The Alien Extended

5.6 Overall
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Room Quality
Immersion
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The Alien Extended

  • Played August 2016
  • Orange, CA

  • 60 minutes
  • 2-12 players
  • $30

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Kaein is located in the city of Orange, CA about 15 minutes from Old Town Orange. Currently, they only have one room, “The Alien Extended” room, which can be played with two groups at the same time and highlights the importance of communication and team building when doing these escape rooms.

First off, “The Alien Extended” room had some minor inconsistencies in the types of props that were inside both rooms, there were some props that appeared to be from different time periods which made the room less cohesive as a story. On the plus side, the props and clues were solid and well-designed and both rooms were well maintained and ventilated.

“The Alien Extended” unfortunately didn’t have any background music/sound effects during the room and at times I didn’t feel a sense of urgency to complete the objective. The quantity of puzzles was not lacking and it made both groups very busy the whole time. However, the background story could use some revising and clarity (refer back to room quality). Upon entering, it was unclear what setting the rooms actually took place in since quite a few of the puzzles/props that were present in both rooms seemed a bit random and out of place.

If you’re a fan of math based puzzles, you’ll definitely enjoy this room. There were a few puzzles that incorporated the theme into the solutions and all the solutions were linear. A majority of the puzzles’ difficulty level was slightly above average (for newbies to escape rooms). There were no technical issues when solving the puzzles or opening the locks in both rooms. However, with that being said, a majority of the puzzles/props in both rooms were relatively low tech.

Kaein is located on the first floor in a very non-descript small business building on a main street. There is ample parking to the side of the building and a sign on the window showing players where Kaein is. Unfortunately, there’s not much restaurants nearby but there appeared to be a pub across the street. The waiting area inside seemed a bit small and the ideal group size would be a maximum of 8 people (10 people would be uncomfortable). There are clean restrooms inside the building and a candy bowl awaiting players in the waiting area. The staff is quick to reply and very accommodating for any changes to your booking which is always a plus. Upon entering, players sign the standard waiver and the game master provided a bit of background into the room escape theme. After the escape, the game master provided a review on how both teams did, how much time was left on the clock and took our group photo, which was quite nice.

“The Alien Extended” theme seemed to have a good premise but the immersive experience could be fine-tuned. The technology found in both rooms were not mind blowing or unique and the room lacked the cohesiveness due to the disconnect in the types of props found in both rooms. On the plus side, the customer service was one of the best I’ve seen in all the room escapes I’ve done (over 25).

Overall, Kaein has a promising start with a passionate owner behind it but there is still room for improvement. “The Alien Extended” room is geared towards players who are 18+ and with that in mind, I believe that providing a clearer background story to players and redesigning some of the props/clues/puzzles would make this room that much more enjoyable for everyone in that age range.

New players who are looking for a good first room experience will enjoy this room and the customer service. However, experienced players may find some frustration with some of the more technical elements of this room. In conclusion, if you and some friends have some time to kill in Orange County and find a deal for Kaein, it is definitely worth a stop to check out “The Alien Extended” room.

Final Verdict:

5.6/10

7 responses

  1. Jay Charles says:

    Very excellent review! I’d love to try this since I’m a newbie with a couple of my friends. A couple of questions: will the moderators drop hints every 10 min if we can’t pass one room and is there an prize if you beat the all-time record for this room? Also, are there any rituals (i.e. meditation, pumping iron, wearing LA Rams jerseys) that you recommend before taking on this daunting room?

  2. Bev says:

    Thanks for the compliment, Jay…appreciate the feedback and I’m glad you find Escape Room Addict useful. The hint system is done using a walkie-talkie…both rooms have a walkie-talkie each and the game master can observe both rooms. If you need a hint, you can ask for one but if they see you struggling, they’ll just point you in the right direction. There unfortunately wasn’t any physical prize for beating this room, would love to hear what rooms you’ve done where you got prizes. We’re always looking for new rooms. Chamomile or calming tea to keep calm and maybe eat a light meal (don’t want anyone with low blood sugar and don’t want any food comas). Hope you enjoy this room and would love to hear your experience (both positive and negative). Happy Escaping!

    • Jay Charles says:

      Thanks for the great advice! I was planning to feast at Hometown Buffet before the Escape Room, but I’ll resort to eating those trail mixes and the standard fruit cup. I just wish there was a physical prize like Survivor! If I can’t get at least four people for this room, will they group me with random people at a later time?

      • Bev says:

        Survivor!, the TV show? I wish I could find a room that gives out a souvenir tiki torch, that would be great (feel free to recommend escape rooms that give out prizes that you’ve been to)!

        According to their website, it sounds like f you can’t get at least 6 people, I believe they will include random people for both rooms. Our group of 11 didn’t have that problem so I’m not 100% sure what’s the minimum group limit, I would double check by calling the company (they’re pretty responsive). That being said…I want to remind you that the rooms are a bit on the smaller side so 8 people would be ideal (if you want to occupy both rooms with your group).

        • Jay Charles says:

          Man I wish there was a TV themed escape room like Survivor or The Great Race! The big networks need to get at least 6 teams for that and give a huge six figure prize! Anyways, so 8 people is the optimum size? Sounds good. I’ll do my best to get 7 people to fit their schedule and I’ll bring some energy tamales (with the special lighting bolt) and lumpia shanghai from that bowling alley in Anaheim! Also, I’ll try to find similar people on those Meetup groups if that’s the final resort.

          • Bev says:

            8 people, in my opinion is the optimum size for this room. It won’t be too crowded and there’s just the right amount of puzzles for everyone to solve. Hahaha…you’ll have to tell me where I can get these energy tamales and lumpia, food is another passion of mine. You can join those Meetups or even ask your co-workers if they’re interested…this would be a great team building event.

          • Jay Charles says:

            The lumpia is at that bowling alley off Katella in Anaheim and they might serve energy tamales too! I’m doing my grandiose research on new escape rooms in SoCal and I’ll be going there as soon as I can get a group of four.

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