Room Escape Artist

Well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous.

Spoilers Club

Lisa Spira
13 minutes

In this monthly Patreon exclusive podcast, REPOD co-hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law discuss an escape room in great detail, spoilers and all. They often bring on the show’s creator to go behind the scenes.

To listen to this show, back Room Escape Artist on Patreon at the “Search Win!” level ($15 per month) and you’ll get access to all the Spoilers Club episodes.

We also have a Discord channel where we chat about these escape rooms when a new episode is released. And of course, spoilers are welcome!

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Episodes

Click on the name of the game to listen to that Spoilers Club.

Episode 36

Stay in the Dark Part 1, DarkPark (Vlaardingen, Netherlands)

Dramatically lit factory
Source: Stay in the Dark / DarkPark

DarkPark owner and Stay in the Dark creator Gijs Geers joins us to spoil this absolute monstrosity of a game. Gijs walks us through the inception of this game and talks about discovering the location, a five story abandoned chemical factory which is a defining characteristic of this game. The scale and immersion factor of Stay in the Dark is mind-boggling, and Gijs talks to us about how they achieved some of their special effects. (Review)

Episode 35

Sleep No More Part 2, Punchdrunk (New York City, NY)

photo from sleep no more. man in white shirtsleeves and a bow tie is working on a typewriter. There are people surrounding him, wearing white masks. the room is shrouded in darkness
Source: Sleep No More / Punchdrunk

Haley and Cameron Cooper from Strange Bird Immersive join us again for Part 2 of our deep dive into Sleep No More. This episode focuses more on solo moments and character interactions. We also explore the finale as well as the high and low points of the production. The Sleep No More episodes can be used as both a guide before you go, as well as recap and discussion if you’ve already seen the show.

Episode 34

Sleep No More Part 1, Punchdrunk (New York City, NY)

man and woman facing each other, he has his hand on her throat. she has her brunette hair up and is wearing a sequined evening gown. He is in a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black pants. There is an audience surrounding them, wearing red dressed and white masks.
Source: Sleep No More / Punchdrunk

Haley and Cameron Cooper from Strange Bird Immersive join us for a detailed walkthrough and analysis of the seminal immersive theater show Sleep No More, which has inspired countless immersive creators for over ten years. If you haven’t had a chance to see this show before it closed, this recap will help you understand why the show is held in such high esteem. And if you’re a seasoned attendee, you’ll still enjoy this deep dive into the secretive world of the McKittrick Hotel. (Preview)

Episode 33

The Ghost of Mentryville, Arcane Escape Room (Newhall, CA)

A strange, black box with a copper snake painted on its lid.

In this episode David & Peih-Gee spoil the magnificent and minimalist Ghost of Mentryville. This is a 90-minute episode where Matt Tye of Arcane Escape Rooms takes us through his newest game. The episode is complete with in-game audio cues, and the gang really dissects the design decisions made throughout this experience. (Preview) (Review)

Episode 32

The Missing Season, Steal and Escape (San Diego, CA)

A winter space with snow adorning trees beside a park bench.

Owner and designer Jason Richard joins us to go behind-the-scenes of his charming, zany, narrator-driven game. Besides fun tech interactions and whimsical story, Missing Season is filled with a ton of audio details. You’ll get to revisit them again in this episode. (Preview) (Review)

Episode 31

Ghost Patrol, Trivium Games (Emeryville, CA)

An elegant old study with zodiac symbols painted on the walls.

Jesse Morris and Brian Mendenhall, two of the co-owners of Trivium Games, join us to go behind-the-scenes of a superbly polished escape room with gorgeous sets, elegant puzzles, and charming characters. The creators of Ghost Patrol are a talented crew with roots in the puzzle hunt world. Brian and Jesse give us a fascinating look at their design process. The game won a 2022 Golden Lock Award. (Preview) (Review)

Episode 30

From the Archive – SCRAP

The entire game's contents. A lockbox, three envelopes, a yellow sheet of paper, and a replay set.

In this experimental episode, David tells Peih-Gee some stories about interesting mechanics from early SCRAP games: Escape from the Werewolf Village, Escape from the Time Travel Lab, and Escape from the Mysterious Room. In addition to the highlights and lowlights from those games, he shares some drama involving Escape The Room’s first game, The Office.

Episode 29

Project R.E.S.E.T., Immersia (Montreal, Canada)

A livingroom in a cyberpunk apartment with a large window overlooking a futuristic cityscape.

Maxime Filion from Immersia joins us to talk about their newest room, Project R.E.S.E.T. We get a behind-the-scenes look at the special build that enabled them to construct a game around a unique gameplay mechanic. (Review) (REPOD S3E1)

Episode 28

Forgotten Cathedral – Part 2, Escaparium (Montreal, Canada)

A statue of a woman holding her hand out beside stained glass panels. At her feet lay an assortment of candles, most of them are lit.
Image via Escaparium

In Part 2, Jonathan Driscoll and Kevin Currie rejoin David & Peih-Gee to explore the second half of Forgotten Cathedral. Along they way they discuss the nature of solo moments, explore the nuance of the perception of linearity, and close with a conversation about the “Escaparium” effect. Those who attended RECON 23 would not be surprised to learn that this episode was recorded while David was writing the closing talk of the event. (Review)

Episode 27

Forgotten Cathedral – Part 1, Escaparium (Montreal, Canada)

An elaborate wooden box on display.
Image via Escaparium

We were joined by Jonathan Driscoll & Kevin Currie of Escaparium in Montreal for a dive deep on their new hit game Forgotten Cathedral. Jonathan and Kevin gave a lot of behind the scenes narrative, design, and constriction details, along with a funny story about a player with reflexes that were a bit too quick. We chatted so much that we ran out of recording time and this has been transformed into a two part episode… which is good because this game deserves the extra time. (Review)

Episode 26

Time Machine, Not Another Escape Room (Brea, CA)

An old living room with a small packman arcade machine.

Time Machine was a local fan favorite amongst SoCal escape enthusiasts. We walked out the same door over and over again, emerging into different scenes each time. Creators Davey Eaves and Bora Olcken take us behind the scenes to explain how they manipulated the set that took us through the time space continuum. (Review)

Episode 25

The Edison Escape Room, Palace Games (San Francisco, CA)

In-game: a grid of incandescent light bulbs all labeled with different words.

The Edison Escape Room is a celebrated escape room that still feels as innovative as it was when it first debuted on the escape room scene. Palace Games’ founder Chris Alden joins us for the scoop on designing this room. He gives us lots of technical tidbits about how the game works. The game won a 2018 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 24

Lab Rat, Hatch Escapes (Los Angeles, CA)

In-game: a food bowl with letters and symbols printed on it in a large cage. Beside it is a gigantic box of "Fruity Kibble."

Lab Rat creators Terry Pettigrew-Rolapp and Tommy Wallach join us to chat about one of Los Angeles’ most iconic games. They give us a ton of juicy behind-the-scenes stories about creating the game and also share some design regrets. This is a very entertaining conversation you won’t wanna miss. The game won a 2018 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 23

Game Changer’s Escape The Greenroom featuring Tommy Honton

For this episode, we tried something a little different. Escape The Greenroom is an episode of Game Changer, a game show on Dropout.tv where the game changes every show. In Escape The Greenroom, the players don’t realize they’re in an escape room until one of them tries to leave and discovers the door is locked. Tommy Honton joins us for a director’s cut-style commentary on designing the episode. (Dropout Episode)

Episode 22

Inventor’s Attic, Escape My Room (New Orleans, LA)

A strange rube goldeberg machine mounted to the wall.

Escape My Room takes immersion to a whole new level with its beautifully decorated lobby and gamemasters that don’t ever break character. Creator Andrew Preble joins us to discuss his celebrated game, Inventor’s Attic. The game won a 2017 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 21

Paradox, Rabbit Hole Recreation Services (Louisville, CO)

In-game: 4 tubes protruding upwards from a glowing console.

Paradox had a beautiful set with challenging, immersive puzzles. The puzzles were the standout of this game, and you can relive them all with this behind-the-scenes walkthrough. The game won a 2019 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 20

Stash House A Los Angeles Crime Story (Los Angeles, CA)

In-game: the Stash House apartment.

A classic LA crime story. Tommy Honton takes us behind the scenes of Stash House and shares some thoughts on meaningful game design. The game won a 2018 Golden Lock Award. (Review) (REPOD S3E7)

Episode 19

The Man From Beyond (Part 2), Strange Bird Immersive (Houston, TX)

We continue exploring The Man From Beyond. Haley and Cameron break down some true Houdini stories that inspired them. These two episodes are truly a masterclass in immersive gaming design.

Episode 18

The Man From Beyond (Part 1), Strange Bird Immersive (Houston, TX)

Madame Daphne holding a seance.
Image via Strange Bird Immersive

The Man From Beyond has consistently been ranked as one of the top escape room experiences in the United States. In this Spoilers Club, Haley and Cameron Cooper, the minds behind Strange Bird Immersive, get into the nitty gritty about all the obsessive details that made this game spectacular. In fact, they went into so much detail that this became our first two-part episode. The game won a 2017 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 17

The Storyteller’s Secret, Boxaroo (Boston, MA)

In-game: A beautiful old writer's desk with a journal and a quill pen.

The Storyteller’s Secret warmed our hearts with intimate storytelling, and impressed us with their tech and intricate puzzles. Co-creator Fro joins us to discuss the game in detail. This game won a 2019 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 16

The Body Shop, Red Fox Escapes (Cambridge, MA)

A body shop interior with a motorcycle being worked on.

Nico and Marie, the designers behind Red Fox Escapes join us to talk about The Body Shop. The game was purchased from another company that closed, and Nico and Marie put a delightful spin on the original game. Listen to hear all about the changes they made. The game won a 2023 Golden Lock Award. (Review) (Original Review)

Episode 15

Catacombs, Logic Locks (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

In-game: a wall of human skulls lit by a lantern.

Catacombs immerses you from the moment you step up and gaze upon its incredible location. This horror game continues to enthrall players with its creepy atmosphere and puzzles. Creator Alexander Gierholz joins us for a behind the scenes look at this game. This game won a 2018 Golden Lock Award. (Review) (Hivemind Review) (REPOD S4E4)

Episode 14

Below Zero, Crypto Escape Rooms (Newmarket, ON, Canada)

In-game: Close up shot of a control computer.
Image via Crypto Escape Rooms

Crypto Escape Rooms crafted a fully realized narrative and puzzles that were as integrated into the story as they were fun to solve. This game won a 2019 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 13

Trust Experiment, Cross Roads Escape Games (Anaheim, CA)

An orderly lowering a strange helmet on a patient strapped to a chair.

The Trust Experiment is a social deduction game with puzzles as a game mechanic. The gameplay and mechanics were unusual and exhilirating. This game no longer exists, so feel free to take a listen. (Review)

Episode 12

The Last Supper, Quest Tavern (Pomona, CA)

Closeup of the dinner table with a bowl of fruit in the center.

The Last Supper blends immersive theater and escape room with a high degree of interactivity to create an intense D&D-style adventure. This game won a 2022 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 11

Hope End, Ministry of Peculiarities (Azusa, CA)

Entrance to Hope End has beautiful wood work covered in ivy, a stained glass window separates a door to a light room and a door to a dark room.

Blending immersive theater and escape room, Hope End has a gorgeous set design, incredible world building, tied together with smart and original game design. This game won a 2022 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 10

The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us, Headlocked Escape Rooms (online)

image of a diorama from the online game "keeper and the fungus among us". it's a woodland scene with a red watermill next to a green cave. in the front there is a fake miniature pond with colorful toy frogs. there are also buckets set into the ground, some stone blocks with symbols on them stacked vertically in the back.

The Keeper & the Fungus Among Us is a virtual escape room rock opera with puppets. The puzzles were brilliant, the puppets were clever, and the music was fantastic. This game won a 2022 Golden Lock Award. (Review) (REPOD S5E5)

Episode 9

Secret Cinema’s Arcane Experience (Los Angeles, CA)

This was an open world experience set in the world of Arcane, the Netflix animated show based on the popular League of Legends game. Players were recruited to join secret missions for their faction while solving puzzles, interacting with characters from the world of Arcane, and deciding the fate of the Undercity.

Episode 8

The Salutem Medicina Institute, Immersia (Montreal, QC, Canada)

A computer in a small office surrounded by diagrams of human organ systems.

Immersia’s Salutem Medicina Institute was a masterpiece of immersive storytelling and world building, with a shocking twist. One of the owners of Immersia, Maxime Filion, joins us to talk about this game. This game won at 2022 Golden Lock Award. (Review) (REPOD S3E1)

Episode 7

The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen, Escaparium (Montreal, QC, Canada)

In-game: A view through a long, old, wood ship. A treasure chest sits on the floor.

Escaparium’s The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen is an incredibly ambitious game with a beautiful sprawling set and fun puzzle interaction. This is an immersive gaming masterpiece. The owner of Escaparium, Jonathan Driscoll, joins us to talk about his game. The game won at 2020 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 6

Solve Our Shirts: Escape from the Maze of the Minotaur, CU Adventures (mailed)

A woman in a brown leather coat opening it up and revealing the Pirate Cove t-shirt.

The creators of Solve our Shirts and CU Adventures, Anne and Chris Lukeman, join us to talk Solve Our Shirts: Escape from the Maze of the Minotaur. This is a t-shirt that is also an escape room-style game you can solve. (Overview Review) (Review) (REPOD S1E4)

Episode 5

Cutthroat Cavern, 13th Gate Escape (Baton Rouge, LA)

In-game: a large stone wall with a massive skull carved into it. The skull's eyes glow with fire.
Image via 13th Gate Escape

13th Gate Escape’s Cutthroat Cavern is an escape room of epic scale with a mind-blowing set. This game is the closest you’ll come to living out The Goonies. The game won a 2018 Golden Lock Award. (Review)

Episode 4

Spirit Train, Trapped Puzzle Rooms (online)

Illustration of a cartoon train with arms on a track. A bird flies overhead.

Spirit Train is an audio escape room game where a live host guides us on an adventure. This game played more like a tabletop RPG, with gorgeous artwork, fun puzzles, and a dreamy Studio Ghibli inspired world. (Hivemind Review)

Episode 3

Escape from the Science Lab of Shifting Rules, SCRAP (online)

Promo art shows a chaotic lab with a shark and the words, "Alter the rules and save the world!"Alter

Escape from the Science Lab of Shifting Rules is a virtual avatar-led game with magical moments and fun puzzles. This game employed similar mechanics to the video game Baba is You, resulting in a singularly unique experience. (Hivemind Review)

Episode 2

Isolation, Escape Room Melbourne (online)

Research scientist Logan in his lab, looking into a video call.

Isolation is a virtual avatar led game created during the pandemic of 2020. This game had an in-person actor who was stuck in a laboratory and needed our help. We loved this game for its commitment to immersion and narrative. (Hivemind Review)

Episode 1

The Vanishing Act, Locurio (Seattle, WA)

Interior of the Vanishing Act. Depicts massive a red and yellow box chained and locked shut with multiple locks. A poster of Noximillian hangs on the wall beside the box.

For the Spoilers Club, we played digitally but also exists in person, in Seattle. The in-person version of this game won a Golden Lock award in 2016, and the avatar led digital version was just as fun. Beautiful game flow, fun puzzles, and a smart interface made for a smooth experience while investigating the disappearance of a famous magician and his assistant. (Review) (Hivemind Virtual Review)

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About REPOD

Our main show is The Reality Escape Pod, your lifeline when you need a getaway from the real world.

With this Podcast, your hosts David Spira & Peih-Gee Law explore immersive gaming from all angles, alongside guests with incredible experience in this realm.

Our guests have made awesome stuff: ARGs, puzzle hunts, tabletop games, and of course, escape rooms… to name a few. Our aim is to bring together different segments of the gaming world and share ideas between them.

Reality Escape Pod mission patch logo depicts a spaceship puncturing through the walls of reality.

Co-Hosts

The Reality Escape Pod is brought to you by co-hosts David Spira and Peih-Gee Law.

Room Escape Artist readers already know David. He’s one half of the driving force behind REA. They likely know Peih-Gee as well. She started writing for REA as a Hivemind reviewer early in 2020, and she hosted the Q&A sessions for RECON ‘20 Global.

David and Peih-Gee met, appropriately enough, when they both appeared as guests on No Proscenium’s podcast to discuss immersive gaming and Survivor (which Peih-Gee considers the world’s greatest immersive game). Peih-Gee is a former two-time contestant on Survivor and also an enthusiastic ambassador for the immersive gaming community.

In the course of working together on REA and RECON, David and Peih-Gee enjoyed countless conversations about the escape room industry, trading war stories and opinions on everything escape room related. And then it clicked… these conversations were the foundation of the podcast David had been eyeing.

Support Room Escape Artist’s Mission

There are lots of ways to support Room Escape Artist, like buying from Amazon or Etsy after clicking into the links included in this post or backing us on Patreon.

The money that we make from these helps us to grow the site and continue to add more value to the community that we love so much.

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