The Medieval Dungeon and my Hubris
After much deliberation and a fair bit of hesitation, we finally took the plunge and tried our hands at an old-school escape room. Known for their onerous nature and an overabundance of keys and locks, these classic setups seemed a bit mundane compared to the movie-like, immersive experiences we’d enjoyed so far. However, with a burst of spontaneity after a party, we decided to test our mettle and dive into the world of traditional escape rooms.
We were initially skeptical as we found ourselves outside, contemplating heading home. I mean, based on the photos on the website of the oldest ones in Burgas, I initially thought there was little effort put into their rooms, with just some posters of a dungeon on a plain white wall,
but I was pleasantly surprised to find that every inch of the room was cohesively and thoughtfully designed. I guess the purpose of the photos is to ensure your expectations are invariably exceeded? Hahah, jk, jk, perhaps it’s from early stages of the creation, I never asked, didn’t seem pertinent.
With a sudden surge of energy, we took the plunge and wandered upstairs. It was 10:30 p.m., and to our pleasant surprise, they welcomed us with open arms. The enthusiasm of the pair—a man and a woman—who greeted us, was infectious. They spoke with such passion about their escape rooms that any lingering doubts quickly faded away.
We were a bit of an anomaly; most escape rooms recommend a larger team, and they were initially surprised when we mentioned we’d be tackling the challenge as just a duo. Despite our past experiences with various escape room formats, we felt confident enough to take on the challenge. The decision, however, turned out to be more taxing than anticipated. The room required us to explore every nook and cranny, and with only two of us, our hands were stretched thin.
One notable difference from other escape rooms we’ve encountered was the hint system. Unlike more modern setups where you can receive frequent nudges in the right direction if your logic is way off the right course, this escape room's hint system was more limited by virtue of the lack of direct communication with the game master. Nevertheless, this reliance on our instincts and problem-solving skills made the experience more intense and, frankly, more exhilarating. We had to dig deeper, think more creatively, and use every ounce of our previous escape room experience.
Despite the difficulty and the slight underestimation of how much physical searching would be required, we managed to get impressively close to escaping. Our teamwork and determination shone through, but alas, we ran out of time just shy of the final puzzle.
Yet, the night didn’t end on a sour note. Even though it was almost midnight, the game master graciously entered the room after our time was up and helped us complete the remaining puzzles. After we went out there was another game - a bingo cage from which I got a discount for a future game.
Then I myself started another mini escape room game - I realised I’d lost the key to our belongings that they had given me prior to entering the room. The sheer shock on everyone’s faces (mind you, it was close to midnight) was palpable. By a stroke of luck, Ilianka remembered where we stacked all the keys and we escaped the venue.
In conclusion, while the old-school escape room presented its fair share of challenges, it also delivered a thrilling experience that tested our limits in ways we hadn’t anticipated. For anyone looking to delve into the roots of escape room entertainment, this is a worthy adventure. Just be prepared for a demanding, hands-on experience, and maybe bring a few more teammates along for the ride. And, if you're fortunate, you might just be greeted with some unexpected kindness and bonuses at the end of your adventure.
