Escape rooms: for many an amazing day out, for some an intimidating prospect. An escape room has players battling to solve various puzzles around the room to allow them to escape in under 60 minutes. Most escape rooms have a theme, or a story woven throughout, transporting you to another world. For some it can be quite stressful and overwhelming; for example, my dad calls them ‘panic rooms’.
However, more recently escape rooms have been branching out into at-home experiences. This follows a very different structure and format which often includes a pack of paper/evidence and sometimes an element on your laptop or computer.
Having done both there are pros and cons to each.
The at-home ones allow you more flexibility and comfort. Some don’t time you, so you don’t have to do it within the hour; great if you have a variety of ages. They’re also cheaper and require less planning as some you could buy online and download the same day. Escape Hunt do great ones for this. Many small businesses on Etsy put everything in a pack like a casefile which also makes a great gift.
A top tip for at-home escape rooms is to find some ambient music on YouTube that matches the escape room theme to get you in the mood, and maybe even themed snacks or other ways to replicate the immersive experience.
You cannot top the thrill and adrenaline of the traditional escape room though. The feeling of being in a movie adventure is so much fun and with many escape rooms being hands-on, using secret rooms or openings, you never know what is coming. This is the more expensive option and often is less accessible as well as being quite intense.
To find one that is right for you look at the age rating and the difficulty. Some provide the success rate also. Even if it’s your first escape room I wouldn’t immediately look at the easiest one, if you get out quickly that can defeat the fun and make it less value for money.
Overall, I would recommend visiting an escape room to the thrill seekers who thrive under pressure, and for those who enjoy their puzzles a little more laid back try the at-home ones. Or if you’ve never tried either, start with an at-home pack and see if you like the feel of it without the more expensive commitment!
Stirling boasts three escape rooms (Escape Stirling), an impressive feat for the small city. You can choose from the classic bank heist, witchcraft and wizardry, and the cabin, all with great reviews.
Featured image: Kosmos Games
Film, Media and Journalism student who writes about things that catch her interest. Instagram @charlsutcliffe
