Category: Bust Out Escape Room

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

Adventure by torchlight

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Date Played: June 3, 2022

Team size: 4-8; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $30 per player

Ticketing: Private

Emergency Exit Rating: [A] Push To Exit

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

Curse of the Mayan Temple shouldn’t be a particularly challenging game. It had less content than Bust Out Escape Room’s other experiences. The puzzles were varied in style and well clued.

That said, two unusual game design decisions make this a rather variable escape room. Either one can sink a team of even experienced players (we’ve seen it happen), causing them to spiral into the depths of frustration.

Our advice for Bust Out: add gating for one early solution so that a team cannot progress to the next unusual section without completing it.

Our advice for players: If the game feels inordinately frustrating, it probably doesn’t need to be. Search harder.

We enjoyed Curse of the Mayan Temple because it looked great, played well, and took risks. Although Rattlesnake Bend and Jumanji are our favorite games from this company, if you have time to add on another adventure, we recommend Curse of the Mayan Temple.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Indiana Jones fans
• Best for players with at least some experience
• Players who communicate well

Why play?

• The unexpected mid-game introduction of a new mechanic
• Momentum-building final sequence

Story

Legend told that the temple had been cursed… but we were determined to uncover the truth of whatever lay within.

Continue reading “Bust Out Escape Room – Curse of the Mayan Temple [Review]” →

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

Launch Sequence

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Date Played: December 15, 2021

Team size: 4-8; 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

Doomsday Bunker was one of Bust Out Escape Room’s earlier games… and it has held up quite well.

The strength of Doomsday Bunker was in its set and interaction design; there were a lot of engaging and unusual moments to enjoy. A few of these stuck in my memory in a great way. And often enough, I found myself thinking, “huh… I can’t believe that I’ve never seen anyone do that before. Cool.”

As an earlier game, Doomsday Bunker’s gameplay was rooted in more traditional puzzle play. There were a lot of lightly themed puzzles and search challenges scattered throughout this game. Overall, it was a great representation of a classic escape room, and if I had played this when it was brand new, it would have blown my mind. I still got a lot out of it.

If you’re visiting Bust Out, I’d strongly urge you to play Rattlesnake Bend first… and if you’re looking for another game, this is a great one to add to your itinerary.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Best for players with at least some experience
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• An unusual approach to the bunker setting, with cool props and interactions
• A lot of challenging puzzle content

Story

Our team had been assigned to prevent the start of World War III. We had to infiltrate a bunker, activate a missile, and neutralize the threat.

Continue reading “Bust Out Escape Room – Doomsday Bunker [Review]” →

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

When you play the game of Jumanji, you win or you die.

Location:  Albuquerque, NM

Date Played: December 15, 2021

Team size: 4-8; we recommend 3-5

Duration: 60 minutes

Price: $31 per player

Ticketing: Private

Accessibility Consideration: To fully experience this game, you need to be able to go up and down stairs.

Emergency Exit Rating: [A+] No Lock

Physical Restraints: [A+] No Physical Restraints

REA Reaction

This was the strongest representation of Jumanji that I’ve seen in an escape room.

Bust Out Escape Room started with an Indestroom game and heavily modified it, making it their own. The mid- and late-game effects within Jumanji really sold this adventure.

The early game wasn’t especially engaging… which is a common trait of Jumanji escape games. There was also an opportunity for Bust Out to add some spot lighting in key areas to facilitate gameplay.

Beyond that, this was a fantastic game. When we visited Bust Out at 8:30pm on a Wednesday night, this was the only game on our schedule… after playing it we ended up booking two more games. Needless to say, we had a great time. If you’re in the area, I recommend Jumanji, especially if you’re already a fan of the book or movies.

Who is this for?

• Adventure seekers
• Puzzle lovers
• Scenery snobs
• Jumanji fans
• Any experience level
• Players who don’t need to be a part of every puzzle

Why play?

• Wonderful Jumanji-inspired props
• Engaging effects sequences

Story

We entered a home where a game of Jumanji was already in progress: the drums beat, the jungle was alive, and the animals were hungry. The only way out was to finish the game.

Continue reading “Bust Out Escape Room – Jumanji [Review]” →