Review: Escape The Quest

PHOTO COURTESY OF ESCAPE THE QUEST

BY KENDYL COUNTS

Finding yourself in a locked, windowless room with cryptic messages scattered about sounds like the setting of a pretty standard nightmare. Though slightly more frightful than delightful, those that love a good thrill may be willing to tackle the chilling challenge presented by Escape the Quest.

A facility housing timed escape puzzles, Escape the Quest is located in Pompano Beach. Visitors can choose one of six quests, ranging from a prison break to a room engulfed in complete darkness. Groups of two to six are welcome, and visitors are expected to reserve a time slot beforehand and pay a group fee which starts at $120.  Groups over four will be charged $17.99 per person up to six people.

Modeled after  popular computer games that involve using clues to escape simulated rooms, the object of Escape the Quest is to locate clues and objects within a space that will help you either advance to the next locked room or exit the final room.  Each group is given a mere hour to escape, though there are no clocks, phones, or watches permitted in the rooms, concealing exactly how much time has gone by. This does mean that you won’t have access to the restroom for an hour, so plan accordingly.

Because it was our first visit, we opted for a classic murder mystery setting called “Crime Scene,” which simulates an investigation situation with minimal gory details.  Still, as someone who doesn’t see the fun in horror movies or haunted houses, I was definitely nervous about our decision. Despite my hesitance, I dropped my belongings in a locker and relinquished my connections to the outside world. We were then briefed, handed a single walkie-talkie, and locked in a room, left to fend for ourselves.

After searching the room, figuring out what we were sure was a code, and attempting to open the corresponding lock to little avail, a feeling of panic and helplessness ensued.  With everyone’s egos at stake, it’s easy to start placing blame.  For this reason, it may be wise to avoid deliberately being locked in a room with the angriest, angstiest, most hot-tempered person you know.  Pick a good team that will keep a level head, even when you make a mistake that nearly costs you your ego – like getting stuck on a lock for fifteen minutes and finding out that the switch to open it was being pushed in the wrong direction the entire time.

Though I won’t spoil the process of solving the mystery, I will say that it wasn’t easy. With only 60 minutes to uncover clues, crack codes, and find your way out, it’s a fast-paced experience that was frustrating and stressful, but ultimately rewarding.  And though we didn’t do as well as we would have liked because we somehow managed to find the clues out of order, have a minor technical setback, and waste our hint, it was still a great bonding experience that was worth the drive and the money.