Escape rooms have gained popularity in recent years and I can definitely see why since participating, despite being a challenge, immersive puzzle-solving experiences are both entertaining and exhilarating.
For those who have never had the pleasure of attempting an escape room, you are locked in a themed room and take part in an interactive adventure where you work as a team to examine clues, complete puzzles and solve riddles before the time is up. Research revealed that the first real-life escape room came from Takao Kato in Kyoto, Japan in 2007.
At Escape Carvoeiro, the indoor games are 60 minutes long and include The Bank Heist, where you have to perform an unpredictable heist as well as Escape the Seven Seas, where you need to outsmart the most dangerous pirates. The outdoor adventures are 90 minutes long and include: Alien Invasion, Magic Portal, Blackout and Operation Mindfall.
Escape Carvoeiro also offers games for birthdays and parties at different locations across the Algarve, which includes bringing the fun to your home. Marcelo, the Games Master, explained “I recently went to Loulé to a Kids birthday party so I made a plan for Loulé and brought everything to them, I found this a great way to expand the business outside of Carvoeiro.”
An Unforgettable Experience
We were warmly greeted by Marcelo, the Games Master of Escape Carvoeiro, as we wandered into the venue, I was struck by the incredibly decorated walls by talented Kiwi Wall Arts, in an ode to all the available games.
We were shown upstairs to lockers, where we placed our belongings, we were then given instructions about the game we were set to play called ‘Escape the Seven Seas’ and told that there are cameras set up so if we do get stuck and need help from the pirate ships parrot we would just need to wave in front of it. Marcelo did not spare any entertainment from the get go and set the scene brilliantly.
Our trio were ready to embark on this exciting journey, Marcelo showed us to the ship door, where we carefully entered the partially dark cabin. The pirate ship scene had plenty of props and as the adrenaline kicked in, the three of us scrambled to make sense of the clues, props and locks, surprisingly when you are inside the game, time feels like it goes by very quickly as the pressure against the clock is on. We made our way through the ship overcoming plenty of challenges, guided by the ship's trusty parrot.
The first section of the game was the trickiest and we definitely spent far too much time there getting our bearings, but we soon figured out each of our individual skills and communicated the puzzles effectively to each other. Our pace quickened as we progressed through the cabin and I really appreciated the Game Master’s puzzles and clues when we needed help.
I cannot give too much away so that I do not spoil the game but the thrill of cracking each challenge was fantastic and the ending was very exciting as we only had minutes to spare to unlock the treasure and get out of the ship. Our trio were ecstatic when we completed the game and took a celebratory photo using all the wonderful props.
I loved every minute, even the challenging moments were great to look back at, the whole experience was a lot of fun from start to finish. A huge thank you to Marcelo, for making it such a memorable experience. I would highly recommend Escape Carvoeiro to everyone and I can’t wait to go back!
Introducing... The Games Master
Marcelo told Central Magazine that “The job of the games master is to make it fun, I have pre-made clues but I also have to see what stage the group is at in the puzzle so adjust them according to the group, sometimes I have to be more direct and other times I can be more enigmatic.”
Marcelo shared “I was always a little bit nerdy, and I liked to draw, create board games and my own stories. I have also always loved cinema and photography. I went to play in an escape room in Porto and I loved it so I decided to create my own because I could produce all the things I love at the same time.
Escape Carvoeiro boasts incredible reviews which I believe is due to Marcelo’s enthusiasm and passion for the games. “I really love curating the experience and making people feel those emotions. It is also a curse because it is never perfect but in the first year, over 2,000 players have played at Escape Carvoeiro!”
Escape Carvoeiro is located on Rua do Barranco Lote 9 Loja C in Carvoeiro. For more information and bookings, please visit https://www.escape.game/escape-carvoeiro or alternatively, you can find them on Facebook by searching ‘Escape Carvoeiro’.
TEL: (+351) 928 125 704