Reviews

Reviews

De Wraak Van Han [Han’s Revenge]

De Wraak Van Han [Han’s Revenge]

De Gouden Kooi

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Metropolis 2099

Metropolis 2099

Dream Labs

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This escape room honestly felt like being dropped straight into a sci-fi movie. From the second you walk in, you’re transported into a futuristic world with amazing build quality and some of the best transitions I’ve ever seen. Every new room felt like stepping onto a different movie set, and the “wow” moments just kept coming. The ambiance was next-level: notably clear audio creating immersive sound effects, and visuals that made us feel like we were walking through a neon-lit Tokyo alleyway or strapping into a ‘dream pod’ that that could transport us through time and space. You forget you’re in an escape room. It really feels 'alive' especially in some of the key moments throughout your heart is racing. The puzzles themselves were on the easier side. Most of them involved looking around, finding objects, or noticing details in the space. They were integrated into the story nicely, but puzzle enthusiasts might find them a little light, or one in particular, arduous. One puzzle at the start was a bit buggy, but the staff handled it quickly and it didn’t ruin the flow. That said, the wow factor is unbeatable. The dream pod intro, the jaw-dropping transitions, and some thrilling surprises made this an experience we’ll never forget. The ending wrapped everything up with a really interesting reveal and a really smooth transition back out. If you want to feel like the lead character in a high-budget sci-fi adventure, this is it. Such a great ER, it made the trip to Bad Steben worth it. We did this on our first day of our escape room tour after a red-eye and two hours of sleep... One of the most immersive escape rooms we’ve ever done. We can't wait to be back to do the other rooms :) Note, I was worried about previous reviews online saying there are no toilet facilities here, but indeed there is.

𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 �𓅝𓃄 �𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿 𓆜𓋘𓄁 𓊛𓇙𓋸𓌤𓌥 𓌦 𓅐𓆢 𓆣 𓀉𓆤 𓆥 𓅑𓆘 𓆙 𓅒𓄙 𓄚 𓄛 𓅓𓃺 𓃻 𓅔 𓅕 𓃕 𓃖 𓃗 𓎷 𓄁𓎸𓅖 𓅽 𓅾 𓅿𓅗 𓅘 𓇆 𓇇𓅙 𓅚 𓁵 𓁶𓂵 𓂶𓃝𓋲 𓋳𓀬 𓅛𓁃 𓂺𓅜 𓂨𓅝𓃄 𓄁𓅞𓂙 𓅟𓂿

Monster Mashers

Monster Mashers

Tales of Torchdale - Monster Mashers

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Ctrl Alt Reboot

Ctrl Alt Reboot

Escaparium - Laval

  • Escape room
  • IRL
Botanist Manor

Botanist Manor

Escape Rush

  • Escape room
  • IRL
This escape room was perfection for us in terms of game play, puzzle, set, and the feeling of being transported, and honestly despite a tech hiccup, lands in my top 3. The set was absolutely beautiful. The puzzles struck a balance just challenging enough to tickle your brain, while also being incredibly satisfying to solve. Hints were delivered on a smart phone screen which we love for not disrupting flow. The experience was filled with surprises, twists and turns in the narrative, and clever meta layers that kept us engaged the whole time. From the very start, the experience felt elevated. The lobby sets the stage as you enter “Ravenwood” which looks like a bespoke speakeasy/tailor shop? But we are there as undercover intelligence agents and travel through time. Just how nice the lobby was raised our expectations, and the game not only met them, but exceeded them… It was so satisfying to progress through their custom built gadgety puzzles. By the time we reached the end, we honestly weren’t ready to leave the world they had built… Everything leading up to the end was amazing. We encountered some issues with the Wi-Fi network, which caused a few devices to go down near the end, but it didn’t take away from the overall feeling of magic throughout the game. Customer service was top notch, and we were issued a refund/credit for the technical glitch. I am sure they got to addressing the issue right away. Right up to where we had technical issues, the sound, lighting, build quality, smooth transitions, unique mechanics, and a mix of high-tech and tactile puzzles all combined to create something top notch. We can't wait to go back to Escape Rush to try their other rooms, this one is a must-do.
Le Plan [Escape Plan]

Le Plan [Escape Plan]

Escaparium - Montreal

  • Escape room
  • IRL
The ByWard Market Butcher

The ByWard Market Butcher

Jigsaw Escape Rooms

  • Escape room
  • IRL
You’re lured into a butcher shop by the promise of "free steak," only to realize what meats the butcher is stocking... The room starts with a non-linear flow, which is great for larger groups because it allows everyone to split up and tackle different corners of the shop simultaneously. It is a traditional room that relies mostly on locks although it featured a couple of nontraditional tactile components which were the highlights of the game. Unfortunately the feedback loop on some components were weak to signal we moved ahead with the puzzle. There were a ton of labels throughout the game that told us what we can’t do! That added a level of distraction, and instead of labels they could have been resolved with simple game modifications. The Challenges (The "Old Meat" Factor) While this was likely a standout room when it first launched, the age of the experience is starting to show in ways that actively hinder the fun: • Visibility Issues: A combination of "mood lighting" and literal fading of colors on props makes it frustratingly difficult to see the clues and numbers on the locks. • Red Herrings: There is a significant amount of "prop clutter." You'll also be given a heads up about several boxes and locks that are visible but not actually part of the game. There’s also information overload that may lead you astray leading to a lot of wasted time. • Poor Feedback: Many puzzles lack a clear "click" or signal when they’ve been solved. You might finish a task only to realize something was triggered elsewhere in the room three minutes ago without anyone noticing. • The Clue System: not a deal breaker but like other rooms at Jigsaw escape, they use standard intercom on the wall which feels a bit dated and breaks the immersion running back and forth potentially. The Gameplay Experience The room is definitely challenging with the quantity of puzzles, but often for the wrong reasons. There is a fair amount of "information overload" and some tasks feel more like tedious chores than clever "Aha!" moments. Some props are really worn/dirty and were not fun to handle. While there are some cool tactile elements—the overall flow is bogged down by tedium and poor aging of the room. Final Thoughts We managed to escape, but only because the staff was kind enough to grant us a few extra minutes (since we started a bit late and were right at the finish line). While the butcher theme is a classic, it’s hard to recommend this one in 2026. With other high-tech, polished rooms now available in the Ottawa and surrounding area, this one feels like a relic of the past.
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