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By Shari Barrett
Have fun finding clues to escape the Jack the Ripper Maze Room
Since I often visit the Culver City News office, I enjoy taking time to walk in the area to get to know and support the local businesses. My favorite coffee shop is Tanner’s just across the street, where I love the iced blended coffees, and often enjoy meals at Pho Show and El Rincon Cuban Café, both on the same block as the News office, as is Big 5 Sporting Goods. But until recently, I was not aware there was a Maze Room located just down the block at 4365 Sepulveda Blvd., so when I found it I went in to investigate just what it was all about.
Called the future of interactive entertainment, Maze Rooms are real-life escape rooms, a type of physical adventure game in which people are “locked” in a room with other participants and have to work as a team to use the elements of the room(s) to solve a series of puzzles, find clues and escape within a set time limit. It’s a challenge using your senses and logic to find the keys and open the door to freedom within 60 minutes. Thinking outside the box to find clues and solve puzzles is mandatory as many are hidden from sight and have to be solved to be revealed.
Being intrigued, I decided to celebrate my birthday on Oct. 26 by inviting 5 friends to take on the challenge with me to escape from the current game based on a Jack the Ripper storyline. It’s 1888 in East End London, a notoriously seedy part of town inhabited by many prostitutes who are being hunted down by the world’s most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper. You have one hour to gather the clues and unravel the mystery to Scotland Yard’s most infamous unsolved case – who will be his next victim?
Ready for the challenge, we met 15 minutes prior to our scheduled start time to be briefed on the story and the rules of the game, and were issued a walkie talkie which is live with the front desk so that person can hear everything you are saying, trying to figure out, and available for questions and clues, although you are limited to 3 before the game is ended no matter how long you have been in there. So carefully consider before asking for help or the door will open and the game will be over.
The most important aspect is to work as a team to find the clues and attempt to solve the puzzles that will lead you out of each room in the Maze. Along the way, many known facts and names of his victims are revealed among many seemingly authentic props from the time period. We were told that anything we can see and move might be or reveal a clue, many of which were very difficult to find on our own. Luckily, we had some assistance from the front desk attendant, especially considering how long it was taking us to solve getting out of the first room. We felt quite accomplished once we did open the door and move into the next one.
It’s very apparent that the creators of the game are dedicated to making sure each room is filled with more historical details than you have time to notice as you search for clues. Perhaps you will be as fortunate as we were to be let in on the significance of some of the items in the rooms, though not used as clues but important to the actual history of Jack the Ripper’s crime spree.
Given the difficulty of this game, participants must be at least 14 years of age, and anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants are watched on closed circuit monitors, so very tight control is kept on the sanctity of each room’s set-up. Any destructive behavior automatically ends your game.
Games run daily approximately every hour and a half from 10am to 11:55pm. The cost to play for 60 minutes is based upon the number of players, from $99 to $231 for 2-7 players. Included is a souvenir photo, taken in one of the rooms where you can select a prop to use. For a complete schedule of Jack the Ripper start times, visit la.mazerooms.com/quest/jack-the-ripper.
There are Maze Room locations in the greater Los Angeles area in zip codes 90004, 90019, 90028, 90035, 90068, 90230, 91356, and 91423. Different games are played at each location from easy to impossible! All games must be booked in advance, which you can do online at lamazerooms.com or by phone at 310-595-2881 as long as you are at least 18 years of age. Reservations are private and must be paid for in advance to hold the space at your preferred time. The number of participants can be changed up to your check-in time at the location by cash or credit card payment.
Grab a group of friends and book your Maze Room escape for one of the most fun experiences you will have as an interactive game player.
