Can you find the cure for COVID?
Updated On: 26 November, 2020 09:28 AM IST | Sukanya Datta
An online escape room requires you and your teammates to brainstorm and put an end to the pandemic
The game is aided by virtual assistants
In the past nine months, between learning to keep our masks on for long hours and turning our living rooms into workspaces, we have all harboured the same question in our minds: When will the pandemic end? Despite all the high-end technology available at our disposal, human beings have been left quite helpless in the face of the invisible virus, hoping and waiting for an effective vaccine. But what if you could take matters into your hands quite literally and end this inexplicable crisis? Mystery Rooms' game, The Covid Lab, an online escape room experience, allows you to do just that — take matters into your hands, gather your smartest friends and hunt down clues to virtually create a vaccine.
Co-founder and MD Sapna Bhutani tells us that the game was conceived in the early months of the lockdown. "The fun factor was out of our lives at that time. We realised that since people can't reach us, we should reach them through online escape rooms. We thought that what can be better than the current situation itself? Since the final challenge is to find the vaccine, we felt it can be an optimistic activity," she shares.
It can be played alone, in a team or by competing with others
The online game is a virtual extension of the physical escape room experience, which entails entering a theme-based mystery room, unlocking hints and completing tasks to achieve the final goal.
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The storyline takes off from certain mysterious findings that come to light that indicate that some files mentioning COVID-19 were buried in 2000, Bhutani informs us. The players receive a secret letter from a virtual scientist on their email IDs before the game begins, which has a unique key to access the Covid Lab. "You play as a scientist. You have discovered these files that suggest that the pandemic was overdue in 2020. So, since the pandemic was foreseen, surely there is some antidote to it," the co-founder explains about the 90-minute game. Virtual game-masters help participants — who can play alone, in teams or compete against each other — navigate the gameplay. "We recommend users to play in teams as teamwork is the essence of escape rooms. It's open to both adults and children," suggests Bhutani, adding that during the game, one can learn more about the virus and use that information to solve the puzzles.
Sapna Bhutani
Bhutani also recommends that participants not ask for too many hints from virtual assistants as it affects the completion rating. Her final tip: Have fun. "We created the game to spread the message that yes, we are in a difficult situation, but we can still handle it in a fun way and at the end of the day, get a vaccine," she signs off.
On Till December 31
Log on to in.bookmyshow.com
Cost Rs 943
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