Trap Door’s New Catacombs Escape Game
By: James Butler
When deciding which escape room to play next, one of the most important things to look at is the theme of the room. Some escape room themes are interesting, but some take it a step further— some are straight up intriguing. Still, others are so unique we try to book them as soon as they open. So naturally when we heard that Trap Door Escape Red Bank would soon be opening a new catacombs escape game, Catacombs of Paris, we knew we were about to see an escape room unlike any other we have played.
Is Outside Knowledge Really Important?
Most escape rooms do not require any outside knowledge. In other words, everything you need to solve the puzzles is usually in the room. However, we have discovered having some background knowledge about a theme sometimes helps guide us through the immersion and, occasionally, speeds us through a puzzle or to finding a clue. I think that will prove to be the case with this new catacombs escape game, anyway.
What Do You Know About the Parisian Catacombs
All I really knew about the Catacombs was that they featured a lot of bones and skulls. So, I did a little prep work as I got ready to try to escape the Catacombs of Paris.
I Researched for the New Catacombs Escape Game so You Didn’t Have to
A few things to know about the Catacombs:
- Overflowing cemeteries + major collapses of the ground under Paris = bones from over 6 million people finding a new resting place. (Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to mine so much of the limestone from under Paris while building it and then abandoning the mines.)
- They were built in former quarries under Paris in the eighteenth century.
- The Catacombs extend down the length of a five story building.
- Napoleon commissioned the Catacombs to be transformed from piles of bones to an elaborately arranged tourism destination, like the Catacombs of Rome.
- The remains are indeed real and are organized into walls of alternating skulls and bones.
- There are plaques scattered throughout the Catacombs. Some detail where the bones came from and some contain religious or poetic text.
- The most famous plaque is carved above the doorway as you enter the Catacombs:
Haunting Catacomb Stories
While doing my research to get ready for the catacombs escape game, I did find the video from the man whose camera was found with footage of someone (or something?) chasing him in the Catacombs.
The man has never been found— or his remains.
Contextualizing the New Catacombs Escape Game
Now, you might be wondering, ‘what’s the point of all this exposition,’ which is completely fair given the spooky turn it took. The take- away is that we can learn from the background details of the real Parisian Catacombs what to expect from Trap Door’s stellar new escape. . .
What to Look out for in the Catacombs Escape Game
History teaches us that we are going to be surrounded by bones in the Trap Door Catacombs. Additionally, paying attention to name labels, plaques, and bones will probably be key in the new catacombs escape game.
Names to Know. . . or Not
I’m realizing that my knowledge of French people starts and stops with a handful of famous people, none of whom are actually buried within the catacombs. (Joan of Arc, Claude Monet, Auguste Rodin, Voltaire, Marie Curie . . . Andre the Giant . . . and Victor Hugo. I’m realizing that I might not know many of the French ‘Greats.’) Anyway, I don’t think my limited knowledge of French ‘Greats’ will hurt us but I’m also not sure how it’ll help.
Hints for Trap Door’s New Catacombs Escape Game
So besides the huge skull graphics in all the pictures, the Trap Door website has a few clues on what we can expect in Catacombs of Paris:
What We Know
We will have two hours to escape, while every previous room that we have done has had a one hour limit (It takes less time to travel down the 131 steps for the tour of the real Catacombs in Paris.) We also know from the game page that this is an active room with some crawling, climbing, and moving some large scale obstacles. Looks like we better get some hikes in to prepare for this one.
It's a Labyrinth
When I think of crawling and mazes, I can’t help but think of the movie Labyrinth. Trying to navigate through turns, dead ends, and hidden doors. It looks like Catacombs will give me a chance to try a bit of that in real life. My little team of two won’t be enough for this one.
While we are ready for the challenge of a physical room, there looks to be a lot of ground to cover. So, it’s time to start recruiting some help.
Concluding Thoughts on the Catacombs Escape Game
Catacombs of Paris has shot to the top of our escape room wish list. We are ready for a taste of a historic setting with the huge, immersive sets and clever puzzles that Trap Door is famous for. Needless to say, we can’t wait to experience this unique setting.
Today’s tip from an Escape Room Enthusiast:
We have never played a room where the text in the room was unimportant. However, that isn’t to say every word is important. Actually, sometimes the sentences aren’t important at all. Don’t forget to pay attention to individual letters or words. For example, are there just a few random letters bolded or underlined? Are the sentences arranged in a way that the first letters all line up to spell something? Or how about random words in all capitals for no reason (like this blog maybe?) Find the text that stands out and see if it’s a clue or a code. Sometimes in text it’s not what you read, but what stands out.
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Turn Back!
While on a tour of the Catacombs far underneath the streets of Paris, a sudden cave in takes place and the tunnel collapses behind you. Can you escape the maze of bones and make it back to the surface?