After spending so much time in lockdown in the last two years, it seems a strange choice of entertainment to pay to be locked into a room and to have to answer puzzles and crack codes in order to escape.
However, that’s exactly what we did, when a group of three mums and four children decided to pit our wits against one of the seven available escape rooms based in Breakout Malaysia, at the NU Sentral Mall.
How does it work?
Before you get locked into the room you’ll watch a briefing video, get given a role within the team and your Gamesmaster will answer any remaining questions. I am not accusing anyone, but just in case you were considering it, all mobile phones are locked away, so there can be no cheating. Your bags and phones are put in a locker and you keep the key with you.
We had a maximum of 60 minutes to try and escape the War for Rembrandt room, which looked like a train carriage inside. This room has a successful breakout rate of 65% and with our team’s combined age of nearly 200 years we were feeling quietly optimistic. Especially given that you can ask for extra hints and time if you are struggling.
Did we manage to escape?
I think it is fair to say that you could have given us 60 hours and we still wouldn’t have been able to solve all the puzzles. But the odds were stacked against us due to our failing eyesight, inability to tell our left from our right and trying to control three 11-years-old boys that had lost interest when it got too hard.
Having said that, not everyone finds it so difficult, as we also went with two 14-years-olds who managed to escape the Materia Medica Room which has a 40% breakout rate. It’s worth noting that they were allowed in their own room because under 18s are allowed in without an adult, if they are fully vaccinated.
The ins and outs of booking
The rooms are suitable for a minimum of two and maximum of eight players. The price per player is lower the more people play. The prices start at RM50 per person when two play and drops to RM36 when seven or more play. There are further discounts for students, civil servants and on Tuesdays. They also have online escape rooms available, if you would like to give it a go.
I would recommend that like us you book ahead online, to make sure you get the escape room you want that is set at the right level of intelligence and fear factor for your team. If you want to investigate more or book a game at the NU Sentral or Avenue K venues, visit their website here or their FB page here. Good luck!
