Not all heroes wear capes. We all know this. From the overstretched nurse to the plumber who puts everyone else’s needs above his own – some people will always go the extra mile.
Others will aspire to be the next box office legend. Batman wasn’t the caped crusader for nothing, and that’s before you even think about Alfred. The man that kept to a plan – the one with the vision.
Some of us will never know the impact we have on others around us. Then, you enter an Escape Room. Boom. Your inner hero is finally set free.
You are fighting to solve the mystery all while keeping your team unit together. No compromise, no victory. The hero always saves the day.
Here’s our guide to setting your inner hero loose:
Action plan
The ultimate goal of an Escape Room is to get out. Figuring out how to do that is your primary obstacle to overcome.
So come up with an action plan. Observe the room around you; what do you see? How are your teammates responding to their surroundings? Are they getting stuck in, or are they looking overwhelmed?
Having a strategy will give you the best chance to beat the game. Plus, no-one said you couldn’t plan ahead! You know the rough plot before you step through the door and you know your teammates. So, get ahead of the game. Be prepared.
Take the lead
Sherlock wouldn’t be who he is without the help of Watson. He is the leader, and Watson is the observer. One notices the remarkable and the impossible, the other fills in the gaps. Which one are you?
Every team needs a leader. That’s not to say that the roles within your team can change, but you must remember to play to your strengths.
Pull your team together and action tasks. You can’t lead a war without a general after all.
Round up the troops
Your strength as a team is built on how well you can work together. So rounding up a bunch of people that get along with each other as well as having a collective mix of talents is going to increase your winning chances.
Call on your technically minded friend, the teacher, the wordsmith and the electrician. Creating a dream team definitely has its advantages.
Escape Rooms challenge your thinking and want to push you out of your comfort zone.
Problem-solving and logic will only get you so far. So assemble a team that can bring the best out of each other as well as work towards a united goal.
Inspire boldness
One of the biggest dilemmas teams face in an Escape Room is knowing how to communicate effectively. Players crippled with shyness or a fear of messing up need the support of their teammates.
Embracing your inner hero is more than saving the day – it’s also about encouraging your team.
So, be bold and fearless. However silly you think you sound, you may just say the one thing that cracks the case!
If you are unafraid to say your thoughts out loud, your teammates are likely to rise up to the challenge too. Silence in an Escape Room will not win you the game.
Thoroughness is next to godliness
Want to come out on top in an Escape Room? Well, be thorough. No search and rescue have ever gone well where the rescuers aren’t bothering to look properly!
Let go to your senses. Starting with what you can see at a first glance is a good place to begin. But then there’s physically touching surfaces and objects. There’s getting up close and personal to the tilted frame on the wall. There’s getting down on your hands and knees to look into a chest.
What can you hear? Is there a sound pulling you in a direction? Is that whispering you hear?
Often evidence is hidden in plain sight but when it’s not, you need to be more creative. Feel under the desk space, search underframes and get a torch on any dark spot you can find.
Never forget that someone has orchestrated your whole game experience. Being the hero is also being prepared to ask for help. So if you are stuck, and your team just can’t quite get to the next stage – call your Games Master.
Ready to set your inner hero free? Getting stuck into an Escape Room is one of the most fun you can have in an hour. What’s more, you get to play it however you like!