Are you a fan of adventure games like Myst and The Room?
Do you enjoy the Saw films?
Would you consider yourself to be a bit of a puzzle whiz?
Want to do something fun and different in the GTA?
If you answered “yes” to any one of the four questions above then ESC-IT is for you.
ESC-IT is a live-action “escape the room” puzzle game experience located in Richmond Hill, Ont.
The objective is exactly what it seems like. You get locked in a room and you must solve puzzles and look around the environment for clues to find the key and escape in a set 45-minute time limit.
There are six different rooms to try in total, all varying in difficulty, and only a set limit of 2-5 people may try to tackle a single room.
When I went down to check to check it out, I was with four friends and we opted to go with the easiest room, the “Cursed Library.”
We ended up escaping in time, but just barely, emerging from the room after 44 minutes and 59 seconds.
Without giving too much away, I can say that the puzzles and clues you find within made for a good challenge and the feeling of solving a puzzle and finally getting out of the room makes you feel incredibly smart – like any good puzzle should.
From a gamers’ perspective, searching the room for suspicious objects felt like second-nature because of my experience doing just that in just about every action/adventure game ever made, so video game veterans should feel right at home.
However, for those in your party who may not be gamers, ESC-IT is still a ton of fun to do because teamwork and co-operation is a big element to the experience, meaning you’re going to want to get everyone involved if you want to escape your room.
As far as I know, ESC-IT is the only place to offer this kind of experience in the Greater Toronto Area. The genesis of this idea started in Asia, and a couple others having popped up in New York City and San Francisco.
For more information on ESC-IT, including their address and pricing information, visit their website or check them out on their Facebook page.
Steven Loung (far right) and friends after escaping ESC-IT's "Cursed Library"
Photo courtesy of ESC-IT.