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Whole Brain Escape

Escape room center

đź‘Ťđź‘Ť This was the first time we have visited this particular business. We have gone to other escape rooms in the area and on vacations. We enjoyed the Mystical Orb game. There were many puzzles to solve that everyone (ages 13-46) could solve. The venue was very clean. Everything worked in the room withou... People often mention room, rooms, time, escape, puzzles, experience, great, recommend, Escape, Brain,


Address

410 Upchurch St, Apex, NC 27502, United States

Website

www.wholebrainescape.com

Contact

+1 919-355-2714

Rating on Google Maps

4.90 (275 reviews)

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Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: room (54) rooms (40) time (34) escape (33) puzzles (28) experience (19) great (17) recommend (13) Escape (11) Brain (11)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Mrs. P. Suzette O. 2 years ago on Google
    This was the first time we have visited this particular business. We have gone to other escape rooms in the area and on vacations. We enjoyed the Mystical Orb game. There were many puzzles to solve that everyone (ages 13-46) could solve. The venue was very clean. Everything worked in the room without issue. They don’t lock you in at this escape room. They also give you as many clues as needed. We will visit again.
    5 people found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Alexis M. 9 months ago on Google
    This is the BEST ESCAPE ROOM in the 919!!! The clues are COMPLEX but make sense. Rafael is SOOOOOO friendly! Chloe was a WONDERFUL game master. My daughter left her purse and the owner met her outside business hours so she could get it. ALL THE ROOMS ARE FUN! My favorite room is the Mad Scientist. We won with NO HINTS!!! Can't wait til the new room comes in September! It was all that and some. We have done EVERY ROOM at Room 1852, Nerd Escapes, Tower Escapes, and Conundrum. These were the BEST ONES! Check it out!
    3 people found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Jackie L. 1 year ago on Google
    I have done over 55 escape rooms all over the US and even different countries - these rooms are still some of my favorites! I have done 3 out of the four available. The only one I haven’t tried (yet) is Busting Out Of The 80s. Great rooms for beginners and veterans alike- nothing too hard, nothing too easy. Everything has a purpose and the rooms are very well done. Rafael is very nice and you can tell the love that goes into the rooms. He is always happy to explain the idea behind the rooms and you can tell the passion! We had a first timer in our group last night and he took the time to give some pointers. These rooms let you immerse yourself into the story- sometimes you even forget you are in an escape room! Last night we were agents trying to find Dr. Conundrum! Great place and I highly recommend, you won’t regret trying it out!
    2 people found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Running_ S. 11 months ago on Google
    The staff were all so incredible and made our 8 year old daughter’s first escape room experience the best experience ever. She couldn’t stop talking about it for hours! We did the Escape the 80’s room and escaped with 59 seconds left. The room was a lot of fun and had so many riddles!! After escaping, the staff, including the owner, highlighted the things our daughter did well and told her how impressed they were. We will definitely be back - and soon!!
    1 person found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Daniel K. 4 months ago on Google
    I had an AMAZING experience at Whole Brain Escape in Apex! Would definitely recommend for families looking for a fun outing that will test your puzzle solving skills. Rafael was amazing and very helpful. He definitely set the stage for us perfectly and got us in the mind set to have a great time. We solved the “Bustin’ Out of the Eighties” room which was beautiful decorated to the theme and had many time oriented puzzles that fit perfectly into the genre of the puzzle. Thanks for all of the fun Whole Brain Escape!!!
    1 person found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Shama L. 1 year ago on Google
    Great fun!! This was a gift to my staff as a thank you for all their hard work. We laughed and had a great time. More importantly, we learned how great we work together and it helped us build stronger bonds in a relaxed and enjoyable way. We are looking forward to our next escape room adventure here. It just felt good being here--good location, great staff, excellent atmosphere. (There was 3 of us and we were so close!!) The puzzles are incredible and we had really enjoyed the cognitive delight. It was fun to be a kid again. THANK YOU!!! Absolutely DELICIOUS!! Truly lots of fun!! Sign up today. It will make you laugh and smile. Hopefully, you will escape in time.
    1 person found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Ronald F. 1 year ago on Google
    I did not have much experience with Escape Rooms, but have been wanting to find some local rooms to solve. A group of 4 of us signed up for the Mad Scientist, and it was much better than expected. The puzzles were challenging but well thought out. The staff was extremely courteous and always willing to help when needed. We did not finish the room, but will definitely be back for a second attempt. Will also try some of the other rooms as well. Very impressed with the experience and it’s highly recommend!!!
    1 person found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Christopher W. 8 months ago on Google
    We did the 80s escape room with a group of 5, ranging in age from 9 to old, and had a blast. This was our first escape room so we don't have a great perspective on difficulty and quality, but we all had fun. The 9 year old helped solve several clues but I think was worn down and overwhelmed by the end. I think this is just the nature of escape rooms that aren't explicitly targeted at children. Overall, we really liked the experience and will definitely do it again!
    1 person found this review helpful đź‘Ť

  • 5/5 Rebecca 7 months ago on Google
    We loved both games we have done at this location and hope to come back soon to do the other rooms they have. Lots of locks but great room play and the flow is smooth. Very creative puzzles and the theme was cute.

  • 5/5 Kathy M. 1 year ago on Google
    What a friendly and fun experience! We booked the 80s room for a middle aged ladies outing and everyone got involved and had a great time. The owners/staff are very helpful and fun and the space is clean and welcoming. Our group had some who had previous escape room experience along with several first timers, but everyone was able to help make positive contributions and the group enthusiasm was contagious. It was a wonderful way to 'escape' from our routine responsibilities while doing something different. Highly recommend and will definitely be going back.

  • 5/5 Tara R. 11 months ago on Google
    My friend and I took our 8 year old sons to Whole Brain Escape for their very first escape room experience lately and it was amazing. We chose the super-villain room and it was very fun. Although we didn't escape we had a blast. The puzzles were surprisingly great for both the adults and the kids which was exactly what we were looking for. Will definitely be back!

  • 5/5 Aaron 11 months ago on Google
    The game designer is a genius! We did Mad Scientist today and it was totally unique and challenging without being frustrating. This is actually based on problem solving rather than hide-n-seek or obfuscation or time wasters. This particular room is his hardest and with two veteran escapers, we barely made it out in time! We will definitely be returning to try their other rooms. You can tell this designer loves what he does and has put the time and effort into making these rooms enjoyable. 10/10

  • 5/5 Sarah M. 7 months ago on Google
    Loads of fun! The puzzles were challenging without being impossible to solve. Our group had a great time. I especially liked that in our room there were puzzles our group of five could work on simultaneously so we didn't all have to try and crowd around the same puzzle. We did the supervillain room which is being retired but I am excited to come back and try some of their other rooms. Overall an experience I highly recommend.

  • 5/5 Christine O. 7 months ago on Google
    The game was fun, but very challenging. It is a great game for people of all ages. Bigger groups are better. We were impressed with the level of creativity in the room. Whole Brain really does use your whole brain! I would love to do the other rooms. For fun and thinking, this is your place!

  • 5/5 Cara S. 8 months ago on Google
    This was my second experience doing an escape room, so I don't have a lot of data to rate it against, but I thought the story/theme was decent, the puzzles were plentiful and thought out. I'd say it was hard enough that I couldn't figure out all of the puzzles alone, but easy enough to figure out some and have a great time. We went as a party of 5 adults and one 11 year old who was good at figuring out some of the puzzles too. I'd say it's definitely a good family/friend activity! We did escape with 12 minutes remaining and needed no hints. They give you fun props to pose with at the end of the adventure, and a pin as a keepsake. The hosts were very kind and I would definitely recommend it to others.

  • 5/5 Aaron P. 3 months ago on Google New
    Five stars! We have done dozens of escape rooms and the ones at Whole Brain Escape have been among the best. The uniqueness and creativity of these rooms really shine. Each one brings a cool theme and an approachable challenge that works well even with larger groups due to multiple clue and solution threads. Would highly recommend for groups of all ages and skill levels.

  • 3/5 Lindsay H. 5 months ago on Google
    We did the 80s room and escaped in 24 minutes without clues and without much thought or hurry. Our group does escape rooms regularly and we were left feeling less than satisfied. This room may be fine for very beginner level escapers, as each “puzzle” guides you directly to the answer. This room should be rated publicly as entry-level so people know what they’re getting.

  • 5/5 Melissa S. 5 months ago on Google
    We escaped with 2 minutes to spare - it was so exciting and fun - we were able to laugh and stretch our team working skills - it was challenging but doable! We laughed all day reminiscing about funny things that were said and done. Thank you Whole Brain for a great way to enjoy family time on my son’ 19th Birthday Highly Recommend - Great Staff!!

  • 5/5 Kathie B. 4 months ago on Google
    Great experience. The room was challenging but solvable. There were many puzzles and it took the 5 of us to complete them all on time. The use of electronics, unique locks, and multiple rooms added excitement to the room. We did the Mad Scientist.

  • 5/5 Megan M. 4 months ago on Google
    My husband went last week as a team building exercise with his work crew. He came home raving about it. I suggested he go with the guys and he loved the idea. They went and had a GREAT TIME. The guys didn’t make it out. The other moms and I are planning a trip to do the same room..you know, to see how we do.

  • 5/5 Nithya P. 4 months ago on Google
    Enjoyed our first ever escape room experience. We did the Busting out of eighties theme. Thoroughly enjoyed scratching our grey cells and cracking the code with the cue card. Will Come back for more. Rafael explained us the rules and finally helped us complete the last part of the code that we had cracked 90% and enjoy the experience since we didn’t get out before time. Will Come back for more.

  • 3/5 Joseph H. 4 months ago on Google
    I’ve been to a lot of escape rooms and this place is very behind on puzzle design. It’s as if they went to the hardware store and bought 20 pad locks and designed puzzles around them. The room is basically 10 locked boxes with padlocks of different kind. The worst feeling you can get in an escape room is open a box with a combination lock to find another box with another combination lock inside. The room has no interesting mechanisms on the locks like many of the modern escape rooms. The story was also very lacking. It was a collection of random story ideas scattered through out the room like the padlocks. Overall it’s not time wasted but it’s just not interesting. It’s like a game designers first room that they never updated.

  • 5/5 Cary Family Eye C. 2 years ago on Google
    We recently brought our staff to Whole Brain Escape for some team building fun and we had the best time! The rooms are so awesome and creative with puzzles that are just the right amount of difficult. Our team had so much fun here and we hope to come back in the future and try some of the other rooms. We highly recommend this place!

  • 5/5 Matthew N. 2 years ago on Google
    Had a good time with Whole Brain escapes doing two of their rooms. Good overall puzzle design with very clean puzzles that were well labeled. They had some unique twists on traditional lock puzzles and was enjoyable. Out of the various companies in the Raleigh/Durham area we played this was by far our favorite.

  • 5/5 Patricia S. 2 years ago on Google
    Whole Brain Escape, is the best escape room we have played. The staff is exceptional, helpful and friendly. Rooms have lots of activities that everyone can help with to get to the next clue. They are the best. We make this a visit every time we have family from out of town. Owner was wonderful. Can't wait to go again.

  • 5/5 Jay S. 2 years ago on Google
    We had a blast at our first time in an escape room! We only had four players and finished with 2 seconds to spare! We would highly recommend this as a night out with your family and friends. We will definitely be going back to solve the three remaining rooms. Thank you Rafael for being a great host.

  • 5/5 Chris D. 2 years ago on Google
    It was a great experience. The 80s theme is awesome and unique and I have not seen it in other escape rooms. We needed some extra time but made it out. Perfect for teenagers and adults.

  • 5/5 Jim M. 2 years ago on Google
    GREAT TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. Whether you are an experienced veteran of puzzle rooms or have never tried one before - this is a really fun and locally-owned Escape Room that you will enjoy start to finish. GREAT spot for family events, office team-building fun, birthday parties, dates... I've now completed every room and each one was just as fun as the first. Well worth the price and HIGHLY recommended!!!

  • 5/5 Brian L. 2 years ago on Google
    Super fun escape room! Very creative and so much original content. We had a group of 5 and had a wonderful time. We'll be back for sure.

  • 5/5 Tithus S. 2 years ago on Google
    I’ve done 3/4 rooms here and I love each one. So much thought and creativity goes into each room. I’ve traveled and done escape rooms in a few different states and this has to be one of the best establishments I’ve ran across!

  • 5/5 Angela P. 1 year ago on Google
    Absolutely loved it! From the minute we walked in, we were greeted by Rafael who was super friendly and very informative. Then we get into the room and WOW! it was all the 80's nostalgia you could ask for!! Had to take a minute to appreciate everything before we could even get started on all the puzzles. And there were a LOT of puzzles! You definitely get your money's worth. The puzzles were challenging enough to make you work for it, but not too hard that you couldn't figure it out on your own. My highest compliment would be that we wanted to immediately book the other rooms to go right back in!! I would HIGHLY recommend Whole Brain Escape to anyone who wants to have a fun time.

  • 5/5 Margaret J. 2 years ago on Google
    Best escape room experience we have ever had! We have done 3 "branded" escape rooms prior to this, at places with crazy lights and gadgets- and the whole time it felt like it was more of a confused scavenger hunt than a puzzle. Here, the puzzles and rules are clearly marked, so you spend less time figuring out what is decor and what will help you move on to the next part; Our 12 year old LOVED it, it is the first time any of us have completed an escape room on time. A great experience, FABULOUS for kids 11+. Will be bringing friends back for more in the future!

  • 5/5 Philasia J. 10 months ago on Google
    Had an amazing time. Unfortunately me and my mom didn't complete the room in time. However the owner allowed us to finish the room, because we were very close. We had so much fun!! Will recommend for families and team building. Full disclosure only go as a duo, if you are Sherlock Holmes. Will be returning with backup next time.

  • 5/5 Cassondra M. 2 years ago on Google
    We had a family outing last weekend and spent time in the 80s room. What a great experience. Everyone had fun, felt included in solving puzzles and we even had props to take a fun photo at the end! Highly recommend. We will be back!

  • 5/5 Colorado L. 1 year ago on Google
    A group of us visited for the first time tonight and had a blast. We did the 80s room and really enjoyed all the puzzles and memorabilia. Our host, Rafael, was very welcoming and we look forward to returning. As an Apex resident. I am happy to support a local business!

  • 5/5 Sarah M. 1 year ago on Google
    Had a great time trying out this local escape room! Game master was excellent and the room had a nice flow and a lot of puzzles! The Mad Scientist definitely lived up to its name. We will definitely be back to try other rooms!

  • 5/5 Trudy K. 2 years ago on Google
    FANTASTIC!!! We’ve done 60+ rooms as a family and this was one of the best we’ve done. We were on the Seekers of the Mystical Orb room and the puzzles were very well laid out. There was also a variety of puzzles based on abilities and the ability for multiple people to work on multiple puzzles. We will absolutely be coming back for the remaining three rooms. And shout to our game master Kaytlyn (sorry if I spelled it wrong!!) - perfect level of support!

  • 5/5 sharon f. 1 year ago on Google
    So much fun! It is so challenging trying to get teens to enjoy fun family time together. We have been looking for new things to do as a family that we all enjoy together. This venue was engaging, challenging, supportive, all around good fun! Loved it from the first interaction with the owner! You can tell they know what they are doing and love it too! Well done! We can't wait to try another. Thank you.

  • 5/5 Chris T. 1 year ago on Google
    Such fun escape rooms! They do an incredible job here. Creative rooms with little to no red herrings! And objects/keys are only used once, making it streamlined. Other rooms I have found myself questioning whether we'll use certain items again, but this one aspect of one-use things made things sooo much more enjoyable! This was our second room here, and you can bet we'll be back for more! HIGHLY recommend Whole Brain for Escape rooms around the Triangle!

  • 5/5 Kaila P. 1 year ago on Google
    Super fun escape room experience. There were some really clever puzzles using tricks and locks that I had never seen before (have done dozens of rooms at this point). It was really nice to talk to the escape room designer after we completed our room. I want to go back to try out all of the puzzles!


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