Here’s a peek behind how a popular escape room game in Myrtle Beach, SC works. Take a look

Do you want to be trapped in a high-stakes situation while the clock counts down to peril? The Escape Game in Myrtle Beach offers super-immersive games without the danger of a real-life prison break or a submarine adventure.

In a city packed with family-friendly events and activities, it’s no surprise that escape rooms have exploded in popularity around Myrtle Beach. We took a look behind the scenes at The Escape Game, one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular escape rooms, to see how the puzzles run behind the scenes.

What are escape rooms?

To the uninitiated, the concept of an escape room may seem a bit odd. Players closed in an immersive game collect clues, crack codes and solve puzzles to “escape” before time runs out. While some of the games have high-pressure themes, visitors are never actually locked in the rooms.

The Escape Game’s multi-room challenges accommodate up to eight players, who have one hour to get out. The rooms are designed for ages 13 and up, though general manager Brian Motz says he’s seen 8-year-old kids play.

How escape rooms work behind the scenes

Game rooms are equipped with video and audio monitoring, which a guide dedicated to that game watches over on four screens from a back room. While many game developments are triggered automatically, game guides help players through the challenge and personalize the experience.

“Our game guides work very hard, and they’re equipped with some technology to track the progress in each game and deliver the best possible experience, so there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes than you might think,” Motz said.

Before a new room is introduced, test players try to beat it with a maximum of three hints. According to Motz, most test players don’t complete the escape rooms. But unlike the testers, puzzlers visiting The Escape Game get unlimited hints through behind-the-scenes game guides.

The challenging rooms let guides customize game play with a “one size fits one” experience for everyone from hardcore puzzle fanatics to casual players exploring the immersive set design.

“Part of the expertise that our team has is not just giving a clue at the right time, it’s about learning to understand what each group is looking for,” Motz said.

Expert escape room tips

Whether you’re a first-time player or an experienced puzzler, there are ways to up your game play.

“Start with the locks, because the locks are going to tell you a lot about what you’re looking for,” Motz said. “I think it can be tempting when you’re walking into a room to immediately look for clues, but it can be hard to know what’s going to be helpful and what’s just decoration.”

The rooms’ set dressing is essential to the immersive experience. With lockers, maps, books, fake windows and real prison toilets, there’s plenty to examine in each room. Once you have a target in mind, it’s easier to keep a keen eye for clues.

“I don’t want to spoil anything, but there are certainly some games where you would think that something’s decoration and it ends up being important, but if you start with the locks, it’ll tell you kind of what you’re looking for,” Motz said.

The Escape Game’s locks can be opened with physical keys, number combinations or words. If the lock requires a combination of letters, according to Motz, the answer is always a real word. In some cases, he’s even seen players behind on a game get ahead because they guess a word.

If you find your party lagging or stuck, remember your game guide is there to help you along.

The Escape Game’s Myrtle Beach challenges

At locations around the country, The Escape Game offers more than a dozen challenge themes. The Myrtle Beach location might introduce a sixth “Cosmic Crisis” room in the future, where players must destroy a black hole to save the wold, but for now visitors can check out five games.

The Depths

Puzzlers dive into the deep to investigate mysterious research abandoned in an undersea laboratory. This challenge carries a 7/10 difficulty rating and is one of Motz’s top picks.

Gold Rush

Players search a deceased relative’s cabin for a California gold rush they’ll inherit if they can find it before time is up. Another game with 7/10 difficulty, Motz says this is a favorite of fans who have completed all five games.

Prison Break

Visitors start in two separate cells and play as wrongfully convicted prisoners making their daring escape. This room is The Escape Game’s most popular and toughest challenge, with a 9/10 difficulty rating.

Special Ops: Mysterious Market

Gamers uncover an international conspiracy at a mysterious market in this spy adventure. With an 8/10 difficulty, Motz says this is another popular pick for dedicated fans.

Timeliner: Train Through Time

Players travel through time to save the future, visiting the Jurassic Period to the Middle Ages and more. This room has a 7/10 difficulty rating and ties with The Depths as Motz’s favorite.