Hostel

The escape room scene in Athens is strongly focused on horror games, and many of these games are inspired by horror movies, often sharing the same or a very similar name.

I have always been a big fan of movies, although in recent years I haven’t watched as many as I did in my youth. However, I never enjoyed horror movies, and therefore there are very few that I have actually watched. I know the plots of many of these movies, and that is more than enough for me.

Obviously, you don’t need to watch the movies or even know the plot to enjoy these rooms—this applies to rooms about any non-horror topics as well—but there is indeed an extra sense of recognition if you do.

For that reason, when I know I am going to play an escape room based on a horror movie, I watch 10-minute YouTube plot summaries that cover the story and the most iconic and important scenes. This approach worked great during our last trip to Athens for games such as Evil Dead and this one.

There are many things that stand out about this game, but beyond being a great cinematic experience, one of its strengths is the variety in its flow. It’s not just cinematics or just jump scares, as some other escape rooms might be, but rather a mix of different moments ranging from humorous to disturbing, with varying degrees of tension.

The set design, acting—everything fits, and it’s not surprising that it has made it into the TERPECA winners, as it was one of the standouts of our recent Athens trip. I’m glad that many of Athens’ newest top rooms feature more elaborate sets that go beyond the classic house setting.

As an important side note for those planning to play the game: although it is marked as splatter on EscapeAll, you will not actually get dirty (sorry to disappoint anyone hoping to be covered in blood).

I particularly enjoyed a realistic moment that came quite unexpectedly—although “enjoyed” may not be the best word. Unfortunately, I can’t say much more without spoiling it. As a side note, I will never forget our group’s memorable finale. You can ask about it after you’ve played the room.