With Halloween soon to be upon us, it's only natural that our wicked minds should turn to terrifying as many people as possible. Though October the 31st normally involves ungrateful little kids knocking at front doors demanding candy, this season is going to be very different. Thanks to Covid-19, and the social distancing that comes hand in hand with the pandemic, opportunities for making mischief are going to be much less. But there is another way to get your fix of frights and scares.
Horror + Escape Rooms = A Match Made In Hell!
Since their humble beginnings in Japan in 2005, escape room games have grown to world dominating proportions. Essentially you're trapped in a room and have to figure out the various clues and puzzles in order to escape or move forwards with the narrative, all whilst racing against the clock. More often than not, these rooms are themed, with a back story to add some extra spice into the mix. And that's where elements of horror and the supernatural can make a huge impact. Whether via morbid decoration, horror tropes or even having demented bloodied actors chase you around whilst brandishing butcher's knives or infected with a flesh eating virus, there are any number of ways to raise the tension and make a player feel the fear.
Don't Be Afraid...Yet
Because escape games are totally immersive from the get go, the players really do feel the very real sense of being trapped. Throw some psychological horror at them as they struggle to make sense of their environment, and you have a great way to spend a frantic hour or so of sheer terror. These scenarios can play out in dungeons, catacombs, old Victorian houses or any creepy and dark hidden locations in the basement your mother always warned you not to explore. Beating the clock by solving puzzles is one thing, but the extra tension and dread through knowing that some awful fate awaits those who fail, really gets the blood pumping and the adrenaline flowing. Sweaty palms guaranteed!
Online Escape Room Games For Halloween
As we previously mentioned, thanks to the social distancing now imposed due to the pandemic, we can't really get together and play in a real, live, bricks and mortar escape room. But, thanks to the wonders of the internet, and video conferencing in particular, we can all still play together. Welcome to the evolution of the escape room....the online escape room experience. Here, you just log in via your web browser. The games can be either virtual, where everything is just software, or real, where you're in an actual online escape room and by using a camera, you navigate your way around. The camera is worn by a "games master" who's stationed in the escape room itself and simply carries out your bidding. You might think that this all sounds kinda clumsy, but actually it all works surprisingly well. Because the player is so immersed in the game, they really do feel the tension, as the clock ticks down and the hidden terror starts to make itself known.
There are as many numbers of scenarios as there are people to think them up. But let's have a look at some of our favorite horror escape rooms that make the perfect games for Halloween.
Murder Mansion
In this online escape room game you're part of an infamous team of paranormal investigators. An old woman has just visited your office. She described how she had a terrifying experience in which the ground opened up at her feet and writhing hands pulled her friend into the ground. At that point she fainted. Your job is to explore her house and find her friend. But be warned as there's an unholy presence and demonic beings that don't take kindly to anyone trying to steal away their prey.
Amsterdam Catacombs
Your job is to help Dr. D. Fimblewood find the secrets hidden in the catacombs of the Posthoorn church in Amsterdam. For over century, these dark and dank catacombs have been sealed up on the authority of the church. Apparently there were series of satanic "happenings", but the clergy are saying nothing. We will explore these underground graves together, as awe search for the cause of these tales of terror. This game is definitely not for the faint of heart.
The Official SAW Escape
Here's a chance to get up close and personal with John Kramer, otherwise known as the "Jigsaw Killer". These rooms recreate those found in the Saw movie franchise. A a guest, you'll enter the Egan & Co Meat Packing plant for an after-hours tour. But it's all an elaborate games devised by the infamous jigsaw killer. You'll need to work quickly and think things through thoroughly if you're not going to be one of his many victims. Part creepy and part terrifying, it's all good!
The Basement
What type of a world would we be living in if we didn't include at least one cannibalistic serial killer in a post about Halloween. In this escape room game, you'll find yourself having been kidnapped by Edward Tandy, who is a fine connoisseur of human flesh. This is his game, a sick fantasy designed to weed out those players who'll be staying for dinner in his deceased mother's morbid home. In this game, there are many clues, whereby all the solutions together will help point to your escaping his taste buds. There's a lot of pressure and it can get very frantic as the moment of truth gets closer.
The Asylum
A friend of yours who's a reporter has gone missing while investigating the old asylum on Avery Island. This was first built as a hospital for tuberculosis patents way back in 1913. Later in 1919, it became an asylum for mentally unstable criminals along with the mentally handicapped. It's owner was Doctor Victor Delacroix who it was said, experimented on the patients. Over 7000 were to die in unspeakable manners at his hands. The place has been locked up for decades. Some say you can still hear voices of terror and suffering calling out in the still night. Now you'll need to go and find your friend. But the hospital is huge. The wind howls and the old windows slam open and shut. Grit your teeth, and step inside this virtual escape room game to face your fears!
