Room Escape Artist

A game with an Asterix

Location:  Athens, Greece

Date Played: February 1, 2025

Team size: 2-5; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 105 minutes

Price: from 27€ per player for teams of 2 to 20€ per player for teams of 5

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration:  Players need to crawl. One player needs to go up steps. There is some fog.

Emergency Exit Rating: We’re unsure what fire escape measures there were, if any.

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Based on the Asterix comics (which I must admit I have never read; they never became as popular in the United States as they are in Europe), Panoramix was a notably chill, puzzley, and traditional escape room in a city that has become known for intense horror experiences. There was absolutely nothing intimidating or scary about Panoramix, which meant that it offered a much needed break for our team near the end of a trip that had us playing horror games almost exclusively.

Panoramix had great puzzles that really made us stop and ponder. The funny thing about that was that on this trip it almost felt like we had forgotten how to solve puzzles with intellectual challenge to them. (We quickly remembered.)

To add to the strong set of puzzles, Panoramix had a charming, calming set that had quite a lot of detail to it.

When we left, we found ourselves wondering why Athens has games that are either heavily focused on puzzles, or heavily focused on intensity… with very little existing in the space between the two styles. It feels like there should be ample room in the middle ground. All of that is to say, we liked Panoramix, but really wanted it to push a little harder to give us something special to remember long after we left.

Much like SHERLOCK MAZE 2, Panoramix was a welcome reprieve from the horror games of Athens, and fantastic for a team looking for something chill and puzzle focused.

Who is this for?

• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Any experience level

Why play?

• A strong collection of puzzles
• Solid set design
• It wasn’t horror

Story

While Asterix and Obelix traveled North, the Romans had captured the druid Panoramix. In order to free him and drive away the Roman invaders, we had to sneak into his hut and assemble the correct magic potion.

Setting

Panoramix was set within a medieval magician’s hut. The wood and plaster building looked great and was filled with various magical trinkets and ingredients. The set-based effects were minimal, but the ones that were there did a good job of conveying the magic of the space.

Gameplay

The Rubicon’s Panoramix was a standard escape room with a higher level of difficulty.

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

Analysis

➕ The set combined medieval and magical apothecary in a charming way. There were a variety of spaces, and they felt distinct, but part of the same home. The 3D-printed props added unique details.

➕ The puzzle flow worked really well. Each scene had some quick-hit solves, followed by a more challenging, layered puzzle.

➕/➖ The challenging puzzles were, in fact, quite complicated to solve, but we enjoyed how they engaged the entire team. That said, they weren’t always fully clued.

➖/➕Multi-step puzzles lacked internal confirmation. Our gamemaster always let us know when we were on the right track, but we wished this confirmation had been natively integrated into the game design.

➖ It wasn’t always clear what had opened. More set-based feedback would have helped our solves feel more rewarding.

➕ The finale used practical effects well to enhance the magic.

Tips For Visiting

• There appeared to be street parking in the area.

Book your hour with The Rubicon’s Panoramix, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.