Some people play to have a great time, while others win. The same applies to people taking part in escape rooms. Beating an escape room is hard and challenging and requires the right skills and time management capabilities to ensure success. Similarly, players are always looking for information about the best ways to approach the game. Therefore, we have compiled a complete guide about everything you need to know about an escape room, including:
- What to Expect in An Escape Room?
- Common Issues That Arise When Playing Escape Rooms
- The Game of Patterns
- Look Everywhere
- Team Skills
- Track Everything
- Common Themes
- Virtual Escape Rooms
WHAT TO EXPECT IN AN ESCAPE ROOM?
Remember, you need to set your expectations right when entering an escape room to have a concrete winning strategy. Therefore, some of the common things to expect are as follows:
- Theme selection: There are different themes available for the escape room. Select the one that best resonates with you at the start.
- Game Guide: Usually, escape rooms start with a game guide who provides you with a tour of the room and shares all the important rules to follow. Pay attention to ensure that you can win.
- Watch Mission Video: Usually, modern escape rooms have a mission video or audio that provides details about what needs to be done. Watch the explainer video in detail, and don’t miss out on any information. In many cases, it may have the first clue as well.
- Room Escape: Start your game focused on searching for ways to escape the room. The ultimate goal is to find all the clues to help you lead out of the room. During the process, you may have to solve puzzles and put pieces of information together to determine your next step towards success.
COMMON ISSUES THAT ARISE WHEN PLAYING ESCAPE ROOMS
There are many common questions that players have when trying out escape rooms. Here, some of the common issues are addressed:
- Being inside an escape room does not mean you are locked in until you escape. Instead, you are inside a closed environment competing. If at any point, you feel the need to leave, you can make a plea, and they will let you out.
- An escape room is not restricted to a single room in most cases. Contrary to the name, many escape rooms have different levels that they span over.
- People who don’t’ escape in time are considered to have lost the game. Working the balance between time management and other aspects of the escape room is very important.
- Most escape room companies allow you to check the guest escape room experience before booking the actual escape room. Here, a virtual tour may be provided to the different themes available. However, such offers vary between companies.
THE GAME OF PATTERNS
Remember, escape rooms can be considered a form of puzzle in which you are physically involved. Like most other puzzles, some patterns may appear commonly in different escape rooms. For example, you may notice that most clues in a specific escape room are hidden in evenly numbered objects. In most cases, such patterns are deliberately placed by escape room developers to better understand the puzzle. Try searching for the different patterns to make your escape easier.
LOOK EVERYWHERE
Don’t shy away from looking in the most simple spots when competing in an escape room. You may find the required items under different objects, over them, or even inside them. Sometimes, you may find them in daily use items that we practically ignore. One common spot most people miss out on is to look under the rugs. Similarly, shift the furniture around as well. You may find different clues behind bookshelves or even in between different books. Also, the paintings can be moved or examined to check for different clues or hidden items.
TEAM SKILLS
Escape rooms are a group effort. You need to utilize the skills of your team to the fullest. Consider how every member is unique and what skills separate them from the others. Then, assign tasks based on these skills to have the best outcome. In most cases, utilizing the team effectively can save you time and help you beat the escape room.
Similarly, team politics inside the room. Instead, I prefer considering the opinion of everyone equally. Sometimes, the craziest ideas may lead you to your next clue in the escape room.
TRACK EVERYTHING
Remember, many clues are interconnected. One common mistake in escape rooms is to look at clues in isolation. Always keep track of the clues you have received and the different puzzles you have solved. They may all holistically connect in the end as well.
COMMON THEMES
Theme parks have evolved to include numerous themes. However, some themes are recurring and common amongst different escape room players. Such themes include the pirates thee, prison break theme, and secret agents theme. People may also be interested in ancient Egyptian themes, zombies, and murder mystery themes.
VIRTUAL ESCAPE ROOMS
Virtual escape rooms mean playing the escape rooms with team members through virtual means without being together. Previously, virtual escape rooms were not very common or popular as it was considered more of physical activity where players could connect and create effective team relationships. However, since the Covid-19 pandemic, being together in person has become riskier. Therefore, virtual escape rooms have become more common, with people preferring to physically stay away from each other while also enjoying a great escape room experience. Many global escape room providers have grown during the pandemic as well.
Here, the clues are found virtually while collaborating with team members through virtual mediums. No meeting is required in person. Also, players can join from anywhere in the world. Therefore, firms hiring people from across the globe remotely can benefit from virtual escape rooms as an effective team-building activity for such employees.
CONCLUSION
Escape rooms are a great way to relax, have fun, and become acquainted with the people around you. We hope our article provides you with complete insight into the escape room.