Live Cinema: The Immersive Experience That Makes You Feel Just Like a Character – Our Review

In Paris, Lock Academy is launching Live Cinema, an innovative immersive experience of the Story Room type, to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Starting from March 9, 2026, this two-hour narrative adventure—spanning 550 square meters—invites participants to step into the middle of an interactive action film, blending puzzle-solving, immersive theater, and elaborate set designs.

Overview of Live Cinema at Lock Academy

Titled Zone 51, this experience immerses you in a true thriller: you'll need to infiltrate the American embassy via an abandoned subway station, then board a container heading towards Area 51. The goal is to continue the investigation of a French scientist surrounding the "Cube," a mysterious extraterrestrial artifact. This adventure takes you through an abandoned metro tunnel, the embassy’s lobby, as well as a hangar and various sci-fi-inspired interiors—an action-packed journey straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Live Cinema, for lovers of puzzles and cinema

This new adventure is aimed at both fans of classicescape games and players looking for a more immersive experience. If you love cinema, interactive storytelling, and large-scale sets, Live Cinema seems to tick all the boxes. It is suitable for groups of friends, families (with teenagers), or companies looking for an unusual team-building activity.

However, given the 120-minute duration and the large-scale setup (25 rooms, multiple sets), it's fair to say that the format is better suited to participants who are already familiar with escape games, or those who are willing to fully commit to the adventure.

Trailer for Live Cinema at Lock Academy

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The set design was particularly ambitious. On LinkedIn, the team shared that they have "turned an empty room... into a subway platform with a crashed train!", specially crafted for one of the key scenes in the escape game. This striking set immediately sets the tone: Live Cinema isn't just a typical 60-minute room escape, but an experience conceived as a fully immersive film — one you live from the inside out.

Here, the concept is built around a simple idea: a movie where you’re the hero. Featuring actors, stunning sets, and seamlessly transitioning between different locations… everything is designed to boost the illusion and immerse you fully, creating a completely different experience from a traditional escape room.

Our Review of Live Cinema:

We had the chance to experience this immersive adventure in a preview, just days before it officially opened to the public. Upon arrival, you step into what looks like a classic cinema hall. Then, a film begins—setting the scene for the experience you’re about to undertake. Next comes the action: you'll quickly find yourself immersed in the game, and everything happens rapidly. You'll be guided by a hacker who interacts with you through an AI assistant, T.E.D. We’ll leave the details of what follows for you to discover on your own.

Note, this isn’t an escape room but a Story Room: the experience unfolds through a series of scenes, much like a film, with a “game master/actor” guiding you. Some moments will be passive (though never fully—there will be simple instructions like "duck!" or "quiet!"), some will involve active participation, but always with guidance, and others will be more independent.

This is a cutting-edge experience that pushes immersion beyond what’s typically available in Paris’s gaming scene, featuring highly detailed sets from floor to ceiling, a plethora of special effects—fire, smoke, lasers, sparks, mapping, and more—as well as some magic tricks reminiscent of large-scale illusions. There are a few “wow” moments that outperform even the most elaborate escape rooms in comparison.

Some tips and info:

First things first, be punctual! The entrance closes exactly at your scheduled start time, as groups are scheduled at 35-minute intervals. Arriving late impacts the next groups’ schedules. All factors are considered to ensure you’re on time—including subway delays (line 9, we get it...). Note that your session may be canceled if you’re late, so please plan accordingly.

Wear comfortable clothing that allows freedom of movement and that you wouldn’t mind getting dusty or dirty, as some areas can be quite messy. High heels are strongly discouraged—running or climbing in heels isn’t practical here. The experience is also not suitable for epileptic visitors due to flashing lights used in certain sections.

While two hours fly by thanks to its fast pace, the experience is well-balanced overall—you won't feel rushed or that the story is ending too soon. Keep in mind, this adventure is only open to those aged 15 and older. Younger participants might manage, but the pace and instructions aren’t tailored for children (based on tests with 10-year-olds, apparently).

Feel free to interact with the actors (or at least join in their game), as they’re there for that very purpose. This recenturated immersion is amplified when you engage with them. On the flip side, touching the actors is strictly forbidden (you won’t need to). Those looking for a performance challenge might be disappointed since the focus isn’t on individual achievement but on the story itself. Everyone experiences the same plot from start to finish, within the allotted time.

If you’re the competitive type, here’s a challenge: in the Zone 51 hangar, you’ll need to find energy capsules to power a machine. There are quite a few to unlock (hidden in boxes, we should mention), but you don’t need to find them all—getting just one or ten won’t change the story. Still, if you're up for it, your goal could be to find and unlock all the capsules by solving puzzles. There are about twenty to discover, if memory serves. Good luck!

Finally, the age-old debate: is the price fair? We won't give a definitive answer. Some may find it a bit pricey (ranging from 49 to 75 euros per person depending on group size), while others will feel it’s worth every penny for two hours immersed in such detailed environments. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide.

Now you’re fully informed before booking your session. Don’t forget to check the warnings and restrictions to ensure you can enjoy the experience without issues.

What Is a Story Room? Essential Details for Live Cinema

And for newcomers, a quick refresher: a Story Room is an immersive entertainment experience where a team ventures into a themed world, with a set time to solve puzzles, uncover clues, manipulate objects, and work towards a final goal—often escaping or completing a mission—similar to an escape game. The key difference? You’re guaranteed to finish the adventure, with actors guiding you throughout the entire journey.

Participants must be at least 15 years old to join. The experience is designed for teams of 3 to 6 players, and unfortunately, it is not accessible to individuals with reduced mobility (PRM). Please note that the game can also be played in English (reservations are currently available by phone, with the website launching soon).

With Live Cinema, Lock Academy delivers an ambitious venture into Paris's immersive entertainment scene, blending stunning sets, a story worthy of the big screen, andcomplete player engagement. All that's left is to book your spot!

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