Room Escape Artist

Super Secret is one of the best games in Albuquerque. Here are our other recommendations for great escape rooms in Albuquerque.

To the Secretcave!

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Date Played: December 14, 2021

Team size: 2-6; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $28 per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

We haven’t had a lot of luck playing superhero-themed escape rooms… until we visited Super Secret.

The struggle with superhero games is that it’s really hard to make the players – who know that they are just regular humans – believe that they are in a superheroic world. New Mexico Escape Room solved this problem by casting us as regular humans supporting the hero from his headquarters… and it worked damn well.

The characters, setting, and props blended with a campy superhero story, and sold the whole package. And New Mexico Escape Room accomplished this while telling their own story with their own Albuquerque-based superhero.

There were times where I wished that the puzzles and challenges blended a bit more into the story, but overall, this game was a stellar example of puzzle design, characters, setting, and story coming together to create an adventure.

Super Secret was one of our favorite games from Albuquerque… which is saying a lot because we loved the games we played in this city. This game is a must-play in a region that is worth traveling to specifically for escape games.

Who is this for?

• Superhero fans
• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Any experience level

Why play?

• Engaging and approachable puzzle play
• The Batcave-esque set was beautiful from floor to ceiling
• A delightful original superhero story set in Albuquerque

Story

For years, Captain Secret had kept the city of Albuquerque safe from evildoers… until today. Our city’s superhero had been captured by his greatest foe, and needed our help. Fortunately everything he needed was within his secret lair, but time was running short.

Setting

Super Secret was set in a Batcave-ish super hero’s lair. In Batman fashion, it was loaded with Captain Secret’s equipment and trophies.

From floor to ceiling, Super Secret’s set was fully realized. All of this was accentuated by cartoon animation of Super Secret as we helped him out of his perilous situation.

Gameplay

New Mexico Escape Room’s Super Secret was a standard escape room with a moderate level of difficulty.

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

Analysis

➕ The small set was designed from floor to ceiling. It had a strong tech-meets-cave Batcave aesthetic that we’ve never seen before, and worked perfectly for the game. From the opening moments through to the finale, the set surprised us.

➕ We appreciated that we were helping a local city, and not saving the entire world. Our superhero was a real character, whom we got to know through the puzzles and the cutscenes. The stakes felt right.

➕ The cut scenes were great. With excellent animation and voice acting, they brought our group together and refocused us on the plot points. These were fun break points that added to our enjoyment of the mission.

➖ While some of the puzzles enhanced the character of our superhero, and the final act was largely tied to the narrative, many of the puzzles were thematic escape room puzzles. There’s opportunity for New Mexico Escape Room to add more narrative weight to puzzle interactions.

➕ That said, the final act was hilarious. It was a ridiculous theme-mashup, and it energized us… and our actions were deeply tied to the narrative.

➕ The gameplay flowed well, with varied puzzles, many of which required teamwork and communication. These were fun, satisfying solves.

➖ With certain puzzles, New Mexico Escape Room could adjust interfaces to give feedback earlier, so that players have confirmation of their interactions, and feel confident in how to input solves.

➕ New Mexico Escape Room used light and sound expertly throughout Super Secret to direct our attention and elevate the experience.

➕ The hint system was fun to converse with.

➕ The superheroic Easter eggs were a delight.

Tips For Visiting

• The game is located at the Carlisle Boulevard location.
• There is a parking lot.
• We enjoyed Green Jeans, for a nearby upscale food court constructed out of shipping containers.

Book your hour with New Mexico Escape Room’s Super Secret, and tell them that the Room Escape Artist sent you.

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

Escape Immerse Explore: New Mexico

This game will be featured on our next escape room tour: Escape Immerse Explore: New Mexico 2022. If you’re looking to play outstanding escape rooms with other players who are just as excited about these games, we hope you’ll join us in New Mexico this June.