Maine Escape Games

How could you go wrong being put into a room with some of your co-​workers and/​or friends and all of you having to figure puzzles and clues to get out of the room?
Without going into the details to make sure that it doesn’t give away the dirty details to keep it a «secret squirrel» type of adventure but I can give the details.
It is important to state that the folks that run it were super friendly and helped a lot! It is also important to mention that we went with 8 different people and during the entire time we all were busy figuring certain things out and helping each other along the way.
If you have a team that you work with, this is perfect for bonding and team building. If you are right around the corner at the Ottos having a couple of wobbly pops and pizza with some friends, then go a few doors down and have a mind exercising adventure.
It was a great time with great people … Loved it.

Maine Escape Games is basically a living, breathing puzzle and a perfect group activity. Popular elsewhere for years, escape rooms have recently hit Maine, and Maine Escape Games is the best version our state has. The idea is that your group is «locked» in a room and have one hour to escape. There are various combination locks and clues around the room that lead to more locks, clues, and surprises that I wouldn’t dare ruin. To win, it takes teamwork and quick, creative thinking. The first (and easier) of the current two rooms is The Maine Room, where your goal is to activate the lighthouse and keep the harbor safe. Last night we tried The Estate. A painting has been stolen and the goal is to recover it and uncover the thieves. It was incredibly clever, and we set the all time record by escaping with 22 minutes left!
$ 25 for an hour (or hopefully less) may seem steep, but this truly is a unique activity, and it’s easily worth it. With a full group it’s a sure 5 star rating. However, the Maine Room holds 8 people and The Estate holds 6. If you sign up with less than the full capacity, they may fill the remaining spots with strangers. All escape rooms nationwide do this, but considering how important teamwork is to win, I’d imagine it’s a bummer. Maybe signing up for an empty room last minute would get around this. Also, the business location is hard to find. It’s on a side street at a flashing yellow four-​way across from JC Penny (near the mall). You can celebrate your escape with great pizza at Otto next door.
Two more rooms are opening by this spring, with the next being a horror theme. Considering the current rooms are basically nice versions of the movie Saw, I’m ready for the real thing!

After many ill-​fated attempts, I made it to Maine Escape Games with two very smart and very excited friends. Until we walked through the door, we thought we would be the only three in the «room», but we soon found out that we’d be sharing the experience with a mom and her two teenaged sons. We were a little thrown off and the kids were a little hyper and bossy but all in all, we had a great time. And we finished with 3:47 to spare!
Without saying too much about how it all works, it’s super fun. There were challenges that I know I would never have been able to solve on my own so teamwork (even with precocious teens) is key. The staff is great and the puzzles are really clever and well maintained.
I can’t wait to go back to the new room (we did the Maine Room) and although I’ll have a little advantage the next time, I can’t imagine that it’ll be any less than fabulous.
Bottom line: Go!

My friends and I (6 people in total) were in the Escape room near the Mall location because the one in Portland was fully booked. The 2 receptionist ladies were the actual creators of the puzzles, fun surprise! The game was capped at 1 hr, it took us 1hr and 5 second to solve it so we «lost». However, it was definitely very fun and was a really great team experience. I played the Escape Room iPhone game before, but it is way more fun to play in real life because of unexpected 4D experience that online games lack. We also needed a lot of clues due to miscalculating the timing, so make sure you constantly communicate with your teammates. We will go back to try other rooms!
PS: I don’t think this one and the location in Portland are owned by the same people. just FYI.

We really enjoyed this. Was not sure what to expect but being locked in a room forced to work together with 10 of our closest friends to escape the room was a really fun night. Thank you Maine escape games!

Had a fantastic time!!! I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was extremely well done!!! Blew my mind! Can’t for the new room to open! I will be going again.
Staff was fantastic also!

Bring a magnifying glass* and hope you are on your game. This is a great escape challenge it will test your mind and communication skills. I would recommend renting the whole room and having a party of friends or family to share the laughs and the experience. I look forward to more rooms and challenges. Best of luck!
*magnifying glass not really needed.

We went to the escape games last night we were late and the women stayed open for us. The room was extremely well thought out and a lot of fun. As a group we had a blast and just when we thought we had it there was a new surprise. Such a fun activity with friends! Thanks again for a great night!

This place was so perfect for our staff bonding and training adventure. Our students loved it and somehow, I think I loved it even more than they did! Definitely hope they come up with many more rooms in the future so I can come back here for professional and personal adventures!!!

Fantastic escape room! They had interesting and exciting puzzles, a cool theme that was relevant for the area (lighthouse), and did a great job with the hint system. We had a group of 7 (two families who did not know each other) and there was plenty for everyone to tackle almost all of the time. Additionally, the staff was very friendly and professional.

What a great time! Room is cleverly designed and fun for all ages. Even though we didn’t make it out in time it was a blast. We can’t wait for the next one to open.

This escape room was amazing!!!
I love that they don’t ACTUALLY lock you in and you have the opportunity to use the bathroom or take a break if it gets too intense. I’m not anxious about small spaces, but I know that I could bring some of my more anxious friends here and they would be okay, versus some of the other escape room companies.
I liked that there was a consistent theme and backstory and that a lot of the puzzles tied together. Light houses are super cool and it was clear that the designers took a lot of time to make it interesting.
I will definitely be back. The staff was super friendly and they have plans for many more rooms with increasing difficulty!!!

THIS.
This. This. This. This. Thisthisthisthisthisthisthisthis.
This is everything I ever wanted — and didn’t even know I wanted! — from an escape room challenge course.
What’s an escape room? If you Google it, it says it’s a «type of physical adventure game in which people are locked in a room with other participants and have to use elements of the room to solve a series of puzzles, find clues, and escape the room within a set time limit.»
That about sums it up without giving anything about any room away (which is why writing reviews for these types of places can be so hard; you want to preserve the integrity of the business but tell EVERYONE YOU KNOW how awesome it is!).
What makes each room special is how much creativity, thoughtfulness, and thematic elements are involved. Maine Escape Room blows the competition away because of these exact things. Their first room — an abandoned lighthouse — is nautical and so involved that you feel like you’re anywhere but an office complex in South Portland, ME.
Now, Maine went from having no escape rooms to having two (and they opened within just a couple weeks of each other). As such, it’s difficult not to compare them. For example, Maine Escape Games currently (and I would be super bummed if they ever upped the price) charges $ 25 per person vs. the competitors $ 20. In this instance: you get what you pay for. Drop the extra $ 5, trust me: it’s well worth it.
Maine Escape Games also takes 8 people vs. their competitors 10 people per game. I have to be honest, just eight people makes a lot more sense — there’s less walking around and doing nothing by people who are unsure what to do with themselves.
In closing…
*stands up from seat and slow claps*
Well done, Maine Escape Games. You’re the best of the best of what I’ve experienced so far. It’s just mind-​boggling that you’ve only been open for a moment. I can’t believe how professional and detail-​oriented you all are. It’s very obvious that you’ve studied these games and are huge fans of the format. I will 1000% be back for every room you open from here on out.

Do you like puzzles? Riddles? Cracking a code? Do you have friends (up to 7) who you would enjoy being locked in a room with? Well — then this is the place for you!
You have 60 minutes to work together (really — this is all about team work) to figure out a series of puzzles in order to get yourself out of a room. Each of the puzzles leading to a clue to help with the next puzzle.
The room was well themed from beginning to end. The décor fit well with the backstory (the lighthouse keeper has gone missing!) and each of the puzzles kept to a nautical theme. Very well thought out.
I organized this outing with my friends and found booking easy with an online reservation system (although they did want all participants names when booking and I wasn’t sure who all would be attending, but a little creativity and I got through). And, when we had one last minute cancellation, I called and Renee was very helpful and took care of it — no problem.
They just opened and only have the one room currently, but do have space and plans to expand up to 4 more rooms. I’m so looking forward to returning to try each new room!

Maine Escape Games was AH MAZE ZING! Totally rocked my socks off last night! The basic concept is a group of no more than 8 people enter a room and have to solve puzzles, use logic (show yer wicked smaht) and work together as a team to escape in less than 60 minutes.
A group of 7 friends and I escaped «The Maine Room». We beat the record escape time, too! *dusts off shoulder* No big deal ;) We escaped with 16 minutes to spare. The theme was brilliant and so well thought out. We learned from the employees (who were awesome) that the themes would change every couple months and around Halloween they will have a spooky theme! Can’t wait! My friends and I are planning on coming back when they change the theme.
I highly recommend this to any group of friends that want to have a fun and unique time together. This would also be a great team building exercise for a company or corporate event. Check them out! Go now!
Suggestion for future room: Please make an a post-​apocalyptic escape room where there are zombies banging on the walls trying to get in and the people have to escape or be eaten! You know, very Walking Dead-​esque.