Escapade Games: 'Zoe'

Whats going on guys, it's Dannis, and I’m still trying to process exactly what I just experienced. A game that I had so longed to play, has finally happened, Zoe. Let me tell you, the very first thing I heard about this game was that in the first ten days of being open, more than twenty teams forfeited their game. Zoe was too much for them to handle. Naturally I had to find out why so many people couldn’t handle it. I talked to my normal team to try and get us out there, but I was met with a unanimous, “HELL NO,” Zoe just had to wait. However, I was able to put together a different team of six to take on this game. How you might ask? By calling some friends that are escape enthusiasts, some “it's my birthday” guilt, and a whole lot of not telling them what they are walking into, until AFTER the game was booked, and we were standing outside the door.

Story:

There is one scene in your mind that is busily following you. It has initially appeared in your dreams; the scene is of an abandoned house, but it has started chasing you during the daytime. This house seems to be calling for you, it attracts you with an unknown force... What’s wrong with it? Is there anyone living there? Does he or she need help? You cannot survive it any longer. It’s driving you crazy... You start surfing and you accidentally find the needed location… You reach the place. You open the door and... become trapped. You have only one hour to escape until your personality starts to change.

Details:

Located in Fullerton, California, Escapade Games, has a story line of two rooms, so far. Zoe is the sequel to The Last Experiment game at Escapade. Zoe’s house can hold up to 6 players in the experience at a time. To be honest, I don’t like playing games with any more than four team members, but this was one of those games where I was extremely glad I had all six. Since this is a public game, YOU WILL BE PAIRED WITH STRANGERS, so be warned when it's just two of you trying to play. Zoe is being priced at $39 a player, about your average price for a high quality room. It’s not Zoe that makes this game a difficulty of 7/10, but her uncle. He is one bad, bad man.

Visuals:

From the outside, Escapade looks nothing more than a building that is closed. You don’t quite know it's there unless you happen to be driving by and see a whole group of people running out the door like a bunch of maniacs, but nonetheless it's just a plain building. At first, being told to wait outside confused us a little, as we were used to a waiting room, well that's when the door slowly opened, and a grin that only the joker could love invited us in. She sat us down in our waiting room as she went over the rules, but even that made me unforgettable. Once again, she said she’d be back, leaving us to spectate and try and laugh off our fear. She returned for the last time to get us, and walk us back around to the front of the building to enter our worst fear; Zoe’s house. The six of us were lit only with one candle in a very spacious room. We made sure to constantly talk out loud and stay together, it was the only way we survived. The team moved throughout the house, going room to room in a speedy fashion, and every room was just as creepy as the last, there was no escaping. You think it's hard going to the kitchen or downstairs with the lights off? Try walking down the with lights flickering, and seeing someone on the other end egging you on to get to the next room. Or better yet trying, to unlock a door with six people behind you screaming, “HE’S COMING! HURRY”! As we piled in, slamming the door behind us. No doubt, the game earns five door slams out of five.

Puzzles:

Fear is a tremendous tool. The most simple of tasks become amazingly time consuming. It’s because you’re mind is bouncing around to what's coming, to what's in front of you, then back to what's coming, then to “what's touching me”?! Zoe’s puzzles are not hard at all, this could be a very very simple game, but it is so immersive that the fear takes over. You are constantly looking over your shoulder for something, anything, because you know it’s there, watching you, waiting. There was a point in the game where I was almost positive the game was over, or at least hoped it would be, but then I heard Zoe tell me to run, because this nightmare wasn’t over just yet. Luckily we were able to obtain five candles out of five.

Overall:

When we got there, the first thing she tells us is "in January 30 teams forfeited." I cannot express enough, this game is not for the faint of heart. There is so much to see and appreciate, but you have to work up the courage to stay in the game, and not leave; once you leave the house, you are not allowed back in. Please, don’t leave your friends inside to fend for themselves. Zoe had me screaming the entire time, and I had a blast every second. This game never had a dull moment, from the moment we arrived, to the moment we were told to leave. Her uncle still remains in that house unfortunately, waiting for his next victims to crack. Will you get out in time? OR will you be just another group that can't handle it.