In Front of My Lens Vol 3: The Escape Room Artist
Have you ever wanted to be IN a game? Well, now you can!
A clue flashes up on the LCD screen... you begin to look around the room first at your teammates, then past a mirror seeing your own puzzled look and then you realize... the timer is started and you better look for clues and fast! You have 60 minutes to solve riddles, unlock safes, locks and cabinets and work secret codes. The name of this game? “Escape Room”.
The Escape Room Herndon opened in the Summer of 2016 with three themed rooms ranging from beginner to advanced. The rooms over time have been decorated in timely fashion with nods to Agatha Christie, Hannibal Lecter, Star Wars, the 80s and even DC Comic Villains, among others. My experience there is always fast paced and so much fun watching my family and friends work together, sometimes bumbling over clues and over-analyzing them to get to our main goal... find the key and, of course, escape!
This installment of In Front of My Lens features Omer Aru, owner of Escape Room Herndon.
"Our newest room, MARITIME MUTINY, takes place on the high seas! Put on your pirate hats as you work your way through the inside of the ship and break into the captain quarters to reclaim your treasure. A family friendly adventure for swashbucklers of all skill levels. Great for up to 10 players, difficulty 5/10, with a Bonus Puzzle that's an 11/10! #EscapeRoom #Herndon #Reston"
Who are your main customers/players? We recommend our game for players from ages 10 to 70. We’ve found that Escape Rooms can be enjoyable by anyone with a curious mind and the taste for adventure. They are great for everyone from a corporate team bonding events, friends’ night out, and birthday parties.
For corporate events, our games provide a fun shared experience where teams are working together towards a common goal. We often hear how the teams were talking about their experience in the office the following day. That’s the type of team bonding events we want to promote.
For families and friends, it’s a great time to play together in a unique setting. We give them a chance to have an adventure together in a safe and engaging manner. I love trying to play a game with my family whenever we are visiting a new town.
At the end of the day, the memories come from the experiences created inside the room. We think it’s great when teams escape, but the joy, surprises and laughter during the journey is where those lasting memories are formed.
How do you come up with your amazing designs and game plans? It’s a long process that starts with an idea. Like in the movie "Inception", once we’ve settled on a theme, the idea grows from there into a full-fledged adventure. We take inspiration from things we are passionate about like movies, games, or pop culture. As we start to flesh out the puzzle we consistently ask, “Is this something the customers will enjoy?” Each puzzle or activity needs to be done with purpose to either advance a story, recall an emotion, or create a memory the group will share after they’ve left.
It’s truly a team effort with many minds going into refining, building, and adapting the game. At the end of the day, we try to create something that will bring joy to our guests.
How many Escapes Rooms do you have open now and where? We as Ravenchase Adventures have three official Escape Rooms open now. Escape Room RVA, Escape Room Arlington, and of course Escape Room Herndon.
We also have two unique experiences we’ve created in Richmond. Warehouse 29 is a massive hybrid of VR and traditional Escape Room. We also just recently opened up Gnome & Raven, which is a kid focused Escape Room with full party rooms and some of the best looking sets we’ve ever built.
How many escape room games have you created? As a Ravenchase tradition, we will retire rooms and build new ones all the time. This helps keep things fresh for our guests and also helps us apply things we’ve learned along the way to create better experiences. At ERH, we have now had nine unique games in less than three years. The ones that are now retired here are; “Mary In The Black”, “Dreamscape”, “MindTrap” (now in Arlington), “Supervillains” (also in Arlington) and “The Cursed Crypt”.
Each time we build a new room we break down the old one to the bare bones, this way each new game will feel like it’s in a completely different place. This takes us about 2-3 months to build. As I like to say, “It will be ready when it’s ready”
Do you have a favorite game? This is a tough question. It’s like asking which child is my favorite. That said, of the ones we have open, my favorite room right now is 8-Bit Escape. It’s got so many things I love in it. This one was designed from a place of love for the 80’s, gaming, and memories from my own childhood. It really is a magical room and I am going to hate to see it go when the time comes.
Can you escape in sixty minutes?
Solve the codes, crack the safe, and find the secret passages to win the game.
Think you and your friends have what it takes?
To learn more about Escape Room Herndon visit their website and book online at https://www.escaperoomherndon.com
404 Elden St. Herndon, VA 20170; 800-282-3167; [email protected]
Visit again each month for another "In Front of My Lens" featuring local and national businesses and artists! If you would like to be featured in a future publication, contact me soon!
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Samantha S. Marshall is an award winning photographer, specializing in portraiture, architectural history, nature, wedding and corporate photography with a style consisting of colorful and energetic imagery. Running a client-friendly, service-oriented business she believes that great creativity often is the result of a collaborative effort and values working closely with her clients. Based in Northern Virginia, she is a huge supporter of many special interest groups including mental illness awareness, the rescue community and helping others to find their own artistic passions. Samantha is the coordinator of the annual FCMP Photography Expo and has been featured regionally and internationally in print and online publications including Elan Magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine, Around Reston, Modern Reston, and the Connection Newspaper. Visit Samantha's website to learn more about her or book a private session.