Judgment Day
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Eliviascape (Quebec City, Canada)
Time limit: 75 minutes
Age limit: Under 13 requires adult
Player limit: 2-8
Difficulty: Hard
Awards: TERPECA Top Rooms No. 89 (2024), TERPECA Finalist (2025), Best of Morty (2024-2025), Golden Lock Award (2025)
Date visited: July 2026
We finished Abstraction 25 minutes early, so we had to wait about 45 minutes before our next game, Judgment Day (which was occupied by another group). We thus walked down the road for a delicious bubble tea from Monsieur Bubble before returning refreshed and ready to roll.
Judgment Day is Eliviascape's highest-rated game and most recent TERPECA winner (2024), though most of the feedback I had gotten was that it was on a similar level to Abstraction, maybe slightly better. Was that an accurate assessment?
No! Even though I thought Abstraction was already very, very good, Judgment Day, at least for me, was on another level. It just surprised me in so many ways, from the set and the puzzles to the emotional depth and super fun climax.
First of all, the set was unexpectedly massive. Eliviascape is situated in the underground level of a commercial/retail building, so I thought it would have been quite limited in terms of game size, especially as they only had floor space for 4 rooms. But this room revealed one new section after another through excellent design and use of space — and most surprising was that not all the areas were small. It is the main reason why Eliviascape has been able to pipeline this game (i.e., put a new group in while the previous group still hasn't come out).
The theming was also very strong. Visually, it wasn't too different to Abstraction, but I really liked how the aesthetics of the set changed and shifted based on the progression of the story. Each section had a different chapter of the story to tell, and it really felt like a journey as we moved through and peeled back more layers of the mystery to get to the heart of what it's all about.
What stood out to me specifically was the way the game gradually built up the tension, using predominantly atmosphere but sprinkled with short bursts of scares and cinematic moments.
The game also utilised lighting and sound effects very well, both as parts of puzzles but also as a form of signposting to draw players' attention to specific areas and props.
There is a live actor in this game and he/she is utilised more than in Abstraction, though for the most part still sparingly and effectively. I quite liked this kind of horror game design where they have a live actor to add to the immersion and interactivity, but don't overdo it due to diminishing returns.
The puzzles were generally excellent, with a few we had not encountered before being especially memorable. While the they were all thematic, not all of them made logical sense in the space — until we viewed them through the lens of symbolism. If you don't pick up all the metaphors and the deeper meaning behind the reveals throughout the game, getting an explanation from your GM at the end definitely gives you a deeper appreciation of the design and attention to detail.
The climax — or should I say the final puzzle — of this game was sensational. I won't reveal much other than to say it was scary but also extremely thrilling and fun.
To me, Judgment Day was close to being a perfect light-horror game — great set, atmosphere, puzzles, story, and memorable moments. It was still a bit too dark for my liking in some areas, and some of the signposting could have been stronger, but on the whole, it was one of my favourite experiences of our entire Canada trip.
Note: Judgment Day was inspired by a true story. There probably should be a trigger warning as it contains some confronting themes and scenes. But rather than making it a straightforward adaptation, Eliviascape dives deeper into the tragedy and offers some thoughtful reflections through its puzzles and symbolism.
If you want to learn about the true story behind the room, click here.
PS: When we visited in early July 2026, Eliviascape was in the process of building their new room, another horror game! They had closed down their old game The Legend of the Mayan Warrior to make space for it.
Escape time: 50 out of 75 minutes
Theming | Atmosphere | Puzzles | Creativity | Fun |
A+ | A+ | A | A | A+ |
Verdict: A game that ticks all the boxes I want in a light-horror escape room — huge, multi-sectional set, immersive atmosphere, compelling narrative, challenging thematic puzzles, effective scares, and memorable/wow moments. The fact it is based on a chilling true story is just the cherry on top.
OVERALL RANK:
H | E | Z | J |
S | A- | A+ | A+ |
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