We were given only the following image:

origImg=ImageCrop[]//Binarize

Pixelate:

bitImg=Image[ImageData[origImg][[2;;-2;;6,2;;-2;;6]],"Bit"]

bitImgNoBorder=ImageTake[bitImg,{2,-2},{2,-2}]

dat=ImageData[bitImgNoBorder]

Dimensions[%]

FromCharacterCode@Map[FromDigits[#,2]&/@Partition[#,8]&,1-dat]

It’s not ASCII directly - I’ve tried reading down the rows/columns and negating the image.

Doesn’t seem to be a maze, either

FromDigits[#,2]&/@(1-dat)

Flatten[%]

This was as far as we got - turned out to be the Game of Life:

CellularAutomaton[{224,{2,{{2,2,2},{2,1,2},{2,2,2}}},{1,1}},1-ImageData@bitImg]//ArrayPlot