Quebec City, May 2025
Eliviascape was a large part of the reason we came to Quebec City; we were thoroughly glad we did, since it’s a lovely city, though its charms are not quite so obvious in the area around the venue. The first of the two rooms we played here is intentionally mysterious about its theme, and because it’s deliberately abstract, that allows the designers a great deal of leeway to build in anything they like. There is a story, and an explanation for everything that happens in the game, but you may (or may not?) need to wait for the post-game debrief to fully follow all the details.
Abstraction is a game that, in a way, combines two or three different themes, though it does so for good reason. In places it’s creepy, or even scary, though only briefly and to a degree that’s tame by Spanish or Greek standards. Broadly, it’s also a game that gets better and better as it goes on. The start is a solid escape room with fairly classic puzzles, though done well and with atmosphere. Having progressed in some unexpected directions, it builds up to a final section that is really quite unique and memorable. The central idea is so clever and interesting that I suspect the rest of the game was designed around it; and the concluding puzzle is an additional touch of genius.
I’m torn to pick a favourite between this room and Judgement Day. On balance probably the latter is the stronger game overall – but for a single most memorable aha moment, I think Abstraction comes out ahead. 
