After numerous bouts locked inside escape rooms everywhere from downtown Houston to London to Norway, Geraldine and Mike Roddie decided it was time to take their turns on the other side of the lock.

Last November, the Cypress transplants from England made plans to open Escape Now Houston, the first attraction of its kind in Cy-Fair.

“Most people either don’t know what an escape room is or have never tried it,” Geraldine said. “There isn’t anything like this out here.”

The owners described the concept as an interactive, real-life group gaming experience. At Escape Now, this means solving puzzles involving technology, padlocks and logic in two themed rooms.

In a Sherlock Holmes-themed room, players use clues to find the missing will of Lord Byron. Guests can also try to discover the secret chocolate recipe within the walls of a chocolate factory in another room. Participants must accomplish these goals in under 60 minutes to beat the clock.

Escape roomgoers might find the themes at Escape Now to be foreign and distinctive, which is exactly what the Roddies intended.

“We didn’t want a franchise with the same rooms everyone else has,” Geraldine said. “We started our own so we could create unique games.”

The Roddies looked abroad for more than just room themes. They found a designer in Europe who collaborated with them to create and eventually install the different elements in the two game rooms. Such attention to detail ensures the themes and puzzles were completely unique, unlike many of their competitors.

Preteen and older children stand a good shot of escaping the room without the help of adults, Geraldine said, but she recommends children younger than 12 to play with adults. However, no official age limit is in place.

Escape Now Houston had a soft opening mid-May and is preparing for its full opening later this month. Rooms are available for booking online for groups of two to 10 for $24 per individual. Plans also include hosting corporate events, which could entail themed refreshments, such as English tea for Sherlock players and a chocolate fountain dessert bar for chocolate factory players, Geraldine said.