Escape Myst: Into a world of mystery and adventure
The hidden Sherlock in you is busy investigating the case of the missing artefact. You have managed to unearth some clues, but you cannot seem to figure out a cryptic message found hidden behind the flower vase. You have been struggling with it for quite some time now, when suddenly you hear a voice say, "Do you want a hint?"
Escape Myst is the first ever escape room game in Dhaka. This is a real-life, team-based adventure game where you have to solve a series of puzzles by using clues in order to escape from the locked room. You have to solve each clue in order to unearth the next one.
Of the two games they currently offer, one is a murder mystery called The Missing Writer. It revolves around a writer who is found dead in his hotel room. He is known to frequent and stay in this room for months whenever he starts writing something new. In this game, the players have to find the killer by discovering the hidden clues and solving them in order to unravel the mystery.
The Stolen Artefact —the other game, is essentially a treasure hunt. A thief called 'Silent Jack' has stolen some priceless pieces. On being caught he poisons himself to death, but only after warning the police that the historic treasures will be destroyed if not found within a few hours. The players have to find and crack the given clues so that they can find the hidden treasure.
The time limit for both games is 60 minutes. After getting a briefing on the storyline, players are required to enter the room which then gets locked. Players are given the option of asking for a hint if they get stuck at any point during the game. However, each hint costs them a five minute penalty. Even though both the games have a very different story line, to end each game, the players ultimately need to find the key that will help them unlock the door within 60 minutes to be considered successful.
Sadique Salim, CEO of Escape Myst, and his partner Md Ishtiaque Khan are self- proclaimed mystery buffs. They came up with the idea of starting an escape room game in Bangladesh after they played it in Singapore and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
"Our purpose is to bring an alternative entertainment option for people at an affordable price," says Salim. He believes there is not much for Dhakaiites to do apart from watching movies and going to restaurants in the name of entertainment.
He along with his partner started working to establish Escape Myst early last year. They coined the name themselves and came up with two detective stories. They then set up the two mystery rooms that are currently available to the public.
Salim said, "Our stories are unique and not copied from any other part of the world, we have bought in some props from the US and Russia to make the set look authentic. We currently have only two game rooms but we plan to expand in the near future. Since Escape Myst is gaining popularity, we are looking to open a branch in Banani too."
A special service they provide is to organise customised birthday surprise parties wherein the birthday boy/girl has to hunt for their gift by solving the clues they provide. Another version they provide is 'portable escape rooms' for corporates where they can set up an escape room at any destination where a corporate event is taking place. They are also open to setting up an escape room at private residences for parties if desired.
So if you want entertainment along with intellectual stimulation and some thrill, pick up the phone and make a booking!
Escape Myst is located at 4th floor, Kader Arcade, 33, Mirpur Road, Dhaka – 1205; Call +8801711505498. Or log onto www.escapemyst.com
By Samina Hossain
Photo courtesy: Escape Myst
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