Review of ISTrapped: Turkey’s First Room Escape Game

Istanbul is a city of countless sights and activities, which makes getting locked up in a room for an hour seem like a strange idea for entertainment. However, ISTrapped, Turkey’s first room escape game, has managed to make escaping from a locked house feel much more like Sherlock Holmes than Midnight Express.

Room escape games began in Europe before quickly spreading across the globe. ISTrapped’s Turkish founders first played in Budapest and then decided to create their own game in Istanbul, opening the first location in April 2014. They have since added another game in Istanbul as well as one in Izmir, and they hope to expand across the country.

The game begins once you step into the apartment and shut the door, and you have one hour to work your way out. While ISTrapped tests your intellect rather than physical strength, it does not require players to speak either English or Turkish. As a result, the game attracts a mix of locals and tourists, making it an ideal place for Istanbullular to visit on their own or bring visiting friends and relatives.

Without wanting to give anything away, it is the atmosphere of the game as much as the puzzles which make it so enjoyable. The music and décor add a certain urgency to the game, as well as disappointment if, like me, you don’t manage to make it out in time. Once you start the game, it’s as if you enter another world where complaints about the inevitable traffic you faced to get there are replaced by the (somewhat stressful) obsessive desire to find the next clue.

If you want to try your hand at being a detective, check out ISTrapped’s site here. They now offer games at two locations in Istanbul — one is named “Ziya the Librarian”, located in Asmalımescit, and the other is “Sevilay the Artist”, located right off Istiklal Cad., across from Demirören Mall. They are totally different games, and it’s not necessary to play one before the other. Spots fill up quickly so be sure to make a reservation well in advance.

Zach White is a contributor to Yabangee.