Bernie block – Escaparium

Played on May 9th 2024 by:

Bernie Block was the last game we played that evening at Escaparium in Laval! In this scenario, a Lego character asks for our help, saying we may not be the best out there—but we’re their last resort! They want to go on a date with their true love, and we’re the only ones who can make it happen. That’s what the website says, but in person the game master (not in character) gave us a longer and more complete version of the story before we began. The whole experience is what we’d call guided, since we were frequently interrupted by videos between puzzles—either to advance the story or to give us a nudge in the right direction.

The décor was well done and fully embraced the theme and story! We were impressed by how they built the house to look like it was made of giant Lego blocks. The purpose of the second room wasn’t as clear as the first, and knowing how detailed and realistic Escaparium’s rooms usually are, our expectations were a little higher. Still, we know this is one of their older rooms, and the build itself was quite impressive. In addition to the videos, music played throughout the game, which added to the immersion.

The puzzles were fun to solve, connected nicely to the theme, and featured a mix of traditional locks and automatic mechanisms. The room is non-linear, so we could work on multiple puzzles at once. Most puzzles were fairly simple—which makes sense since it’s designed as a family-friendly room. We liked that the room was non linear which means that we could work on multiple puzzles at the same time. Hints were given through a walkie-talkie, with the game master answering in character, and the videos also helped guide us along the way.

Overall, we enjoyed this room for its impressive décor, fun puzzles (though a bit too easy for us), and unique theme. We would have preferred fewer video interruptions between puzzles, but it’s still a solid family-friendly experience, best suited for groups of 2–3 players. We were happy with our performance since we finished quickly without needing hints. We liked it—and we escaped!

: Yes

Andrea