A/MAZE (Hochelaga) - "Possessed"

Ryan Driver
13 minutes ago
3 min read

LOCATION:  Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Photo above is property of A/MAZE

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

📝 ETR DECODER

🔑 GAME: Possessed
📅 DATE PLAYED: September 20, 2025
🎬 GENRE: Horror
🧠 DIFFICULTY (Based on 4 Players): 4/10
👥 TOTAL # OF PLAYERS: 2-6 ppl
🕒 LENGTH OF TIME: 60 Mins.
💰 PRICE: CAD $40/ pp (pending on group size)
☎️ BOOKING TYPE: Private
🔓 ESCAPED/ COMPLETED?: Yes [28:00]

📖 THE STORY

An old Victorian house has stood abandoned for decades after a series of gruesome deaths — suicides, unexplained fires, and whispers of rituals gone wrong. You and your team of paranormal investigators are sent to uncover the truth behind its curse. But once inside, the air thickens with dread, objects move on their own, and an unseen force begins to take hold of your thoughts. To survive, you must unravel the house’s dark secrets before something ancient and malevolent consumes your souls.

🎯 HIT THE BULLSEYE

The room feels professionally built, with a large and thoughtfully designed space that gives a strong sense of exploration. Moving between areas feels natural and satisfying, and the layout adds depth to the overall experience. Props and set pieces are of high quality, with a realistic and authentic look that enhances the story’s believability. Everything from the furniture to the small decorative items feels chosen to reinforce the theme rather than just fill space.
As the game progresses, the presence of the occult grows stronger — subtle hints give way to darker symbols, eerie lighting, and an unsettling atmosphere that builds steadily. The pacing of that shift makes the environment more and more immersive.
The room strikes a good balance between exploration and focus. There aren’t piles of random items to sort through, but there’s enough material to make the world feel rich and lived in. It keeps you searching without feeling cluttered or chaotic.
Special effects are present but light — they help establish tone without taking over. While subtle, they contribute to the eerie vibe rather than relying on cheap jump scares or loud surprises.
The puzzles offer solid variety, including searching, logic, decoding, and decryption. There’s a good rhythm to how they appear, and they feel well integrated into the story rather than disconnected tasks. Many puzzles naturally encourage teamwork — some require multiple people to interact with objects simultaneously, while others simply flow better when the group communicates. It creates a nice sense of shared progress.
While the narrative loses a bit of strength once the gameplay picks up, the ending still provides closure and wraps up the story in a satisfying way. It feels complete without dragging on.

🧩 MISSED THE MARK

Although the game offers both a “scary” and “non-scary” mode — which is a great concept — the scary version isn’t actually frightening at all; the tone is more eerie than terrifying. For players who enjoy the horror genre, this lack of intensity might feel like a missed opportunity. The environment sets the stage for horror but never truly leans into it. That said, for players who prefer atmosphere over fear, the lighter tone might actually be a relief and make the experience more enjoyable

🏹 TAKE A SHOT?

"Possessed" is a perfect gateway escape room for people looking to experience a light horror game with a strong aesthetic and an interesting selection of puzzles. The nonlinear puzzle format also offers an opportunity for larger teams to stay engaged throughout.

ℹ️ ADDITIONAL INFO

There is no parking available on site. There are some available spots on the surrounding residential streets. There are also good bus links to this location.
There is a lobby area with comfortable seating and secure lockers for your belongings.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

BOOK NOW

(If you do decide to try this game, give us a shoutout or tag us on social media so we know you heard it from "ESCAPETHEROOMers"!)

Disclosure: We thank A/MAZE for comping our tickets for this game. Although complimentary admission was generously provided, it does not impact our opinion on the review whatsoever.