Menu
Co-op escape game. This is what is called an investigative game in which cooperation is essential for victory. For example when in school, during a test, everyone’s help was sought, comrades and otherwise, in order to be able to get a good grade. Here, we are not talking about exactly the same thing. But it’s not too different either…
Preparing to face a co-op escape game is not a triviality: it requires initiative and, above all, a lot of patience and meticulousness. For this reason, trying to share the experience with other players could be very helpful.
Just like in a school test, even in a co-op escape game, as in ours, for example, we all start from the same point: an insurmountable problem to solve, an investigation to pursue, a case to close. And it is precisely the fact that we are “all in the same boat” that gets the ball rolling. When approaching a case, it is important to remember that no one starts off with an advantage. Of course, there will be those who have more experience, those who have a natural inclination, or those who will be more attentive to grasping details… however, in a co-op escape game, everyone is starting from scratch; this is where we begin to build.
A first step in approaching a co-op escape game in a helpful way might be to identify a skill that each person can bring to the group, such as analytical skills, critical thinking, organizational skills, and intuition.
Every talent of every player should be shared and exploited in the best possible way. Exactly as in school, when the math genius was asked for help in solving integrals and the geek in Greek was asked for some tips on how to deal decently with the version of Thucydides.
Clearly, it is essential to get organized, dividing tasks among the various members of the group, and not forgetting the importance of having someone who always has the full picture of the situation. When this is not present, in fact, is when things start to get really bad.
Teamwork generally leads to faster progress than that produced by a single individual. However, there is always a very real risk of scattering the group’s energies along paths that lead to no solution, or worse, following trails that could throw people off. Understanding in which direction one is proceeding and, consequently, adjusting one’s course, will therefore be crucial. This, of course, entails the need for all members of the team to adapt to the demands that the investigation brings. Versatility and adaptability, therefore, prove to be two key components in successfully tackling a co-op escape game.
It is time to introduce the fundamental figure of any self-respecting cooperative game: the leader.
Just as in school, there were those who distributed to each student the tasks they had to do in order to achieve success; the one who solved the exercises, the partner who distracted the teacher, the girl who turned in the flashcards, and so on; in every investigative team there needs to be a leader capable of guiding their team in the right direction. We are not talking about a despot who authoritatively determines the handling of the case, but about an authority figure who can pull the strings, adjust the focus, and clearly synthesize the information that, from time to time, is gathered.
Collaboration, it is now clear, can lead to excellent results. However, sharing an experience, whatever it may be, carries with it more than just a guarantee of success. The greatest value it conveys is primarily aggregative. Tackling a co-op escape game prompts confrontation, reliance, and more than anything else, fun together with friends, family, or colleagues. Participating in a mission by forming a team helps to grow and develop one’s interpersonal skills, and in turn to learn to know oneself better.
More than the goal, then, what is meaningful is the path everyone travels together, to reach it. Just like when in school you face a class assignment: no one remembers the grade you got, but instead everyone remembers all the challenges you faced with your classmates in your attempt to try to complete the task; the same goes for a co-op escape game.
