The Room Escape concept began with online shockwave flash puzzle games – point-and-click adventures in which players must uncover clues and solve riddles to escape from a locked room. In Japan, enthusiasm for the games grew to the point where real-life versions were created by fans. Chinese entrepreneur Hu Yuxiang tried a live-action Room Escape with his friends, and was inspired to replicate the experience here.
Founded in April 2012, Omescape has grown rapidly, with 20 branches across China and three more overseas in Toronto, San Fransisco, and Phuket. Omescape’s challenging and intense live-action puzzles range across three venues in Beijing: Chongwenmen, Taiyanggong, and Zhongguancun. There are 14 suites covering an area of over 2,500sqm. The room themes change periodically, but all of the Room Escapes are convincingly decorated and feature an interactive combination of brain teasers and physical tasks. Many of the challenges include crawl spaces, sliding walls, hidden rooms, and impressive special effects.
Participants have a mere 60 minutes to break out using teamwork, guile, and the odd clue from the Games Master, who can provide hints over an intercom system. Many rooms can accommodate four to eight people, with some holding 10-12. Room Escape is suitable for children over 12; more difficult games may require adult team members. Most of the games are bilingual, though some are Chinese-only.
For birthdays, Omescape can provide drinks and snacks, entertainment, games, decorations, a photographer, goodie bags, and cake. Birthday packages (for up to 12 people) cost from RMB 3,000 on weekends and from RMB 2,000 on weekdays. Guests can also bring their own food and drink, but this must be arranged in advance. For those bringing their own cake and snacks, other packages include a one-hour escape game plus party gift (RMB 100 per person), and a one-hour escape game plus activities and games (RMB 200 per person).
For English service or to discuss birthday packages and pricing, contact William Tanama (contact information given below).
Omescape 奥秘之家密室逃脱
RMB 80 per person. 1) Daily 10am-10pm. 90 Guangqumennei Dajie, Dongcheng District (138 2021 9303, william@itaotuo.com) www.itaotuo.com 东城区广渠门内大街90号新裕商务大厦底商; 2) Daily 10am-10pm. Rm 1806, Bldg B1, Changyuan Tiandi Plaza, 18 Suzhou Jie, Haidian District 海淀区苏州街长远天地大厦B1座1806室; 3) Daily 10am-10pm. B1/F, Bldg 12, Bandaoguoji, Taiyanggong Dajie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区太阳宫大街半岛国际12号楼地下1层
This article originally appeared on p19 of the October 2014 issue of beijingkids. To view it online for free, click here.To find out how you can obtain your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.
Photos: Courtesy of Omescape
