What Exactly Are Escape Rooms?

What exactly is an escape room?

You have probably heard of them by now, but it’s not exactly clear what they are and what you do in them!

In a nutshell, escape rooms are 60-minute adventure games you play with friends or family that requires you to solve a series of puzzles to win. 

Chalking up escape rooms into a one-sentence explanation does not do them justice, as there are many great reasons why they have become just so popular recently!

What do you do in an escape room?

Your game typically begins when you enter the room. Some locations may have a brief introduction or video for you to watch or listen to before your game begins but your Game Master (the person that explains the rules and makes sure you have a good time) will let you know ahead of time. 

When the game starts you will have the full hour to complete your goal, most often it is escaping the room! There will be locks, puzzles, riddles, and clues for you to solve. The best way to win at these games is to rely on your team and wits! The types of puzzles that you will encounter will vary depending on the theme, from simple deciphers, pattern recognition, critical thinking, logic problems, and jigsaw puzzles!

There are literally hundreds of different types of puzzles that you might encounter in your room and the best way to overcome them is to work with your team and talk through the problems (that is unless you are attempting a solo escape). If you are looking for some of the best tips on winning your first escape room, there is another blog that would help!

Covered in this blog:

1. How scary are escape rooms?
2. Are the doors locked?
3. Is it like a video game?
4. Is it like a movie?
5. Why should you play an escape room game?

Are escape rooms scary?

A great article has already been written about this topic, and goes into detail about how scary escape rooms can be. With that being said, most escape rooms in the US are not actually scary. That being said, if you book “The Zodiac Killer’s Secret Underground Murder-Basement”, it will probably be scary. There are thousands of themes to choose from around the US that range from family-friendly (think “Harry Potter” or “Alice in Wonderland”) to straight-up horror. If you are worried about a particular theme being scary we recommend you reach out to the business before booking!

Are the doors to the escape room locked?

At this time most escape room locations do not lock their doors. If you need to leave the room for any reason (like using the restroom, taking a phonecall, or managing a panic attack) you may do so at any time and it does not end the game. (Ok we were only joking about the panic attack, we have never seen someone experience anything close to that!)

If the doors potentially being locked is an issue for you contact the business ahead of time!

Is it like a video game?

Sort of. Escape Rooms take many elements from video games but differ in that these are real-life experiences that people can play. There are plenty of game mechanics that go into a room, but don’t expect to sit down in front of a TV for an hour and use a controller!

Is it like a movie?

Escape Rooms can certainly make you feel like you are in a movie but are much more interactive. If you have ever wanted to be the stare in your own Hollywood movie then choosing an epic escape room will be exactly for you!

Why play an escape game?

Escape the room games are FUN! There is a reason why so many people absolutely love this hobby. From the thrill of winning the game, the race against the clock, spending an hour of fun with your friends, exploring cool sets, the list just goes on why people can’t stop playing these games! There are numerous escape room movies, TV shows, podcasts, and dozens of Facebook groups just for people who like escape rooms and love sharing their unique experiences!

If you haven’t tried an escape room yet, now is the time! If you have played a great room before we know we are preaching to the converted!