Room Escape Artist

The Master Builder’s Path is one of the best escape rooms around Montreal, Canada. Here are our recommendations for great escape rooms in the Montreal area.

Batteries not included

Location:  Blainville, QC, Canada

Date Played: October 13, 2021

Team size: 2-5; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $28.99 CAD per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

The Master Builder’s Path was a bright and joyous game packed with innovative game design. It also made use of design space that we’ve rarely seen escape rooms explore.

This was the first game from a company that opened a little before the pandemic. It’s a remarkable achievement. With that in mind, there were a handful of moments, props, and interactions that could have benefitted from refinement, especially near the end of the game.

We went to play The Master Builder’s Path because a number of folks on our Escape, Immerse, Explore: Montreal Tour found the company and insisted that we visit. They were absolutely correct, and you should heed their advice.

Enigma-tic’s newer game Missing is arguably a little stronger (if you’re ok with a spookier experience), but both of these games are well worth visiting. If you’re near Montreal, go check them out.

Who is this for?

• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Any experience level

Why play?

• Phenomenal use of a broadly underused design surface
• Thoughtful interaction design
• Charming, well built game

Story

We’d entered the testing ground for a secret society of builders to see if we had what it would take to join the Guild.

Setting

The Master Builder’s Path was bright and warm, with an unusual and cool aesthetic. Lots of bare wood and metal balanced out with detailing gave the space great personality.

Gameplay

Enigma-tic’s The Master Builder’s Path was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, making connections, and puzzling.

Analysis

➕ The Master Builder’s Path had a humble but unusual aesthetic. It was sparse and clean, yet it had personality.

➖ One of our favorite props turned out to be only for artistic ambiance. It felt like it wanted to be a puzzle.

➕ The gameplay had a good on-ramp, and built up in complexity.

➕ Enigma-tic put their own push and pull on a standard escape room puzzle type. We’ve seen this more times than we can count, but all of sudden it presented a fresh challenge.

➖ We found that lack of precision cast a shadow over an otherwise stellar puzzle.

➖ There were opportunities to do more with sound, in one case to direct players’ attention, in others just to cover mechanisms at work.

➕ Subtle subterfuge made a standard moment into a fun reveal.

➖ We wanted more from the finale.

➕ Enigma-tic created one interaction that was far above what anyone would have expected.

Tips For Visiting

• There is a parking lot.

Book your hour with Enigma-tic’s The Master Builder’s Path, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.