Room Escape Artist

Escape room meets boss battle under the sea

Location: Emeryville, CA

Date Played: June 6, 2025

Team Size: 3-6; we recommend 4-6

Duration: 60 minutes

Price:  $37.95 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: None

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Lost Treasures was an escape room inside a real-life video game. Our team was charged with piloting a submarine to retrieve a series of artifacts while fending off attacks from denizens of the deep. A clever combination of video screens with physical objects extended the illusion of being underwater, creating an experience that was as immersive as it was charming. The Jules Verne-inspired set with its brass-trimmed aesthetic evoked a sense of fantastical exploration.

The pacing of the game varied greatly. Sometimes, we were calmly sailing through the depths. At other moments, we were frantically playing mini games to repair the ship’s damage. The mini games were slightly repetitive, though perhaps if we had been better at avoiding attacks from sea monsters, we might not have had to play them so often!

The interplay between digital and physical elements was both novel and engaging. It was a clever concept that was well executed and fun to experience.

Who is this for?

• Videogamers
• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Any experience level

Why play?

• This game had a unique structure, where completing the video game aspect was necessary to progress through the in person experience.
• It was a fun collaborative team game.

Story

Our goal was to explore an underwater labyrinth to locate the shards of an ancient tablet that held the secrets of the Mythonian civilization.

Setting

The game was played in the interior of a fantasy Jules-Verne-inspired submarine.

Gameplay

Red Door Escape Room’s Lost Treasures was an escape room structured like an adventure video game, with a moderate level of difficulty.

We had control over the direction we sailed… but we had to sail toward the monsters and fight them.

Some puzzles were traditional escape room puzzles; others were mini-game style tasks.

Analysis

➕ The pacing of this room was fun as it varied between moments of monster-fighting frenzy and calmer puzzle solving moments.

➕ The game design was done in such a way that every player had an opportunity to contribute to the outcome of each encounter.

➖ The game was linear, and could get slightly repetitive with the damage-fixing tasks. It parallels an actual videogame in that respect.

❓This was a single room game, which the game host made sure we were aware of, as we were going in. The physical space was generous so that was not an issue. Furthermore, our ship was already virtually exploring an underwater world, so as a player I was not missing the fun of discovering new spaces.

➕ The unique structure of the game design was a refreshing approach, especially since I have played and enjoyed such video games in the past.

Tips For Visiting

• There was street parking, but there were also public parking garages within walking distance of the venue.
• Red Door Emeryville was located in a shopping district and there were numerous eating establishments within walking distance.

Book your hour with Red Door Escape Room’s Lost Treasures, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.