Klaustrophobia in Moscow
When my Russian host (and close friend) asked me if I wanted to be locked into a room in an unspecified room in Moscow and spend an hour interpreting clues to find the way out I was a little apprehensive. Some gentle persuasion later and I agreed. The challenges, or quests, are in two sizes designed for groups of either 2-4 or 4-8. According to my friend, who I later discovered is a seasoned questor, it is better to play with a bigger group for your room – so we had so recruit some more players. A fellow intern from Liden and Denz and my friend’s sister joined us.
Which quest?
On the website there is a wide selection of different quest stories which you can pick from, distributed around Moscow. There are smaller quests, for groups of 2-4 and larger quests for groups of 4-8. The website sorts the rooms by difficulty. We chose a quest based on a mysterious disappearance in an old opera theatre, classified as an ‘easy’ level room.
The quests consist of a series of rooms, where you must check for clues to progress towards finding an exit. Without wanting to give anything away, you must all work together to observe the environment around you. Nothing is easy to work out, even in an easy level room!
Time’s ticking!
You have only one hour to figure out the way out and win the quest, otherwise you will be let out, but without the prized wristband for reserved for winners. When you are first let in, the hour seems like plenty of time, but it soon ticks away once you reach the first challenge, so keep an eye on the time. Help is always available through a radio system with the outside world, but obviously you won’t get all of the answers!
Quests are located all over Moscow. Some quests are open 24 hours a day, but it depends on which one you chose. The cost varies with the time and day of the week, but generally ranges between 1200 and 3500 rubles. Visit the website to book quests and find all information on quests: phobia.ru
Megan Beddoe, currently studying Russian at Liden & Denz Moscow
