No need to go outside for this one.
So, you’re stuck at home. No need to worry! It’s time to Zoom all your friends and go on a virtual adventure together, because escape rooms are online and ready for you to try out. Rustle up a gang of two to six participants and try these places out… if you dare.
1. Isolation by Escape Room Melbourne
Ok, this one is a bit on the nose. But this two hour experience will take you on a journey.
Put your thinking caps on because the designers at Escape Room Melbourne both have PhDs in psychology with a passion for puzzles. Each experience takes them six to twelve months to design and build, and this particular online escape room has multiple endings.
Get thrown into a game with high stakes. In this sci-fi mystery, you and your friends will be chatting over Zoom when your hangout is interrupted by a mysterious online caller. Together with your teammates, you will interact with this cryptic character to discover a tense situation. Solve a series of puzzles in order to unravel and understand a life-threatening mystery that could change the world.
To play Isolation, visit their website to book a session.
2. Anything by Virtual Escape
Virtual Escape is run by Experios, a Melbourne-based start up company. They have five different adventures to choose from. A sixth online escape room is currently in development. These games vary in difficulty so if you’re a beginner, this would be a perfect way to practice before trying an escape room in real life. Otherwise, if you want to go all out on the challenge factor, you could try Ben’s Big Heist, a bank heist in which each vault gets harder to crack. The games also vary in length of time, so you could play for 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
These games can be played at any time of day, whenever it suits you and your friends. Payment is charged per team not per person.
When Melbourne is out of lockdown, you can also try their outdoor escape room experience, in which you and your friends solve a case by wandering around Melbourne CBD.
To view the different escape rooms, click here.
3. Timeline or CIA Task Force by Enter The Mission
Enter The Mission has two online escape rooms for you to choose from. Both of these rooms come with a 360 degree view so you can look around and feel like you’re really there. You and your teammates can also move around the rooms independently, so you can pick up on different clues. The games are hosted by an Adventure Master, who will send you the Zoom invite and provide tips in case you get stuck.
Both of the rooms require one hour to complete the mission. Timeline is a game that sends you back to the 80’s to save the future and CIA Task Force requires you to outwit a notorious assassin.
Tickets cost $35 per person. Bookings are required so that you can get paired with an Adventure Master.
For more information, see their website.
4. Magic Room or Pirate Island by Strike Bowling
Who knew that Strike Bowling did this?
Choose between Magic School and Pirate Island and solve all sorts of riddles, puzzles and challenges. Sneak into a magic school or sail the seas in search of an island with treasure. Like Enter The Mission, there’s a game master to meet you on Zoom and provide assistance. You get one hour in each room and everything is provided for you.
Unlike the other online escape rooms, you will need a larger team of six to ten players per room. However, if you have a group smaller than six or larger than ten, just shoot them an enquiry or call them on 1300 787 453 and they’ll sort something out. You’ll have to do this to arrange a booking and find out prices as well.
Click here to check out the rooms.