A VR escape room in Manchester takes the escape room idea and removes the walls. At meetspaceVR Manchester, just off Corporation Street, your team puts on VR headsets and lands inside the story: a cyberpunk city, an abandoned nuclear plant, a prison, Wonderland. You find the clues, solve the puzzles and escape together, without ever leaving the venue. This guide covers how it works, which games you can play and how to choose the right one for your group.
How a VR escape room in Manchester works
The mechanics are the same as a classic escape room. A team of 2 to 4 players has 60 minutes to complete a mission by working together. However, instead of a decorated room, you explore a fully immersive virtual world. You can move around, pick up objects and talk to your teammates throughout the game, so the immersion is immediate.
A session lasts 60 minutes in total: around 5 to 10 minutes of orientation, where the staff show you the basics, then around 50 minutes in-game. Consequently, no VR or gaming experience is needed. The games are intuitive and the team at the venue sets you up before the mission begins. There is no guarantee you will escape in the hour, though, and that is part of the fun.
There is one more advantage over a physical escape room. A physical room can only be played once. Here, the same space offers a whole catalogue of games, so you can come back and play something new every time.
The VR escape room games you can play in Manchester
All the meetspaceVR escape games are available at the Manchester venue. The current line-up includes:
- Adventure. Escape the Worlds, Dream Hackers, Cyberpunk, Mission Sigma, Alice in Wonderland, Jungle Quest, The Prison, Chernobyl, Survival and Christmas.
- Horror. House of Fear, House of Fear: Call of Blood, House of Fear: Cursed Souls and Sanctum.
For families and first-timers, Jungle Quest (ages 10+) is the safest choice, and it suits complete beginners in VR. Christmas is also rated 10+ and has the highest success rate at 95%. For the biggest challenge, Alice in Wonderland has the lowest success rate, just 28%. Meanwhile, horror fans can pick any of the House of Fear games or Sanctum, all rated 16 and over.
If your group has never played an escape room before, start with an adventure game and keep the horror titles for a second visit. In short, pick the story that fits the group, not the scariest one on the list.
Where to find meetspaceVR Manchester
The venue is at Unit 4, Millow Street, Manchester, M4 4DR, in a small hospitality and retail park just off Corporation Street in central Manchester. Turn into Millow Street from the corner of Red Bank Road and Corporation Street, and the entrance is through the first gate on the right. There is free on-site parking for the duration of your visit, and Victoria Station is the nearest train station.
Opening hours are Wednesday to Friday from 12pm to 9pm, Saturday from 10am to 10pm and Sunday from 10am to 8pm. The venue is closed on Monday and Tuesday, although it opens on those days during school holidays and for group bookings and private hire. Weekend afternoons fill up first, so book ahead.
Who it suits: friends, families, birthdays and work teams
A VR escape room works for almost any group. With friends, it beats another night out. With family, the puzzles give adults and kids an equal part to play, and under 14s simply need an adult with them, who does not have to play. Moreover, the events team can tailor a package for birthdays and group bookings, and you can combine the escape room with the Zero Latency free-roam arena at the same venue.
For work teams, the format has a clear edge over a standard team-building day. Inside the game there are no job titles. Whoever communicates best gets the team out, and that becomes obvious within the hour.
Tips before you book your VR escape room in Manchester
- Choose the game for the group. Adventure for mixed ages, horror for groups who want a scare, Alice in Wonderland for a real challenge.
- Teams of 2 to 4. If you are more, book several games in the same slot and compare times afterwards.
- Check the age rating. Most games are 12+, Jungle Quest and Christmas are 10+, the horror games are 16+.
- Arrive early. Check-in and orientation happen before your start time.
- Prices vary by day and venue. Tickets are £25 to £32 per person, and the exact price shows when you pick a date and time.
VR escape room Manchester FAQs
Do I need VR or gaming experience?
No. The games are easy to pick up and the staff set you up before the mission starts. As a result, anyone can play from the first minute.
How many people can play?
Each game is built for 2 to 4 players working as a team. Larger groups split across several games in the same slot.
How long does it last?
A session is 60 minutes, including orientation. Allow a little over an hour at the venue.
Can we combine it with other experiences?
Yes. meetspaceVR Manchester is also home to the Zero Latency free-roam VR arena, and many groups play both in the same visit.
Ready for a VR escape room in Manchester that is nothing like the rest? Pick your game and book your session: book meetspaceVR Manchester now.
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