Escape room: an introduction

The escape room craze is sweeping the nation, and you can find a great quest room in Calgary or Edmonton. Participants locked in a themed room have to find clues, solve puzzles and use their collective wits to break out before time runs out.

These rooms pop up all over the place with many different themes like Matrix or Bank Heist. These are just some of the games you can find in Escape Hour.

When your group arrives, you will be greeted by friendly and enthusiastic staff. They will check to ensure that everyone in the group is there; if not, they need to wait outside the room for their teammates to complete it. Most escape rooms won’t let anyone in after the game has started. Your host will explain how the game works and give you a layout of what to expect in each room.

There are often objects scattered around the space with clues hidden among them. Sometimes, you may also find decoys or red herrings, which could distract players from solving puzzles correctly.

If time runs out before all the puzzles have been solved, everyone fails, and your team loses! Furthermore, only one person can usually fit behind a desk at a time, so players should make sure to stand back to allow others access.

If the door closes behind you and your teammates, do not panic! This is a common feature of escape rooms which adds an element of suspense. Once time runs out, the door opens again, and everyone can leave in triumph or with their heads down if they fail.

You’ll want to bring good running shoes because you don’t want your feet getting stuck in between cracks when crawling under desks or through tight spaces. Although most sets are rather durable, they were built for short-term use with gentle play in mind.

The first rule of escape rooms is to always follow the host’s instructions. Although it may seem like they are leading you astray, the clues are usually hidden in their wording. They will say which puzzles need to be solved first and what order to put them in.

Don’t give up! If you get stuck, take a break and come back to it later with a clear mind. Sometimes, the best solution is so simple that you might not have seen it before.

If you are concerned about being separated from your teammates, you can bring an item that only one person can use at a time. For example, if you have a phone or handbag with you, someone could hold it for the entire game without worrying about it being stolen.

The absolute most important thing to remember is to have fun! These games are meant to be challenging, so if you are stuck on one puzzle for too long, just take a break and enjoy the overall experience!