Infamous misanthrope and cold-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge is back to his holiday hating ways and local Tri-Valley residents may be the only ones who can help by signing up for the virtual adventure "Saving Scrooge: A Holiday Haunt."

Created by Fantasy Escape Games, Saving Scrooge takes inspiration from Charles Dickens' famous novella "A Christmas Carol," blending together traditional escape room puzzling and problem solving with interactive narrative adventure in an online format.

An entirely virtual experience, the game allows groups of participants to work together to solve puzzles during a one-hour private experience held over Zoom.

"The game was so much fun to design. The story is inspired by Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol,' where grumpy old Scrooge refuses to participate in the holiday season. But this has a twist," said Jack McCarthy, a local escape room designer and Director at Fantasy Escape Games.

In this version, Scrooge has cast away the Christmas spirits and this time has magical traps to stop them from disturbing him. Players act as the Christmas spirits and will work together, along with a Game Master Guide, to solve puzzles and help Scrooge learn the true meaning of the holiday season.

The Game Master will serve as facilitator of the game and act as different characters to set the tone of the adventure while displaying puzzles on their screen for players to solve.

"Alongside using their logical skills to solve puzzles, players use their creative instincts to navigate the realities of being a spirit and interactions with characters. The virtual experience allows for limitless creative choices that can change the course of players’ adventures," McCarthy said.

Puzzle difficulty is adjustable, making it an experience accessible for kids as well as adults.

Tickets are between $15 to $18 per person, and private group games are available seven days a week, including the weekend. Saving Scrooge: A Holiday Haunt is set to run through Jan. 10. Residents can purchase tickets or learn more online at www.fantasyescapegames.com.