5 stars for friendly staff, quality of the rooms/puzzles, and immersive environment. Our group of rising escape room enthusiasts did Chapters 1-3 in one day. Highly recommend doing Chapters 1-2 back to back if possible - the transition felt seamless and exciting! We had a dinner break in between chapters 2 and 3, a great itinerary suggested by the staff. The OTC team(shoutout to Jo, Ken, and Alex) was welcoming, friendly, and did a great job managing the rooms and setting the scenes. Love the "hint" system, returning characters, and world-building elements that foreshadow more to come. We can't wait to come back for the next chapter! read more

Off The Couch - Chapter 3: The Morgue - Escape Games Near Me - Fremont, California

We are escape room junkies, and this was hands down the best escape room I've ever been to! Challenging and completely unique. With 12 chapters will be coming back for more! read more

Off The Couch - Escape Games Near Me - Fremont, California

Pretty cool escape room! I've done plenty of escape rooms and it's always nice a twist or story-line. It shows how much thought and creativity that went into the game itself. This escape room is supposed to be a 10 chapter series, but only the first 3 are currently built. Today we did the first chapter with 6 people with enough puzzles to go around to keep us all occupied. It's a mixture of puzzles that made sense to the theme and all are sequential to get to the last so you aren't aimlessly trying to solve for things. I do gotta say, because they want to cater to first time escape room players and more experienced players, the puzzles are not extremely difficult. You aren't solving for complex puzzles to get your answers. Our host even mentioned that choosing certain answers impacts the storyline to future chapters. That's pretty freaking cool! Imagine how much thought had to be done to think of all these outcomes. Bravo. I can't wait to do the next escape room already. read more

Amazing experience with Jack and Pauline! My group did chapter 1 and we can't wait to do the next rooms.

I've only played Chapter 1 so far and I'm hooked! The number of escape rooms I've played could be counted on one had, but Off The Couch is the leader of the pack. Unlike other escape rooms, Occam's Apartment really ups the immersion with sfx and live actors. The whole vibe, from the lights, to the rooms make you feel like you're actually a part of the story line. I also think their hint system is very innovative way in directing your group's focus towards what general areas or items you should be looking at. Honestly the biggest con of playing Occam's Apartment is that it set the bar for my future escape room expectations and other places might not even come close. My friend who's had dozens of escape room has similarly called it the best experience he's had. We've also had a nice conversation with the owner afterwards. You can really tell that he's passionate about escape rooms and wanting to set the standard for the industry. I'll definitely be back for the remaining chapters! read more

Best escape room in the Bay Area! Friendly staff, great story chapters. One of the most intense escape rooms that I have ever experienced. Not gonna say much but this escape room is worth experiencing! read more

Came here with a group of friends, and we all LOVED our experience here! Jack, one of our hosts, was phenomenal. He was so knowledgeable and went above and beyond in debriefing with us and setting up the game. All the staff/hosts were great-- they stayed long after closing to answer our questions and chat with us. We will 100% be coming back to finish the other chapters. This is the best escape room I've done!!! read more

My friends and I absolutely loved this escape room! We did chapter 1 and had Han as our game master, who was amazing. The staff is super friendly and chatted with us afterwards and answered any questions we had. The room was very immersive, just the right amount of challenging, and we love how we could interact with the room. We will definitely be coming back! read more

Great family experience! We did this as our Christmas gift for our grown kids who buy what they want. We did Ch. 1 & 2 and felt challenged. We like how this escape room was also interactive with the storyline for our clues. We can't wait to try Ch. 3 when our schedules permit. Glad we did the 2 chapters together. Our host Jake gave us the "giggles"! read more

Out first time here and wow surprisingly fun. It was quite an experience. Stressed, laughed, scared, and fun all at the same time!!! I would definitely recommend for group activities. Han was super helpful after and explained everything!! Definitely a fun experience!! read more

Jo and Edzel were amazing! This was the best escape room out of 5 that I've been to. Also they have charmin toilet paper WITH SCALLOPED EDGES!!!! read more

These rooms are by far the best escape rooms I've done after completing dozens over the years. Not only is the level of immersion unmatched, the game masters and designers have gone above and beyond to create truly unique and compelling puzzles. Fit, finish, polish, etc - Off the Couch puts everything they have into creating unparallelled escape room experiences and it really shows. read more

This is an awesome escape room. We did the first one, occam's Apartment. Our GM was Jack. He was great at his job. Stayed in character and helped us along when we needed him. He never gave answers but help to get us to think in a different way. You can tell they really care about your experience. We will definitely be back to do the other rooms. Ken greeted us when we arrived, he was very knowledgeable and explained how the games worked. I'm excited that they are building other games also. I highly recommend this place! read more

Absolutely, without a doubt some of the best escape rooms I've ever done. We did 3 in a row and I know there are several coming later this year. We will absolutely be back. The rooms have a compelling narrative, the puzzles make narrative sense, the incorporation of performers is well done and makes the experience even better. Plus, the production value of these rooms is off the charts. If you like escape rooms, or immersive experiences generally, you HAVE to go here. read more

Really fun game and really immersive!! I did it with a group of 4 and we love the puzzles

Fun activity! I went with my friend and two of us were barely able to finish the first chapter in two hrs. However, if you have more people it will be less challenging. They give plenty of clues. Once you find one thing it leads you to another. The setup and everything is really nice. Staff was super friendly. Will definitely return to finish up that chapter and try other ones. read more

Best escape room played! The plot is awesome and the set up is intricate. My friends and I had the most fun. Definitely recommend and will come back playing the second arc. read more

Off The Couch - Escape Games Near Me - Fremont, California

We did one of the best Escape rooms we have ever done. It was very different than other escape rooms - no combo locks with keys like most rooms have. It was very immersive and intricately done. How you solve it can actually different from group to group. We did the first one (Occum's Apartment) and each game takes up where the other left off. Right now they have 3 games and are eventually going to have 12. There was live interaction and a very different way to get "hints". The person you are taking to is in character, doesn't give direct hints but as you are talking things through with them, possibilities pop up. They use lighting in a unique way to highlight different aspects of the game. The time that we had left after solving the mystery is added onto the next game when we come back. And the decisions you make during the game will also influence the next game. We can't wait to do the next game in the series. read more

The production quality here is extremely high. We had a brief chat with the owner while waiting and it's clear he's very passionate about creating a good experience. The puzzles are not super difficult but they are very creative and fun. The model is great as well because if you finish early you get pro rated prices for your next visit or chapter. read more

Very fun experience. Puzzles were challenging but not too hard. We finished within our allotted time. Jo was great and very helpful. She was able to accommodate our larger group. Was also very patient with the younger members in our group during the "spooky" moments. (They tend to be overly dramatic). Would definitely go back to progress through the story line. read more

One of the most immersive escape rooms I have ever been to. The puzzles are subtle and unique, but what makes this place stand out is depth of the story. Our team found ourselves unravelling layers of the story at a time between puzzles and between each chapter. The staff were also friendly and excitable. They role-played their npc characters well and happily let us know any lore/puzzle we missed or were curious about after the game. I look forward to the new chapters coming out later this year! read more

Jo was an amazing host! We had an awesome awesome and fun time. The most immersive escape room by far for sure!

I've never made a review for anything on Yelp until now. I felt that I had to for Off the Couch Games due to the amazing experience we had. We played Chapter 1: Occam's Apartment and we were immediately intrigued with the story that was set up. Many escape rooms have themes, but this one really made me feel like a detective trying to dig deeper into the crazy world of Asheville. The team wasn't kidding when they told us that the environment would be reactive! The sounds and lighting really immersed me and my family. I also love that we can "pause" the game at any time, and that if we finish the room early then we can roll over those minutes into our next room. It also feels like some of our choices in Chapter 1 will affect certain outcomes in Chapter 2. I currently live on the east coast, but gosh darn it - I'm definitely going to travel back to CA and do Chapter 2: Norcross Art Gallery! The team working at Off the Couch Games was also super friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed talking with them. Overall a very unique and fun experience, well worth the money spent. My family and I laughed and discussed this escape room for hours after we left. I cannot recommend this enough!!! read more

Hands down one of the best escape rooms I've done. I recommend this room to anyone who's looking for a great time with friends!

I was super excited to check this place out after seeing the glowing reviews on Yelp. This escape room is definitely worth the hype. My party did Occam's apartment which was a 105 minute escape room. The puzzles were engaging and had solutions that made sense, which I value highly in escape rooms. The overall experience was very immersive, with a story that makes me and my party excited to come back for chapter 2. read more

Awesome experience! Very fun rooms and excellent staff! We did episodes 1-3 on the same day and it was super exciting.

Super unique escape room experiences! The staff are awesome - Jo and Edzel really added a lot to both rooms we tried out. Would recommend to newcomers and enthusiasts alike. Can't wait for the new rooms to be released! read more

Hands down one of the best, most immersive escape rooms I've ever been to! The world that OTC crafted for their interconnected rooms instantly becomes reality the moment you step into one of their rooms. The amount of detail, realism, and creativity is unparalleled, and makes you forget that you're even playing an escape room at all. All the staff were incredibly welcoming and accommodating; our game master Jo was an absolute highlight of our experience who went above and beyond to give us the best, most immersive time. I won't be forgetting my experience here anytime soon! read more

My favorite place in the whole world. They're closing in a week but I hope they reopen at a new location. Their games are super intricate, multiple rooms per game, and their employees are very skilled to curate an overall immersive experience. It's like a real life video game. They're able to accommodate requests too! Like we requested not scary at all and felt they did a good job! Air purifiers are in every room and they clean all the rooms between games. I've done almost every room and I highly recommend! The whole team - Nick, Tate, Ken, and Owen in particular made our experience memorable. Much love read more

Off The Couch - Escape Games Near Me - Fremont, California

This place is so fun! The story is so well thought out I've done many escape rooms and this is by far one of the best places in the Bay Area! read more

Excellent adventure! Kept us guessing but wasn't too hard for us to solve as a group! Highly recommend!

Played chapter one last night and it was one of the coolest experiences ever! Big shout out to Han and his willingness to take his characters a bit outside the norm. Fun times can't wait for the other chapters. read more

One of the best escape room experiences in the Bay Area. My group of friends have played 30+ escape rooms up and down the west coast, and this one is definitely up there at the top! As of July 2023, there are 3 acts (2-3 hours each) available for play, all part of a longer overarching storyline. The rooms and puzzles themselves are well thought out and high-quality, and the staff are extremely friendly and helpful. Can't wait for act 4 to open up! read more

Great pacing and story. Loved chatting with our game host Jo! Looking forward to coming back for part 2 and 3.

Awesome owners. Fun time. .

Amazing game! I've never played a continuous escape room storyline. Can't wait to continue the campaign.

===== [Overview] ===== After years of listening to my friend tell me countless stories of how fun their experience was with Off the Couch, I finally decided to listen and try it for myself. In the beginning, I wasn't sure what to expect because they really hyped it up. I was tentative... but, yup. I don't what to say except for the fact I'm here taking the time to write up a very satisfied review for this place instead of finishing all my other drafts. My experience was just that good. With how meticulous these escape rooms are set up, I could easily tell how dedicated the staff was at crafting up what seems to me a whole other world. I highly recommend these games to just about anyone and it is very much worth the value. Key things to note: - Actors: Yes (available) - Horror: Subjective - Plot : Very Immersive - Different potential outcomes with each of their current stories - There are save points! Think of this like an RPG - If you do finish before the allotted time, the amount leftover is credited towards your next game. - The staff were fantastic! They were not only friendly and welcoming but also masters at setting the stage for our adventure. Their enthusiasm was infectious, adding to the excitement and anticipation of what lay ahead. - Do not need outside knowledge. Not very difficult and high quality puzzles - Yes, They care about customer experience. Thank you ==================== ====== [Location] ===== If you use Google Maps, it's going to tell you to turn into the sidewalk. Don't listen. There's a street off of Mowry across the nice looking 7-11 store and turn onto Cherry Ln at the stoplight. It will be dark and sort of sketch if you're coming in at night. Don't worry, because you're at the right place. Parking is limited and there will be a lot of handicapped spaces, that's because there is a physical therapy practice nearby and something tells me they probably need it. Fortunately, each time I have been here, I managed to find parking at the front. Bathrooms are at the front entrance on the left. There are lockers for phones/personal belongings and a fridge for refreshments (paid but complimentary if you check in/leave a review on yelp - definetly not my incentive to expedite this review but I do encourage others to share their experiences as well). ==================== ======= [Rooms] ======= Each room we have gone through has been proven to provide as best of an experience as they can. The puzzles are not extremely difficult or far fetched. I will admit some of us have gotten stumped but there is always a helper to provide guidance or advice whenever we needed it. I do think these rooms are not really meant for beginners or newcomers but can be done or finished without prior escape room experience. * Be sure to note that hints will be provided as part of the story (sorry no spoilers! This was something we sort of wish we knew prior). Every detail counts! Some rooms may be dark and it can start feeling a little spooky. Personally, I am scared of the dark but others from my group did not really react to that detail. For those who are, I advise not solo venturing into these rooms. There is a narrative concept to their storytelling and it will progress as you complete puzzles. From our experience, the puzzles are linear with the storytelling but the choices can lead to alternative endings. * When a video plays, you may stop to listen and watch. Our group made the mistake of thinking we had to do something in the meantime so we missed a part of the storytelling. Reservations are made online through their webpage. They currently have 3 escape rooms built but have others currently being set up. The descriptions for each room is all you need to know before you go in. Have fun and Good Luck! ====================== read more

I'm a light escape room enthusiast with 37 escape rooms under my belt, with 5 of them done at Off the Couch. COVID precautions were in place, rooms were disinfected, gloves and hand sanitizer available, and employees wore gloves and masks. They took the household limit seriously and the owner, Nick, even helped us switch our preferred time slot with another escape room company we booked for the same day (that was still convenient for us) just to make sure that we could do both rooms the same night. This was appreciated as we make the drive down from the East Bay and like to do multiple rooms when we are in the South Bay. The only thing was there are shared lockers and I'm not sure how often they are sanitized between uses. Not likely to catch COVID this way, and I'm sure that the staff would help disinfect them for you if asked! The owner and employees have very apparent love and passion for escape games and puzzles. I'm sad to hear that they are closing down at the end of the year and the Pandorum series was never completely the way it was intended to be. The staff were always very accommodating when we stayed late into the night. Giving a special shout-out to Justin, who helped us in our last 2 outings and was always very helpful and entertained our questions and conversation despite it always being quite late by the time we left. We always had quite a few questions built up after the rooms and he even took the time to go through some of the extra bonus content we missed in one of the rooms. Some comments about each of the rooms: 1. Excalibur: I was excited about this room as it was our first 2 hour room and some of us were excited about the theme. The sets and props were beautiful and on theme, and there was always something to do. Some of the puzzles were a little tricky for us and it would not surprise me that this room was built intentionally for enthusiasts as the price point, difficult, and game length were all higher than usual. This room involved some "acting" on our part which was a little unexpected but it made for a unique experience. --- 2. Pandorum 1: Occam's Apartment: I loved the decorations and the set for this homey setting. They went the extra mile with some of the wall decorations that had nothing to do with the puzzles. Standalone it would have been an underwhelming room (particularly since it had, what seemed like to me, an abrupt ending) but as the introduction to a set of 3 rooms, it's wonderful! Some nice puzzles that might trip up some new people. We needed a quick nudge as we were stuck on something but wasn't sure if we could manipulate an in-game prop to help us until the game master gave us a warm go-ahead. We jumped from this room to the next and did both rooms without a break. 3. Pandorum 2: Norcross Art Gallery: Loved the realistic set and how much content they stuffed on the walls. Puzzles were done well and used both technology and keen observation skills. Some fun and spooky elements. We took a quick food break after this, especially since The Morgue was not quite ready for us yet. 4. Pandorum 3: The Morgue: I love creepy/horror themed rooms but especially love when creepy meets humor, which was well done in this room. Loved many of the puzzles and the fun format of the room, but the puzzles may trip up beginners. It really is special and there is no other room quite like it. This room works great standalone but exciting as the finale to Pandorum. This room is definitely not meant to be scary or have jump scares, so have fun with it! I would recommend when they ask for (***potential spoilers ahead***) volunteers at certain points in the game, to always just have the maximum go to give everyone more memorable exposure to content. For all three rooms in Pandorum, the game mastering / commentary was on point, and some nice acting thrown in on their part was very nice! It takes effort to do that versus just sitting in a game monitoring/console room and I don't even know how many employees had to take part over our 3 room adventure. We booked 4 hours for the 3 rooms through the Pandorum package but only used 3 hours! We were proud! --- 5. Conspiracy: The easiest room of the 5 and advertised as so. We finished in ~35 min with zero hints. Good for beginners as there are more in-game nudges and guidance. Even with experience under our belts, the puzzles were varied/new enough that it didn't feel like a complete cakewalk. Some unique puzzles we haven't seen yet, and I think all around every one of us 5 enjoyed our time. I personally found it anticlimactic to follow the previous 4 rooms with this one but everyone else really enjoyed the flow and puzzles of this room. We always have a good time at Off the Couch and would recommend that you do their rooms before they close by the end of 2020 and a new location is not for certain. This is also the only escape room my group has chosen to buy t-shirts from, so pretty special! :) read more

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Love this place, it's one of the best escape rooms out there! Our host Jo was fantastic for chapter 2 and I can't wait to do more! So immersive and unique experience! read more

Completed Chapters 1 and 2 with a group of friends, and it was a blast. Was looking for something fun to do with friends and stumbled upon Off the Couch Games. It's in a little out of the way area but the staff do a great job of making you feel welcome and immediately you can tell they are very passionate about what they do and making sure you as the player and customer have the best experience possible. They are all very knowledgable about escape rooms and have very well crafted, engaging storylines with interactive and creative props. It was our first time doing an escape room but they were all so supportive and helpful with clues that it was like we had done it before. If you're looking for a fun activity to do with friends I highly recommend Off the Couch. You'll never find as good a quality detailed storyline driven escape room as here. read more