Men on Board

Men on Board is a board gaming podcast where each episode will focus on a particular category within the hobby. The categories will be anything from a mechanic, to a theme, to a particular designer or publisher. Each episode will usually focus on two games from the category and contain a discussion of each as well as some compare and contrasting between them. Also, every episode will include a discussion that pulls back and looks at a more broad view about the board gaming hobby.

Episode 28: Escape Rooms

This week we’re looking at two series of games that simulate the feeling of an escape room: the Unlock series and the Exit series. Because of the nature of these games, we were very careful to avoid spoilers, and only lightly touched on a few topics that may be considered slight spoilers, so I have noted those times in the show notes below, along with what is talked about in general. In our Broader View, we talk about how to make your game group more inclusive with a particular focus on inclusivity for gay men.

[00:00:00] - Introduction
[00:00:33] - Escape Rooms
[00:02:38] - Unlock Series
[00:13:53] - SPOILER: Vague references to mechanics in Squeek & Sausage and The Formula
[00:16:42] - SPOILER: Discussions about the set up of The Island of Doctor Goorse and vague references to frustrations with the game
[00:21:26] - Exit Series
[00:23:57] - SPOILER: Commentary about the design of the wheel in Pharaoh’s Tomb and Sunken Treasure
[00:33:21] - SPOILER: Slight spoiler about the overall nature of Dead Man on the Orient Express
[00:33:56] - Comparison
[00:39:52] - Other Games that feel like Escape Rooms
[00:43:52] - Broader View