Escape Rooms in Marrickville

Marrickville's entry in the escape room category is, by its own description, not quite an escape room. Heart Of The Mountain calls itself an adventure experience, and the biggest difference is pacing: there's no countdown clock. Your team plays explorers hired by Hazel Ivy to find out what happened to her grandmother, the conservationist Alice Ivy, who vanished in 1957 while digging inside a mountain for a mysterious energy source. The trail runs through a series of connected spaces built to film-set standard, with dynamic lighting, smoke, simulated explosions and a custom soundtrack.

Know this before you bring a group:

• Getting there: the game is in Marrickville in Sydney's inner west, so it's an easy add-on to a night out in the neighbouring suburbs.
• Physical play: expect to crouch, climb stairs, go down slides and move or lift large objects, and enclosed shoes are essential.
• Group size: sessions are private for teams of three to eight, and larger private bookings are arranged by email.
• Ages: the game is aimed at players 16 and over, younger players must come with a paying adult, and it isn't recommended for children under eight.
• Health: it isn't recommended for people with mobility limits, severe claustrophobia or epilepsy.

Most groups finish in 60 to 80 minutes, and a team that doesn't crack every puzzle still reaches an ending. Players who dig deeper uncover an extra layer of the story, and a park ranger character can be called on for help when the team stalls. It isn't a horror game, though the low light, tight spaces and loud effects keep the tension up. Photography isn't allowed inside, so take the group photo before you go in.