We are aboard a passenger spaceship damaged by a passing meteor shower tasked with carrying out urgent repairs. In an hour the ship will reach its destination, but if we fail the collision will cause devastation ‘beyond imagination’.
The fate of the ship, and the planet, rests in our hands. No pressure. I wish I had paid more attention in GCSE Aerospace Engineering now.
Fortunately for us, and civilisation as a whole, the answers all lie on board our UV-lit spaceship, which is suitably snug as you might imagine. There is no visible timer, so I set a stopwatch running on my mobile phone and we set to work.
I am joined on this interstellar journey by my son and daughter, 12 and 14, which are silly names really but they have got used to them now. Now they say telly rots the brain but when it comes to escape rooms I beg to differ.
We are big fans of The 1% Club and Taskmaster in our house, which has equipped 12 and 14 with the lateral thinking skills required to tackle the brainteasers we had to solve to avoid intergalactic oblivion. No spoilers, but there are a few standard coded padlocks to crack and pieces to fit as well as bits and bobs that need to be matched up.
(Image: The Escapologist)
There was no complex electronic circuit work or intricate welding required but the series of puzzles are ingenious and thread together well as part of this immersive story.
Escape rooms originated in Japan with the first created in 2007 by Takao Kato, who was inspired by the online game genre of ‘escape the room’. He opened the Real Escape Game in Tokyo based on the idea of solving puzzles and clues in a confined space to “escape” before time runs out.
It is now a global leisure phenomenon that has quickly spread around the world, popular with children, groups of adults and families.
Chaos in the Cosmos is just one of the experiences available at The Escapologist in the former Windows music shop in the yellow quadrant of the Metrocentre in Gateshead.
The company is developing a reputation for offering story-driven adventures and combines escape room challenges with expertly crafted cocktails, mocktails and milkshakes. From outside, the venue is intriguing and inviting with just enough of the distinctive steampunk aesthetic on show to make shoppers want to stop by the find out more, or maybe just relax with a fancy drink.
Founded by Ellie and Olly McClaren, The Escapologist offers family-friendly experiences, corporate team-building packages, and mixology classes for both adults and children. The Metrocentre venue, which took ten months to create and cost over £1 million, has created jobs for 20 people in the Tyneside area.
The Infected is a room that might appeal to fans of the zombie genre as you work against the clock in a dystopian future. There is also the chance take part in a daring diamond heist with a quick-thinking band of cunning thieves.
(Image: The Escapologist)
Other challenges here include recovering elemental jewels to calm Primordial Gods, solving the circus mystery of a missing clown, finding escaped ‘incredible creatures’, and helping the hatter, the hare and the mouse peace to Wonderland.
I am pleased to say we managed to rescue the ship and avoid the destruction of our destination planet with a minute and 48 seconds to spare but I do have certain questions about the concept.
Like how does a damaged spaceship have the power to destroy a planet? I fear this might remain unanswered.
Perhaps I am overthinking this and I need to remember it is just a fun game, one that allows you to embrace your inner sci-fi nerd.
And if you get stuck, the best advice comes from none other than Captain Jean-Luc Picard who said: “There is a way out of every box, a solution to every puzzle; it’s just a matter of finding it.”
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