CREDIT: SAMANTHA KACZALA
Escapology London brings a new "live" experience to the escape room scene in the city.

The grand opening of Escapology London, the first Canadian branch of the “live” escape room experience from famous Escapology LLC in Orlando, Fla., happened late this summer.

According to a press release from Escapology, their escape rooms are an experience that challenges players “wits, teamwork, deductive reasoning and problem-solving skills”, against the clock. Clearly, no pressure.

The spinning cogs of a clock can be seen in the motif of the designs in Escapology’s logo and the steampunk inspired interior design creates a themed room of its own before even stepping foot into any of the escape rooms.

Marty Novak, Escapology’s marketing communication manager, said the steampunk aspects are not just for aesthetics, but also represent Escapology’s ideologies for their rooms as a company.

“I think the style was because ‘the clock is always ticking, time is of an essence.’ The steampunk vibe is very traditional old school cogs and technology and Victorian. I think they kind of ran with it. It’s fantastic, it’s franchise specific,” Novak said. “It definitely brands us differently. I think it elevates the premium escape room experience here as opposed to other locations in the local area.”

There are five differently themed rooms at this location. Each come with their own aesthetics and story lines, which push the players forward in their search for clues in the rooms.

According to Novak, these escape rooms are a great way to have a fun time with friends and family or build bonds with others.

When asked how the escape rooms could be beneficial to students, Novak said these rooms are an entertaining way to get to know your schoolmates.

“I think it’s a great experience for students. A lot of students are new to the city every year and they may be in groups or teams for projects at school. They might not know each other, so it’s a fantastic way to team build for sure. Even if you are not a corporation or company, just to get to know how to work well together in these rooms is great,” Novak said.

Better yet, codes for discounts are available once in a while, which is a great save on your wallet. Promotions for deals can be found on their social media websites, so check frequently Escapology London’s Facebook page or Twitter to keep up to date on the latest deals.

Fanshawe students will also be happy to know that you have an opportunity for a special Fanshawe deal. Come September, students will be able to access Campus Connect and can find a promo code for a deal on their next escape room experience. Just make sure to bring your ID, both government and student, to confirm who you are.

Though London already has a couple of different escape rooms, Escapology differs greatly from the others.

In October, Palasad North will be reopening with new features and a direct connection to Escapology and its games.

“When [the door connecting the two] opens up mid-October, it will open up straight into the Palasad,” Novak said. “Escapology is its own storefront for street traffic, but for internal guests it’s literally walking across the building. It’d be like ‘book your Escapology, then book a dinner table’. You can eat, do the package [and] then come play [a room].”

Novak explained that there will be packages available to book out escape rooms, while being able to also enjoy the perks of the Palasad, such as bowling and pizza dinner.

There was also a mention of craft beer and craft cocktails being available in a decked out trailer, with the cocktails made to complement the themes of cities the room takes on.

Located at 604 Oxford St. E., it is the perfect spot for students from Fanshawe to book a room and catch a bus easily to dip in for some fun with friends after classes are done for the day.