Hot Sauna Time Machine
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Date Played: February 1, 2020
Team size: 4-6; we recommend 3-5
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: 30 CAD per player
Ticketing: Private
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
Apocalypse was a fun, puzzley game in an attractive setting. Missions Morpheus included some great interactions and a strong transition moment.
While that strong transition moment was cool, there were clear opportunities for refinement that could have made this game epic.
Additionally, with one towering ghost puzzle, it seemed like what they had originally created was far too complicated for an escape room.
I feel like Missions Morpheus was so close to having something incredible on their hands. I hope that they make a few selective improvements to this escape game.
Even if they don’t, I can comfortably recommend Apocalypse for players of all experience levels.
Who is this for?
- Adventure seekers
- Puzzle lovers
- Scenery snobs
- Any experience level
Why play?
- A cool set
- Nifty scene transitions
- Puzzles that cleverly used the space
Story
A man claiming to be a time traveler had been arrested. Interpol couldn’t find any documentation of this man’s existence in any database. He alleged that terrorists had traveled through time from November 2022 to his time in 2522, where they had detonated a bomb that ended the world.
There was a recording of a break in at the old workshop-turned-museum of Middle Ages scientist/ inventor Sebastian Trithemus, who claimed to have created a time machine. The cameras showed men entering the building, but never leaving.
Setting
Apocalypse was set in a Middle Ages workshop, made largely from wood. Bookshelves lined the walls, along with drawing, diagrams, and maps. Various tools and equipment were dotted throughout the space.
It looked good. I would show it to you like we always do, but there was a strange mix-up with Missions Morpheus: When we visited they told me that they had photos that they could send. However, when I followed up over email, they told me us no such photos existed or could be taken and emailed. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Gameplay
Missions Morpheus’ Apocalypse was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around observing, making connections, and puzzling.
Analysis
➕ Missions Morpheus set Apocalypse in a large space with intriguing props and puzzle elements. It had a cohesive aesthetic. It looked polished.
➕ Missions Morpheus minded the details in the gamespace, covering the material of a common escape room item to make it feel more of their world.
➕ In the first scene, Apocalypse presented a variety of challenges that required us to think in different ways. Many of these were meaty, layered solves. We especially enjoyed one visual extraction from a tangible solve.
➖ Apocalypse had one glaring ghost puzzle. It was disappointing to see this prop standing without purpose. The resulting interaction seemed especially forced.
➕/➖ Apocalypse included an exciting transition in two acts. It was a fun setup. That said, if the team made an easy mistake, the reset required a gamemaster’s instruction and substantial backtracking. We liked the concepts behind this transition, but it felt like a missed opportunity for a truly memorable sequence. Furthermore, given the story moment, we expected a more dramatic transformation.
➖ In some instances, we encountered imprecision that stalled our forward momentum. This took the form of a few finicky measurements. It also included a lack of precision in prop construction that left us bewildered. Cleaner execution would have given us more confidence as we worked through one process puzzle.
➖ Although Apocalypse was not a search-heavy escape room, Missions Morpheus missed an opportunity to sidestep a certain tired search trope.
Tips For Visiting
- There is metered street parking. Download the P$ Montreal parking app to pay the meter.
- This game is entirely bilingual (French and English).
- Players will be split into two different starting areas, but they can see and hear each other.
Book your hour with Missions Morpheus’ Apocalypse, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Missions Morpheus provided media discounted tickets for this game.
