Escape games have taken the world by storm, including in the real world with the opening of escape rooms where you could play along with your friends. But this game genre has always been available in video games. Lately, you can play these games online with your friends or even strangers.
As far as online games and escape games go, the premise is usually the same. Because of this, many escape room developers want to do something different just so their game can stand out. Now that 2022 has rolled in, there are new types of escape games available to play online. To get an idea about what’s new with this genre, here are some online escape trends for this year.
1. Virtual escape rooms
The application of new technology is always going to be something we can expect from online gaming. Nowadays, you could solve puzzles in some of the best virtual escape games available online. And the great thing about this is you only need to use a video conferencing platform to start playing.
Through this, you could get paired with a wider variety of people, making it more fun and possibly even more challenging. These virtual escape rooms will rely on collaboration, good communication, patience, and an eye for detail.
Moreover, virtual escape rooms are more user-friendly in comparison to other media like video games. This is because it doesn’t require high gaming specs for your laptop or PC. In fact, you could just make use of your phone if you want to join in.
2. Total immersion
The next thing you can expect from online escape rooms in 2022 is total immersion. Instead of having limited choices on what you could do, and what solutions are available for you, there are more possibilities for players to solve certain problems.
Another way that makes the experience more immersive is the addition of actors who play non-playable characters in the game. These actors can also be in the virtual escape room with everyone, and interact with the players freely. In return, players could also ask questions, and could also get clues that could make it easier to escape.
3. Video game escape rooms
There have always been escape rooms available to play in video game form. Whether it’s on mobile, computer, or consoles, there are all kinds of puzzle and escape room titles to choose from. Some you might have to pay for, but there are also some that you can get for free.
The great thing about video game escape rooms is that you could maneuver your character to explore the world you’re in. You could quickly do all kinds of rooms with different themes and styles. It gives more freedom in the type of rooms you could play in, and the variety of stories and puzzles that you could solve.
Video game escape rooms are also very easy to access and immerse yourself in. You could finish several rooms any time you want. For instance, you could play before you go to bed, during your breaks, or even when you just want to entertain yourself. Unlike physical or virtual escape rooms, video games don’t require any advance scheduling or booking. You could simply boot the game and have a ton of fun on the spot.
But if you do want to play with others, there are certain escape room video games that have co-op modes so you could solve puzzles with other players. Because of this, teamwork will be one of the many things that adults and kids could learn from the game, aside from other skills like observation, critical thinking, and patience.
4. Integration of virtual reality
Since the video game industry is a fast-growing industry, escape room games are going to become even better. One of the advance additions to these kinds of games is virtual reality, which is a great way to immerse players. It gives them the chance to feel like they’re really transported in the escape room.
5. Creative storylines
With more leeway from virtual rooms, video games, and virtual reality, there’s more freedom for developers to write creative storylines. For instance, you could be trapped inside a large castle, which is hard to achieve from physical escape rooms. Some even like to add mystery plots where players not only try to get out of a room but also solve some kind of murder. There are also horror-themed escape rooms for those who love a good scare from time to time.
Conclusion
Escape rooms are fun because it gives you challenging puzzles that you’ll have to solve alone or with others. But the best part of it is the satisfaction of being able to complete and fully finish the game in record time. Its evolution is still ongoing but for this year, we can expect it to be more immersive and available across all kinds of platforms such as video conference apps, video games, virtual reality games, and more. Aside from this, the themes, stories, and plots are becoming more challenging, creative, and experimental.