Room Escape Artist

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

Syndicate Revolt

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Date Played: December 14, 2021

Team size: 2-6; we recommend 3-4

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $28 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: If the transition sequences don’t work for you, you can bypass them.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Have you ever just connected with a game? I connected with Bombshell. Maybe it was because I live in New Jersey, and the villain strongly reminded me of my neighbor… or maybe it was the noir vibes, beautiful set, and the clever way that New Mexico Escape Room massaged escape room tropes into the narrative of this game.

Whatever it was… I got really into it.

Another thing that I loved about Bombshell was that things had weight to them. The props, transitions, lighting… so much of this game had a playful gravitas. When you picked up props, they required a bit of oomph; the story felt the same.

Where Bombshell lost me from time to time were in a few puzzles that required a bit more repetition than was necessary. Those “ok, I get it…” moments weren’t numerous, but in such a smooth game, they stood out.

Bombshell is another one of those must-play games in Albuquerque… so if you’re anywhere nearby, go play it.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Story seekers
• Scenery snobs
• Noir fans
• Any experience level

Why play?

• A strong narrative-driven game
• Phenomenal set design accentuated by lighting

Story

For decades Vittorio Bosargio had ruled crime in this city as the Don of Dons. No one questioned his judgment… until recently. He seemed to be losing it, becoming chaotic, violent, and mad. As the leaders of our respective crime families, we’d gathered to put an end to his reign, but Bosargio knew what we were up to…

Setting

The warehouse set of Bombshell felt like a great environment to explore an organized crime story. The set itself was gorgeous, and truly sold itself as a warehouse. Additionally, the whole experience was amplified by fantastic light and sound design that gave it a proper noir feel.

Gameplay

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

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

Analysis

➕ Even before we entered Bombshell, the set made an impression. It was an imposing build. The warehouse was sparsely decorated, but New Mexico Escape Room had thought through every detail of the place, down to the bullet holes that riddled the set pieces.

➕ Escape Room New Mexico justified the existence of escape room-style puzzles in a warehouse. Furthermore, it was funny. Witty character dialogue prodded us as we played. Vittorio Bosargio had it in for us, but he wanted to toy with us first.

➕ Our hints came from a character, through a sensible interface, while still accessible to the entire team.

➕ One puzzle was immovable until we noticed the subtle cluing that provided pivotal information.

➖ Some of the puzzles overstayed their welcome. One was uncomfortable to complete and another lasted longer than it needed to.

➖ One puzzle was largely spoiled by wear mapping out a solution.

➕ As the story unfolded, the puzzles made sense within the context of our escape. We enjoyed a cheesy, but thematically relevant, take on a classic escape room puzzle as well as a suitable and satisfying deduction challenge.

➕ Throughout the experience, sound and light cues directed our attention at key moments.

➕ The mid-game transition was exciting, and augmented by sound, light, and practical effects. It will not be for everyone, however, and New Mexico Escape Room handled this elegantly.

➕ The finale was memorable, and all the better for the small, unnecessary details that really sold the moment.

Tips For Visiting

• The game is located at the McLeod Road 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 Bombshell, 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.