Istrapped had been on my to-do list since it opened last year and I was thrilled when I found three adventurous friends who jumped at the idea of being locked in a room with me for an hour. We were set for the art themed Ressam Sevilay game. We rang the doorbell and after a quick reservation confirmation, were buzzed in.
As soon as you close the door, they waste no time in getting started with introductions. You have a brief conversation with the moderator over the intercom about the game rules and your hour starts. Unsure of what I had gotten us into at first glance around the room, we all had a puzzle-induced high at the end - which was made all that more fun because we managed to complete the game and unlock the final door with one minute to spare.
Participation in Istrapped doesn’t require brute strength or a vast knowledge in any field. The best thing you can do is to be observant and experimental. Our brains did take some warming up in the beginning to get used to the style. The mysterious voice in the ceiling helped guide us in the right direction to get the ball rolling and soon we were dashing from clue to clue. The moderator won’t provide you any answers, but they can give a nudge here and there to make sure you don’t get stuck for too long.
The game is designed for a small team, of up to 5 people, working together. It is entirely possible to do it alone, but your chances of getting out increase with a group of friends. Not only does it help having different sets of eyes on each clue, it is also more fun to share the experience of each with friends, high-fiving and feeding off each other’s energy.
While the over goal is to complete the game and find the key to unlock the last door, only about 50% of participants are able to do so. It’s good to keep in mind that the real objective is to have fun. We enjoyed it so much that immediately after finishing, we made a reservation to try our luck at the first Istrapped location Kütüphaneci Ziya, the library themed game located in Asmali Mescit.
They are open 7 days a week, from 9:30 to11:30 and reservations are required. They can easily be made in both English and Turkish online at www.istrapped.com.
