Operation Dead Drop has the unique place in this year’s Fringe of being an entirely immersive and interactive street based game. There are a few actors of sorts in this whose job it is to chase us around the city in an attempt to catch and deduct points from teams – and it is this which brings the element of escape. In contrast to most of these type of escape games, teams are not escaping a room or venue and with the exception of an initial briefing, all of the action takes place outside and is predominantly self-led.
The game, which has participants hunting for the answers to clues armed with a map, doubles as a sort of walking – and occasionally running – tour of the city and it’s imperative to come appropriately attired whether rain or shine. It’s also imperative to have a smartphone with both enough charge and enough mobile data (WiFi connection isn’t possible due to constantly moving around) to last a full hour of constant use. The details required to search and input answers to the clues are all contained within a website and so we must stay logged into and refer to that regularly. Switching to another team member’s phone halfway through is possible though and the facilitators can provide paper copies if the phone option isn’t viable, but you’ll need to ask.
Thankfully as we arrive at the end, thirsty and sweaty, the well prepared Can You Escape? team are waiting with much needed bottles of water and deodorant. Fans of “escape the room” games could find this disappointing, as it’s not quite as original or clever and indeed a very different experience. Scuttling around the packed narrow streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town at its busiest time of year and being chased will not be everyone’s idea of a good time, so it’s important to know exactly what this is and isn’t and to come prepared for that. But for those who love this kind of challenge and hilarity, this is lots of fun and even gives us a great workout for both body and mind.