Our game masters watch on camera every day where groups fail. It is almost never the puzzles. It is ten habits you can learn in five minutes. Here they are, in the order they matter during the game.
Before the start
- Listen to the briefing. The game master tells you what is not part of the game (sockets, ceiling, emergency exit) and how you get hints. Miss that and you lose ten minutes.
- Choose the room for the group, not for the ego. First time: 4 to 5 of 8, with us Titanic or Star Wars. Houdini at 8 of 8 is a different experience for beginners.
- Go as four or five. Two is intense, six gets crowded. Four to five people cover the room without getting in each other’s way.
The first ten minutes
- Search the room systematically. One person per wall, open drawers fully, look under things. Everything you find goes to one collection point, for example the table in the middle.
- Say out loud what you find. “I have a key with a blue ribbon.” Half of all puzzles fail because a find disappears into a trouser pocket.
- Count. Four symbols on the wall, a four-digit lock: those belong together. Five pictures, three locks: not necessarily.
During the game
- One lock, one try, then move on. If you pull on a combination lock for five minutes, you have not solved it correctly. Put it down, keep searching, come back.
- Ask for hints before you get annoyed. After three to four minutes without progress, a hint is not failure, it is time management. The game master gives as much as you need, no more.
- Assign roles. One person collects and sorts, one keeps searching, two solve. Anyone who touches already solved puzzles again confuses everyone.
- Keep an eye on the clock. After 30 minutes you should be about halfway. If not, get a hint now, not at minute 55.
What you do not need
- Strength. Nothing has to be broken open.
- Expert knowledge. Everything you need is in the room.
- The film. Star Wars, Resident Evil, The Ring and Titanic work without prior knowledge.
- Fear of failing. With us the game master shows you the last steps at the end, and you can leave at any time.
After the game
Talk at the bar about where you got stuck. That is the moment groups get better for next time. And let the game master tell you which room you should take next.
Frequently asked questions
How many hints can you take in an escape room?
At Escape City as many as you need. The game master gives them in doses so you get ahead without the solution being given away.
Which room is suitable for beginners?
Titanic (difficulty 4 of 8) or Star Wars (5 of 8). Houdini (8 of 8) and The Ring (7 of 8) are for the second or third round.
How many people are ideal?
Four to five. Two is intense, six works with clear roles.
What happens if we do not make it in 60 minutes?
The game master shows you the last steps. There is no loser, only a time on the board.
Do I need to know the film the room is based on?
No. All puzzles can be solved without prior knowledge; the film only provides the setting.
