Room Escape Artist

An interested party

Location: Bethesda, MD

Date Played: July 15, 2025

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

We here at Room Escape Artist have long been fans of Encrypted Escape in Reading, Pennsylvania (reviews). When we heard that Encrypted Escape purchased and began overhauling an escape room company in Bethesda, Maryland, we figured we’d stop by while passing through the region.

Encrypted Escape hadn’t yet completed all of the improvements that they have planned. However, we did get to experience their big new addition to the location: an overworld introduction space featuring a character known as the “Architect.”

This space and character functioned as the opening to each of the games at Encrypted Escape Bethesda, and it added a lot to the experience.

The Architect provided context to each adventure, and their banter with our group added a new dimension to each game that we played. This was in part due to the fact that the Architect would comment on our performance in the previous game. (We played multiple games at the location in one evening.) The Architect got to know our team, and worked that into our experience. All of our interactions were comfortable, allowing us to react without anyone feeling put on the spot.

Overall, the Architect provided an innovative way to introduce a performative element into an escape room company without injecting actors into the games. All of this was further elevated by the Architect having some degree of control over lighting and sound effects. Plus, the actor playing the role was superb.

Encrypted Escape is a work in progress, but I was happy to visit and play a few games (replaying Biker’s Revenge from Reading as well), even if it was only to see how they brought actors into their escape room facility, but not into their games.

Tips For Visiting

• Parking: There are parking garages and street parking available. If you park in a garage, be mindful of that garage’s closing time. We exceeded that time and had to burn some money and time to free our car.
• Food: Dog Haus Biergarten Bethesda had good food and quick service.

Book your hour with Encrypted Escape Bethesda’s, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Encrypted Escape Bethesda comped our tickets for this game.