Inside Xcape Room: THE BOARDING HOUSE (XÓM TRỌ)

Inside Xcape Room: THE BOARDING HOUSE (XÓM TRỌ)

Quick Facts

Immersive Story

An elderly couple desperately seeks the help of spiritual mediums to find their daughter, who disappeared from home years ago without a trace. They hope to reunite with her before their final days, or at minimum, locate her remains to properly honor her spirit. Using your abilities as psychics, you’ve traced clues leading to an old, run-down boarding house complex—a place heavy with secrets and spiritual energy.

However, your investigation faces an immediate obstacle: the boarding house landlord blocks your entry, suspicious of outsiders and fiercely protective of the property’s secrets. Your team decides on a bold plan—request to stay overnight at the boarding house under false pretenses. Once inside, you must secretly investigate the premises, uncover the shocking truth about the landlord’s dark secrets, and discover what really happened to the missing girl. But stealth is crucial. Strange occurrences plague this place, and being discovered could have dire consequences. What mysteries lurk within these cramped quarters, and can you find the truth without alerting the landlord to your true purpose?

What Makes This Unique

Xóm Trọ stands apart with its unique stealth investigation gameplay mechanic—you must conduct your search covertly while avoiding detection by the landlord NPC who patrols the space. This adds a layer of tension and time pressure uncommon in traditional escape rooms. The room captures the authentic atmosphere of Vietnamese boarding houses from past decades, complete with cramped quarters and period-appropriate details. The narrative interweaves spiritual medium roleplay with detective work, creating a distinctly Vietnamese cultural experience. The 2-NPC system includes both the suspicious landlord and potentially the spirit of the missing daughter, requiring players to navigate different types of interactions. This room emphasizes action-oriented gameplay and psychological tension over pure puzzle-solving.

Gameplay Insights

The puzzle style balances investigation with evasion—you must search for clues while remaining undetected by the patrolling landlord NPC. Timing becomes crucial as you coordinate movements between hiding and investigating. Puzzles involve discovering hidden compartments in the boarding house, uncovering the landlord’s secrets, and piecing together the daughter’s fate. The room requires significant teamwork and communication to manage the stealth elements effectively. Some players should act as lookouts while others search. The atmosphere is intensely claustrophobic, enhanced by the narrow boarding house setting and the constant threat of discovery. Game Masters provide hints, but the stealth mechanics add unique challenge beyond typical puzzle difficulty. Physical activity includes moving between rooms, hiding, and quick reactions to NPC movements.

Ideal For

• Larger Groups (6-8 players): More players allow better division of roles (lookouts, searchers, coordinators)
• Action-Oriented Teams: Players who enjoy dynamic, movement-based challenges over static puzzles
• Spiritual/Horror Fans: Those drawn to Vietnamese ghost stories and medium/psychic themes
• Experienced Escape Room Players: The stealth mechanic adds complexity; not recommended for first-timers
• High-Energy Groups: Requires sustained focus and quick coordination

Player Tips

• Assign roles early: designate lookouts to track the landlord’s location and searchers to investigate
• Communicate constantly but quietly—the landlord NPC is actively listening and watching
• Pay attention to the landlord’s patrol patterns; timing your searches around their movements is key
• Be prepared for claustrophobic spaces—authentic boarding house atmosphere means tight quarters
• The narrative is as important as puzzles; understanding the spiritual story aids in solving
• Use the 2-hour option if your group struggles with time pressure or wants less rushed gameplay
• Respect the cultural elements—this room draws heavily on Vietnamese spiritual beliefs

Important Details/Logistics

Group Requirements: 4-10 players; larger groups strongly recommended for stealth coordination
Duration Breakdown: 60 minutes standard; 2-hour combo reduces time pressure significantly
Accessibility: Narrow spaces reflecting authentic boarding house layout; not wheelchair accessible
Hearing/Vision: Important audio cues (landlord footsteps, spiritual sounds); darkness/dim lighting

Content Warnings: Spiritual/supernatural themes, missing person storyline, cramped spaces, stealth-induced stress, darkness
Language: Vietnamese-language dependent for NPC interactions; English support available but may impact immersion
Physical Requirements: Ability to move quietly, crouch/hide, navigate narrow spaces quickly
What’s Provided: Atmospheric boarding house set, period props, spiritual investigation theme elements

Ratings & Social Proof

✓ “From the chilling suspense to role-playing psychics discovering the shocking secret of the landlord”—Vietcetera feature
✓ Room emphasizes action and stealth elements uncommon in traditional escape rooms
✓ Praised for authentic Vietnamese boarding house atmosphere and cultural storytelling

Note: This room’s stealth mechanics may frustrate players expecting traditional puzzle-focused gameplay. The NPC interaction requires patience and roleplay engagement.

Pricing

Same pricing structure as Liên:

1-Hour Session:

• Weekdays: 169,000 VND per person
• Weekends: 189,000 VND per person

2-Hour Combo:

• Weekdays: 249,000 VND per person
• Weekends: 269,000 VND per person