EscapingWithMyFamily

Reviews

Reviews

Heart Of The Mountain

Heart Of The Mountain

Ultimate Realities

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Truly impressive theming and set design, shaping an immersive atmosphere that makes you feel like you're on a film set! We visited a second time over a year later and the game has added some cool new puzzles, decor, and effects, but most of all the flow and tech have been upgraded to make the experience even more seamless. You wouldn’t know it because it’s done so well, but there is even adaptive difficulty, making it suitable for groups of all experience levels. This is the future of escape rooms. We can’t wait to see their next room, which promises to even more epic!
Escape From The Haunted Manor

Escape From The Haunted Manor

REAL ESCAPE GAME CROSSING Asakusa

  • Escape room
  • IRL
We had our eyes on this one for a while and finally managed to play it before its imminent closure (Aug 30). And I can definitely understand why it’s being retired. The vast majority of the game was just hunt and seek, with only a couple of fairly easy puzzles. The live actor interaction added a fun and mildly scary layer to the experience, but having the GM standing right there in the room with you throughout the entire game was one heck of an immersion breaker. I can imagine this room being considered quite scary and innovative when the original version was released more than a decade ago (the current iteration launched in 2023), but it now has the look and feel of a game that’s way past its prime. PS: Our team of 3 played this with a Japanese couple (we got through it with their broken English and my crappy Japanese, without needing the translation machine they provided) and it actually enhanced the experience because the girl’s screaming made it scarier for us lol.
A Challenge from the Crafting Genius

A Challenge from the Crafting Genius

REAL ESCAPE GAME CROSSING Asakusa

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Our first Japanese “hall type” game, where the entire experience takes place in a single room with no theming but only puzzle props. All this one had a bunch of wooden boards, strings, a large canvas, and tape, and we had to manipulate them in various ways to “craft” solutions to 12 puzzles in 60 minutes! We didn’t complete it in time because the final puzzle was diabolically insane, but we still really enjoyed the experience because of how clever the puzzles are. We did this with 3 people but the ideal number is 4 due to the nature of some of the puzzles.
Escape from the Underwater Puzzle Challenge

Escape from the Underwater Puzzle Challenge

REAL ESCAPE GAME CROSSING Shibuya

  • Escape room
  • IRL
We expected the theming to be sparse, but this was literally just a bunch of puzzles strewn around the hallways and stairwell of Scrap’s Shibuya venue. That doesn’t sound very promising but it was actually a lot of fun running around searching for and solving the puzzles both individually and as a team. For English players, there were 20 puzzles (some easy, some hard; many were multi-step) to solve in 30 minutes (Japanese players have a different set, though there’s nothing precluding you from doing all of them if you are proficient in both languages), plus a cheeky 3-minute escape room right at the end (we figured it out with only 25 seconds to spare!). Recommended for those who enjoy pure puzzle experiences.
Escape from the Blue Room

Escape from the Blue Room

Real Escape Game Ikebukuro

  • Escape room
  • IRL
It’s usually the sets and effects that blow my mind in escape rooms, but this is the first time my mind was blown purely because of the puzzles. The puzzles in Escape from the Red Room were already super impressive, yet this long-awaited sequel somehow took it to another level with insane creativity and ingenuity, requiring the kind of layered, out-of-the-box thinking that no Western escape room we’ve played to date has tapped into. The 50-minute duration and “no hint” mechanism (your GM might voluntarily offer a clarification or pointer but they won’t help you just because you ask) make escape basically impossible if you get stuck on any puzzle for more than a few minutes, but that’s the way it has been designed — for you to fail! We ran out of time on what we thought was the final puzzle but there were actually a couple more, which the GM went through with us after the game. That said, it was most satisfying failure we’ve ever experienced in an escape room. Instead of the usual feelings of dejection and frustration, we could only tip our hats to the room designers in admiration. Note: The puzzles are language agnostic but you will need to book a group ticket (ie. book out the entire game) if you can’t speak Japanese so you don’t end up mixed with Japanese players. At the time of our visit, they offered printed English instructions but the GM (who was in the room with us most of the time) spoke very limited English.
Le Château du Supplice Éternel [The Castle of Eternal Suffering]

Le Château du Supplice Éternel [The Castle of Eternal Suffering]

Sauve Qui Peut - Saint-Jean

  • Escape room
  • IRL
An absolutely incredible room and the undoubted crown jewel of SQP. From the size and exquisite decor of the set to the immersive lighting and sound effects, media and animatronics, and wide range of challenging puzzles, everything about this room was world class. Backed by a strong story and featuring multiple wow moments — including a fun physical component and one of the best and most unexpected “jump scares” ever — this was a true pleasure from start to finish. The presence and design of the live actor was the cherry on top. My only regret is that we finished the room way too fast (leaving 33 minutes on the table) and should have taken more time to appreciate the experience. Unquestionably worth the drive from Montreal, or in our case, the flight from Australia.
La Forêt de Falderon [Falderon Forest]

La Forêt de Falderon [Falderon Forest]

Sauve Qui Peut - Saint-Jean

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Gorgeous room with pretty theming, lighting, and technical wizardry. Some parts of the set even reminded us our visit to Hobbiton in New Zealand! I understood where they were going with the fantasy RPG puzzle design, giving each player a special object that would be needed for specific puzzles, though we struggled with knowing when and how to use what out of fear of damaging the beautiful set. We played the newer version with improved adaptive AI, which is a fantastic idea in theory. The aim is for all groups to finish between 55 and 65 minutes, with the AI offering more hints or more puzzles based on your team’s progression. However, I’m still a little on the fence about the concept because you never know when manual GM intervention might be required for reasons that go beyond solving puzzles. Moreover, the extra puzzles can feel somewhat repetitive. Accordingly, opinions could vary and be polarising between different teams depending how smoothly the adaptive AI handles your game.
L'Examen Final [The Final Exam]

L'Examen Final [The Final Exam]

Sauve Qui Peut - Saint-Jean

  • Escape room
  • IRL
A fun little game that makes excellent use of its vertical space. While it has very few puzzles, each puzzle can eat up a lot of time, either due to complexity or the amount of physical activity involved. There was one puzzle in particular that took us a really long time to wrap our heads around, though I would argue that the solution was not the most intuitive one out of the various possible approaches. A great room for kids because of the school theme and physicality, plus the difficulty of the puzzles can apparently be lowered to cater to younger groups.
Magnifico

Magnifico

Escaparium - Laval

  • Escape room
  • IRL
It’s hard to go into a room like this with realistic expectations, but Magnifico wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be. Yes, the set was massive and delightful. The theming was movie-set quality and the atmosphere was immersive. There was great tech, and there were cool effects and wow moments. The performances of the three actors in multiple roles were brilliant, and the puzzles were interactive, varied, and easily Escaparium’s best. And yet, it didn’t blow my mind with over-the-top set pieces and spectacles in the way that Ctrl Alt Reboot and The Forgotten Cathedral had. Rather, Magnifico crept up on me, gradually pulling me under its spell with every new space, character interaction, and diegetic puzzle. Looking back, there was no wastage — every part of the experience mattered. It was an epic 2.5 hour journey, but surprisingly, I didn’t want it to end. To be honest, I might still prefer spectacle, but this was the first time story truly meant something to me in an escape room. A lot of top escape rooms are like big-budget blockbusters or scarring horror movies. Magnifico is the award-winning drama that resonates because it touches hearts. As such, it won’t be everyone’s favourite, but the more I think about it (and I’ve been thinking about it A LOT), the more I love it.
La Cathédrale Oubliée [The Forgotten Cathedral]

La Cathédrale Oubliée [The Forgotten Cathedral]

Escaparium - Laval

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This game was the reason I found out about Escaparium in the first place and it lived up to high expectations. The star of the show is definitely the set, which doesn’t have a huge footprint by Escaparium standards but forms the foundation of the entire incredible experience. I loved how the even the story revolves around the mythology behind the cathedral set! Immersive effects, creepy atmosphere, mild scares, great acting, wow moments, and puzzles that flow seamlessly within the story and space. The perfect kind of escape room!
L'Île perdue de la Reine Vaudou [The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen]

L'Île perdue de la Reine Vaudou [The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen]

Escaparium - Laval

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Easily the best pirate-themed game we’ve played to date. Apart from the impressive set (no spoilers!), this game had a lot of clever mechanics, from the way the GM’s presence is inserted into the game to the “crew” aboard the ship. Escaparium’s newer rooms have taken it to another level and might therefore overshadow this one, but it’s still a world-class experience no matter which way you look at it.
Ctrl Alt Reboot

Ctrl Alt Reboot

Escaparium - Laval

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Wow! It’s almost unfair to call this an escape room. This was like stepping onto a blockbuster film set or a Universal Studios experience where you and your team are the main characters. Massive set, over-the-top tech, immersive special effects, an easy-to-follow story, and one of the most epic finales ever! The puzzles were mimetic, engaging, and loads of fun, and the GM’s presence was perfectly integrated into the story. Not everyone will like every aspect of it (for instance, there’s ample profanity), and those who have played Rain Corp might not enjoy it as much because it’s apparently in the same space. But I’m not surprised that some people — especially those who value spectacle over story — rank Ctrl Alt Reboot even higher than Magnifico. I might be one of them.
Armoire à Vendre [Wardrobe for Sale]

Armoire à Vendre [Wardrobe for Sale]

Escaparium - Laval

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Escaparium’s most mysterious room was a magical delight! Obviously, I knew it was about more than just a wardrobe for sale, but I had no idea that it would be so cute, so whimsical, and so much fun. It actually had a nice story and the puzzles cleverly drove the narrative, but what impressed me most were the animatronics, effects, and the extraordinary performance of our gamemaster / live actor. It felt like a job for 3 people but she handled it almost entirely on her own! Oh, and it had the most wonderful transition of any game we’ve ever played. I can see why it’s a favourite for so many people.
Le Dernier Arrêt - V2 [The Final Stop - V2]

Le Dernier Arrêt - V2 [The Final Stop - V2]

Escaparium - Laval

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This exciting action thriller was our first game at Escaparium Laval and it did not disappoint! The set was expectedly spacious, the tech was seamless as we knew it would be, and the puzzles were naturally thematic and diegetic; but what made the experience stand out was the brilliance of the live actor, who controlled pacing of the game and the storytelling to ensure we got the most out of the experience. It’s amazing how Escaparium can pull off such ambitious concepts at a level of quality that goes beyond merely a big budget.
Projet R.E.S.E.T. [Project R.E.S.E.T.]

Projet R.E.S.E.T. [Project R.E.S.E.T.]

Immersia Escape Games

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Immersia’s most distinctive game and one of the most unusual and memorable experiences of our Canada trip! The set isn’t big but the decor and live actor do a great job of exuding a futuristic virtual reality vibe. The game stands out for its bold and innovative concept and design, which could be polarising and frustrating for players. We were admittedly a little confused and disoriented at first but quickly settled into a groove and found the puzzles and flow a delight, with the nostalgic final puzzle being one of my personal favourites!
Le Grand Immersia Hotel [The Grand Immersia Hotel]

Le Grand Immersia Hotel [The Grand Immersia Hotel]

Immersia Escape Games

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This was a surprising and fun room that was completely different to what I expected. Based on the name and set photos I thought this would be another haunted hotel scenario but it ended up being more like a heist under duress! Fantastic intro, strong set (the lobby was fantastic), and mostly good puzzles that tested a range of skills and teamwork. Like most of Immersia’s games, the use of a live actor was sparing but effective.
L'affaire St-Onge [The St-Onge Case: Weekend at the Shack 2]

L'affaire St-Onge [The St-Onge Case: Weekend at the Shack 2]

Immersia Escape Games

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Immersia's newest room is a step up from their other games in terms of ambition, budget, scale, and narrative depth. It will really help your appreciation of the story if you have played its predecessor, Weekend at the Shack, but it's not absolutely necessary in order to enjoy this tense crime thriller full of surprises and wow moments. You start the game in an unassuming crime lab, but the stakes and intensity keep ramping up as you navigate the various puzzles and twists and turns. As usual, the production value of the in-game videos were incredible thanks to the quality acting and directing, making you feel as though events are happening in real time. It's atmospheric, cinematic, thrilling, challenging, and fun — everything we could have asked for in a premium escape room experience.
Le Cirque des Âmes Perdues Ver. 2025 [Circus of the Lost Souls]

Le Cirque des Âmes Perdues Ver. 2025 [Circus of the Lost Souls]

Immersia Escape Games

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This lesser known circus escape room in Montreal was a surprisingly good time, one that I enjoyed a little more than the rest of the family. Excellent carnival-themed decor, great tech powering the visual and audio effects, and a sound assortment of puzzles that align with the overall theme and story, including a couple of fun physical elements. The hint system seemed really cool but we unfortunately didn’t use it, though in hindsight we probably should have as we struggled the most in this one out of all 6 Immersia rooms we played on the day. The main downside is a relatively limited footprint — the overall size is fine but the way it’s designed restricted its ability to create the sense of movement or surprising new spaces.
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