Real-life Room Escape Games
Real-life room escape games are a type of physical adventure game in which people are locked in a room with other participants and have to use the things in the room to settle a series of puzzles, find clues (线索), and escape the room within a set time limit.
The games are based off Escape the Room video games, such as Crimson Room and QP-Shot, created by TAKAGISM Inc. by Toshimitsu Takagi in 2005, in which the player is locked inside a room and must explore his or her surroundings in order to escape. 36 Other inspirations include adventure board games and movies. Real-life room escape games are becoming popular in the United States, Japan, and China. 37 For example, some games require you escape prison cells while others require you escape space stations.
38 Soon, they were exported to North America, Asia and Australia. Examples include the two pioneer companies Hint Hunt and Adventure Rooms.
The games were so successful that new locations began opening up across China, in cities big and small, according to Want China Times. In the southern city of Shenzhen, for example, the first escape game location opened last August. 39 “These real-life escape games can help those who stay at home on their computers and iPads all day to experience real social circles,” Tian Xiaochuan, who owns two room escape game stores in Jinan, told Want China Times.
Earlier this year, The South China Morning Post said the real-life escape games are a hit among “highly stressed students and overworked young professionals.” 40 Some players get so involved that they tear down equipment or decorations inside their “prisons”, as Zhu Yumeng, chief operating officer of Beijing room escape game store Taoquan told China Daily.
A. Each game adds local themes to settings.
B. And seven new game locations quickly followed.
C. They should also be brave enough to face their fears.
D. Sometimes the excitement becomes a bit much, though.
E. Weekend or day event escape games have been held in some stores.
F. Permanent real life escape games in a fixed location were first opened in Europe.
G. Players must be observant and use their critical thinking skills to escape the room.