The Adventuress takes on The Escape Room
I am locked in a room with six strangers. There are no windows. There is one way out, a door that can be opened only by a secret code. We have 60 minutes to figure it out. If not? Game over.
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When friends join a kickball league, I am invited as an afterthought, if at all. If a co-worker needs a partner for a cornhole competition, they do not approach me. I am not who you come to when you need to complete a team.
Sean Copeland, the morning show host at B105.7, must have either missed that memo or was in a jam last week when he kindly invited me to join him — along with his radio pals Terri Stacy from 93.1 FM WIBC and Dave O'Brien from 97.1 Hank FM (videographer, Tyler Copeland, and Star photographer, Robert Scheer, account for the other two people - I'm not *that* bad at math) — to be the first group to experience The Escape Room Indianapolis, a new interactive adventure game opening Oct. 2.
I tried to play it cool but I was thrilled by the invitation. Me! On a team!
In hindsight, it makes sense. There is absolutely no athletic ability necessary. In fact, leave your dumb muscle-head (and claustrophobic) friends at home. To beat The Escape Room, you need creative thinkers, problem solvers and misfits. Task-oriented, competitive types. Yeah, it makes sense now.
There are five adventures (rooms) to choose from: Jail Break, Bank Heist, KGB Interrogation, Art Gallery and Hoosier Hysteria (the room we experienced). Lucky for me, despite the sport theme of that room, no Indiana or sports knowledge is necessary.
Unlike me, players will know most, if not all, of their teammates as the majority will arrive in groups — birthday parties, reunions, bachelor and bachelor parties, family outings, office outings...you get the idea. Each room ranges in capacity between six and twelve people. Test teams like ours have about a 50 percent success rate escaping most rooms, although only about one-third make it out of the Bank Heist and the KGB Interrogation in time.
Co-owner and puzzle master Brendon Harbron tells us that on a busy day, approximately 50 people can go through The Escape Rooms every hour and a half. Groups waiting their turn can enjoy a beer or a glass of wine in the lounge bar but a clear mind is imperative. (Best to save the drinking for celebrating a win or mourning a loss later.)
Harbron did share a tip on completing the game before time runs out: "Don't think like other people," he said. "The most successful teams think differently and work together."
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The door closes behind us with 60 minutes on the clock. We instantly began to explore the room. Lockers with key locks. Where are the keys? Search. We ransacked the room, uncovering more clues as we went. Each unfolded to another — no spoilers here — until we hit a dead end. Time for the first of our three free hints.
The clue was gold, as are the second and third, but only after options are exhausted. I repeat: do not use the hints until your options are exhausted or you can't afford to lose more time. Keys lead to codes. Codes lead to books. Books lead to maps. Maps lead to games. Games lead to keys. Keys lead to buttons. Buttons lead to doors. Doors lead to more keys. Keys lead to code. The code leads to freedom. With just six-minutes left on the clock, we escape.
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After our game, Harbron takes us on a tour of the other four rooms that were still under construction. I grow more excited with each room, my mind already searching for clues. Where's the key for the handcuffs? How do you get out of the jail cell? What's the code to the safe? My brain is on overdrive now. I'm already looking forward to my next visit. Later, I asked Harbron what happens once all the rooms are completed. Is it possible to go back and the game will change?
"In short, probably not much," he said. "But we are looking to open a second location in the Carmel/Fishers area next year. We're already talking about a WWII room," he said. Perfect. I've always loved history.
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I walked out of the building with a sense of accomplishment, still coming down from the high of uncovering clues and unlocking mysteries. I was part of a team and I was good. Maybe I'm someone you want on your team after all.
See the Sean in the City Escape Room episode trailer featuring Leslie Bailey.
Call Star reporter Leslie Bailey at (317) 444-6094 and follow her on Twitter @Lesalina, Facebook.com/Lesalina, and Instagram @Lesalina.
Want to go?
• WHAT: The Escape Room.
• WHERE: 200 S. Meridian St.
• WHEN: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mon. - Thurs., 10:30 a.m. to midnight Fri., 9:30 a.m. to midnight Sat., 12:40 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sun.
• COST: $29 per person.
• INFO: (317) 986-6542, escaperoomindy.com.