Project R.E.S.E.T. is one of the best escape rooms around Montreal, Canada. Here are our recommendations for great escape rooms in the Montreal area.
Projet R.E.S.E.T.
Location: Boisbriand, Québec, Canada
Date Played: May 6, 2023
Team size: 2-7; we recommend 3-5
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: $34.99 CAD per player (adult)
Ticketing: Private
Accessibility Consideration: At least one player needs to crawl.
Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock
Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints
REA Reaction
Immersia’s latest game, Project R.E.S.E.T. was one of the darlings of our 2023 Montreal Tour, and for good reasons.
In general, Immersia has become best known for theatrical games, with a moody tone, set in a chronologically ambiguous past. Project R.E.S.E.T. checked the first two boxes, but breaking from the norm, it was set in a chronologically ambiguous future.
To top it off, Immersia built Project R.E.S.E.T. around a rarely seen game mechanic that I absolutely adore. I’m being deliberately vague, because the less you know about the way this game works, the more impactful the effect will be.
But I will say… leave it to Immersia to find the weirdest approach to an already strange mechanic. Their clever take routed around a common narrative problem and let the magic of their creation shine.
My biggest warning to players, especially experienced ones, is that it is possible to play Project R.E.S.E.T. too well and miss out on some of the magic. Be bold. Take risks. Embrace the situation and Project R.E.S.E.T. will reward you.
There are a ton of fantastic games in the Montreal area, and Project R.E.S.E.T. is another can’t miss game in North America’s top escape room region.
Who is this for?
- Adventure seekers
- Scenery snobs
- Sci-fi fans
- Any experience level
Why play?
- Because the game design is really interesting
- Because the game design is really interesting
- Because the game design is really interesting
Story
It was 2035, and we, like so many others, had committed a crime in the metaverse. With the prison system now overflowing with metacriminals, the government had launched a new project called R.E.S.E.T (rehabilitation, education and self-awareness of errors through technology). As participants in the new project, we needed to demonstrate that we could learn from our mistakes in order to regain our freedom.
Setting
We stepped inside of a strangely comfortable, yet futuristically sterile prison.
It looked like a cyberpunk living room designed by Apple in some strange future. The large window overlooking a Blade Runner-esque city without the smog really sold the fiction.
Gameplay
Immersia’s Project R.E.S.E.T. was a unusually structured escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.
Core gameplay revolved around observing, making connections, and solving environmental puzzles. It was especially important to understand how our actions affected our world.
Also, patience was a virtue.
Analysis
➕ The scenario took itself seriously, while still being humorous. Inside the game, the visual and audio content was funny. The tone walked this fine line well.
➕ Project R.E.S.E.T. had a sterile, minimalist aesthetic, but the set design was much more involved than it originally appeared. It was brilliantly crafted to facilitate the unique gameplay.
➕ The puzzles in Project R.E.S.E.T. were unusual. They required us to pay attention to our environment and think outside the box.
➖ A lot of information was presented on an iPad, which caused two issues. First, it was easy to miss. Only 1 person was holding the iPad at any given time, so information displayed on it wasn’t readily accessible to everyone. Second, the player with the iPad was focused on a small screen rather than greater gamespace.
➕ We especially enjoyed when we could acquire a prop, ostensibly from outside the confines of our space.
➕ The stakes felt high. We didn’t want to make an unforced error. It could cost us a lot of time and effort.
➖ It would be possible to win Project R.E.S.E.T. without ever experiencing the core game mechanic and the brilliance of the game design. It lacked a moment where the players have to (knowingly or not) make a mistake to gain crucial information.
➕ Project R.E.S.E.T. reminded us of an important point, valid inside or outside of the metaverse: We must all learn from our mistakes.
❓/➕ Project R.E.S.E.T. was frustrating… but it was meant to be. Frustration isn’t the most fun emotion. It doesn’t create a natural high either. However, Immersia did it well and succeeded at crafting a game that made us think and feel.
Tips For Visiting
- Project R.E.S.E.T is located at Immersia’s Boisbriand location.
- There is a parking lot.
- This game is entirely bilingual (French and English).
- Immersia offers lockers in their lobby. For Project R.E.S.E.T. especially, make sure you lock up any belonging rather than carry them into the game with you.
Book your hour with Immersia’s Project R.E.S.E.T., and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
Disclosure: Immersia comped our tickets for this game.
