Review: Magnifico, Escaparium, Laval (Montreal), Canada
Fun Factor 10 - Top Fun Award
Escaparium
5545 Bd des Rossignols, Laval, QC H7L 5S7, Canada
Date we played: July 10, 2025
Booking size 4 to 6 - We recommend 4 to 6.
Game time: 180 minutes (This game is playable in English or in French)
Objective: Bring your friends to see the great Circus Magnifico! But all is not as it seems.
Horror Theme: No.
Difficulty: Intermediate/Advanced
Overview
We had a fantastic time playing Magnifico! We give it a Fun Factor rating of 10 – so it joins a short list of games that have earned our TOP FUN AWARD! We highly recommend that you play this game! And while you are there, Escaparium has many other games we also recommend we list those at the end of this review.
Magnifico is an escape room — but it is not your typical escape room. It’s a fully realized theatrical world—a bold, immersive experience crafted by Escaparium in Laval, Quebec. We wholeheartedly recommend it, with the strong caveat that it rewards players who are willing to fully engage and dive in. Come ready to engage. This world opens up the more you invest in it.
You begin as a mere spectator coming to see Magnifico’s Circus, but that quickly changes, and your role evolves. This isn’t a passive experience. You’ll interact with performers, spectators and workers, navigate richly detailed environments, and uncover a story that responds to, and is shaped by, your team’s presence. The result is a personalized journey, crafted, in part, by how you choose to participate.
Grab your tickets for the show!
Interaction & Immersion
Actors play a central role in this game, delivering content and moving the clear story forward by delivering narrative, guidance, humor and reactions in a way that feels natural and responsive. For those unsure about interacting with performers, rest assured—this isn’t about putting players on the spot. The actors meet you at your comfort level by creating a safe space where you can explore and play. Have fun with the actors—they’re there to support and elevate your experience in a safe space.
What sets Magnifico apart is how seamlessly these interactions unfold. It genuinely feels like you’ve stepped into a functioning circus, with performers going about their lives and inviting you into their world. We didn’t interact with characters as if we were at a circus—we were at a circus. In fact, before the game even begins, you have a ticket in hand and must find your own way to the entrance. There’s no traditional “your time starts now.” Instead, as you round a corner and spot the entrance, you might find yourself wondering: Is someone there to take your ticket?
Puzzle Design & Game Flow
The space is immense and Escaprium gives you ample time to savor the experence. The 2.5 hours seemed to go by so quickly. We encountered a diverse array of puzzles that reflected the whimsy and mystery of the circus world. Some were intimate and took place in close quarters, while others unfolded across vast, theatrical spaces. In this logic you find puzzles of logic, observation, and exploration with a satisfying mix of tactile, mechanical, and interactive elements.
Rich set designs - immense proportions and attention to details!
Be observant, curious, and open to unexpected forms of play.
One puzzle in particular featured a delightful mechanic that stumped us briefly as we were oh so close—until an actor, still entirely in character, gently nudged us in the right direction. This is where Escaparium’s adaptive design shines: the pacing and content scale based on your team’s progress. In our case, we moved at a thoughtful pace and were able to experience the full breadth of the game.
Set Design & Atmosphere
The set is among the most immersive we’ve encountered—not just in terms of detail, but also in authenticity. This isn’t a circus-themed backdrop. It’s a living, breathing world. Every space—from backstage corridors to performance areas—feels functional, inhabited, and full of story.
Magnifico makes exceptional use of its footprint. Every room, passage, and set piece contributes to the unfolding journey. Transitions between areas feel purposeful and cinematic. There were moments we genuinely forgot we were in a game—it felt more like touring a circus in the middle of a mystery.
Escaparium’s Laval location is vast, and a generous portion of it is dedicated to Magnifico. Across its front-of-house, backstage, and performance spaces, we explored over a dozen distinct areas, each with its own tone, role, and purpose.
Physicality & Accessibility
Magnifico is physically active. While no single task is especially strenuous, expect plenty of walking, multiple staircases, and at least one player will need to crawl and maneuver in tight spaces. Escaparium rates this game as a 3 out of 4 for physicality, and we’d agree. It’s not suitable for players uncomfortable being on their feet for extended periods or navigating tight or elevated spaces.
There are limited opportunities to sit, but they’re few and brief—this is an experience best approached with energy and stamina. Plan your day accordingly—this is a 3-hour experience, and you’ll want time to process and reflect afterward.
Final Thoughts
Magnifico is more than an escape room—it’s a layered, emotional, and dynamic journey. Named the number one escape room in the world by TERPECA in 2024, it earns that honor through a rare combination of narrative depth, theatrical immersion, intricate puzzles, and fully embodied performances.
What makes it most memorable is that it centers you. You’re not simply solving escape-room puzzles; you’re playing a role in a story, and that story adapts to your choices and presence. If you’re willing to engage, Magnifico offers an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind experience. But if you choose to be more of a spectator I am confident that you will appreciate the story and the puzzles.
We enthusiastically recommend playing Magnifico at Escaparium. If you go - please let them know you saw a Fun Factor Escape Room Review - please drop us a note and let us know what you think - and HAVE FUN!
And while you are at Escaparium at Laval there are many other games that we have played and recommend - The Final Stop V2, The Forgotten Cathedral, Ctrl + Alt +REBOOT, The Lost Isalnd of the Voodoo Quee, and Wardrobe for Sale. Reviews will be forthcoming.
Suggestions for Players
“Come ready to engage. This world opens up the more you invest in it.”
”Have fun with the actors—they’re there to support and elevate your experience in a safe space.”
”Be observant, curious, and open to unexpected forms of play.”
”Plan your day accordingly—this is a 3-hour experience, and you’ll want time to process and reflect afterward.”