Games
Playing, socializing, and experiential learning is the point at RECON
Level99
All ticketholders will be bussed to Level99
If you enjoy puzzles, physical challenges, art, food, beer, or discovery, visit Level99 and surrender to this weird world where time disappears and fun remains. Level99 was built into a space that used to be a Sears store. It is big, and everything about the space was deliberately designed; it is beautiful and exciting. It feels like a sleek escape room arcade. Players are surrounded by cubes, each containing their own games, and art installations (that are part of scavenger hunts).
- Rooms – These are mental and physical challenges made for 2-6 players. Everything within them is automated. You play until you win, or you fail and get ejected. The challenges within Rooms range from intensely puzzley to incredibly physical, with a ton of content in between.
- Arenas – These are 1-on-1 battle games that are played competitively. These are more skill-based and don’t have a puzzle component.
- Hunts – There are art installations scattered all over Level99. Some of them are part of a set of scavenger hunts.
(Review)
Boda Borg
All ticketholders will be bussed to The Malden Gaming District
The City of Malden is sponsoring RECON’s trip to The Malden Gaming District which is anchored by Boda Borg. Boda Borg isn’t an escape room…but it is on this spectrum.
Boda Borg is a large entertainment facility outside of Boston. It contains separate physical puzzle challenges called “quests.” These challenges range in intellectual difficulty and physicality. Perhaps the most interesting challenge Boda Borg has to offer is its total lack of hints or instruction.
Boda Borg is a strange beast. We love and hate Boda Borg; I mostly mean this as a compliment. The hybrid of challenging gameplay, automation, and some basic flaws in the human brain makes Boda Borg both brilliant and messy. Players learn how to puzzle through each game with trial and error. Failure isn’t just inevitable; it’s how you learn to play in a Boda Borg game.
100 Earth Days
All ticketholders will have access to 100 Earth Days at the convention center
100 Earth Days is Boxaroo’s ballroom-style game that we will all be playing together at RECON. It features great puzzles with a focus on super-satisfying aha moments that will please even the puzzliest of crowds. With high-quality props and character interactions, this event also has a ‘live’ progress board, which gives it a fun, competitive edge.
Escape Rooms
Each ticketholders will be assigned one of the following escape rooms based on their answers to the registration survey, and the order that they fill out the survey
Trapology
Trapology was one of the earliest escape room companies in the US. They currently offer 6 very different escape rooms in their impressive facility. It covers two floors of a building whose large windows give great views of Boston Common, located right across the street. Beautiful, comfortable TrapLounges welcome their guests.
Crush Depth
Crush Depth was a great escape room. It had an intense, detailed, and imposing aesthetic. The puzzles were meaty and entertaining. The story put an atypical twist on a fairly common concept. (Review)
The Boobie Trap
The Boobie Trap was funny, a little sexy, and very racy – relative to most other escape rooms. The actor fostered a hilarious opening scene. The sexually-themed puzzles were funny. And in the end, this game delivered a satisfying climax. (Review)
The Institute
The Institute was clever, unique, and entertaining. Trapology put their own twist on the lab setting by adding some seriously cute set pieces and some brainy props that really captured my imagination. The gameplay flowed smoothly through a variety of layered puzzles. (Review)
Red Fox
Red Fox is one of the premier escape room companies in Boston. Located in the basement of a former boxing gym, Red Fox specializes in beautiful and elegant set design that expertly utilizes the constraints of that physical space as they build out their detailed worlds.
The U-Boat
The U-Boat was clearly made with love. The set was meticulously designed with props chosen because they fit the environment, or modified so that they would feel like they belonged. The story was carried throughout the game, and driven home with a brilliant effects sequence. (Review)
The Heist
The Heist was quirky, unique, and loaded with great puzzles. To make things even better for an experienced escape room team, there was no searching; the puzzles were confidently on display. (Review)
The Body Shop
More details about this new game will be available in mid-July.
Boxaroo
Boxaroo is one of the premier escape room companies in the US. Located in downtown Boston, they describe themselves as an immersive adventure company that produces escape room adventures, but also puts on large events in the form of scavenger hunts, ballroom-sized escape room games, and murder mysteries.
Conundrum Museum
Conundrum Museum was a challenging, puzzle-driven escape room. Boxaroo designed a variety of puzzles, many of which required or benefitted from teamwork. This dynamic was the heart of Conundrum Museum. (Review)
The Storyteller’s Secret
Intimate, mellow, and heartwarming. This combination is one of the least explored territories in the escape game world. Boxaroo set off on an adventure to chart this mysterious land and struck gold. The set was elegant, compact, and truly impressive. (Review)
Mystery of the Magician’s Study
As the story unraveled, Mystery of the Magician’s Study escalated. Boxaroo added drama where before there had been nothing. Tricksy and theatrical, Boxaroo adapted stage magic principles to toy with our senses as we solved their mystery. (Review)