Each quest has it’s own story, solve the challenge or stay trapped in the room. Guests at Paranormal Quest can pick a theme, and work together with a team to beat the challenge.
The Journey
Paranormal Quest started in May 2015, and has been open for four months. As a new attraction in Atlanta, it started off with just one quest, and after the gaining a larger public following it added a new game. The two games are Zombie Apocalyptic and Inception, and this month they included a new addition to the Zombie quest which features a live, flesh eating zombie actor.
Dmitry Mikhaylov, owner and mastermind behind paranormal quest, moved from Russia 12 years ago. Through the years Mikhaylov worked many jobs, after losing his job as a regional major at a production plant, he started a real estate company. Mikhaylov traveled to New York, for a real estate seminar, while he was in Manhattan he used tripadvisor to find something to do.
“I found [an] [attraction] called ‘Escape The Room,’ so I decided to go, and I really liked it,” Mikhaylov said. “ From the moment I finished it I said to myself, ‘I need to do something like that.’
Mikhaylov runs a full-time business and is looking to start franchise with people who are serious and interest in his vision. With his background in construction and business operation, Mikhaylov wants to create other quests.
“The value [of] a quest takes a lot of inspiration, time, and effort to create a story that is going to be appealing to the clients. It’s pretty exciting and people get scared,” Mikhaylov said. “You have to get inside of our secure facility, while resisting zombie attacks.”
A Game of Wits
Paranormal Quest requires team building, which is why corporations utilize the game. The interactive experience requires teamwork and critical thinking. The simulations are designed to create a realistic experience that is unique from other “escape the room” attractions in Atlanta.
“It’s not like bowling or movies, it’s team building,” Mikhaylov said. “What’s cool is that it opens up a different side of [people].
What makes Paranormal Quest different from other quest attractions in Atlanta is their use of modified technology called Arduino, which is a microcomputer that controls the entire game. Cameras monitor the game and it’s players, as they maneuver through electronic doors that open when activated by an access code. The system also alerts the players on the amount of time left in the game.
“Everything is computerized, [when] the doors open it’s like a huge security system- doors, hand scanners, everything works together,” Mikhaylov said. “ So once you pass the hand scanner [the] system recognizes it and plays audio which tells you to do something [or] that you’ve completed the task.”
Technology
Paranormal Quest has specific program apps designed specifically for the game. The entire experience is collaborative, with specific details created just for the game. Mikhaylov, worked with app developers to create a one of a kind simulation that engages players.
“I had some software created on the iPad which [was] created for my needs,” Mikhaylov said. “I built an analyzer on paper, and sent it to a few shops that could produce it for me, all the dimensions [were] done [by] [me].”
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Steven Dunigan, employee at Paranormal Quest, does everything from booking people to running games, resetting rooms and rewriting story lines.
“It’s fun, majority of the clients are all in a good mood, [and] the days go by quick,” Dunigan said. “ We’re all here to have fun.”
Kristen Harley and Kevin O’Lone, were winners of the zombie apocalypse room escape.
“It was fun [and] challenging, I was worried it would be too easy, [and] be a waste of time, they really set up a good room,” O’Lone said.
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DIFFERENT SIMULATIONS
The back stories, props and puzzles were created by Mikhaylov. Each quest has a different setting, with different games. Before clients enter the Zombie Apocalypse quest, they have to open the door that leads into a secure facility; clues are strategically placed to make the game more challenging. After the group gets into the room, they have to solve another puzzle using props, hidden keys, instructions and more before reaching the next level. The each game is challenging yet exciting for those who want to escape
- “Zombie Apocalypse”
A team of survivors, have to break into a government research center. Outside of the center the world has been infested with zombies.As the team maneuvers through security access, obstacles and more they have to get the cure before it is lost forever. The team is given 60 minutes. The average success rate for this quest is 37 percent.
- “Inception”
Solve a murder, and find the criminal. Enter the dream world to solve a murder and find a criminal, within 60 minutes, teams are given challenging activities. As the clock races, the time to solve the murder or stay in the dream word is crucial. Teams have 60 minutes to solve the murder. The average success rate is 28 percent.
- “Escape a room with a zombie”
This game is similar to the zombie apocalypse quest, the only difference is the live zombie actor. The team has to solve the game while resisting the zombie.
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INFO
-To schedule a quest contact Escape Room Atlanta
-Hours: Weekdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Weekends, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
-Location: 72 Broad Street SW, Atlanta, Ga 30303
