Lighting - how lighting can impact the fun of an escape room

 A well-designed set enhances immersion and complements the theme. Organic lighting can play a crucial role in this, as inappropriate brightness can disrupt the experience. For instance, imagine a brightly lit dungeon aboard a pirate ship – it would be absurd and detract from the immersion.

In an ideal setting, lighting should not hinder puzzle-solving. There was a memorable instance when Laura and I were in the final area of one of the best escape rooms we've played. Unfortunately, poor lighting obstructed our ability to solve the last puzzle. We needed to associate an object in a photo on the wall with one in a display case to obtain a crucial code digit. While we knew what to do, the antique-looking photos were inadequately lit, making it challenging. Our game guide assured us that the lighting was typically better, but after the game ended we couldn't replicate the experience as the lighting reset. The key takeaway here is that lighting can make or break an otherwise fun escape room experience.

Tip: If you need more lighting ask if you can use your phone's light. Some places let you use it, but always ask first…preferably before starting the room.

Inadequate lighting can lead to frustration. Intentionally using poor or dim lighting merely to increase the difficulty of an escape room isn't enjoyable and doesn't enhance the puzzle-solving experience. In my view, it's a haphazard approach to boosting puzzle complexity…and it earns a downgrade DING!

Lighting should be appropriate for the setting

An immersive escape room experience should incorporate appropriate lighting. For instance, if the scenario involves investigating paranormal activity in an old building on the outskirts of town, it's only logical that we would bring flashlights. After all, wouldn't we ensure everyone in our group has a reliable flashlight? In the context of such a scenario, omitting flashlights would seem imprudent - a we consider that problem a DING to a fun experience. We genuinely appreciate game designers who consider this and provide a flashlight for each player as part of the immersive experience.

However, if the scenario is entirely different, where there's no expectation of bringing light sources, and it aligns with the narrative, then part of the fun could involve figuring out how to create or find light. When executed well, this can add excitement to the puzzle-solving.

Furthermore, lighting effects can effectively and enjoyably influence the flow of the game by concealing parts of the room that aren't currently relevant to players in darkness. Conversely, an area that was previously illuminated may be dimmed once it's no longer pertinent. We've witnessed this technique used effectively on numerous occasions.