Room Escape Artist

Boston, Massachusetts, once again played host to the PAX East convention, and I was there with my fellow REA writer and videographer Steve Ewing. Together we spent three days walking the expo floor, attending panels, and seeing the sights around the convention center. We loved being able to get our hands on up and coming video games, and that experience was made even better when we had the opportunity to talk to the developers themselves about their games. With many of the big publishers and platforms – like Nintendo and Sony – pulling back from conventions like this, the floor is more open to small and midsize developers and publishers. PAX East gives attendees the opportunity to talk to these developers in person and not just understand the motivation behind the games, but also to tap into the passion behind their projects.

This motivation and passion is perhaps on display most at the PAX Rising Showcase, a curated selection of games chosen by the PAX Team. These games are clustered together in a special section of the expo floor and are always worth spending time playing. I’ve highlighted three games with interesting puzzle elements from the PAX Rising Showcase below.

As expected, there were not many pure escape room games to talk about (but there was one!). However, there were some worthwhile puzzle games and narrative-focused games worthy of reporting on here.

Very Puzzle-y Games

AI2U

AI2U, from developer AlterStaff, was an AI-powered escape room game. The base game came with three scenarios: an apartment, a space station, and a witch’s cabin. In each scenario, a different anime-style “cute girl” has you trapped and you need to escape. This avatar acts as a sort of in-room game master (offering you hints as needed) but also an antagonist (her objective is to keep you in the room). The “AI” in AI2U comes from this NPC being AI-powered. You can chat with her via text or voice input and an AI response is generated. I did not have success asking my AI hologram in the space station for help; she would tell me the first task I had to complete, but was unhelpful in actually directing me where to go. As time passed, she became increasingly frustrated with me. Eventually she hit me and then released a monster into the station, and that monster killed me. This was unlike all other escape room games I have played, and not in an endearing way. The concept was interesting but not what I was expecting. AI2U is currently in early access on Steam.

oneway.exe

oneway.exe was a puzzley narrative horror game from Disordered Media and featured in the PAX Rising Showcase. It followed the story of a computer game from the 90s that had development on it stop abruptly. Players were tasked with investigating what happened to the three developers and why they stopped. The demo was split into multiple chapters, each being centered around a character from the game and set in a room themed to that character. I played the Spiderface chapter, which I was told was the most puzzle-focused and difficult. It had a dark and gory murder theme that culminated in a logic puzzle using clues I had found throughout the room. I enjoyed my experience, but I wasn’t sure what I was doing in the grand sense and how the puzzle connected to the overall story of the game in development. There is a demo available on Steam, and I’ll be keeping my eye out for the full release of oneway.exe.

Whirlight – No Time to Trip

PAX East is big, and even after wandering around for two full days there were new things to find – even at PAX Rising, where I always try to spend plenty of time. Whirlight – No Time To Trip, developed and published by imaginarylab, was a point-and-click adventure game in the style of the old Sierra Interactive games. It told the story of Hector, an inventor who somehow time travels into the 90s and meets up with an artist named Margaret, and adventures ensue. Whirlight – No Time to Trip is releasing in 2025, and a demo is currently available on Steam.

Puzzle Games

Bytebond

Bytebond, developed by DVD Unicorns, was a highlight of the large Games from Poland booth. This was a two-player couch co-op game in which my teammate and I played as tiny robots who had to regain control over an infected CPU. The challenge was in working together to move power and other resources from generators to devices that would help us move further into our environment. My teammate and I didn’t know each other, but we quickly built up a rapport and system for working together and we really enjoyed our time with the demo. Bytebond is launching on Steam in 2025, and a demo is already available.

Choose Your Own Adventure

This one is not a video game, but the well-known (and trademarked) book series, Choose Your Own Adventure. CYOA was at PAX East to promote the re-release of the original book in the series, The Cave of Time. Originally published in 1979, it has been out of print since 2000. The CYOA series might not be a video game, but it can be considered a seminal text in the field of interactive narrative gaming. We are looking forward to its re-release. It goes on sale on August 5, 2025, but you can preorder it at the Choose Your Own Adventure website.

Strings Theory

This game originally came out in 2021, but it was also highlighted at the Games from Poland booth. Developed and published by BeautifulBee, Strings Theory was a game about elemental particles of the universe working together to collect energy and move on to the next abstract level. Each string had a unique power that allowed it to traverse or change special sections of the map, and the challenge was in figuring out how to use these powers to collect all the energy and then exit out of the stage’s wormhole. Strings Theory is out now, and there is also a demo available on Steam.

Hoard’s LLC: Limited Labyrinth Corporation

Hoard’s LLC promised to deliver a combination not typically seen in games: dungeon puzzling and unionization. Developed and published by Cephalopod Ink, the primary mechanic in Hoard’s LLC is tile rotation with the intent of creating a safe (spike trap free) path forward to the next level of the dungeon. The demo let me play through a few levels of this, and also introduced me to some supporting dungeon coworkers: a grindset-minded mimic and the disembodied voice of our domineering CEO. It was quickly obvious why a workplace like this needed a union. There is currently no demo available, but you can add Hoard’s LLC to your wishlist and see gameplay videos on Steam.

Lighthaze World

My demo experience of Lighthaze World was emblematic of the benefit of the rise of the indie developers at PAX East. This game, developed and published by Radiobush, was an unassuming cozy sokoban (block-pushing) game set in a verdant and calming world. While I waited in line to play I talked to the developer. He told me that the inciting event of the game – the main character having an anxiety attack in a crowded place and imagining himself in this green and peaceful place – was inspired by real events. Knowing that put a different spin and a personal touch to the game. You can wishlist Lighthaze World on Steam.

Light Puzzle Games

Cappy and Tappy: Temples of Peril

Another entrant at the PAX Rising Showcase, Cappy and Tappy was a one or two player build your own platformer. One player controlled a crane that directed Tetris-like pieces into a platform for the other player to navigate. In single player mode, both of these roles were filled by the player. From First Pancake Studios, this was a cute game (the protagonists were a capybara and a tapir) that encouraged couch co-op. Cappy and Tappy releases in 2026 on Steam, but there is a demo available right now.

Nekomancer of Nowhere

It is physically impossible for me to not 1) play a game with a black cat protagonist, and 2) report on that game here. Thankfully, Standing Cat was demoing Nekomancer of Nowhere, an action-adventure game about a magical kitty. The cat is a necromancer and the puzzles were based on movement around small stages as I switched between the Light World and the Dark World. Hopping between these worlds changed the enemies and wall layouts in the room, so the hopping between them allowed me to navigate each stage. Casting spells was done through drawing magical sigils and runes with the mouse. Nekomancer of Nowhere is coming out in 2025, and the demo is available on Steam right now.

Cat Secretary

Rounding out the notable games was another cat-centric game, Good Story Guild’s Cat Secretary. I played as a cat who had interviewed very well at a human company and had been hired as the new secretary. I spent the day doing office work (making coffee and fixing a router; a dexterity game and a memory game respectively) and in the evening I snooped around to gather dirt on your coworkers. The overarching story of this narrative adventure involved preventing the company I worked for from becoming an entirely AI-driven media company. The demo didn’t let me get too far into the story, but the premise (and kitty!) was interesting enough to land Cat Secretary on my wishlist. Cat Secretary has an anticipated release date of Fall 2025 on Steam.

Tips for Visiting

• Check out the panels! They go on all throughout the convention and there’s something for everyone.
• Check out the concerts! This year we saw Jonathan Coulton and Bit Brigade.
• Utilize the tabletop library. There are hundreds and hundreds of games there to rent out for free.
• Spend time in the PAX Rising section. This is a curated selection of games from smaller teams that are really doing things right.
• Parking is available but there’s usually a long line of traffic heading in. Public transportation to the convention center is bus only as there are no T stops closer than a 10 minute walk away.
• There are a few extremely local hotels that sell out fast so make your plans early.
• PAX East 2026 is scheduled for March 26-29, 2029. See you there!

Disclosure: PAX East provided a media pass.