This can be a difficult question to answer. After all, people have different reasons for attending a live escape room or taking part in a similar experience at home.
If it’s the end of the month, and you’re waiting to get paid, you may opt for an escape room in a box as a last-minute activity. They’re ideal for getting friends together and having fun without having to fork out on a more costly live experience.
Alternatively, you may be looking for a fun and sociable activity which can take you somewhere new and exciting. After all, who wants to spend another Friday night watching a dreadful talk show!
What is an Escape Room in a Box?
Escape rooms in a box contain everything you need to emulate a live escape room experience in your own front room.
You and your team will need to find objects and solve puzzles in the same way you would in a real escape room.
Some of these games even work with smart speakers which play background music, provide clues and time the entire experience. There are also apps available for some escape room in a box games.
The more expensive games feature hand made clues and advanced gadgets such as the Chrono Decoder featured in ‘Escape Room: The Game’. However, this is a world away from cheaper versions like UNLOCK! Which is not indifferent to a pack of cards.
How is a Live Escape Room Different?
A live escape room involves attending a location with your group, which has been custom-designed to replicate a particular theme. For example, a crime scene during the Cold War.
Just like an escape room in a box, you’ll still need to find objects and solve puzzles. However, the entire experience is more in-depth and authentic, so it will feel much more life-like.
An ‘escape room in a box’ may rely on a smart speaker or app for things like timings, relaying messages or providing clues. However, many of them don’t offer this functionality. In a live escape room, these are provided in real-time by the game host.
Is One Experience Better Than the Other?
If you ask us the question ‘which experience is better?’, we’d rather let you come to your own conclusion. Only by trying out both experiences will you know which you prefer.
Escape rooms in a box do have several advantages over live escape rooms. They are more affordable, so are particularly suitable for escape room fanatics who want to enjoy the experience over and over again.
They’re also highly accessible and a bit easier to complete than a live escape room. This makes them more suited to beginners or children.
Ultimately, we don’t think that anything can beat the authenticity and thrill that a live escape room can replicate. They feature all the benefits of an escape room in a box, plus so much more.