Easier than The Binding Coil of Bahamut.
The Final Fantasy XIV Real Escape Game US tour kicked off at the end of E3 in Los Angeles, in parallel with the new FFXIV Online expansion, Stormblood. If you attempted to save Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda real escape game, you’ll be somewhat familiar with how Trials of Bahamut will play out, as both were created by escape room designers SCRAP. Here’s what you should know if you’re thinking of queueing up for this real-life challenge.
1. Trials of Bahamut is Not a Traditional Escape “Room”
Don’t expect a private experience in a small room. Trials of Bahamut is a real escape game, set in a large room with dozens of parties of six seated at tables. There are plenty of set pieces and in-character costumers to interact with, but there are more word and number puzzles to be solved at the table than hands-on puzzles around the space. Your goal is to solve the puzzles, unlock the items you need, and use your wit to conquer Bahamut at the end of the dungeon.
2. You Can Queue Alone
Parties usually consist of four or eight in the FFXIV game, but for Trials of Bahamut, a full party requires six. Don’t worry if you can’t rally five others to venture with, as the SCRAP team will work to create teams of at least four before the challenge begins. Most people attending are fans of Final Fantasy or puzzle rooms, so you should be in good company! Communication is key, just like it is when solo queuing for a dungeon in FFXIV. Keep in mind though it is best to be in a full party of six, and if you don’t arrive with one, there’s no guarantee you’ll be seated with one.
3. You Get to Choose a Class
Classic Final Fantasy classes or jobs must be claimed at the beginning of your quest, and each has an assortment of unique skills. Some are pulled straight from the game, like the Black Mage’s Bio and the Paladin’s Limit Break. Each class is needed to succeed, so you may have to double up on jobs if you don’t have six people.
4. There’s a Hint Station
If your party ever gets so frustrated they’re about to rage quit, you can always visit the hint station. The hints aren’t full-on solutions, but they may incite the epiphany your group needs, lowering the difficulty just enough to make Trials of Bahamut accessible to a much wider puzzle-solving audience.
5. There’s Original Story Content
SCRAP had in-game footage created specifically for the intro and conclusion of the Trials of Bahamut, and it features the return of a few official voice actors. Expect the leaders of the Grand Companies of Eorzea, Admiral Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn, Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna, and Flame General Raubahn Aldynn to take important roles in your (short) story. There’s also an adorable cowardly Moogle named Mog!
6. You Might Leave With a Signed Poster
Each game ends with a raffle for a Trials of Bahamut poster signed by Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P), the director and producer of FFXIV. If luck isn’t in your favor, you can always purchase (an unsigned) Trials of Bahamut poster instead.
7. Anyone Can Enjoy Trials of Bahamut
Our group consisted of a FFXIV player, a puzzle-room enthusiast, a gamer, and none-the-above, and we all had a good time finagling the puzzles, running solutions to proctors, and even performing some light roleplaying. There’s enough variety of things to do that everyone felt involved and useful, and Trials of Bahamut is just challenging enough to inspire a sense of accomplishment with each step in the right direction. Most experienced puzzle solvers won’t feel a need to use the Hint Station, though, and you definitely don’t need in-depth knowledge of Final Fantasy to succeed.
Interested in tackling the Trials of Bahamut to save Eorzea? The Real Escape Game is coming to seven more cities including San Francisco, Orlando, and more. You can see those FFXIV Trials of Bahamut dates here. Though Trials of Bahamut is unlikely to see more cities, SCRAP producer Doc Preuss said they’d love to add more convention stops, like they’re doing with Anime Expo in Los Angeles July 1-July 3.
Can’t make it to any of the FFXIV Trials of Bahamut games? Check out these epic Final Fantasy cosplays and all of IGN’s coverage for Final Fantasy XIV Online: Stormblood.
Casey DeFreitas is an Associate Editor at IGN, and is getting back into tanking with her Miqo’te Warrior. Find her on Twitter.
