Escape rooms are the ‘it’ thing. Their versatility makes them perfect for absolutely any and all kinds of crowds. Be it family outings, a day out with friends, an adventurous date, or a team-building activity with your colleagues, escape rooms have got you covered for all occasions.
Though the activity has been around for over a decade as a commercialized recreation, the recent popularity of the game is unprecedented. To those uninitiated about the concept, here is a brief rundown: an escape room is a thematic room where players are locked in, and the mission is to escape from the room within a given time period. To win the game and find your way out on time, you have to find clues and hints and solve them to get to the final door.
As fun as the concept is, it can also be pretty overwhelming for players when they step inside an actual escape room. The rooms are usually built like a fantasy world with several stimulants to keep your senses engaged. So, without the right strategies, it is easy to get carried away by the setting. To help you out of that trap, here are 10 foolproof strategies that can keep your mind in the game and lead you to the final escape door on time:
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Read/listen through the rules carefully
Like any other game, even escape rooms have a certain set of rules we need to adhere to. Though the gameplay is meant to keep us on edge with a ticking timer, if you act on impulse too much, it can come with a lot of undesirable consequences (like property damage when trying to open a drawer/closet that is not a part of the game or contain no clues). This is why you need to read/listen to the clues carefully so that you don’t make such mistakes and, of course, avoid any unnecessary clues or time waste.
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Pick your team wisely
It goes without saying that you need to pick people you work best with. An escape room is a game that requires a team effort and a lot of brainstorming. Hence, it’s important that you pick your team wisely. Intelligence alone can’t help you win here. You need to connect with your teammates and solve the puzzles together.
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Punctuality is just as important
Before every escape room game, a game master gives the players a mission briefing that explains the game’s storyline and objective in detail. So, being on time for your experience is crucial. You cannot just step into the room and figure out everything on your own if you miss out on the backstory.
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Pay attention and be observant
Another basic yet very important tip is to be observant. Take a good look around you. Don’t get to work right after entering the room. Sometimes clues lie in plain sight, but players tend to get so focused on complexities that they fail to notice them. Take in the details of the decor- both anomalies and obvious props can contain important clues.
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Think outside the box
Escape rooms is a game that requires you to think outside the box. It requires you to get out of your comfort zone, even intellectually. It’s all about trial and error. If thinking outside the box doesn’t give you a solution right away, eventually, it will. Do not give in, and play at your best intellectual ability. No one’s judging you, hence be fearless and think on. Teammates appreciate putting in efforts, regardless of whether they work out or not.
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Be an active contributor.
Let’s face it, escape rooms aren’t going to solve by themselves, or solutions won’t present themselves automatically. It’s quite understandable that you might struggle to find clues or solve puzzles and riddles. However, regardless of all the doubts, participate actively and help your team out. Offering wrong solutions only increase your chances of nearing the right one. Don’t just watch, participate. Else, you’re just missing out on all the fun.
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Make teams within your team
To very simply put, divide and conquer. While teamwork is the basic requirement to ace an Escape room game, you need to work on several things within a very limited time. Hence, splitting into several pairs and working on several things at once will improve the efficiency and the productivity of the team.
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Don’t hog the room
We understand that escape rooms can make one very competitive. However, it must be kept in mind that you or your team aren’t the only players in the room. As much as a healthy competitive spirit is appreciated, one should avoid getting too personal and enjoy the game like a game. Give all the players their space and respect everyone’s boundaries.
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Yell your solutions
Escape rooms are a race against time. You win or lose based on how quickly you work. Hence, to avoid any confusion, make sure you earn your respective points.
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Be organized and ask for clues when needed
When so much is to be done and the clock is ticking, one not only needs to be quick but organized, too. Make piles of clues that worked and clues that didn’t. A cluttered environment will clutter your judgment and thinking process, too. Moreover, make sure to ask for clues wherever required. Clues are made available to ease your search and not get you worked up. Don’t shy away from that.
Final thoughts
Escape rooms are a wonderful opportunity to get your mind working in wonderful ways. It can help you in team-building and develop leadership qualities. You learn to step out of your comfort zone and take challenges head-on. While you keep the above-mentioned tips in mind, do keep in mind to also have fun! Cherish this experience.
Author Bio: Charlotte Lin is a content creator at escaperoom.com. She’s a passionate young woman, mother to an amazing nine-year-old, and an avid reader. Over the years, writing has helped her explore and understand the world as well as her own self. She loves to travel, meet new people, and spend quality time with her daughter. You can find her on LinkedIn.
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