We decided to ask Nataša Potočnik and Peter Arčon, co-founders and creators of more than 25 different escape games (the most popular escape rooms in Ljubljana, Maribor, Murska Sobota, Laško and Zagreb as well as innovators in the gamification of medieval castles and museums), to reveal the recipe for a perfect escape!
What do the experts who have played nearly 100 games recommend?
1) Gather your courage and reserve a room! You don’t know what you’re missing if you’ve never played an escape room game. You’re missing a lot! It’s not about escaping from a locked room – the door can even be left open – the point is in escaping from the real world and playing together with friends in a real place with real tasks and puzzles.
2) Gather your team! Friends, family, co-workers – it doesn’t matter who! What does matter is that there aren’t too many people in the room – in a smaller group, the communication will be better, everyone on your team will be able to solve something and you’re less likely to miss important details during the game. We prefer to play in a group of 4, even if the room is for 5 people.
3) Choose an excellent game. There are many different escape room providers and it pays to pick one that has been highly recommended. Don’t make the mistake of visiting a second-class escape room for your first time – you’ll be disappointed and come away thinking that escape rooms aren’t any fun! In well-made rooms you’ll have fun for sure. We take great care from A to Z – from the game masters and ambience, to interesting puzzles and hints. We highly recommend checking the reviews on TripAdvisor and, in Slovenia, the Association of Escape Room Activities of Slovenia GIZ ER.SI is also a source of good advice.
4) Plan ahead and make your reservation in advance. Popular escape rooms can be fully booked on weekends, so it is smart to book early. Plan wisely – you can go on an “escape marathon”, but make sure you have enough time between games to refresh and move to the next location. We suggest waiting to enjoy a meal or drinks with your friends until after you play the game. It pays to have your wits about you when you’re playing and not be impaired by alcohol or a full belly.
5) Strategy: Always take your time and look around carefully. Small details can be important. Stay organised – leave behind the props and other items you’ve already used and collect the new ones. Sometimes clues are hidden underneath something – so put your flexibility to the test as well and bend down or stoop over to get a different view sometimes.
6) Communication: communicate! Tell your team about what you’ve noticed, what you’ve found, what you think. There is no such thing as a stupid idea. If you find a part of a puzzle and don’t know what to do with it and stay silent, and your team member finds a second part of the puzzle on the other side of the room and remains quiet too, you won’t be able to solve the puzzle till you are both on the same side of the room. Verbal communication is the fastest way for each member on the team to know what is going on.
7) A tip about technique: don’t hurry. Be precise – especially when entering the correct combination in the padlock. Calculate accurately. Take your time.
8) Accessories. Don’t forget to take along your reading glasses, if you need them. Sometimes the lighting in an escape room is dimmed, so you’ll find they come in handy, even if there’s not a lot of reading to do. Otherwise you don’t need anything special, since bringing lock-picking tools, UV lights and a circular saw are strictly forbidden. It also helps to dress casually and comfortably.
9) The hint of all hints: “Ask for a hint!” It’s no fun if you’re stuck on a puzzle for too long – it’s much better to ask for help and solve the mission in time. Hints are part of the game, so – swallow your pride and ask for a hint … this way you’re more likely to enjoy and have fun!
10) And the last hint: you can play a lot of games if you’ll buy an Enigmarium gift voucher for your family or friends – since usually they will want to invite you to come with them! Instead of giving boring gifts you can give an unforgettable experience and a fun time for everyone. Order your gift voucher now: info@escape-room.si
