We’ve looked into the types and genres of quests and escape rooms for you.
The quest industry is developing at an incredibly fast pace, with more and more genres and types of quests and escape rooms appearing. To understand what you might enjoy most and which quest or escape room to choose, it's important to break down the different types. So, let’s start with the different kinds of quests and escape rooms:
1. Escape Room
This is the most familiar format to most of us. Your team, usually consisting of 2 to 5 people (sometimes more), is locked in a room and must escape within an hour (sometimes longer). This format is the most popular here. Escape rooms are often based on movies, and their themes vary widely. The genres also differ significantly, so you can choose one that suits your taste.
Genres of escape rooms include adventure games, horror games, fantasy, science fiction, detective themes, and more.
Escape rooms can also be classified as either sequential or non-linear. In sequential rooms, you solve one puzzle after another, like unraveling a ball of yarn. In non-linear rooms, multiple puzzles are available from the start, each independent of the others.
A subgenre of escape rooms is performance games, where actors are involved.
In these escape rooms, actors set the rhythm and atmosphere. Performance games can also be divided into genres, with horror performances currently being the most widespread subgenre.
2. Role-playing quests (also known as live quests)
These games aren't confined to a room or a specific location. The key element here is interaction with other characters. When you receive a role, you transform into a different person, adopting an entirely new identity. But that's not all – in this new persona, you have to solve certain tasks and achieve your goals. What's most interesting about this genre is the unpredictable outcome. Each character may behave in ways that differ from what was planned in the script, requiring you to act without any clues, unlike in escape rooms where puzzles must be solved in a specific way as intended by the developers.
3. Urban Quest
In an urban quest, the action takes place beyond the confines of a single room. The puzzles and challenges are spread across a wide area, typically outdoors, involving exploration of the city or a designated location. Participants need to navigate through the streets, parks, or other urban environments to solve clues and uncover the next steps of the game. These types of quests often encourage teamwork and are designed to make players interact with the real world, combining adventure with the thrill of discovery.
4. Virtual Reality Games
In VR games, you put on virtual reality headsets and enter a fully immersive computer-generated adventure. Unlike traditional video games where you sit in front of a screen, here you physically move within a designated space, and the environment around you is no longer just a static image or simple backdrop. Instead, you are surrounded by a dynamic, interactive world that feels limitless. This type of quest creates a more engaging and lifelike experience, as you can explore, solve puzzles, and interact with virtual characters and objects as if you were truly in a different world. The possibilities are vast, offering unique experiences that go beyond traditional quest or escape rooms formats.
5. Mazes
Mazes are pretty straightforward and based on the concept implied by the name. The main challenge is to navigate through a maze, overcoming various obstacles along the way. One popular example in some places is the Maze of Fear, where the primary goal is to reach the end of the maze. While it may not have the complex narrative or puzzle-solving elements found in other types of quests or escape rooms, the focus is on endurance, overcoming fear, and physical navigation. These games tend to be simpler, but they offer a thrill through their physicality and atmosphere.
6. Blindfold games
In these games, participants have their eyes blindfolded and must rely on their remaining senses—such as hearing, touch, and smell—to solve the challenges. The twist is that actors are often involved in these games, interacting with your senses to guide or mislead you, making the experience even more immersive and intense. This type of games heavily emphasizes sensory perception and can be particularly thrilling as you must navigate the unknown solely through your other senses, often increasing the feeling of vulnerability and excitement.
7. Action Games
In action games, the dynamic shifts significantly compared to traditional escape rooms. Players are warned in advance that physical exertion will be part of the experience. Strength, endurance, and speed become critical assets in these games. Unlike escape rooms where problem-solving is mostly mental, action games often include physical tasks that might involve running, climbing, or other physical activities, making them more intense and physically engaging. This type of game is designed for those who want to feel like they’re part of an action movie, requiring participants to complete tasks under pressure and with physical demands.
8. Kids' Quests
As the name suggests, these quests are specifically designed for children. However, any adult who still feels like a child inside can join in as well, with some quests being suitable for all ages. In these games, the puzzles, tasks, and challenges are typically simplified to cater to younger participants, ensuring they are fun, safe, and engaging. The themes are often more playful and whimsical, involving imaginative scenarios like treasure hunts, magical adventures, or solving mysteries with the help of friendly characters. These quests help foster teamwork, problem-solving skills, and creativity in a relaxed, enjoyable environment.
9. Board Game Quests
These are a blend of board games and escape room-style quests. The creators of board game quests develop a story, add puzzles, and package everything into a box, chest, or suitcase. Your task is to open compartments one by one, solving puzzles along the way to ultimately uncover the main secret. Each step typically involves deciphering clues, managing resources, and interacting with the game pieces to advance through the narrative. It’s a unique way to experience an adventure at home, often offering an immersive, thematic experience similar to that of a traditional quest but within the convenience of a tabletop format.
10. Auto Quests
These are essentially a reimagined version of the classic "scavenger hunt," adapted to the quest format. Auto quests are less about racing and more about immersing yourself in a narrative. Instead of rushing to beat your competitors at each checkpoint, players follow the storyline and search for clues that lead them to the next part of the game. The emphasis is on solving puzzles and following the plot, rather than high-speed driving or physical challenges. These quests can take place over an extended route, with players navigating through the city or countryside, uncovering hidden stories, and solving mysteries along the way.
