Montreal, May 2025
One of two games that we played at Immersia that I’d describe as a concept room, Salutem Medicina might give the impression of being a scary asylum game with a psychotic doctor, or something or that sort. While there might be some overlap in the medical-inspired decor, this is a wholly different beast, and if it leaves you unnerved or unsettled it’s in a far more sophisticated way.
For some of the game it unsettled us in a less enjoyable way – in that I’d describe some of the puzzles as fitting the theme but not great as escape room content. One in particular was a frustrating bottleneck and blocker, of a classic type that you sometimes see in rooms but which I’d as soon not see again. That one puzzle was a low point; some others felt a bit drier and more fiddly than they needed to be; and others were entirely fine.
For me, any rough patches in the earlier sections were more than made up for by the later part of the game, the payoff that the whole experience is building up to. Without spoilers, this is the standout not so much for the puzzles involved but for the theatre and concept of the experience.
That doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be pleasant. This room might make you uncomfortable in various ways – psychological not physical! – and won’t be to everyone’s taste. But if you’re intrigued by the description and don’t mind a darker sort of experience, this could be for you; and it’s pretty much certain to be a memorable game. 
