This is the golden age of escape rooms. With more than 30,000 worldwide and counting, you've got plenty to choose from when it comes to getting locked up with your friends, family or coworkers and trying your hand at solving puzzles. But before you venture into the unknown — or just dive right in — there are some things that you should know first.
Escape Rooms Aren't Just a Game — They're an Experience
When you think of escape rooms, you probably picture a room filled with puzzles and locks. You might even imagine a group of people trying to solve them together.
But there's more to an escape room than just solving puzzles: it's an experience that immerses the player into their own narrative.
That's why escape rooms are so popular right now — they're more than just a game; they're an experience where you get to be part of the story. When you play in an escape room, your goal isn't just about finding all the clues or bypassing all the locks; instead, it involves following along with a narrative or helping characters in need by completing tasks for them (such as cooking). According to MeetspaceVR’s experts, “This social element helps create an environment where people feel connected and invested in each other's success or failure.” This is why many players say that partaking in these activities is like playing board games with friends who can help each other out when needed.
The More People You Play With, the More Fun It Is
Another factor to consider is the number of players. If you're playing with a group of friends, you can make all those silly faces or noises that are inappropriate in public but are all good fun with your friends. Playing with strangers in a virtual reality escape room adds another level of difficulty because you have to think about what's appropriate and what isn't, but it can also bring unexpected benefits.
You Don't Know as Much as You Think You Do
You'll learn a lot about yourself and the people around you. Escape rooms are a great way to discover how much you know or don't know about your friends, family members and coworkers. You may have assumed that everyone knows all their phone numbers offhand, but now they only remember half of them. Or maybe they thought they knew all the states in alphabetical order, but now they find out they were missing New Hampshire?
Not Every Escape Room Is Created Equal — Find One That's Right for You
It's important to note that not every escape room is created equal. So, before you plunk down your hard-earned cash and commit to a full hour in an unfamiliar environment, it pays to do some research.
What kind of experience do you want? Are you looking for something family-friendly? Or something with more of a horror theme? What kinds of puzzles are your favorite kinds of puzzles? If you're going with friends or family members who have never played an escape room before, think about what they might enjoy.
Once you know what type(s) of puzzle-solving experiences appeal most to your group, finding an appropriate escape room shouldn't be too difficult.
You'd Be Surprised at Just How Well-Thought-Out Some of the Puzzles Are
You'd be surprised at just how well-thought-out some of the puzzles are. Many people think escape rooms are just a bunch of random objects scattered around a room, but that's not always true. Many escape rooms are designed by game designers, architects, actors, writers and engineers who understand puzzles and how to create them interestingly. They're not just throwing random things together; they're using their skills to make something enjoyable for you and your friends/family/coworkers/spouse/etc.
Escape rooms are new, exciting and challenging. They can be an incredibly fun way to spend an evening with friends or family, but they're also great for improving your problem-solving skills and learning more about the world around you. If you've never tried one before, it is highly recommended that you do! Just remember that every room is different, and some of them might not have everything you'd expect from them (like us), so keep those things in mind when going into one yourself.
