Do you watch crime thrillers and manage to guess the killer even before he is revealed? Well, here’s a chance to put your skills to the test.
Breakout is an “escape room game” that has opened doors at Axis Mall. It simulates a crime scene and sends you in as a detective to find who committed the murder, why and how. And no, it’s not a video game. It’s way better than that.
“For our Murder Mystery game we have created the interiors of a house, set in the 1980s,” says Subhasish Das, the “game master” who guides the players. “The back story is that the owner of the house has been killed and you are sent in as a detective to solve the crime.”
The game is best played by groups of two to eight people. Not only is that more fun, but you actually need all the help you can get.
One would be rummaging through the closet looking for the murder weapon, another would be studying the forensic report, a third would be deciphering codes while yet another would be required to assimilate all the information with a cool head.
A game lasts an hour and the staff keeps track of their progress from outside the “house” through CCTV. “Sometimes we may give them a clue, or if they are very close to cracking the case towards the end, we may allow five extra minutes,” says Das.
The record time for solving the case so far is 42 minutes, by two girls and a boy of Class VII. “But we get many adults too. A lot of people are coming to celebrate their birthdays here by bonding over the games.”
While Murder Mystery is the introductory game, there’s a tougher game called Nuclear Strike. “This one is based in the US-USSR Cold War era and requires you to crack codes and avert a nuclear war.
The third game — Kohinoor Quest — will start in March. “Like Hrithik Roshan in Dhoom 2, you would be a thief. You would need to beat some technology and then walk carefully over red laser beams to steal the diamond from an exhibition hall,” smiles Das. “We’ll start this game as soon as we complete the laser work.”
Breakout is a franchise of a Bangalore-based venture. “In the West, escape room games are very popular but Calcutta is still warming up to the idea,” says Das, adding that after playing their games, people often return with other friends. “They walk in to the game room and relish watching their friends rack their brains.”
The games cost Rs 600 to 700 per person and is free for those under the age of seven.
