Review: Ctrl Alt Reboot, Escaparium, Laval (Montreal), Canada
Escaparium
5545 Bd des Rossignols, Laval, QC H7L 5S7, Canada
Date we played: July 11, 2025
Booking size 4 to 6 - We recommend 4 to 6.
Game time: 99 minutes (This game is playable in English or in French)
Objective: From the company’s website: “You and your friends thought it would be a great idea to check out Escaparium’s brand-new bar: FUBAR. The drinks are flowing, the vibes are great, until two frantic scientists burst through the doors… buckle up--this night out is about to go completely off the rails?” That, combined with the name of the scenario…Ctrl Alt Reboot… is all we knew going into this, and we don’t want to reveal anything more than the designers intended.
Horror Theme: No. But there are some moments of heightened tension. Escaparium rates this as 2 stars out of 4 stars on the scare factor. WARNING offensive language (Ages 13+)
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Top Fun Award!
We had an absolute blast playing Ctrl Alt Reboot at Escaparium. This was an easy Fun Factor 10, earning our Top Fun Award! From the opening moments, we went from “there’s no way that’s going to happen” to “oh wow, that is happening”—and that sense of wonder carried through the entire 99-minute adventure.
Without spoiling anything, this room is packed with cinematic moments and interactive sequences that made us feel like we had stepped into a futuristic movie. The sheer creativity in how Escaparium uses its set, props, and tech left us grinning from start to finish.
This is where we describe what the story and objective are – but we don’t want to spoil anything and simply repeat what we knew from Escaprium’s website going into the adventure – we new the name “Ctl Alt Reboot” and had some idea as to what that typically means and we read:
“You and your friends though it would be a great idea to check out Escaparium’s brand-new bar: FUBAR. The drinks are flowing, the vibes are great, until two frantic scientists burst through the doors… buckle up--this night out is about to go completely off the rails?”
You’ll have to experience Ctrl Alt Reboot to find out what happens next…and we highly recommend that you do!
Like many of the rooms at Escaparium, this one has some actor interactions - those moments do not take up much of the 99-minute time, but they add significant content and intensity…and importantly fun…to several of the puzzles. We didn’t find the room overly scary - and scary is not an adjective that comes to mind when I think of the experience, but Escaprium’s own website deems this a 2 out of 4 stars on the scare factor. So, going by the official scare rating, it suggests some tension; we’d describe it as immersive rather than scary. There are a couple of sequences designed to immerse you in the pressure of the story, but they resolve quickly, and we found them more fun than frightening.
Design and Storytelling
The set design is outstanding—futuristic, immersive, and filled with design features we’ve never seen elsewhere. Every prop and space feels intentional, and many of them can be manipulated in unexpected ways. Clearly, this room involved serious investment and craftsmanship, and it shows.
The story—delivered by the two scientists—is clear and engaging. Each puzzle, interaction, and space fits seamlessly into the storyline, advancing the plot as you progress. We appreciated how Escaparium balanced classic escape-room puzzle solving with creative, cinematic challenges that you won’t find in a traditional room.
Puzzles and Gameplay
The puzzles are varied and well-designed: some are familiar escape-room logic challenges, while others require you to engage with the set in creative, unexpected ways. Several tasks had us truly feeling like participants in a sci-fi action sequence.
Toward the end, one particular puzzle stumped us for a bit—not because it was unfair, but because the set and props reacted in a way we had never seen before. Once we caught on to whats what, the answer felt elegant and deeply satisfying. In general, we peg the difficulty level as Advanced - but there are a couple more on the intermediate side.
Group Size
This game site says it is for groups os 4 to 6 players. We recommend 4, but we are confident that 5 or 6 also makes for a fun-sized group.
Location and parking
Escaparium is located in its own building with plenty of parking. They have a large, comfortable lobby which has an impressive Wall of Board Games - the most I have seen! I don’t remember seeing anyone playing a game but it was fun to check out and see the titles.
Final Thoughts
Escaparium has once again proven why it’s one of the top escape-room creators in the world. Ctrl Alt Reboot is a cinematic, surprising, and unforgettable experience that we cannot recommend highly enough. If you’re in the Montreal area, this is another must-play game – check out our review for Magnifico at this same location.
Fun Factor: 10/10 – Top Fun Award Winner 🎉
If you go, let Escaparium know you read about it on Fun Factor Escape Room Reviews—and drop us a note to share your experience. And as always… have fun!
