Located on the outskirts of Kensington, Cognito is one of the surprise additions to the Calgary escape room scene in 2017. The gamemaster was gracious enough to let us play for extra time when we did not finish the room.

We got there REALLY REALLY late because of some terrible traffic, but they were very nice about it and we were still able to play! They’re also very friendly and nice to talk to.

The room’s meat is in the puzzles. What seemed to be a familiar display of escape room tropes, the puzzles delivered many surprises.

Designed to test your team’s individual solving skills, the puzzles catered to different strengths. It’s up to you and your friends to determine who would be most efficient at what station.

Not only were the puzzles creative, but the way that puzzles were organized and flowed was also fantastic. This room had a great system that allowed us to easily link a puzzle to the box it’s supposed to open. This made sure there weren’t any instances where we had a 3-digit combo, and countless 3-digit locks to try that combo in.

The room had a certain charm. What looked like a nondescript office was actually a magical one laden with little trinkets and knickknacks referencing Harry Potter, some of it clearly made, printed, and glued together on-site. There were some impressive pieces here. Some of it, though,  was a little rundown, fragile, and easily tearable.

I actually really liked how the room looked! The major pieces in the room looked pretty great, but there are some small details that didn’t look as nice (like Paulie mentioned, some visible glue, some pieces of paper that didn’t look very magical). The not-as-nice parts may have just been emphasized by what I thought was a good-looking room overall.

Without spoiling anything, Sorcerer’s Academy sends hints in a very unconventional but very thematic way. Owl be the first to say that I found it magical. (I wonder if this method works on Sundays?)

I’m not very punny, so I’ll just leave it at what Paulie said.

Yes, this is a biased rating due to my unabashed love for Harry Potter. It’s surprising how this is the first of its kind in Calgary/Edmonton. The folks at Cognito took accio-ed this theme and ran away apparated with it.

I love magic themes! This room in particular was about as close as you can get to Harry Potter without being a Harry Potter room.

Solid #platinum. Sorcerer’s Academy turned your standard bag of tricks inside out. If you’re seeking a magical fantasy escape room, this school is worth enrolling in.

#platinum! School is a drag without any friends, so bring a bunch! You’ll need them!