Montreal, May 2025
I pretty reliably enjoy pirate-themed escape rooms; it’s a common theme and I’ve seen a wide variety of takes on the setting, from cheap and cheerful to wildly impressive. But playing Voodoo Queen makes me think of the M&S advertising tagline: this isn’t just a pirate game, this is an Escaparium pirate game.
It’s not easy to transport players from a Canadian warehouse to a Caribbean pirate ship, but a combination of acting, drama, effects and set building manages it brilliantly. This game puts you in a richly detailed environment that’s full of things to look at, while somehow managing to not lose the game amidst the details; and that’s only the start.
Within the exceptionally lush set, you’re led from one puzzle to another in a sequence that allows you to split up but is always clear on where you should be and what you should be working on. The puzzles often use escape room logic in their solutions, but are never less than interesting, entertaining, and well-designed. And typically they’re built on a scale and with a style that adds to the satisfaction of solving, giving a feeling that you’re not just solving puzzles, you’re on a rip-roaring pirate adventure.
Of the five (and a half) Escaparium games we played, I think Voodoo Queen is the most ‘classic’ in style – which is not in any way a criticism. Rather, this is a master class in how to build – and run – an escape room. It’s remarkable that such a superb game is outshone by some of its stablemates – anywhere else it would be the clear star of its venue, if not its region. But even at this company, it’s far too good to be considered an also-ran – Voodoo Queen should absolutely be part of your schedule if you’re visiting Montreal. 
