China’s escape rooms are taking genre to next level with immersive theatre and role play
- Escape rooms have become one of the hottest forms of entertainment in China with over 350 in Shanghai alone
- Some reference classic horror films, while others are modelled after Chinese period dramas, with players putting on costumes and playing in character
A chill runs down my spine as soon as we lift our blindfolds and find ourselves in a dark, narrow hallway. A light bulb flickers above our heads. In front of us is a noticeboard with faded photos stuck onto it.
Maybe that is our first task, to work out what the images are and to search for more clues in the text on another board. But the sudden sound of a basketball bouncing down a neighbouring hallway is enough to elicit a shriek and send all five of us scuttering to a corner in panic.
Welcome to Second World, an “escape room” full of haunting themes, sophisticated contraptions and terrifying actors. Players have to unravel mysteries and navigate mazes, while trying to “stay alive” (no one dies, of course, but failing to get out does mean game over). Think Westworld, the popular US sci-fi TV series, but on a smaller scale.
Escape rooms combined with immersive theatre and role play have become one of the hottest forms of entertainment in China. There are more than 350 of these venues in Shanghai alone and Second World is one of the largest franchises, operating 17 escape rooms across the country.
Team effort is required, though players may sometimes be tasked with individual missions as well. Meanwhile, some escape rooms take the survival game to a new level by turning players against each other.
