Room Escape Boston – The Boom Room [Review]

More room than boom.

Location:  Chelsea, Massachusetts

Date Played:  January 19, 2020

Team size: 2-8; we recommend 2-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $27 per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Room Escape Boston was an archery tag facility with a couple of escape rooms.

The Boom Room was an old-school escape room. While offered more depth than expected based on the first few minutes of gameplay, it was still a generic escape room experience.

We enjoyed this escape room a lot more than we thought we would, but ultimately it was a forgettable experience. If you’re nearby and you’d like to play a room, go for it.

Personally, I found myself looking at the archery tag and wishing that we had booked that instead; it seemed like it had more going on.

Who is this for?

• Any experience level

Why play?

• Traditional escape room puzzle play
• A surprising amount of content
• One cinematic moment

Story

An anonymous tip brought us to the hidden bunker of a suspected serial bomber. Could we defuse his plans for mass destruction?

Setting

The Boom Room had an old school, reading-heavy, lock-centric bunker escape room aesthetic:

• Old Typewriter ✔️
• Camouflaging Materials ✔️
• Ammo Cases ✔️
• Maps ✔️

There were 2 things that made this space stand out: there was a lot more of it than we had initially expected. It included one well-designed cinematic moment.

Gameplay

Room Escape Boston’s The Boom Room was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

Core gameplay revolved around searching, observing, and making connections.

Analysis

➖ Our gamemaster led us into The Boom Room with our eyes closed. There was no grand reveal or payoff in the opening moments of this escape room. The set was standard. (At least we didn’t need to wear blindfolds.)

➕ Room Escape Boston dedicated a large amount of space to The Boom Room. As we solved, we entered new areas of the game, but continued to use game elements from the previous spaces. This added depth to the gameplay.

➖/➕ Room Escape Boston hid tech behind tubing. This made it stand out more, but it did protect it from prying hands. It was an inelegant solution, but the tech was armored.

➕ The gameplay worked. We were able to move logically from one solve into the next puzzle.

➖ The Boom Room included entirely too much inconsequential reading material.

➕ When The Boom Room – a dim but not dark game – required additional light to solve a puzzle, Room Escape Boston made sure a light source was available to the players.

➖ Room Escape Boston used a door lock that was confusing and momentum-killing. Although our gamemaster had given us instructions for its use in the pregame briefing, it was still confusing to operate, and a mistake led to a short lockout.

➖ Room Escape Boston delivered some story over audio, but we missed these moments because the volume was low and it was over by the time we’d realized something was playing and had stopped talking.

➕ We enjoyed when one puzzle landed in front of us. Room Escape Boston staged this so that we were all in position to appreciate the moment.

➖ The Boom Room lacked a finale, or any fanfare upon escape.

Tips For Visiting

• Room Escape Boston in located next to a Dollar General. Enter as if you are entering the Dollar General and then turn right. You’ll see Room Escape Boston and Archery Games Boston. You’ll pass the archery tag on your way to the escape room.

• There is a parking lot.
• There is a Chili’s in the same strip mall.

Book your hour with Room Escape Boston’s The Boom Room, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

Disclosure: Room Escape Boston provided media discounted tickets for this game.