I didn’t even know that New York had a Korea Town. Heading to an undisclosed location for the immersive experience “Paradiso: Chapter 1”, one learns that there is indeed an NYC Korea Town, and one learns a good deal more. Not only about the city, but about yourself and the group of people you share this experience with.
I don’t want to spoil it by sharing too much here, but let’s go with the basics.
A scene from Paradiso: Chapter 1, an immersive thriller created and directed by Michael Counts, happening at an undisclosed location in NYC. (
www.ParadisoEscape.com) Photo by Caleb Sharp
Paradiso: Chapter 1 is not a traditional Escape Room exercise. It is an interactive theater / nested puzzle box experience. During your hour you move through a series of rooms not by rewiring or destroying anything. Instead, you must solve mental challenges that open doors and new challenges. Each leads you ever deeper into a complex emergency situation.
You start as applicants to The Virgil Corporation, greeted by your traditional corporate drones. And your team is giving a basic exercise that is part team building and part level setting. How does your team do under pressure, who are natural leaders? You find out by doing, sweating under a count down timer.
I found the experience to be great fun. I played with a couple people who were, admittedly, bad at group problem solving and some others that had been in traditional escape rooms. Everyone had a great time (although we were ultimately unsuccessful).
Michael Counts has created an experience that is both unique and a huge rush. It is creepy great fun at a great price. I highly recommend it to anyone that might think it sounds remotely interesting. And I, personally, cannot wait for the Chapter 2.
Paradiso: Chapter 1
Creator: Michael Counts (with Rabbit Immersive)
