The First Five Minutes in an Escape Room
The first five minutes in an escape room is all it takes to set the tone and pace of your entire adventure. Will you panic, argue with your team, or scream over each other? Or will you coordinate, communicate and succeed? If the latter is your goal, read on!
The first thing that happens in your game is always going to be the intro. Different companies do this differently–some choose to play a video, while others have your Game Master instruct you live. In either case, listen closely. Your intro will tell you which items are important and which are not (a distinction that will save you game time), tell you how to work certain props (knowledge that will, again, save you game time), and especially tell you how to ask for hints (IYKYK).
We also know of companies that intentionally hide clues within their intros, so we always recommend listening carefully. Especially if you have a Game Master in the room with you, feel free to ask any clarifying questions that you have. At Murfreesboro Escape Rooms we encourage you to look around the room during this time, but ask that you don’t touch anything until your timer has started.
Phase two begins at the same time as your countdown. If you haven’t already, look around the room and take note of any locks, patterns or other suspicious items you spot. It’s good practice to call out to your teammates what you’re seeing. For example: “We have a five-letter lock on this cabinet and a 4-digit lock on this box.” It may feel awkward at first, but it will help you and your team keep everything straight throughout the game. And remember to keep an ear out for what your teammates are telling you they see as well.
Now it’s time to put it all together. If you have communicated with and listened to your teammates well up to this point, you should be able to solve your first puzzle. If not, it may be time to use a hint. At Murfreesboro Escape Rooms, we encourage our teams to not spend more than five minutes between solving each puzzle. Remember, hints don’t cost you time, but not getting a hint will, so ask away!
By this point, your first five minutes have passed and the first puzzle is solved. Now you just need to rinse and repeat this process of explore, say what you see, and solve. Before you know it, you’ll be a master escape artist. Ready to test run your new skills? Try Apartment A or Game Museum for a fun challenge or Movie Theatre if you’d rather keep things simple.
