Part reality game show, part suspense theater, Room Escape Adventures puts participants in a locked room laced with hidden clues and an actor whose character is central to the dilemma at hand. It gives players one hour to interpret clues, open safes, and answer riddles, which—if mastered in time—ultimately help them find the key and escape.

And while players have fun and work together against the clock, the staff at Room Escape Adventures analyzes the group’s communication skills, offering feedback at the end of the session.

Chicago escape rooms include:

• Trapped in a Room with a Zombie: As participants try to escape, the chain tethering a ravenous zombie to the wall loosens another 12 inches every five minutes.
• Back to the '90s: Thrown back in time to NYE 1999, players must help a forgetful computer nerd find the code capable of fixing the Y2K bug before the clock strikes 12.