Escape This: 6 Zombie Apocalypse Survival Skills That Apply to Real Life

When it comes to surviving the end times, we normally think of things like machete-wielding skills or the ability to hotwire a semi-truck. But it’s not just practical skills you’ll need out there. Humans’ main advantage in the natural world is our big brains, and that’s what’ll get you through the zombie apocalypse in one piece. (Maybe that’s why the undead want to eat them so bad …). 

Not coincidentally, they’re also the same sorts of skills you’ll use to lead yourself to victory in Krakit’s Zombie Apocalypse escape room.

1. Ingenuity

Rather than stocking up on tinned foods and honing your knife skills, you know what’s really going to help you in the Zombie Apocalypse? Being creative and insightful. If you don’t know how to jerry-rig a tank, then at least your ability for inventive thinking will help you think up a plan and help you learn new skills along the way.

2. Flexibility

Along with ingenuity, flexible thinking is key. You can only use what you have at hand. How are you going to MacGyver your way out of this situation? Unfortunately, your original plan has gone out the window—better think of something else quick. When one thing doesn’t work, immediately switching to a new gear will help you get through the Zombie Apocalypse, escape games, and life in general.

3. Quick thinking

When you’re living on the run, often you don’t have a lot of time to come up with the perfect plan. Developing quick thinking by challenging yourself with rapid-fire puzzles and logic problems is a surefire way to make sure you stay one step ahead of the undead and also your coworkers.

4. Long-term thinking

At the same time as quick thinking is an essential skill, so is long-term thinking. Being able to do both means you’ll be able to escape immediate danger but also figure out how you’re going to secure safety for you and your crew in the long run. In an escape room, this comes into play when you solve the smaller puzzles that lead to the bigger victory—winning the entire escape game.

5. Reading people

If you want to survive in the cut-throat world of the Zombie Apocalypse, you’ll have to keep a close eye on the people you’re with. As much as we want to trust everyone, you must stay vigilant. Being able to read people accurately is key to figuring out if what they’re saying matches what they’re thinking. This skill applies everywhere, from zombie survival to the dating scene to the workplace.

6. Teamwork

Though you need to stay on your toes, you wouldn’t survive any sort of apocalypse without the help of your friends or even strangers. Learning how to meld your strengths with someone else’s is the only way to forge ahead, when it comes to zombies and when it comes to life.

Band together with a group of up to seven of your friends to defeat Krakit’s horde of zombies in our Zombie Apocalypse escape room. Book now.

Your Top Ten Creature Characters!

It’s that spooky time of year, when dimensions descend upon one another and the energies of heaven and hell collide into our physical realm. Some call it All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day Eve, Allhallowtide, or Allhalloween. Whatever you call the old Gaelic Harvest, it’s a perfect time to test your psychological terror threshold with a visit to Vancouver’s best escape room.

While ringing the church bells for the souls in purgatory, noticing the jack-o-laterns on guard to ward off evil spirits, or watching a flick before heading to Krakit, it’s a day to honour and recount the top ten movie creatures that go bump in the night, i.e. our worst fears manifested.

10. Tyrannosaurus Rex - The evil, dragon-like badass still holds his rein of terror on this list for one simple fact: the T. Rex is real (and, he’s been dancing since he was twelve).

9. Werewolf/Werecar - On the full moon, men and women having been bit or influenced by a werewolf, with wolf’s blood coursing through their veins, undergo and powerful transformation and rampage until dawn. Weres are endowed with the spirit of a superpowered, half-human, half-lycan; or, auto parts from various evil vehicles. The werecar? “Bender” from Futurama is a robot that changes into an evil, bloodlusty car with parts from the most sinister movie automobiles.

8. Jigsaw - Let’s face it, we’re here for a reason. Jigsaw is the nefarious serial killer who made all of this awesomeness at the Burnaby Escape Room possible.

7. Ghosts and Ghouls - Who is the most sinister? The ones from Ghostbusters, the Babadook, Thirteen Ghosts, The Ring, The Grudge, or Ghost Dad? My vote is an undead Bill Cosby—who knows what that is capable of!

6. Aliens/Predator - Especially HR Geiger’s Xenomorphic, hive-minded abomination who, in its singular form, is the a prized capture of the Predator—another dark, violent creature inside Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett movie mythos. See also: Independence Day and Mars Attacks.

5. Vampires - Sensual and violent, these date-rapey (see Bill Cosby, above) creatures roam the night, looking for human victims. Who did it best: Dracula, Lestat, or Blade? 

4. Gremlins - When you buy anything from a pop-up shop in Chinatown, you’re going to have issues. From mythical Mogwai to venomous gargoyle, these creatures will make you watch out for the wet spots for more reasons than a slip-and-fall danger.

3. Zombies - They started out slow, they moved into space, now they’ve evolved into fast moving, ever multiplying, brain-sucking scum. Watch out, they’re coming for you! Best movies: Event Horizon, Dawn of the Dead, and 28 Days Later.

2. The Undead - The difference between zombies and ghouls—versus simply ‘undead’—is clearly articulated in Pet Cometary. Please, bury your children responsibly. 

1. Party Monsters - These creatures are number one because they aren’t included on most lists. There’s nothing more terrifying than the real-life events experienced by characters from Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting.

Halloween in Vancouver: Horror-Themed Escape Rooms—Zombie Apocalypse

Krakit Vancouver Escape Game—Zombie Apocalypse

Our four themed escape rooms at Krakit are fun to play at any time of year, but we have to say, we really shine at Halloween time. You may have noticed we have a little bit of a thing for the macabre, and the eerie ambience that October brings—the lengthening nights, the murmuring winds, the deep dark shadows, and, of course, the ghosts and ghouls and goblins—makes the creepy factor triple.

One of our longest running and most popular rooms is the Zombie Apocalypse Room—and for good reason. For fans of George A. Romero, 28 Days Later, and The Walking Dead, the Zombie Apocalypse escape game puts you in the middle of the end times: infection has taken over, the city is crawling with undead, and it’s up to you and your team to find the serum that will save the human race.

With only 45 minutes on the clock—and a live zombie or two to rattle your nerves—solving the puzzles of this escape game can be almost more pressure than a person can take. Luckily, you and your team are able to ask an expert for a few hints along the way, just when you need them most.

Crack all the clues and unclick the last lock, and you—and the rest of the human race—will live to see another day. If you don't … well, let’s just say, it’s in your best interest to try your very hardest.

Halloween time is for horror movie marathons, menacing costumes, candle-lit midnight parades, and getting yourself as good and scared as possible.

So, do yourself a favour and get your Halloween off to the right start with an immersive entertainment experience. Why not settle in for the premiere of The Walking Dead Season 7, next Sunday, October 23, and then head to Krakit Vancouver Escape Game’s Zombie Apocalypse Room for your own taste of the adrenaline rush that facing down a walker brings.

Or, better yet, book you and your friends in for a game on the night itself—All Hallow’s Eve—when the Krakit staff will be truly upping the ante.

Our horror-themed rooms feature live actors and haunted house experiences. Book here for a Halloween to remember, while spots last: http://bookeo.com/krakit

Cracking Horror-Themed Escape Rooms: The Benefits of Fear

Though not all of our rooms at Krakit Vancouver Escape Game have a hair-raising theme, you’ll notice we do have a taste for the horror-esque. Beyond being fans of horror films and spooky thrills, we use scary scenarios for our escape rooms because it adds to the challenge—and excitement—of the game.

In addition to pumping more of those fun, fun endorphins into your bloodstream, here are a few other benefits that our horror-themed escape games bring.

1. The ante is upped

Quite simply, the added pressure of escaping from the clutches of a madman or a horde of zombies ups the ante. Even though you know its not real, psychologically you’ll be much more motivated to save you and your team mates from certain death than you are to solve a scenario with lower stakes.

2. Fear is good for you

There’s nothing that will give you focus like a good dose of fear. It helps you to zero in on what’s important, which is a huge benefit when it comes to the basic goals of an escape game. With the shot of adrenaline that comes from the sound of zombie fingernails scraping on the other side of the door, quickly assessing the clues in the room and piecing them together will be your only interest.

3. Stress is your friend

Any escape game scenario is going to be a little bit stressful: all it takes for most of us to develop sweat on our brow is the knowledge that there is a clock ticking down the seconds until we’re deemed either a success or a failure. Add the knowledge that a chemical lobotomy also awaits at the end of the countdown, and badda-boom: you’re doubly stressed.

We know what you’re thinking: Why would I want to be even more stressed?! Because, friends, stress can actually boost brainpower and stimulate your drive to succeed. Not a bad trade off!

An escape room with a scary scenario, besides being extra fun for horror fans, actually puts you in conditions that will make you your best puzzle-solving you: focused, motivated, brain boosted.

Despite all this talk of the benefits of fear and stress, please do remember that an escape game

is meant to test your wits, not your ability to be in small or confined spaces. It’s a puzzle room, not a claustrophobia challenge!

Book your next go-round with our zombies or asylum here: http://bookeo.com/krakit

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and the Zombie Period Film

What’s better than a classic Jane Austen flick? A Jane Austen flick with zombies, of course. Ever since the book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies came out in 2009, we’ve been waiting for the film version. Finally, our wishes have been fulfilled: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies the movie opens in cinemas Friday, February 5. 

Krakit Vancouver Escape Game wants to share our excitement with you, our clever and scheming escapees. So, we’re offering passes to a screening of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, with every Krakit winner entered into a draw for two passes. Plus there are some hidden movie codes in our escape rooms. 

In honour of the zombified version of Jane Austen’s classic tale set in 19th-century England, we’ve compiled a list of our other favourite Zombie Period Films—a niche genre, to be sure, but a good one.

1. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
Sure, there’s debate whether Frankenstein’s monster even counts as a zombie, since he’s sewn together from many different beings. But, he’s reanimated dead flesh—which means, in our books, he’s in. Set in the late 1790s, Frankenstein is one of the first philosophical think pieces of the plight of the zombie.

2. Dead Snow (2009)
This Norwegian horror-comedy may be set in contemporary times, but the zombies the cast encounters are straight out of the 1940s: evil undead Nazis, still in trench coats and helmets.

3. 300 (2006)
Zack Snyder’s wild tale of an outnumbered Spartan army may seem like a surprise entry on this Zombie Period Film list. But then you remember that the Persian Xerxes army is made up of immortals who are referred to the “undead elite royal bodyguard.” And there you have it: a heavily costumed battle between humans and zombies in 480 BCE.

4. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
Speaking of undead armies, the second installment of LOTR features its own set of zombie troops: the Army of the Dead. Sure, Middle Earth might not be a real place, but given the amount of costumes and the olde timey feel, it deserves a spot in the Zombie Period Film pantheon.

5. Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies (2012)
It’s the 1860s, and America is in the midst of its horrendous Civil War. But things take a turn for the much worse when the Confederate soldiers begin rising from the dead. Luckily, President Lincoln is a badass in more ways than one.

Book your spot at our Vancouver escape game before the premiere of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for your chance to win passes for you and a pal.

Zombie Taxonomy: A Guide to the Undead

Madge Bellamy, the first zombie of cinema (United Artists, 1932)

There was a time when there was just one type of zombie: the kind raised from the dead by a voodoo doctor. Though it’s easy to forget these days, witchcraft is indeed the origin of the zombies we know and love today—virus-infected, fast-running things that they are.

Recognizing your zombie can all get a bit confusing, seeing as how the species has really fleshed out in the last few decades. Below is a guide to classifying your zombie—highly important for choosing your weapon and plan of escape.

Origins

Raised from the Dead: Zombies seemed to have to evolved away from this, but they still pop up from time to time. Look for suspicious-looking altars, emptied cemeteries, and religious apocalypses. See: White Zombie (1932), George A. Romero’s Dead series, Weekend at Bernie’s II (1993).

Infection: Whether created in a lab or carried by a monkey, viruses that make people want to eat other people are rampant. Evidence includes strange children randomly appearing in your bedroom and waking in an abandoned hospital. See: 28 Days Later (2002), Dawn of the Dead (2004), The Walking Dead (2010–).

Speed

The speed a zombie has is usually directly related to its origins. Raised from the dead? You’ve likely got a slow one on your hands. See: Night of the Living Dead (1968), Michael Jackson’s Thriller video (1982), Shaun of the Dead (2004). Overtaken by a rage-inducing virus? This zombie is probably super fast. See Resident Evil (2002), [Rec] (2007), World War Z (2013).

Remember, there are exceptions to this rule. See: The Evil Dead (1981), where witchcraft still makes for some pretty agile zombies.

Brains

Semi-aware: This is the most important zombie factor to identify quickly, because if there’s a bit of the person still left in there, you might be able to convince them not to bite you—at least momentarily. See: Day of the Dead (1985), Hocus Pocus (1993), Life After Beth (2014).

Blank slate: Unfortunately, most zombies don’t remember anything of who they were—including the very first voodoo zombies and the more modern virusy ones. Alas, it’d be best to place your bets on this type and just start severing brain stems. See: 98% of zombie films.

What kind of zombies lurk around Krakit’s Vancouverescape room? You’ll have to come and find out for yourself.

10 Reasons Why the Vancouver Escape Game is a Killer First Date

The Krakit Escape Game is great for groups that want to have a wicked night out solving puzzles. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll test your wits and you'll probably sweat (just a little).

But what about for a first date. Here are ten reasons why Vancouver's top escape game is an awesome idea for a first date:  

10. Variety is the Spice of Life

Everyone goes for coffee; It's the safe option. It's cheap and you can duck out quickly if the pictures don't match reality. But who wants to be safe? Why not lock yourself in a room with a total stranger. YOLO!

9. Jingle Bells

Everyone likes to get into the holiday mood, especially after a long day of work. It's like instant happiness, a mix of warm memories and iconic symbols. Krakit has a special holiday room designed for those who love Christmas.

8. Adrenaline Rush

All the thrills of an extreme outing without the risks. No one wants to finish their first date on a hospital gurney. Krakit offers an environment that gets the adrenaline pumping but offers little opportunity for injury.

7. Be the Hero

You don't need a cape and a flashy nickname to assume the role of hero. Just use your brain, your patience and your confidence to impress. Your natural super powers will have your date seeing stars. Kal-El ain't got nothing on your natural ability.

6. Physical Contact

For the same reason that people love to go to scary movies for first dates, the Escape Game will give you loads of opportunities for physical contact. When the chill factor starts to rise, humans naturally huddle up. It's in our DNA. Not too many threats at Starbucks, but in The Asylum, fear reigns. Get scared, get close and see where the night takes you.

5. No Pregnant Pauses

You've finished dinner and are waiting for the cheque. You've exhausted your first-date banter. The silence makes you squirm in your chair. This is not how you planned to end the night.  At Krakit, you will be so focused on the game at hand, you won't have time for awkward conversation pauses. With 45 minutes to break out, you'll need every second.

4. Social Barrier Break Down

Traditional first dates are all about keeping your cards close, not revealing too much and playing a safe game, with the hope of securing a second date. But do you really know the person after a quick meet-and-greet? Not likely. But throw yourself and your new friend into an escape challenge and all the cards are on the table.

3. Zombies

Really, who doesn't love zombies.

2. Instant Bond

The best thing about the Vancouver Escape Challenge is that it's a cooperative environment.  It's not like pool or bowling where you play against each other. You will only succeed if you work together - lessons learned from the Walking Dead.

1. Monday Morning

People love to share their experiences. Why not arrive at work on Monday with a hilarious escape story? We say Monday morning, but with social media it will probably be five minutes after the date is done. Give him or her something to share. A unique tale of escape will linger far longer that that first-date coffee breath.