We have had some fantastic teams come visit us, producing some amazing times! Team Moist Tornado have remained at the top of the Duo leaderboards for Mission Impawsible and The Haunting of Mount Clifton Manor for over 12 months! We often talk fondly of this group so decided we’d ask a few questions to find out more about this fantastic team.
What’s your team name and what’s the background behind it?
We go by many names depending on the mood we’re in and who we’re playing with. When we’re a team of two we go by ‘Review The Room’ (named after our blog), or more recently ‘Moist Tornado’. Moist Tornado came after playing a well-known escape room in America…if you know, you know.
How did you first get into escape rooms, and what keeps you coming back for more?
A friend of ours invited us along to play a game back in 2015. Initially, we weren’t hooked but as we played more, and realised there was a lot more to play, we became hooked. It’s become an unscratchable itch.
How many rooms have you now completed and in how many countries?
We’ve slowed down a bit this year as we’re being ‘sensible’ and just moved home. Our current tally is around 435 escape rooms played (not including online/play-at-home games). We haven’t played in many countries, but we’re working on that. Right now we’ve only played in the UK, USA, Canada, and Greece. Soon we’ll be adding France and the Netherlands to that list.
What’s the most memorable or challenging escape room experience you’ve had, and what made it stand out?
I think for both of us, it would be Chapel and Catacombs by Lockhill in Athens. It was an amazing set and was an adrenaline rush from start to end. It’s a 130 minute experience, with live actors, sprawling sets, and great puzzles. It’s going to take something special to beat that experience.
Are there any specific themes or types of escape rooms you prefer, and why?
Liz’s favourite theme is easily anything to do with a Temple – think Indiana Jones. For some unknown reason, my preferred theme is ‘Pirates’. As a child in the good old US of A, Liz grew up with shows like Legends of the Hidden Temple, so they probably remind her of her childhood. Why do I like pirate-themed games? Honestly, not a clue but perhaps as I child I wanted to be a pirate?
Can you share any tips or strategies you’ve learned that help you succeed in escape rooms?
The key thing is to communicate with your team. When we go into a room we will say out loud what we’ve found, whether that be a padlock or an item. Sometimes just saying what you’ve found is enough to make your teammate(s) piece it together with something they found.
It’s also wise to be organised. Create a ‘discard pile’ so when you’ve solved something your teammates don’t pick it up and waste time trying to resolve it.
Do you favour a room that you get through quickly or one that keeps you challenged until the last moment?
Neither. Everyone’s brains work differently so we may play a challenging game that clicks with us, or an easy game that doesn’t. We’ve played a few 60 minute games that we’ve completed in around 20/25 minutes and had a great time, and we’ve played games where we’ve got out in 59 minutes simply because nothing made sense. I’d like to think that we’re experienced enough now that we can recognise where a game is quick because it makes sense, and a game where it’s quick because it’s lacking content.
How has your experience in escape rooms impacted your problem-solving skills or teamwork abilities?
I think it’s probably assisted with our communication skills for sure. How we explain problems to each other, or even at work has improved as we’re now better able to focus on the key information that needs to be delivered.
We’ve also recently moved house so DIY is very much taking over our life, and escape rooms have arguably helped us to look at problems in a different way. I certainly take a step back and plan it out more than perhaps I used to, and often come up with more creative ways to solve problems.
Of course there is a negative… We see puzzles in everything in everyday life, even when there are none!
Are there any funny or unexpected moments that have occurred during your escape room adventures?
Oh so many! We played with some good friends when we were in Athens, and every game seemed to create a moment that was unexpected or hilarious. Running away from ‘Monsters’ while in pitch black, or hiding from a serial killer in a space that only fitted one person, but with some clever stacking somehow managed to squeeze in two. I think that’s what we love about escape rooms, you never know what you’re going to get, and each room is unique. Every game we play we take away something that will stay with us.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to escape rooms and wants to enjoy them to the fullest?
Have fun. Escape rooms aren’t an intelligence test, they’re a focussed way to have 60 minutes of fun. We’d definitely not recommend playing a game in a large group (6+) as it can often make it harder for everyone to feel involved. But go in, and just have fun, you certainly get out what you put in.
What advice would you give to someone who is new to escape rooms and wants to enjoy them to the fullest?
We’re very excited by the future of escape rooms, and their future is certainly looking good. New companies are opening up all the time, and more people are realising the joy of these experiences. We’ve been seeing escape rooms really upping their game lately and see this continuing in the future. Escape rooms are now more than just a room with padlocks (which we still love), but now lighting, story, and technology are becoming much more integrated in the experiences.
The cost of living crisis is certainly a concern, but if history has shown us anything, in hard times people need things that bring joy – and escape rooms certainly do that.
