Category: Denver

Montreal, Canada: Escape Room Recommendations

by Lisa Spira, posted in Denver, Montreal, Recommendations

Latest update: December 28, 2021

Montreal is an artsy escape room market. In this city you’ll find a range of games: expansive sets, thought-provoking stories, unusual themes, and quirky mechanics. In general, these games pack a substantial amount of puzzle content. However, whatever style of games you prefer, we expect you’ll find something you really love playing in Montreal.

The best escape games in Montreal are not downtown. You’ll have to travel about 30 minutes northwest to the suburbs of Laval, Boisbriand, and Blainville. We also recommend taking a day to visit a single company in the lovely town of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, which is about 45 minutes southeast.

Image: Montreal bio dome. Text: "Montreal Escape Room Guide"

Market Standouts

In October 2021, we brought our Escape Immerse Explore tour to Montreal. The top-ranked games in this recommendations guide were ranked as such by the 60 escape room players in attendance.

  1. The Lost Island of the Voodoo Queen, Escaparium (Laval)
  2. Wardrobe for Sale, Escaparium (Laval)
  3. The Grand Immersia Hotel, Immersia (Boisbriand)
  4. RAIN Corp, Escaparium (Laval)
  5. Salutem Medicina Institute, Immersia (Boisbriand)
  6. Falderon Forest, Sauve Qui Peut (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu)

Set & Scenery Driven

Tells a Story

Puzzle-Centric

The best games in Montreal are all puzzle-driven games. Any game on this list offers ample puzzles.

Two games stand out for their focus on puzzles:

Tech-Heavy

Newbie & Family Friendly

Something Different

Time Emporium – Secrets of the Pharaohs [Review]

by Matthew Stein, posted in Colorado, Denver, Reviews, Time Emporium

S&Y.

Location:  Loveland, CO

Date Played: September 26, 2021

Team Size: 2-8; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $35 per player for 2-3 players, $28 per player for 4+

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: The floor is covered in sand

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Time Emporium’s Secrets of the Pharaohs was a classic take on an ancient Egyptian tomb escape room. The set was well built, with a layer of sand covering the floors for extra immersion.

The puzzles were designed around fun ideas, though some of them could have benefited from a bit more polish in implementation. This room contained some exciting reveals and interactions that would especially be a hit for newer escape room players.

If you’re passing through Loveland, Secrets of the Pharaohs is a solid newbie-friendly choice for a traditional escape room. And if you’re looking for a challenge, make sure to check out Time Emporium’s Wizard’s Tower and Murder in London for even more expansive sets and more innovative gameplay.

A pair of skulls in the sand pillar in an Egyptian tomb.
Image via Time Emporium

Who is this for?

  • Adventure seekers
  • Scenery snobs
  • Newbies
Continue reading “Time Emporium – Secrets of the Pharaohs [Review]” →

Time Emporium – Murder in London [Review]

by Matthew Stein, posted in Colorado, Denver, Reviews, Special, Time Emporium

Murder in London is one of the best games in Fort Collins, CO. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Fort Collins.

One pint of blood, please.

Location:  Loveland, CO

Date Played: September 26, 2021

Team Size: 2-8; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $35 per player for 2-3 players, $28 per player for 4+

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: at least one player must climb through a small opening

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Time Emporium’s Murder in London was a bloody interesting game. (I hope you read that in a British accent!)

This room stood out most for its set, which did not feel at all like a “room” or even like it was fully indoors for that matter. A narrow street wrapped around a classic London pub. A red telephone booth immediately signaled our location (though a non-rotary phone threw us for a loop given the historical setting). The facades of other residences and businesses made the world extend beyond what we could see. The build quality wasn’t always consistent, but it sure as heck was transportive.

As much as we enjoyed the set, though, my team had a hard time syncing with the game flow of Murder in London. The puzzles that were centered directly around solving the murders that we were investigating made sense, while others stuck out as less diegetic escape room filler.

Murder in London is worth a visit, even just for its set, and it’ll appeal to puzzlers of any experience level. If you’re passing by Loveland, check it out!

A bar with puzzle piece coasters.
Image via Time Emporium

Who is this for?

  • Scenery snobs
  • Anglophiles
  • Any experience level
Continue reading “Time Emporium – Murder in London [Review]” →

The Puzzle Effect – The Path [Review]

by Matthew Stein, posted in Denver, Reviews, Special, The Puzzle Effect

The Path is one of the best games in Denver. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Denver.

A cosmic balancing act.

Location:  Northglenn, CO

Date Played: September 25, 2021

Team Size: 2-6; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $31.95 per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

The Puzzle Effect’s The Path was a solid take on a traditional escape room format. This room was all about the puzzles, and a wide variety of escape room puzzle types were represented. A few puzzles had nice tie-ins to the subject matter presented, including zodiac animals and a small collection of Chinese artifacts.

In contrast to The Puzzle Effect’s other rooms, The Path had zero combination locks. As our team played The Path after some of The Puzzle Effect’s more lock-heavy rooms, this was a breath of fresh air.

The Path would be a great option to sell newer players on the concept of escape rooms. While The Path provided less novelty for more experienced players, its smooth, straightforward puzzle flow could be enjoyed by all, and it was a serene environment in which to spend up to an hour.

A dojo-like environment, with a strong east-Asian aesthetic.

Who is this for?

  • Puzzle lovers
  • Any experience level
Continue reading “The Puzzle Effect – The Path [Review]” →

ConTRAPtions Escape Rooms – Tiger’s Eye [Review]

by Matthew Stein, posted in Colorado, ConTRAPtions Escape Rooms, Denver, Reviews, Special

Tiger’s Eye is one of the best games in Fort Collins, CO. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Fort Collins.

A diamond in the rough.

Location:  Fort Collins, CO

Date Played: September 26, 2021

Team Size: 2-10; we recommend 4-6

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $26 per player for 3+ players, $37.50 per player for 2 players

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Tiger’s Eye presented a non-standard take on a heist theme that showcased ConTRAPtions’ expertise in building impressively large-scale tech.

Tiger’s Eye was a room of stark contrasts. Whereas the vault door and diamond enclosure were imposing metal mechanical marvels, much of the rest of the set felt sparse and underdeveloped. Certain puzzles were unique, satisfying, and unconventional, while some others had more questionable solutions. Overall, the gameplay was choppy but interesting, and there were enough magical highs to make up for the disappointing lows.

For escape room enthusiasts, Tiger’s Eye is a solid warmup before playing the more strenuous 3-hour Plight of the Margo (2019 Golden Lock Award winner). For newer players, Tiger’s Eye is an excellent way to experience ConTRAPtions’ intriguingly idiosyncratic approach to tech and escape room interactions through more accessible gameplay than that of Plight of the Margo.

The front desk for the Princeton Bank & Trust.

Who is this for?

  • Technophiles
  • Puzzle lovers
  • Story seekers
  • Any experience level
Continue reading “ConTRAPtions Escape Rooms – Tiger’s Eye [Review]” →