Escape rooms are now available almost everywhere, from small, lovingly designed rooms to elaborately produced experiences with film-quality sets. The Ruhr region in particular has a particularly high density of escape rooms. With over 40 escape rooms, Verschlusssache is one of the pioneers in the region. But how do you find out which escape room is really good? And how much research is actually sensible?

Central platforms for escape room fans

Those wanting to delve deeper into the scene will find some exciting starting points online. Escape Room News Centre regularly offers reports, news and insights into new games worldwide. Here you get a good feel for what's currently trending.

Also the App Morty is an important tool for many players. It functions similarly to a social network for escape rooms: users rate rooms, share their experiences, and give recommendations.

Those who prefer watching videos should click through playlists on YouTube.

Selected rooms can also be found on the Ranked Playlists from Escape Roomers Look at it. Escape rooms are featured, categorised and reviewed there.

Exciting for the future is also that the Trade association for live escape and adventure games is currently working on their own app for the German-speaking region. The goal is to create a central platform that improves the quality, discoverability, and comparability of escape rooms.

The reality: you mostly search locally

As exciting as these platforms are, in practice most people are looking for an escape room in their own city or at least nearby. And this is exactly where other sources become more important.

The first and most important step is almost always the operator's website. There you will find out:

• What subject areas are available?
• how many people can participate
• how difficult the rooms are
• and what style the experience has

Immediately afterwards, it's worth taking a look at Google reviews. The rule here is: don't just look at the stars, but above all read the text. These often reveal more about the actual gaming experience than any glossy description. A good example of this is the Google profile of our Escape Rooms in Recklinghausen with over 700 positive reviews.

Recommendations from one's own circle

One often underestimated source is personal recommendations. Simply ask friends, colleagues, or acquaintances if they've ever played a particular escape room.

The advantage is obvious
These opinions are unfiltered, honest, and on an equal footing. Especially when someone knows your taste, such tips are often worth more than any online review.

How much research is really necessary?

Beginners in particular tend to spend a lot of time on research. That's understandable – after all, you want to find the „best“ experience.

But as experience grows, your perspective changes. Those who have played several escape rooms quickly realise: each room has its own unique appeal.

Therefore, the following applies:
You don't have to analyse every room in detail beforehand. Often, it's much more exciting to just get involved and give the game a chance.

Let's go to the escape room near you

There are many ways to find out about escape rooms, from specialist platforms, apps and videos to personal recommendations.

But in the end, the local context usually decides:
Check the website, read Google reviews and ideally ask someone who already knows the room.

And once you're familiar with the theme, you can certainly afford to be bolder: research less, play more. Because that's exactly what Escape Rooms are all about.