FAQ
Them: An escape game is a room that has been decorated to look like a Hollywood movie scene (hopefully). There will be a series of puzzles that need to be completed as quickly as possible, and a countdown clock on the wall usually ticks down from 60 minutes to create a sense of urgency. The ultimate goal is to escape the room before time runs out.
You will have a game master who may or may not be paying attention to you, and they will communicate with you through a television screen or an iPad. You will be limited to 3 clues, and every other clue will cost you time off your game. Some puzzles won’t make any sense, and some drawers and cabinets will be left open.
Prototype: Prototype Escape Games specializes in Non-linear escape rooms. You will step foot into another world and utilize a tremendous amount of teamwork to complete multiple puzzles simultaneously – Nobody will be standing around twiddling their thumbs. You may not even be human – you may be a pack of puppies. There will be no countdown clock on the wall, but you will be timed in a way that correlates with the room’s theme. You will be interacting with technology, as well as padlocks and live actors during your stay with us.
Clues are unlimited and will not count against you. You may ask for as many, or as few, as you would like to. We will ask you if you’d like us to nudge you if you start falling behind or if you’d like us to speak when spoken to.
We will respond when you ask for help because, at Prototype, each game master is limited to monitoring one game at a time.
We check and double-check every room for accuracy before your group (and only your group) enters the room.
At Prototype Escape Games, we want you to know what an escape room should feel like.
We are open by appointment only. You must complete a booking online prior to arrival. We do not have staff on-site who can assist with walk-ins.
Yes, we accept cash, but with limitations:
We don’t keep cash on-site, so exact change is required. For reservations, a card deposit is necessary to secure your timeslot. You can pay any remaining balance in cash upon arrival.
If you prefer to pay entirely in cash, you can’t make an advance reservation. You’ll need to book on-site, subject to availability. To guarantee your preferred time and room, we recommend using a card for the full payment or at least the deposit.
Please note: Our game masters work on-call. There may not always be someone at the escape room to accept cash payments. For this reason, making a reservation in advance is strongly preferred.
Yes. You can book online and pay for the entire group all at once, or you may call us, and we can accept a non-refundable deposit for the cost of two (2) people to reserve your timeslot. The rest of your group can pay upon arrival. Call us at (904) 240-4448, and we can help you process a deposit.
Yes. We can add on people when you arrive, and they can pay upon arrival.
Every game at Prototype is a private experience. You will only play with the people you bring and our live actors.
- Children ages 5-14 must be accompanied by a paying adult 18 years or older.
- Teens aged 15-17 may play without an adult as long as an adult 18+ fills out their waivers on-site.
Blackout is rated PG-13, but we allow the parents to make the best decisions for their children.
Cannibals in the Catacombs is a niche game, and due to the nature of this game, it is not recommended for children under 17, but parents can make the best choice for their children. MINORS MUST HAVE A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN SIGN THEIR WAIVER AND GIVE VERBAL VIDEO-RECORDED CONSENT ON-SITE. CHILDREN UNDER 12 WILL NOT BE PERMITTED WITH OR WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT.
Every game has a minimum of 2 rooms.
A typical experience lasts between 60 minutes, but we have things to talk about before you get into your game room. Plan to be here a minimum of 75 minutes.
We are located on the corner of Saint Johns Bluff Rd. South & Beach Blvd. next to Si Senor and Johnny Angels Diner. 15-Minutes from Jacksonville Beach and 7-Minutes from the St. Johns town center.
Note: We are NOT located in the St. Johns Town Center, that is our friends The Escape Game, We are located a stone’s throw away from them.
We have four games to choose from at Prototype: Dog Days, Cannibals In The Catacombs, Locker Room, & Blackout.
Each game can accommodate different group sizes. Some games can hold 8 players, while others can hold 12+. Check the details for each game for a more specific answer, or give us a call at 904-240-4448.
We can accommodate most group sizes.
You will never be “locked” inside a room. The doors to the escape room are never locked. Portions of Cannibals in the Catacombs involve being separated from your group and confined to small spaces, but there are easy ways out of these spots for safety.
Your objective is never to get out of the room. Think of rooms at Prototype like a video game at home – You can turn off the Xbox and walk away, but that won’t help you beat the game.
Our staff is made up of actors and actresses. Your experience will include a live actor/actress in some capacity.
- Live Actors/Actresses
- Multiple rooms per game
- Lighting and automation
- Dynamic sets, stories, characters, and stakes
- Built like a GAME, not like a room with puzzles in it
Prototype Escape Games is Jacksonville’s only independently owned escape room. Everything at Prototype comes from the mind of our owner, Joseph W. Brazfield, who wanted to bring the escape game experience of Hollywood, CA, to Jacksonville. We have one location: Duval.
We put a lot of time and work into our games, and for this reason, we ask that you lock your phone in one of our secure lockers before entering the room. You will always have the key to the locker, and our staff will not be able to open it when you are playing. We do this as a precaution to protect our games’ integrity and to ensure you have to interact with each other and work together to complete the room the way it was designed. No calculators or flashlights unless we have placed them within the room for you to use.
Believe it or not, we get asked this a lot. The answer is that it depends. Some games are more difficult than others but do not worry because clues are unlimited and do not count against you. We will always be available to help you out if you get stuck.
There are only two escape rooms in the city of Jacksonville that are independently owned and operated. Prototype Escape Games is not a corporation or a franchise. This allows us more freedom to refine and perfect our games as we deem necessary. We think this is a significant advantage in the escape game industry. Let’s talk about some things that make us different than other escape rooms:
- We have an intercom system.
You will be renting the room from us, none of our employees will be in the room with you. Using an intercom system allows us to implant an NPC (non-playing character) into our games. Every good story has a character that knows the lay of the land (e.g. Yoda, Dumbledore, Gandalf), this is our game master to you. Having the intercom allows us to give you a Yoda of your own (figuratively). - Clues are unlimited and do not count against you.
Your ability to complete the room is entirely in your hands. Ask for as many or as few hints as you would like. Many escape rooms portray an “Us vs. You” mentality, and we aren’t privy to that kind of attitude. - All of our games have [a minimum of] two rooms.
This SHOULD be an industry standard, sadly it is not and many escape rooms confine their guests to a single room. The scenery always changes during your 60-minute adventure with us. - We utilize lighting and automation.
We’ve noticed too many escape rooms that make you play in fluorescent lights. Not us. Lighting can transform a room from ordinary to extraordinary, so we invest a lot of time and resources into lighting and automation to make the room feel immersive. - The rooms have tech.
Tech is “magic”, so we utilize plenty of it in all our games. - We utilize live actors/actresses.
All of our games have actors/actresses to varying different degrees. This doesn’t mean that a member of our staff will be in the room with you, but they may pop in from time to time in character. - We pay attention to you.
If you ask for a clue, we will answer. Your game will have a dedicated game master whose only job is to help you, they will never be running more than one game at a time. - Our rooms are large.
Even our smallest room is bigger than most escape rooms. So you’ll have plenty of room to breathe. - All of our games are non-linear.
“I hate linear games, so I do not build them.” – Joseph W. Brazfield, Owner/Founder.
What this means is that at any given moment there are 2-7 things that could be done at the same time. No one in your group will be standing around – everyone will have something to do, and most of our puzzles require more than one person to complete – This is by design. We want you to work together.
“I could have easily fit 7 games in my building and made a bunch of money – but I didn’t want to do that. I’m not just an owner, but I’m also a player. I love escape rooms, so the thought of sacrificing the quality of my product for more money is not something I’m willing to consider. If I can afford to feed my dogs good food, I’m happy. The most important thing is to build games that I can be proud of.”
Joseph W. Brazfield, Founder
We believe in a parent’s right to choose what is okay for their children (within reason). We mark our games with ratings to advise parents what the game contains, and we let them make the choice. Cannibals in the Catacombs is the only game restricted to players 12+ (12-17 with parental consent)
No, we do not. We only have escape rooms, so cake and presents will have to be done at a different venue.
Locker Room will be the best choice for wheelchairs. Please contact us before booking if anyone in your group is bound to a wheelchair and we can assist you. (904) 240-4448
Cannibals In The Catacombs is a scary/horror-themed escape room with live scare actors.
Blackout and Dog Days are not horror-themed games but do contain jump scares.
Locker Room does not have any jump scares and is not scary.
Yes! Prototype Escape Games has a $3/off per player military discount for all active/retired military personnel. To utilize this discount, you will need to make your reservation over the phone.
Note: This discount is only offered to military personnel. It is not available for spouses, civilians, contractors, or dependents.
Patric Young is an angel investor that has helped to fund Prototype Escape Games. He is a good friend and is on-site occasionally. Patric is also involved in the creative process when considering new rooms.
Cannibals in the Catacombs FAQ
Yes. There may be several.
Yes, but not inappropriately or forcefully.
No. You paid us to scare you: Mission Accomplished.
Infants, toddlers, and elementary school children will be denied entry.
Cannibals in the Catacombs is not recommended for players under 17, but parents can make the best decisions for their children (as long as those children are not elementary-aged).
We find that parents severely underestimate this game. This is an extreme escape room, and it’s much scarier than a haunted house. This is a physical contact room that was made for adults, not children. Carefully consider if you want to allow your child to play this game.
Note: Parents or legal guardians must sign waivers and give verbal video-recorded consent on-site for minors. Minors CAN NOT arrive without their parent(s). A parent must be present to give consent. As long as everyone is over 15, minors can play without their parent, but the parent must still arrive to give consent in person.
No. Every aspect of the game is hardcoded into the game and is a necessary element. We cannot remove the scare actor(s), disable strobe lights, or eliminate electrical shocks. You will have to play the game in its purest form.
No. A substantial portion of the game requires a minimum of three players to complete. We recommend bringing 4 people just in case one team member cannot finish the game.
Cannibals in the Catacombs in our smallest room. We recommend 3-5 players for this game, so our maximum of 6 is already pushing the capacity for this game. We do not allow more than 6 players to play this room.
A sudden discharge of electricity through a part of the body.
It’s a bit more powerful than that.
It doesn’t hurt more than a broken heart.
This game is a bad choice for wheelchairs. It’s very small, and wheelchairs won’t be able to move around the room at all. If someone in your group is in a wheelchair, we recommend a maximum of 4 people.
Most puzzles in the room will be out of reach for those in a wheelchair.
It’s subjective. What’s bad for you may not be bad for me, and vice versa. We have customers who don’t think it’s that scary, and we have customers who scream at us, call us psychopaths, and run away screaming and crying (true story).
It all depends on the person.
No. Carry your ID everywhere.
No. We’d rather not be responsible for the years of therapy.
Still have questions?
Feel free to contact us today for more information about our unique escape games experience.
