What to expect from an Escape Room

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Escape rooms are great indoor activities for friends, families and colleagues. But what are they all about? If you've been invited to an escape room outing for work or for fun, or if you've just heard about them for the first time and aren't really sure what they're about, keep reading to learn more about what an escape room is today, what to expect, and whether you'll have fun in one.

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First of all, what is an escape room?

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An escape room is an immersive physical adventure game where players are locked in a themed environment and must solve a series of puzzles, riddles, and challenges within a set time limit to "escape" or complete the objective of the room. The best escape games have multiple rooms to explore, unique themes, and Hollywood-level sets.

This type of game encourages teamwork, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving as participants work together to unravel the clues and progress through the storyline.

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A quick history

Escape rooms first and foremost come from video games. You might be familiar with the point-and-click concept of games – a fairly old one – but this is where it all started. The first ever escape room video game was called Crimson Room and was created in 2004 in Japan.

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Later on in 2007, a Japanese company called SCRAP decided to open the first real escape room after the massive success of those escape room video games. The concept worked  really well online, so why not become the true protagonist of the story this time? 

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This new activity got popular very quickly and started to expand, reaching Europe between 2012 and 2014. Thus, here we are today, escape rooms’ popularity keeps on growing and the concept expanding, with the limits of immersion being pushed further and further.

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How does it work?

Start with a theme

Escape rooms have multiple creative themes you can choose from:

• Escaping from prison 
• Haunted mansions
• Investigating murders 
• Dangerous Alchemy experiments like our room The Alchemist
• Dressing up as art collectors and breaking into a Vault
• Mysterious disappearances and secret societies like you can find in The Architect
• Historical stories and plots

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There are so many options for you to discover! 

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Pick a theme that resonates with you and your team’s interests. If pirates or adventurers are your thing, then there must be an escape room to satisfy this need. 

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Check out this list of some of our favourite Dutch escape rooms if you want an idea of themes that are out there!

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A storyline to follow

Before you start playing, you will be introduced to the story you will be immersed in. We currently offer three mysterious storylines:

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In The Architect you embark on a mission unlike any other, as you enter a room that whispers of an ancient enigma – the vanishing of a secret society shrouded in obscurity for a century. The air is thick with unanswered questions, and it falls upon you to untangle the threads of time and unveil the truth that has eluded all but the bravest. What happened to this hidden order? What secrets lie entwined within their disappearance? As you step into their forgotten realm, be prepared to decipher cryptic symbols, follow forgotten trails, and piece together fragments of history to unveil their ultimate fate.

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In The Vault you dive headfirst into the heart of intrigue as we challenge you to infiltrate a vault of unparalleled security. Your mission? To reclaim what lies within those impenetrable walls without tripping the alarms or arousing suspicion. The air is electric with the challenge ahead; every step could be your last. Can you outwit the defences, sidestep the watchful gaze of security, and emerge victorious with your prize? The Vault's secrets await, and only the most cunning and daring will unlock its mysteries.

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The Alchemist is a room where time seems to hold its breath, and the dance of stars and planets takes centre stage. A mysterious ritual, whispered in hushed tones throughout the ages, requires participants to find The Alchemist’s secret recipe. 

You are chosen, not by chance, but by destiny to partake in this ethereal ceremony. The room pulses with energy as you navigate the intricate choreography of the planets, aligning your actions with the cosmic forces. Will you unlock the ancient magic, or will the opportunity slip through your fingers like stardust in the wind?

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In our escape rooms, the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary, and the boundaries of reality blur. Each room tells a tale that challenges you to become part of its narrative, to unravel its secrets, and to emerge not just as a victor, but as a true adventurer of the unknown. 

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Are you ready to step into a realm where mystery and storytelling intertwine, where every corner holds a clue, and where the journey itself is the greatest reward? Your escape into the extraordinary awaits...

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A game master to guide you

The storyline will probably be introduced to you by your game master. They are the person who will take care of your game and help you if needed. They will lock you in the room and from that point on, your experience begins.

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Don’t forget that even after the door closes, you’re not completely on your own! There will always be a way to reach them if you need clues or assistance in some way, so don’t be scared to make a sign. They will not make it easy for you, but they will always be there to assist you. 

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Part of the fun is solving puzzles on your own, but getting stuck on a certain element can be frustrating, so the game master will guide you on the right track. Need help? Just let the game master know.

A time limit

In escape rooms, you will have a time limit in which you have to escape or succeed in your mission. 

More often than not, this time limit is around 60 minutes but it might differ from room to room. Our room The Vault is an 80-minute experience, for example, and The Alchemist, our latest experience, challenges you to solve the room in 90 minutes! 

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Puzzles and challenges

Once you’re in, the game begins. In order to make your way out of the room, you have to solve a series of puzzles and enigmas, and complete challenges in order to make your escape. These will vary significantly from one escape room to another but these tasks will allow you to go further in the storyline that you are following.

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Whether it’s objects to find in the room, logical puzzles, physical challenges like races or light puzzles, you never know what awaits you. You will need to work with your teammates and think outside the box to solve some of them as the solutions might not always be what they seem to be. 

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Some rooms will have you work on multiple puzzles at once, and this is where you should split and divide tasks, while others will have a linear game flow, making you work on one challenge after another. 

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Escape!

The final goal of an escape room is to escape but some of them might have a different one, to break in, for example. It all depends on the storyline that you were given at the beginning of your experience.

At the end of the time limit, you should have completed the task that was entrusted to you: escaping from prison, finding the name of a murderer or stealing an art piece, if you make it out in time, that’s a success! 

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Don’t worry too much about losing, failing is also part of the adventure and will only make you more experienced for next time.

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Now, you’re ready.

Escape rooms hold no secrets for you anymore! You have an idea of what to expect and how rooms normally work and you can now start to enjoy your next adventure with colleagues, friends, or family.

Now if you want to really prepare yourself for the upcoming challenges these adventures will put you through, we recommend you take a look at our blogs on Escape Room Strategies and Escape Room Tips to successfully beat any escape room you might encounter.

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