While the mechanics of Irish dating tend to pivot around drinks and more drinks, the opportunity to experience someone’s company in both sobriety and sunlight has its perks.

What to do in alcohol’s absence however is the ultimate quandary – so every week, we come up with some suggestions for you.

This week: The Adventure Rooms

The Adventure Rooms are tricky to write about, because any details I give you might just impair your enjoyment of the game itself – basically, though, it involves being locked into a room, and having 60 minutes to use a series of clues and puzzles to engineer your escape.

To do that successfully you’ll need logic, some lateral thinking, a pinch of creativity, some general knowledge and most importantly of all: teamwork. But I’ll shut up now before I spoil the fun on everyone.

What I can tell you is this: it’s the best damn 60 minutes I’ve spent in Dublin in the last year, if not more.

Getting there

Located on Little Britain Street, just off Capel Street, the Adventure Rooms are within easy reach of most city-centre bus routes or the Luas (Jervis being the closest station). It’s located right beside LOAM Advertising, and has a red door.

Mind you, if you can’t find your way to the front door without a struggle, then abandon all hope of actually succeeding in the game itself.

Risk Assessment:

As first dates go, they don’t come much more risky than this. You’re locking yourself into a room with someone you’ve just met for the first time, and subjecting yourselves to an entire hour of puzzles, mental tests and teamwork challenges. To say it’s risky would be the biggest understatement since some guy in Pompeii said it was “a little cloudy” outside.

That said, it’s an absolutely fantastic idea for a third or fourth date, should you make it that far – it could still break you as a couple, but you could also discover some hitherto unknown compatabilities as a team.

If things aren’t going well?

Ha! You’re on your own there, buddy. If anything, it'll provide you with an added motivation to get the bejaysus out of there.

Scene and Be Seen:

Since this is a darkened room, locked from the outside, you really need not worry about being spotted by anybody you know.

Where next?

So you’ve emerged from the room with mere seconds to spare, having worked beautifully as a team and having realised you quite like this person. Well done, you.

The adrenaline will be pumping, and you’ll be beaming stupidly at how much fun you’ve had, so take your good mood and deposit it in The Black Sheep, the excellent Galway Bay craft pub that’s just metres away.

Study required?

You could really cheat and find someone who’s played the game, or possibly swot up online, in order to impress your date with your savvy skills. But to do that would be to deprive yourself of an enormously fun experience – so don’t.

If you really want to sharpen your critical thinking, though, play Agent Tethers on the iPad, crack out an old Professor Layton game on the Nintendo DS, or play one of the many online puzzle games you can find on the interweb.

Clothes:

There aren’t any physical endeavours in this game, but you may be running around a bit as the time limit approaches – so just don’t wear stilettos, and you should be grand.

Cost:

This depends on the number of people playing, but we’re talking about a date here – so, for a two-person game, it’s €25 a head. Pricey, but worth that and a whole lot more.

Best possible scenario:

You play, you work as a team, you bond, you have the best fun you’ve had in months, and realise that this fledgling romance might just go the distance.

Worst possible scenario

You get stuck at the first puzzle, and you’re both appalled at your mutual inability to solve even the most rudimentary of life’s problems. You never speak to one another again, and shudder every time you’re in a dark room with the door closed for the rest of your life.

Verdict

Risk it, do it, then despair at the fact you can’t do it again.

And if you can't bring yourself to go on a date, do it with some pals or colleagues – for more, check out the website here.