game to dip your toes into the water of virtual escape rooms, look no further! The Disappearance of DJ McDee is a great way to try out the format before committing to Clue Cracker’s paid games (which are also highly enjoyable.) And yes, the song is really catchy

Often in live escape games, the communication challenges can be some of the most difficult tasks teams come across. Alone Together is a great little game to hone your communication skills so you can impress the GM once we can finally play outside again!

On the easier side for enthusiasts, but perfect for the family. All in all, it’s a great intro to remote escaping and scratched a little bit of the escape room itch we’ve been feeling – and there was a dinosaur!

Take a pinch of Bewilder Box, a dash of Eltham Escapes and mix it together with a healthy dollop of fun. Throw in a perfectly blended use of technology,  and you have the recipe for a great time.