About Us/Reviews
The Cipher Room is the brainchild of two escape game and puzzle fanatics - Marise and David. We are unique in that we make most parts of our games - concepts, narratives, all our puzzles (electronic/wooden/graphic/magnetic/etc), sound design, lighting - ourselves and are independently owned and run. As proud Newtown locals who want to celebrate and support our unique suburb, we source any props from local second-hand and vintage shops. We also use reclaimed and recycled materials wherever possible.
We love immersive gaming environments, with tactile and authentic puzzles and themes. We've worked hard to create a fun and unique gaming experience that *we* would want to play.
In 2022, our game La Rébellion won an international TERPECA Top Room Award (with it being ranked #67th in the world). We are the first Australian company to ever win this accolade! Only the top 100 games voted on by international enthusiasts receive a Top Room Award, so Mr Pepper's Toy Shop narrowly missed out by coming 101st, and The Marlowe Hotel came 171st!
Marise and David were also speakers at the international ‘Up The Game’ escape room conference held in Amsterdam in 2019. In 2018, The Cipher Room was voted as one of the world’s top escape room companies (we came 15th!) in the Top Escape Rooms Project.
LA RÉBELLION
“Brilliant”, “Jaw-dropping, cinematic reveals and special effects”
- Time Out Sydney Review
“Experts at world-building”
- Broadsheet Sydney
“Another work of art – challenging, spectacular, magical.”
- Escape Rooms in Sydney
“This particular game is all about theatricality, teamwork and a gripping narrative”
- Secret Sydney
Mr Pepper’s Toy Shop
“Incredibly exciting new game”, “Extraordinary coup de theatre” ★★★★★ for Atmosphere, Creativity of Puzzles, and Difficulty"
- Time Out Sydney Review
“The Cipher Room is a favourite among Sydney escape room aficionados"
- Time Out Sydney Article
“Ingeniously original puzzles integrated seamlessly into the theme"
- Broadsheet Sydney Article
“The theming and craftsmanship are extraordinary”
- Escape Rooms in Sydney
The Marlowe Hotel
"It has all the Cipher Room hallmarks: evocative art direction; creative and kinetic puzzles with lots of moving parts; and a fully thought-through concept. ★★★★★ for Atmosphere, Creativity of Puzzles, and Difficulty!"
- Time Out Sydney
"[They] have created a great set of rooms and they are some of the best (if not the best rooms) in Sydney (some may say Australia)."
- Escape Rooms Blog
Espionage
"Brilliantly challenging and entertaining"
- Time Out Sydney
"This is probably the greatest thing we've done since we started this job. And I've met Dr Who! So that's saying something, guys!"
- Rove McManus - Rove & Sam (VIDEO)
"If only all escape room outfits were this good... a must do room"
- Escape Rooms in Sydney
"The level of creativity in each puzzle is astonishing and there’s a surprise in every corner. Overall: 5 Stars!"
- Masters of Escape
"We had not seen many [spy escape rooms] set during World War 2 or with this level of detail to the setting."
- Lock Me If You Can
The Cabin
"A bloody good time. ★★★★★ for Atmosphere, Creativity of Puzzles, and Fun!"
- Time Out Sydney
"The craftsmanship is better than any other room we have been to in Australia... a work of art"
- Escape Rooms in Sydney
"One of the most interesting plot twists we’ve seen in Australian escape rooms"
- Lock Me If You Can
Interviews/Articles About Us
City Hub Sydney - Best of Sydney 2021: Best Escape Room
Sydney Morning Herald - Good Weekend Feature
Time Out Sydney - 50 things to do in Sydney at least once in your life
Broadsheet
Time Out Sydney - New Venue Announcement
Junkee - The Best Weekend Activities In Sydney
Secret Sydney - 200 Totally Incredible Things To Do In Sydney In 2022
Concrete Playground - New Venue Announcement
Who Magazine - Best Escape Rooms in Sydney
2SER Breakfast Show (radio interview)
Concrete Playground - Newtown Guide (#1 for Leisure)
The Urban List - Sydney's Best Escape Rooms
INDUSTRY Panels
Nerdist article about RECON ‘21
PAX AUS Panel 2018 - From Ideas To Reality: How To Create An Escape Room
PAX AUS Panel 2018 - Whose Escape Room Is It Anyway: An Improv Design Adventure
MARISE - GAME DESIGNER
Once a website designer and writer, Marise has reviewed computer games, gadgets and films for many of Australia's newspapers and magazines.
Marise has loved puzzle/adventure games since she can remember. Before launching The Cipher Room, Marise spent a year researching (including traveling around Australia and to New York), creating unique concepts and narratives, planning puzzles, designing graphics and sound design, making props, and sourcing lovely vintage things.
Her chief hobby is telling everyone what to do in case of a zombie apocalypse (see right).
DAVID - BESPOKE PUZZLE BUILDER
Not only is David a specialist exotics veterinarian, but he's also skilled as a horticulturist, public speaker/trainer, bass guitarist, handy-man, woodworker and he can fit out electronics and magnetic switches like nobody's business.
David planned and built all the puzzles by hand and from scratch - no build-it-yourself kits here! He also created a lot of beautiful props for the games.
In short, David is the consummate Renaissance man. If there's ever a zombie apocalypse, find David immediately and join his gang. It's your best chance.