Menu

The Psych Ward

Blue Engagement Essentials Blog Banner

Public Games- One Night Only

, , , , 0

On Sunday, April 10th, 2022, we will have 6 games open for public bookings. If you have always wanted to play The Hex Room or The Trust Experiment (formally known as The Psych Ward) but struggled to get a group of 5 together, this is your chance!

The Hex Room will be open for public bookings for the 4:20pm, 6:00pm, and 7:40pm games. The Trust Experiment will be available for public bookings for the 4:30pm, 6:10pm, and 7:50pm games. Tickets are $38 per person per game.

Tickets must be reserved in advance. To book, please click HERE and select April 10th. 

If you purchase a ticket during any of the above times on April 10th, you will play with strangers. This is a great chance to meet new people and build an escape room team!

DISCLAIMER: Both The Hex Room and The Trust Experiment still require at least 5 players for these games to function. If at least 5 tickets are not purchased for a time slot, the game may be canceled. In that event, you will be notified 1 hour before the game and be issued a full refund for your ticket for that game. Our other standard cancellation and refund policies still apply.

 

Blog Banner for Website Content-2

New Name, Same Game

, , 0

You may have noticed that The Psych Ward is no longer listed on our website. Do not fear! It’s not gone! The game still exists, but it has a new name- The Trust Experiment. The previous title, The Psych Ward, did not accurately describe the true nature of the game. We decided a name change would help customers better understand what they are getting into, and we changed it to The Trust Experiment.

Why did you change the name?

We noticed that many people were hesitant about booking because they thought the game would be scary. Understandable with how many great horror films occur in Psychiatric Hospitals, but our game is not scary. It misled people who avoided it because they didn’t want to be scared and misguided people who thought it WAS going to be scary. We want to set people’s expectations appropriately and then exceed them.

Also, the game is more than just escaping a Psych Ward. The original name made it seem like this was an ordinary escape room, but this game is unique. Players must compete against one another, build alliances, betray friends, steal points, and so much more.

Why did you choose The Trust Experiment?

We played around with many names, but it seemed to click when our Manager, Geoff, suggested the name The Trust Experiment. With a name like The Trust Experiment, you know it will not be a traditional escape room. You know there will be some trust involved and that you will be tested on it. But why? And will you succeed? Only one way to find out…

Why was it ever called The Psych Ward?

We kept the name The Psych Ward because it fit so nicely with The Hex Room and The Fun House. They were all names of places, and it seemed appropriate to name this game after where it is placed.

Did anything change in the game?

It depends on when you played! The game opened in Dec. 2018 and went through a few adjustments the first few months. It got a big update and change to the strategy and sabotage element in Sept. 2019. Sadly, the game was closed for almost a year due to the pandemic and reopened in March 2021 with a handful of new puzzles. So if you played before March 2021, yes, the game has changed! With all that said, the game is also repayable since the teams are randomized for every game, and there are more puzzles then can be completed in an hour!

Learn more and get tickets to The Trust Experiment here!

 

The Psych Ward at Cross Roads Escape Games

New twist to The Psych Ward

, , , 0

In the beginning of August, Dr. Griffin has made some groundbreaking new changes to his experiments within the testing facilities of the Psych Ward. In a recent interview about his findings, Dr. Griffin stated that the experiment has been a huge success so far but that more research is still needed. He says that the changes to the experiment are designed to illicit more fruitful interactions between both sane and insane patients.

Dr. Griffin states that after each completed task, a scanner will come on and allow patients to scan for points. However, at least two patients are required to scan for each completed task. This means that after each task, patients will have to choose at least one other patient to scan with them; making trust an even more valuable commodity inside the experiment.

In addition, after each patient has scanned their wristband, they will be prompted to anonymously select which team to send their points to; One button will give points to the sane team and the other will allow the insane team to steal the points for the task.

This is helpful for those patients that are trying to mask their identity from other patients. If a patient is under suspicion of being insane, they may choose to give the sane team their point in an attempt to deceive the sane patient.

This allows the insane team to stay under cover, but at a sacrifice of helping the sane team.

This opens the experiment to even more strategies, and not only for the insane patients. Doctor Griffin is curious to see the different ways his patients will try to help their team win.

This means that patients will have to pay very close attention to the behaviors of other patients throughout the entirety of the experiment, and that the question of who to trust has become an even more troublesome inquiry to answer than ever before.

Dr. Griffin would like to remind everyone that his experiment is for the patients’ own good and is critical to his ongoing research. The experiment is designed to study how patients interact with one another and that there are no other experiments going on inside the testing facility. He promises.

Well, you heard it here first folks. The psych ward has interesting new changes that allow for even greater acts of trust and betrayal between patients. And if Dr. Griffin says it is for their own good, then you know it has to be true. He is a Doctor after all.

From Cross Roads Behavioral Science Journal, September 1976

Jason Lee Sakal- Amateur Journalist, Day Manager, Game Master

PW_really like

What is The Psych Ward really like?

, , , , , , , 0

It has been 2 years in the making and The Psych Ward is here!

THIS IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE ESCAPE ROOM. THE PSYCH WARD IS AN INTERACTIVE GAME OF DEDUCTION, TRUST, AND BETRAYAL WITH ESCAPE ROOM, BOARD GAME, AND IMMERSIVE THEATRE ELEMENTS. 

Now you may be asking yourself, but what am I ACTUALLY getting myself into? If you are feeling nervous, or would just like to know more. Here is the inside scoop on our newest game:

The Psych Ward is a 60-minute game, taking place at Misarie Psychiatric Hospital in the early 1970s. Dr. Griffin, the head of the Psych Ward, created his own experiment for a select group of patients. His goal is to unlock the true powers of the brain, which many people believe is impossible. In order to put his patients at the heightened mental state that he needs, he has derived a sub-test where they patients believe they are going through a social experiment to see how they handle trust and betrayal while under the pressure of solving a series of challenging and psychological puzzles. 

Under the authority of Dr. Griffin, the test becomes an interactive game of trust, betrayal, and deduction between two teams: Sane and insane patients. Players will be randomly assigned a diagnosis. Through the game, patients will complete challenges and tests to gain points for their team. Sane players do not know who else is sane and are trying to figure out who is on their side. The insane players are trying to remind undiscovered and steal points from the sane players by infiltrating and pretending to be sane.

The Psych Ward takes on a traditional escape room idea, but brings it to the next level with a competitive and strategic layer. Players will still get the thrill of solving puzzles and interacting with an immersive environment, but they will also be more selective with whom they work with and how much information they want to share. Inside the padded cell, players also get one-on-one time with another teammate to strategize and work together. This could help build alliances, or lead to future backstabbing. 

If you have ever played the popular social deduction games like Werewolf, Mafia, or Secret Hitler, the strategy and game mechanics are a lot like those. 

# of Players- 5-8. This is a PRIVATE game. We will not put your group with strangers. A minimum of 5 players are required to play this game.

Ages- This game is recommended for ages 16+. No one under the age of 14 will be admitted. 

Want a leg up on the competition? Check out our trailer for the game and watch VERY CAREFULLY.

Read our latest Reviews:

No Proscenium: “This game is a genre bender, the kind of thing that has the potential to revolutionize the emerging escape room industry…”

Esc Room Addict: “The attention to detail and the number of easter eggs were abundant in this room which increases the replayability since each experience will never be quite the same for each individual person.”

Nightmarish Conjurings: “All in all, it has been a while since I have experienced an escape room with such a unique twist and I truly found this to be a groundbreaking new adventure.”

Halloween Every Night: “I have to say this was one of my favorite escape room experiences because it was so different. I tend to be an observer of human nature and I enjoyed the process of deducing who, in fact, were the traitors among us.”

Nerd Reactor: “Cross Roads Escape Games has created another innovative and immersive room that sets itself apart from other escape rooms. The game design is unique and fresh, and the production value is topnotch, making you feel like you’re inside a mental hospital.”

Haunting.net: “One thing is certain: Cross Roads has another wholly unique and engrossing immersive escape room with which to challenge adventurous Southern Californians.”

Make a booking soon and see what everyone is raving about!

Zoltar's New Neighbors

Zoltar’s Neighbors

, , , , , , , 0

Greetings and salutations dear readers. T’is I, Zoltar the Great, seer of secrets, blogger, avid gossiper, and your guide to understanding my strange neighbors.

You have no idea how often I get asked about the “goings on” in my neighbors’ rooms. Honestly though, if one more detective asks me about “disappearances” or if I can use my crystal ball to “solve pending murder investigations” I swear I am going to lose my marbles. I mean, come on detectives… haven’t you heard of a thing called privacy before? I will be no one’s minority report.

 

Either way, since people keep asking me about the Hex Room and the Psych Ward, I figured it was a good topic to cover in my blog. After all, I am nothing if not a servant of the people.

First, I will start with the Hex Room. So many people misjudge my neighbor. They hear “Hex” and they think “curse” when in reality, the name is merely a geometry pun. Get it, Hex Room… because there are six rooms. Hex… Six… You’d be surprised how many times I have to explain that. Moving on!

My neighbor may seem a bit obsessed with horror films, but honestly what would the world be without a few nutty cinephiles in it anyways? Every day he hosts screenings of his favorite scary movies and invites strangers to come and see what it’s all about. They must be having a grand time over there as well, because I hear screaming at all hours of the night. I guess it is a bit too much to ask to get an invite myself. Not like I am the seer of secrets, a national ping pong celebrity, and happen to be a KILLER edition to ANY party. But whatever. I don’t mind.

And as for my newest neighbor, Dr. Griffin. He seems friendly enough. Maybe a tad bit on the workaholic side of things, but I hear he is working on something very VERY important! And whatever he is working on must be big, because he sure does recruit a lot of volunteers.

I also hear that he is helping many unfortunates in his hospital. Everyone that leaves the hospital has a distant look and a wide smile on their faces. I am sure they are reminiscing on what a great time they had and all the important friendships that they made during their stay. All the nurses say it, but I guess it must be true… Dr. Griffin is a great man… though not as great as some. A particular painting comes to mind…

You see, dear readers, there is nothing really to talk about when it comes to my neighbors. Just your standard, run-of-the-mill, neighbors that are obsessed with either their work or their hobbies. Nothing too interesting there. Nothing as cool as a magical all-seeing painting capable of mystical perception and intuition. That is to say, they are nothing as grand as yours truly, the great and magnificent Zoltar!

Till next time dear Reader.

— Zoltar the Great, the amazing, the perfect, the beautiful, the seer of secrets, and self-designated neighborhood watch leader.

Geoff_Feb2019_W1

Psych Ward Tips: Confessions of a Game Master

, , , , , , 3

Hello everyone! It’s been a while since our game masters have shared their wisdom with you. We’ve all been going a little crazy getting the new Psych Ward running, but now that it is accepting patients, our Game Masters decided they should prepare you for this new experience. Here’s a quick overview of what you need to know before taking part in the experiment.

WHAT IS THE PSYCH WARD?

The Psych Ward is NOT an Escape Room. The Psych Ward is a strategic game of trust and betrayal. It incorporates escape room, board game, and immersive theatre elements. Traditional escape rooms require you to solve every puzzle in order to escape, but in The Psych Ward you can solve as many or as few puzzles as you need to win. Your goal is not to escape The Psych Ward, but to win.

TIPS TO WIN

• The Psych Ward requires active participation. The Psych Ward is more than solving puzzles: it involves deduction, strategy, and exploration. This means not only will you be solving puzzles, but you will be trying to figure out who on your team you can trust. If you prefer to simply solve puzzles to try and escape a room, I recommend one of our other great games. The Psych Ward is an experience designed for those who want to try something new.
• Observe your fellow patients. It’s not enough to solve as many puzzles as you can. Pay attention to how helpful others in your group are. Remember, you can’t trust everyone.
• Pay attention to the rules. Just like when playing a new board game, you have a new set of rules to learn. Pay attention, especially when scoring is explained, to make sure you understand how to earn points.
• Come up with a strategy. You need to be able to identify those who are not on your team and earn points. Feel free to discuss strategy with your fellow patients but remember you can’t trust all of them, so it might be a better idea to keep strategy to yourself.

WHO IS SANE? WHO IS INSANE?

In each game, there will be a mix of sane and insane players. Who is sane and who is insane is decided randomly by the game each time. The number of insane players depends on the size of your group.

WHAT IS THE WIN RATE?

The Psych Ward has an even 50/50 split of Sane/Insane winning. The difficulty depends on your group and how observant or sly you can be.

OTHER THINGS TO NOTE

• BE ON TIME. Timing, of course, is everything. The Psych Ward runs on a very strict schedule and games cannot be started late. Players are NOT ABLE to enter a game once it has started.
• PLAYER LIMITS ARE STRICT. This game is designed for 5-8 players. It will not function with less or more than the specified amount.
• SPECIAL EFFECTS. This experience incorporates loud noises, fog, theatrical lighting, tight spaces, and restraints. It is not scary, but you may be put in tense situations.
• KEEP YOUR GROUP IN THE KNOW. It is extremely helpful for your teammates to know what they are getting into. Feel free to send them this post for a quick crash-course on The Psych Ward.
• THE PSYCH WARD IS A REPEATABLE EXPERIMENT. Since the experience is based on deduction and strategy, you are encouraged to come back and play with a new strategy. Which patients are sane and insane is random with each game, so you may be on the other team when you replay. This experience was also designed with more tasks and tests than can be completed in a single hour-long experiment, so return players can unlock new paths and secrets within the room.

The Psych Ward is the perfect experience for fans of escape rooms who want to try something new. Adding a level of deduction, trust, and betrayal takes this experience into new realms of possibility for interactive games. If you are a fan of board games or card games like Werewolf or Mafia, The Psych Ward should be your next game.

Geoff Durham
Manager, Game Master, Insane (and won!)
Cross Roads Escape Games

Psych Ward-1

The Psych Ward Playbill

, , , , 1

The Psych Ward has been two years in the making and it could not have been finished if it was not for the amazingly talented team we had behind us. A huge shout out goes to the team at Diablo Sound, who came to our rescue and got us to the finish line. They also provided us with the hilarious, hardworking, and amazing programmer Fernando Vasquez, who we can not thank enough. He listened to all our crazy ideas and made them come to life. The Psych Ward would not exist if not for him.

I also want to give a huge thank you to Lauren Orgill who came almost every day and did any odd job asked of her. We also would not have been able to complete this game if it was not for her wonderful ideas, support, and constant help.

This game took a lot of hard work and long hours, and we want everyone to be recognized for the great work that they did. Thank you again for everything! We did it!

 

Game Design by Madison and Luke Rhoades

Programmers:
The amazing team at Diablo Sound with special thanks to Fernando Vasquez
Kevin Resler

Sound Design by Dan Waldkirch

Videos Directed and Edited by Geoff Durham
Cinematography and Video Graphics by Zach Dahm

Actors:
Gary Lee Reed- Dr. Griffin

Lindsey Alterman- Patient
Vincent Catalina- Patient
Brian Corbitt- Doctor
Susan DeCenzo- Woman
Bob Glouberman- Doctor
Tommy Honton- Man
Jordan Laemmlen- Man in Park
Ian Momii- Doctor
Blake Orgill- Doctor
Lauren Orgill- Doctor
Jessica Patow– Patient
Matt Rhoades- Doctor
Ruth Rhoades- Patient
Bradley Roa- Patient
Edwin Tactay- Doctor
Justin Tuthill- Patient
Morgan Walton- Patient
Jessie Wise– Voice Over

Costumes by Lauren Orgill

Set Design and Scenic Painting by Madison Rhoades

Scenic Construction by Luke Rhoades

Construction Crew:
Luke Rhoades, Madison Rhoades, Lauren Orgill, Blake Orgill, and Matt Rhoades.

Syringe Fabricated by Proficia

Score Board Fabricated by Raptor House Effects

Lights Fabricated by Union Digital

Illustrations:
Everett Arce, Mellanie Urquiza, and Alexandra Felix

Special thanks:
Fernando Vasquez, Drew Dalzell, Fionnegan Murphy, Noelle Hoffman, Brittany Cobb, Lauren Orgill, Blake Orgill, Jason Sakal, Zach Dahm, Geoff Durham, Donnie Buckingham, Jose Mendoza, Kerri Hellmuth, Sara Strain,  Ruth Rhoades, Theresa Rhoades, Tony Croupe, Liz Croupe, Marissa Bergman, and Cooper Floors.

Ward_promo

The Psych Ward Update

, , , , 1

A note from Co-Owner and Creative Director, Madison Rhoades:

Dear Cross Roads Fans, Escape Room Enthusiasts, and future guests,

I want to apologize for how long it has taken to open Psych Ward. I know this is something we promised you a year ago, but it will be worth the wait! The game has gone through a lot of changes, and we are so excited for what it has become.

We have gone through so many revisions of this game. We have been designing the Psych Ward for two years now and building it for one year. To play test the game we have created board game scenarios, acted it out like a game of Dungeons and Dragons, and have tried to think of every possible scenario and how it could be resolved. 

That is why we didn’t open as planned last year. We found a major flaw in the game design so we put a complete halt on our build. Designing it has been one of the hardest puzzles I have ever come across. We were determined to create something new that changed the industry. The Psych Ward is part escape room, part interactive theatre, and part strategy game. Finding the perfect mesh between all of those, adding a trust and betrayal element, making individualized experiences, and keeping it easy to understand is a very difficult puzzle… and probably why no one has done it yet.

I thought it would never end. But I am happy we paused when we did. I’m glad we took a deeper look into the game and found its flaws before we opened. The game we have for you now is so much greater than anything we could have imagined a year ago.

With all that being said, I am happy to announce that The Psych Ward is indeed happening. For real this time. Get ready for something new because Psych Ward opens October, 2018!

Here is all the info I can share with you right now:

The Psych Ward takes place in a 1970s insane asylum run by Dr. Griffin. It is a strategic game of trust and betrayal, so choose your teammates wisely! Are you familiar with the card game Werewolf, Mafia, or Donner Dinner Party? I would recommend brushing up on those to get your bluffing face at 100%.

The game will be private and is for 5-8 players. For the trust/ betrayal aspect to work, a minimum of 5 people is required for the game to function.

Because of the extreme psychological testing that will take place, it will be open for ages 16+ (no exceptions). The game is an hour long and is point based. The difficulty of the game depends on you and the cooperation of your teammates.

Official synopsis: Sane or Insane? Trust or Betray? These are the questions Dr. Griffin wants you to answer. He has created a social experiment for a select group of patients. Some of these patients he believes are sane. Others, completely insane. Like lab rats, he has put you inside his twisted experiment and challenges you to figure out who to trust and who to cross. But can Dr. Griffin even be trusted?

Thank you again for your patience. We look forward to showing you this crazy game!

Sincerely,
Madison Rhoades

If you are with a media outlet and looking to do an article on The Psych Ward, please fill out our press questionnaire to qualify for a press pass (limited availability).

 

midsummer-scream

Last chance to play the Asylum Mini-Game at Midsummer Scream

, , , , , , 0

It’s time to say good-bye to our amazing 10-minute mini-game, The Asylum. Don’t worry though, you still have ONE LAST CHANCE TO PLAY!

Join us on July 28thand 29that Midsummer Scream in the Long Beach Convention Center. We will have nurses there ready to lock you away! The mini-game is free to play with the purchase of an admission ticket to the convention.

WE WILL BE OPENING THE ASYLUM MINI-GAME FOR GROUPS OF 2 EVERY 15 MINUTES DURING THE OPERATING HOURS OF THE CONVETION! ARRIVE EARLY TO SIGN UP FOR A TIME SLOT TO GUARINTEE YOUR CHANCE TO PLAY!

The Asylum Mini-Game

The Asylum is 10 minutes long and for exactly 2 players. You and a partner are strapped together in a straitjacket, thrown in a small padded cell, and forced to work together. You are suffering from split personality disorder; 1 body, 2 heads. Two sinister looking nurses strap you together and lock your straitjacket with an assortment of locks. You must work together with your other half to unlock the locks on the jacket, so you can get to the key and escape.

The Asylum is an exclusive mini-game, created as a teaser game for our upcoming full-length game, The Psych Ward… which is coming soon… very soon… If you find us at Midsummer Scream, and ask one of the attendant there, you might get some TOP SECRET information about The Psych Ward!  Just tell them, “I think I lost my marbles.”

Midsummer Scream is one of the best Halloween Conventions featuring walk through haunts, escape room experiences, celebrity guests, horror themed vendors, and great panels and presentations!

Use the code CROSSROADS to save 25% off your admission tickets to Midsummer Scream! We look forward to seeing you there!

 

Madison Rhoades
CEO & Creative Director
Cross Roads Escape Games

Updates on The Psych Ward

Updates On The Psych Ward

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2

Psychopath: a mental disorder.
Symptoms include: lying, breaking laws, acting impulsively, lack regard for others and other’s emotions.

Is it crazy to look out for yourself? To win? To be competitive? Or is it true human nature? What is the line between sane and insane? Who is the one who chooses?

I know we have been keeping a lot of information from everyone about The Psych Ward, and a big reason is because the game play is completely different from most escape rooms. We have a lot of beta testing planned, and we will probably make plenty of changes once we see how people react to this new type of game design.

If you are interested in being a tester for this game, please click HERE to enter your email address and we may contact you in the next few months.

As of right now, here is all the information I have been allowed to release:

About-
Theory: If put in a controlled environment, some patients will exhibit more psychopathic symptoms than others.
Hypothesis: Patients will lie, betray, and manipulate their friends to get what they want.
Experiment: Two groups will be placed in a controlled room with challenges and rewards. To succeed, bonds must be made and broken, as test subjects must outwit the other participants to get the most rewards. Truth is unreliable. Trust must be established. Betrayal is necessary.

Difficulty- Every game will have one winning and one losing team.

# of Players- 4-8. This is a PRIVATE game. We will not put your group with strangers.

Ages- This game is for ages 16+.

Opening- NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2017

Click HERE to sign up for our mailing list to be the fist to know when tickets go on sale!

Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tublr as we reveal more teaser trailers and clues for a special prize!

Madison Rhoades
CEO, Co-owner, & Creative Director
Cross Roads Escape Games

Load More