Magnifico

It's crystal clear why this has been rated #1 in the world for a couple years now. This was just room after room after room of pure excitement, thrill, and joy! Every time you move to the next room here you're in a completely different place. The puzzles were excellent and the actors did an impeccable job. Really truly top notch. The set design left me in awe time after time.

I don’t even know what to say. This place is f*#^ing amazing. The game masters and actors are amazing and it is worth every penny I spent. I will be back sometime to finish all of these rooms and anything new they build.

Magnifico was a feast for the eyes that falls just a bit short in the other aspects as an escape room. Visually this room is a 10/10. The set design, props, costumes... everything is done so beautifully that it has the effect of transporting you to the world of their story. A few moments even felt downright magical. However, the puzzles were very linear and fell on the easy side. Hints were doled out quite liberally, almost immediately whenever we showed the first signs of being stuck (usually not because the puzzle is difficult, but because we overlooked a prop or something). While this certainly prevented any frustration, it also took away our chance of discovering the solution on our own. In retrospect, because Magnifico has a lot of scenes and materials to go through, I do wonder if this was done to ensure that the group can finish on schedule. In the end, playing Magnifico felt more like going on a Disney ride where we saw places and characters of wonder, and less like an escape room where we had to put our wits and skill to the test. It certainly has a lot of appeal to many, but it left me wanting for more.

9/10 Magnifico is in fact Magnificent. BUT, to the competitive puzzle players, the enthusiasts who enjoy time under pressure, the thrill-seekers looking to be left to their own devices within the confines of a mysterious room, Magnifico will need a different mindset. Think less escape room and more immersive theater with a slow-burn-guided-puzzle-tour. You spend every second of the 150 minutes in the room. So don’t expect your quick thinking and puzzle solving skills to push you through the experience any faster. Again, think more slow-burn-guided-puzzle-tour with A LOT of character interaction, which can feel a bit like hand holding at times. It’s an amazing slow paced experience, not what I would put at TERPECA #1 though.

There’s a reason they ranked this room #1 in the world…..truly like nothing I’ve seen before and I don’t expect to be “wow-ed” like this ever again unless it’s coming from this company. They really have figured out the winning formula and continue to out-do themselves in what most would find an impossible task. Words cannot do this room justice as it is simply something you must experience to understand. Live actors, incredible set design, fun and engaging puzzles. If you enjoy escape rooms - you must come and experience the wonders and attractions of Magnifico’s Circus for yourself.

It is an absolute must-do if in the Montreal area whether a fan of escape rooms or not. You will never forget it. For those of you who are fans of escape rooms, you have not lived if you have not experienced this.

Number 1 for a reason. Incredibly immersive, amazing sets, really create the feel of being there. The cast and acting were INCREDIBLE. I see worse acting in Oscar winning films and marvel movies. What a plot. What an experience. Tech far far above and beyond. However, there's always room for improvement. A few notes: there's a puzzle where a single team member has to yell nuanced instructions from another room through THICK walls. It's extremely difficult to hear if the one randomly chosen is soft spoken. Some of the puzzles were tier 1 - made sense in universe to do. But some were tier 2 - just a puzzle that's heavily themed in universe. No tier 3 -unthemed puzzles. But there were one or two tier 4 - puzzles they are themed but actively counteracted what would make sense in universe. The main note is just that they were quite liberal with hints, often before we got a chance to solve it or while we were already actively doing what they were about to say, which marginally diminished the feeling of autonomy or accomplishment. It's also unclear which instructions you're supposed to follow as a player. Some characters you're supposed to obey, or you get corrected. Others you're SUPPOSED to defy, or you get corrected. And it can be a smidge difficult to tell those apart, especially for the socially awkward. 6 people was too many. People were in each other's way, but only 2 or 3 would be too few, imo.4 or 5 is probably the sweet spot. Overall great music great themeing, solid puzzles, exceptional performances, and an unbelievable set. It's a must see. And it'll knock you dead .

This game shot straight to my number 1 spot, and I think it will take a while for anything to overtake it! It’s a true mix of immersive theatre and escape room. Within minutes I’d forgotten we were playing a game and felt fully immersed. The story was captivating and emotional, and the puzzles perfectly fit with the narrative. Escaparium are really doing something special with this room.

Les plus: Très bon les acteurs. Décors magnifiques! Des dévoilements très impressionnants. Les moins: On n’entend pas toujours bien. Malgré le fait que ce soit annoncé comme une immersion, on s’attendait à un peu plus d’énigmes. Un peu de longueurs aussi.

Cette salle est simplement magnifique. On nous a parlé de 1,2 M$ en investissement et 5 ans de développement and ça paraît. Les acteurs sont impliqués, motivant et ont une excellente interaction avec nous. C’est dispendieux et long mais l’expérience en vaut la peine. Que du positif en sortant de là.