What Should You Know Before Doing Your First Escape Room?
The first escape room is always the most surprising. Most people go in with a rough idea of what to expect and come out realising the experience was quite different from what they imagined — usually better. A bit of preparation goes a long way. Here's what to know before you go.
You Don't Need to Be Clever
This is the thing that stops a lot of people from booking. They worry the puzzles will be too hard, that they'll look foolish, or that they'll slow the group down.
Escape rooms aren't IQ tests. They're designed to be solved by a group working together — not by one genius. The puzzles reward communication and observation, not prior knowledge or a particular type of intelligence. Most of the people who "escape" do so not because they were smarter than the ones who didn't, but because they talked to each other more.
Read the Briefing Carefully
When you arrive, your Game Master will walk you through the room's story and a short set of rules. Pay attention. The narrative often contains clues, and the rules tell you what not to do (force locks, use your phone, access areas that are off-limits). Not listening to the briefing wastes time inside the room.
Arrive on Time
At Incognito Escape Room in Dublin, your slot is time-specific. Arriving late doesn't push the session back — it shortens your 60 minutes. Aim to be there 10 minutes before your booking time.
Wear Comfortable Clothes
You'll be moving around, crouching, searching underneath things. You don't need special equipment, but you don't want to be in something restrictive or formal either.
Leave Phones in Your Pocket (or Bag)
You're not allowed to use your phone as a tool inside the room — no torch, no camera, no searching for hints online. Some venues ask you to leave phones at the door. Either way, resist the instinct to reach for it. Part of the experience is working things out without a safety net.
The Most Common Mistake: Not Communicating
Every Game Master will tell you the same thing: the groups that fail are the ones where people search the room in silence. The most important thing you can do is call out everything you find, even if you don't know what it means. "There's a number written on the back of this mirror" might mean nothing to you but everything to the person holding a clue on the other side of the room.
Ask for Clues Sooner Than You Think You Should
There's no penalty for asking your Game Master for a hint. No points deducted, no shame involved. The groups that get stuck and say nothing for 10 minutes are the groups that don't escape. A well-timed clue is a feature, not a failure.
Don't Fixate on One Puzzle
If you've been working on the same thing for more than 3–4 minutes and it's not moving, walk away. Something else in the room usually provides the missing piece. The room is designed to be explored non-linearly — you're supposed to put things down and come back to them.
The Escape Rate Isn't as High as You Think
Most groups don't escape on their first attempt. That's not a bug — it's the point. The experience is worth having regardless of whether you get out. The Game Master debrief at the end (where they show you everything you missed and explain how the puzzles connected) is often one of the most satisfying parts.
Pick the Right Room for Your Group
At Incognito we have six rooms across two Dublin city centre locations, ranging from medieval adventure (King's Quest) to Cold War thriller (Bunker) to horror-adjacent atmosphere (Orphanage). If someone in your group is easily spooked, avoid the horror-themed rooms and pick something with an adventure theme instead. All of them are good — just pick one that suits your group.
Ready?
Book your first escape room at Incognito — Dublin's #1 rated escape room on TripAdvisor. We're used to first-timers and our Game Masters are good at making sure everyone leaves having had a proper go, regardless of experience level.
