This summer we reviewed RED, an immersive game that claimed to have captured that ever elusive replayability.
We left it bewildered, but exhilarated… and we wanted to return.
In our first apocalypse playthrough, we uncovered only a small portion of the mystery and earned a comically low survival rating. Here is the original review, from that vantage point:
First Person Xperience – RED [Review]
Revisiting RED
The Approach
The first time, we played to survive. This time, we played to thrive.
We brought a large group of friends, most of whom had already played RED once before. Over dinner, we talked about the bits and pieces we’d uncovered in our various earlier playthroughs:
- What did we understand about the apocalyptic world of RED?
- Which characters were we likely to meet?
- What actions should we take?
- What information should we seek?
- What could potentially be solved? How?
- Who should be responsible for the various aspects of the game?
- How would we each play our own role in RED?
We divided the key responsibilities amongst the group. We strategized hard.
The Result
It worked. We were the second team to achieve 100% survival.
We learned much more about the world of RED… and we opened up so many new questions.
RED was fully replayable. In fact, we would play again.
Additional Thoughts
We stand by our original review, but with the following additions:
- There was an incredible world to unravel within RED. The more backstory we filled in, the more questions we had.
- There was a more complex puzzle to solve in addition to the “practical” survival logistics. We unearthed the clues from the space and from the characters. There was a lot to uncover and put together.
- The actors were exceptional. We couldn’t throw them off. We tried.
- The in-game upgrade for the Elite Package was exciting. Once we understood our role in the scenario at hand, we could use it to our advantage.
- First Person Xperience had changed the final scene since we first played. While the new ending provided a sense of accomplishment, the old one was more dramatic. The folks in our group who’d experienced them both generally preferred the new way, but we were conflicted.
- The post-game content was still too lengthy, but with additional insight into the experience, it was less intimidating and we were more interested in chewing on it.
- Our experiences in RED depended entirely on our approach to it. Our playthroughs were different, but equally captivating.
- If we played again, we would not strive for 100% survival. We would do something different just to see what would happen.
Remember that RED is not an escape room. If you approach it like an escape room, you’re missing the point.
RED is playing through December 3rd. Whether new or returning, get a ticket while you still can.
Book your session with First Person Xperience’s RED, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.
