I moved the levers, hoping the positions I was moving them to were the right ones. There was only so much time left to escape, and figuring out the clues to get into this room had already taken up a lot of our time.
Yes! The combination was the correct one, and the door clicked open to reveal two more zombies, similar to ones we’d already encountered. Could their bodies perhaps contain the vital clues that were needed to get out of here?
The scenario above could have come from a variety of video games out there, but this was no video game. Instead of sitting on a couch, controller in hand and sugary drink within arm’s reach, I was inside one of Escape Reality’s new escape rooms in Dubai.
What’s an escape room?
If you’ve never heard of these before, here’s a bit of background. Escape rooms are physical adventure and puzzle solving games that sees you locked in a room (usually with one or more friends); you have to solve a variety of mental and physical puzzles to “escape” within the allotted time limit.
To make things more interesting, there’s usually an exciting theme involved. Maybe you’re a spy who’s been captured by the enemy, or a researcher trapped in a lab taken over by a zombie infestation.
Escape Reality has eight different rooms of varying difficulty, inspired by different fictional settings:
1. Jungala
You have discovered an old board game in your attic and once opened you are engulfed by a vortex and transported into an alternative realm. You have no choice but to complete the game or be trapped inside the other realm for eternity.
2. Enigmista
A serial killer on the loose. You have suddenly awoken to discover that you have been locked inside a room of complete darkness, and your captor has devised a series of games to test how much strength you have in order to your own lives.
3. Iron Kingdom
Who is the rightful heir to the throne? Who are you going to support? You have an hour to solve the biggest mystery in the kingdom and make your escape.
4. Machina
A team of high-tech scientists and programmers have assembled to perform groundbreaking experiments in artificial intelligence. Now the robots are showing scarily human-like emotions, all of the doors have been locked, and you and your team are trapped inside.
5. Nosferatu
It is 1841, and you are in West Transylvania, investigating the untimely deaths of your close friends. All signs point to the presence of an infamous vampire. You must use your skills to identify and find Nosferatu. Will you become the prey or the predator?
6. Fibonacci
You are a cryptologist assigned to work with a team of detectives to solve a gruesome murder in an art gallery.
7. Alcatraz
It’s 1934, and no prisoner has ever successfully escaped this infamous prison. A diversion has been caused by other inmates and the warden has sprinted off to help, leaving you in your cells unguarded. Can you escape before he returns and catches you?
8. Apocalypse
A series of cannibalistic homicides has begun to occur in the city of Dreadwood. A special forces team was sent to investigate, but didn’t return. You and your team have been sent in to find out what happened, and live to tell the tale.
A lot of fun
Our team had a lot of fun, and this type of experience is great for groups of friends, or even as a team-building exercise with your co-workers.
So put down those controllers for a little while, and go do some gaming that exercises your body as well as your mind!
