Escape Room Entertainment, Melbourne

At some point in everyone's life, they're called upon to track down a stolen diamond. At The Escape Zone, guests track down one in particular: the "White Star." They know, based on good information, that it's at Mancinelli’s Construction Company, so they lure the security guard away with the promise of a free padlock tattoo, and the game's clock starts ticking. They have one hour to find the diamond, using the clues and props scattered throughout the room.

This is just one of the rooms in which players complete timed challenges. In another one, players must escape a room outfitted like a ship's quarters, or risk the wrath of a pirate ghost. In a third, CSI-inspired room, they must solve a homicide before the murderer strikes again. There are no real lives at stake, but regardless of the scenario, suspense permeates each session. How well will the groups of up to 10 work together? How clearly can they think under pressure? Is the diamond going to be okay? There's only one way to find out.