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

Zombies and Puzzles and Swift! Oh my!

Pop singers routinely do intensive vocal exercises before preforming on tour. Actors repeatedly rehearse their lines before going on stage. Professional athletes practise and practise and practise some more. But how does one prepare for the thrilling challenge of the escape room? 

For success in our Vancouver escape room, Krakit has compiled a list of our top ten escape preparation tips. 

10. Sudoko 

There's a reason seniors snatch up Sudoko puzzles like they were free viagra. Sudoko keeps your mind active and alert.  The simple but challenging mind puzzles offer a break from the tech world. They also demand that your brain rely more on your memory than on your bandwidth. Think of them as yoga exercises for your mind.

9. Sit-ups

Killer abs are essential for escape room success. Tone them with simple sit-ups.

8. Source Material

Jack Skellington's adventure to Christmas Town is the source for this year's holiday escape room. Study up on the Oogie Boogie and all things Burtonesque. 

7. Pre-escape meal

Tis the season for turkey indulging, but make sure to stay away from the tasty bird before entering the escape room. Turkey is full of tryptophan, an amino acid that is renowned for inducing sleep. Load up on protein rich foods like eggs, nuts and yogurt instead. Raw vegetables are also good choices. Avoid fatty foods and sugary drinks.  

6. Sharing Circle

All of the escape rooms at Krakit in Burnaby are group orientated. Knowing your fellow players can be important for delegating tasks. A pre-escape sharing circle might shed some light on Brandon's coding talents or on Suzy's inability to handle pressure situations. 

5. Taylor Swift 

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22. Keep your youthful spirit jacked.  YOLO.

4. Hydration

Dehydration can seriously limit your body's ability to preform. Stay hydrated and keep your energy enzymes active. 

3. Mad Libs

You gotta stay loose before the big event. Don't let the room get in your head. Relax with some fill-in-the-blank fun. Houdini was a huge fan. Just saying...

2. Zombie Do's and Don'ts

Rule 1: Do your homework. There are plenty of movies out there to help you prep. Your list should definitely include "Dawn of the Dead," "World War Z" and "28 Days Later."

Rule 2: Don't turn your back on your friends. Especially Eddie.  

Rule 3: Do keep it together. Your first urge might be to scream in absolute terror, but where will that get you? Killed. That's where.

1. Get some sleep

Three Benefits of Escape Game Play (Besides Fun)

Escape games are skyrocketing in popularity around the world, and there’s good reason for it. Far from a simple form of entertainment, an escape room is an activity that offers a lot to its players. And with hundreds, if not thousands, of escape rooms popping up all over the world—from the first one in Japan (built in 2007) to Brazil, Australia, India, the UK, Singapore, and, of course, Canada—it is clear escape games have wide-ranging appeal.

The most obvious reason escape rooms are so popular is because they’re fun. But it’s not the only one.

Escape rooms are great for team building and bonding

Workplaces looking for a way to get their employees to work together—without the high stakes of a real-world project—are no strangers to pushing their staff into an escape room and throwing away the key. Why? Because there’s no way around teamwork in an escape game. If you don’t work together, you’re not getting out.

Plus, there’s scientific proof that experiences like escape games bond groups of friends and families by creating memories and genuine happiness. 

Escape games spark new neural pathways

Sure it’s fun to pretend you’re saving the world from the Zombie Apocalypse, but as you’re doing it, you’re also strengthening the problem-solving faculties of your brain. More specifically, escape games help to build highly important “fluid intelligence,” which you can learn more about here.

Escape rooms give you a rush of adrenaline—without the danger

Not all of us get our kicks from jumping out of planes. For those looking for a fun challenge and a completely safe way to get their heart rates elevated, an escape game is it. You’ve got limited time to get yourself out of a (fictional) dangerous scenario and the pressure is on—trust us, your fight or flight response will definitely kick in.

Book a genuinely fun, experience-making, brain-building outing at our Coquitlam escape room here.

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.

The Great Vancouver Escape (Game)

You may have heard about some heinous happenings taking place near the border of Burnaby and Coquitlam. A few unlicensed surgeries and some mystery meat being served here and there.

Luckily these diabolical events in Metro Vancouver are happening in the safety of Krakit Escape Game’s loving arms. We’ve captured some of the suspenseful—and bloody—moments on film for your viewing pleasure. It’s just a little taste of what awaits adventure-seekers in Krakit’s four escape rooms:

If you dare take on our Butcher room, you’ll find yourself locked in a meat cooler with an insane knife-wielding butcher itching to get you on his chopping block. For those who find the idea of a lobotomy less than appealing, our Asylum room will give you the right motivation to solve the clues and make your escape.

Maybe you’ve been planning for the Zombie Apocalypse since you were a child (who hasn’t, right?). If so, then our Zombie room provides just the chills and thrills you’ve been hoping for.

For those who like to have the bejeesus scared out of them minus the gore, we’ve created the perfect stomach-dropping moment in our One Night Stand room: figure out what happened last night before the game is up.

No matter which challenge you choose, you get 45 minutes to crack Krakit’s escape rooms. Escape games require a mix of ingenuity, smarts, and determination to solve. Put together the perfect team, and you just might have a chance of escaping the clutches of a bloodthirsty maniac or your own drunken decision. Only time will tell.

Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our next room theme, which will be ripe for cracking closer to September. After all, we just want to keep you on your toes at Krakit Escape Game—and maybe get a scream or two.

3 of 7: Helpful Hints to Prepare for the Apocalypse

This is a seven part series outlining survival techniques based on Maslow's hierarchy (beginning with physiological needs). In the final segments (self-actualization and self-fullfilment) I'll work my way into team building culture, role diversification/intelligent responsibility-delegation, and, above all, leadership techniques.

It’s been days, weeks, months since Satan has waged his war on humanity and you’ve finally become accustomed to your daily routine: it’s a never-ending daily cycle: you wake up to the cacophonous screaming of demons dispensed from the depths of hell and the walking dead bereaving their miserable souls within the traps you’ve placed, then you dispense heavenly justice and re-set each trap tripped and carry on. You’re well armed now, having escaped to loot a local gun shop and an abandoned grocery superstore store loaded with caches of food. You have found a fresh water spring by plowing through a wall in the basement of your school and are supplemented by a large supply of bottled water. But, you've become depressed from the sounds and situations around you and you’re dreadfully lonely. One day, having followed the dim glow from the your high nesting ground, a mother and her child arrive, chased by a small hoard of living dead.

• LOVE AND BELONGING: After vanquishing their pursuers with your small arsenal of defences, you, cautiously, examine the couple’s physicality. You prod them both with a series of questions you’ve prepared for such a situation, determining to a small extent that they are actual living humans. Nevertheless, you request they both remain in detention for a time until you can be absolutely sure they pose a minimal threat. On the first day of their arrival, you prudently lower food into their gymnasium cage via a rudimentary pulley system you’ve crafted referencing library books; you include within this exchange a change of clothing from the lost-and-found, clean blankets from the school’s dormitory, and a book. The mother expresses she’s broken her reading glasses and cannot read on her own; her young daughter is terrified. So, you read them a book aloud, daily, from the school’s library and observe calmness wash over their faces with each word you speak. After a week, you’ve developed a rapport with both of them, and release them from their lockup. The previous looming feeling of emptiness has disappeared. For the first time in months, you feel hope. Suddenly, the morning screaming doesn’t seem as bad.

The Escape Game Phenomenon

"Escape the Room" real-life challenges are becoming hugely popular around North America. The movement started in Asia, spread to Western Europe and popped up on the west coast in the last year or so.

The room challenges come on the heels of a widely successful online gaming genre where gamers must escape a certain set of parameters with only a limited amount of clues. The offline version is now eclipsing the popularity of its predecessor, as more gamers choose to do their sleuthing in person rather than from in front of a screen.

One of the major benefits of the 'real-life' experience is the social interaction. Sure the new console platforms come with helo-grade communication headsets, but they don't compare to the experience of climbing around a room with your friends, shouting out directions and laughing the whole time.

Jerry, from South Carolina, may come up with a few 'zingers', but Rich, your oldest friend, will always have you laughing the hardest. Especially when he references your high school awkwardness.

For parents, the escape rooms present an environment that is more controllable than the Internet. It is free of creepers (the two-legged kind) and online bullying opportunities. But the most encouraging thing for parents is the promotion of problem solving in a setting outside of the classroom. Kids get to work through the required tasks and ask for clues if they need them, so they don't get overly frustrated. They get to use all their education at once, to solve actual problems. And who knows, maybe one day they will be trapped in zombie apocalypse.

Some media analysts speculate that the immersive escape experience is an intermediate step between full-on virtual reality and the motion capture experience supplied by console apparatuses like the Wii. Technology can't quite offer the virtual experience console games tease us with. The analog purity of the first-person real-life experience is much more enticing.

But maybe the biggest draw is society's new desire to de-tech, especially after a long workweek staring at screens. The escape rooms provide a tech cleanse of sorts, where participants can turn away form their mobiles, detach from their social media platforms and tune back to the thrill of real life experience.

If you haven't tried this latest craze, you really owe it to yourself to give it a whirl. Vancouver's top rooms are at Krakit. Come try one of the four escape puzzles and unplug for an hour of fun.