Escape rooms have been around for a while now, and by now you’ve likely played a few and gotten a feel for how they work. Just like any other kind of game, escape rooms have a learning curve; the more you play, the more strategies you develop. But sometimes that experience can be a double-edged sword. There are a lot of benefits to going back to escape room basics — here are some ways simplifying your approach could help you escape.
Where to start
The key to every escape room is the starting point. Try not to let previous escape rooms you’ve played dictate how you approach the one you’re tackling now. Start every new game by considering what kind of puzzles you see and what kind of information you might need. For example, does it look like there are a lot of pattern recognition puzzles? Do you need to find a sequence of letters or numbers? All of this information will provide you with valuable guidance to start the game off on the right foot. A strong start will help set the tone for a successful game.
Take extra care
When you’ve played a few escape rooms, it’s easy to have confidence in what you’re doing — and you should be confident! But you should also be aware of how reckless being confident can make you. It’s easy to overlook things when you think you know what you’re doing. Remember, every escape room is different, so escape room basics like checking what information you need before scouring the room are very helpful in keeping on track. Assumptions are dangerous, but experienced players often make them based on other escape rooms they’ve played. Slow down and take some care to make sure you’re not zooming past the information you need.
Not all games are equal
Some people think that if you’ve played one escape room, you’ve played them all. We have to disagree. At Escape Games Canada, our games are all unique; they’re designed to challenge different skills and be played in different ways. Each one will present different challenges, so forget whatever you think you know at the door. Be ready to adjust your thinking and learn how to solve the puzzles at hand if you want to be successful in your next escape room.