For a small town, Sheridan has many attractions to offer, and as of May 1, a new addition has been made for downtown Main Street entertainment. A unique type of business known as Escapade has opened up at 237 N. Main St. For $15 per person, two to six friends can participate in this activity. The players are locked in a monitored room with one hour to get out, and they must work together to discover clues and solve puzzles in order to find the final key and escape the room.

  Myself and junior Ockers Annie Bruso, Hallie Switzenberg, and Coral Admidin, along with junior Brady Holden and senior Zachary Fitzpatrick, had the privilege to play this new attraction for free. We weren’t quite sure what to expect; all we knew was that the theme was “Corporate Betrayal.” We were given instructions and the main goal; we also were told we had three hints we could use at any time.

  We entered the room to discover two video cameras watching us, a television with a clock ticking down 3,600 seconds, and seemingly ordinary furniture and interior decorations. At first glance, the room seemed absolutely normal, with a table, a desk, a coffeemaker, a book case, and a few posters, but as we pried through the room, we found multiple clues. At first, none of the clues we discovered seemed to relate to one another, but as the hour drew to a close we agreed as a group to use the three hints given by the supervisor. By the end, we were unable to figure out the mystery in time, but the loss was not due to a lack of trying. However, the owner did grant us extra time in the room to figure out the solution and finally escape. “Corporate Betrayal” was genuinely challenging, but it was very unique to play a hands-on teamwork-oriented test.

  “I liked how the game not only required common knowledge but also an understanding of American history,” said Fitzpatrick.

  When asked about Escapade, owner Travis Parker said that he was inspired by Japanese video games, and he decided that if he didn’t make a live action version here in Sheridan, someone else would soon enough. He plans to open at least two other rooms in the near future, one being either a toy shop or beach party themed and the other to be determined. He also plans to relocate if the business becomes as popular as he is hoping.

  As a high schooler, I would highly recommend Escapade for high school and college students looking for a challenge or groups of adults seeking a thought-provoking diversion with friends. Win or lose, this game should be fun for everyone because you’re almost guaranteed to learn more about cooperation and teamwork on your journey of discovering clues and storylines, figuring combination locks, and finally opening the door.