Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway
Attraction of the Month, Norway
Stop the world going under from a tech virus Stop the world going under from a tech virus – or prevent yourself being the main course on a cannibal’s menu. These are the two scenarios facing visitors at House of Secrets in Oslo. The purpose is to solve practical and theoretical tasks in less than 60 minutes while kept in captivity in so-called ‘escape rooms’. Competing against friends as well as the clock, the winning team is the one that solves the tasks the fastest and with the fewest hints. By Helene Toftner | Photos: House of Secrets
‘Escape rooms’ have taken Europe by storm and spread from city to city at a high speed. Over just a few years they have become among the most popular team-building exercises around as well as a hit amongst stag dos and pals’ nights out. To understand the phenomenon, Scan Magazine spoke to Morten 126 | Issue 94 | November 2016
Andre Lindquist, the creator and owner of House of Secrets in Oslo, an escape room venue that opened its doors just over a year ago. “The games are for absolutely everyone regardless of age, physical ability or education,” he says. “At House of Secrets, we have had visitors as young as eight and as old as 80.”
The versatility can probably explain why so many people are loving the escape rooms, but there is no doubt that the adrenaline kicks play a part too. At House of Secrets, two different games are currently available, and one more is due to follow in December. The first is named Stop the Virus, based on a scenario where a computer hacker has sent a virus to infiltrate all technological gadgets. The group has 60 minutes to search his home for clues on how to stop it, or the world will erupt into chaos. The second, and somewhat more morbid, game is Urban Cannibals. The name gives it away, as the game revolves around