RATING: 4 Keys          RESULT: Win          REMAINING: 12:13

You’re telling me boss is trying to have us pinched? We won’t fuggedaboutit anytime soon.

For decades, the city’s greatest criminal syndicates have answered to one man, Vittorio Bosargio. He is known as the Don of Dons, holding power over multiple criminal organizations, but lately his judgment has been questionable and unstable. He is slowly slipping into madness. You’ve been summoned, along with other organizational heads, to meet in a secret location and discuss the fate of the highly respected, but faltering Don. Unfortunately, your betrayal doesn’t go unnoticed. Someone has double crossed you, and now it’s a race against the clock to survive. Don’t end up ‘sleepin’ wit’ the fishes.’ Can you outsmart Don Vittorio Bosargio?

In an attempt to stage a coup to overthrow Vittorio Bosargio’s rule, some of the greatest groups of criminal leaders plan on meeting at one of his old warehouses. The gathering is supposed to be secret, but somehow boss got word of what was being planned and made sure to fill the building with everything needed to leave the traitors right in the middle of a crime scene.

Whether it be illicitly “earned” money or live explosives, backstabbers need to figure out how to to destroy the evidence. Once every last trace of wrongdoing is gone, it’s time to leave the scene. It will be hard to make an unnoticed exit from the warehouse since Bosargio already notified the police, so there won’t be much time until the entire building is swarmed. It’s going to take a creative getaway plan.

The meeting is taking place at Bombshell Ltd., one of the many warehouses and properties owned by Bosargio. Starting out on the city street, ‘wow’ may be a first impression upon sight of this building. It’s clear the place hasn’t gone unused by Vittorio Bosargio. Industrial lights shine down on the front façade, showing the depth and aging in each and every brick.

After rolling open the steel door, eyes are greeted by large wooden crates containing anything from historical relics to hungry circus animals. At first sight, everything inside looks typical for what’s expected to be in a warehouse, but one thing stands out from the rest: a mysterious sheet concealing something underneath.

Bombshell perfectly takes advantage of the clerestory windows on the side of the building in a dramatic sequence. The ingenious effects give a perfect picture of events unfolding outside, bringing an added layer of realism to the storyworld.

At a later stage, backstabbers enter the mechanical room of the warehouse. Down here there’s a variety of machines along with a network of pipes to keep the building operational. The aged and worn look is enhanced by many small details scattered throughout, creating a functional, yet eye-catching industrial atmosphere.

One puzzle early on is easy to understand the concept of, but is sadly built in a way that impedes on attempts to complete it. This task’s imperfect design may cause frustration—or pain if multiple people try to work on this simultaneously.

While a good number of puzzles in Bombshell are connected to the narrative, a significant number are designed to be repeated on multiple occasions. Tasks that are relevant to the story are engaging and enjoyable, but the frequent repetitiveness dampens what otherwise would be moderately fun interactions.

The ability to destroy the evidence and leave the crime scene are peak moments for the experience. These sequences are complemented by a multitude of added effects and dialogue, drawing audiences deeper into the mission.

Although Bombshell struggles to provide consistently engaging tasks for those daring enough to betray Vittorio Bosargio, carrying out this mission is exciting. From the very start, the pursuit to destroy the evidence is clear. The surrounding police bring a level of thrill, needing to complete the mission and a stealthy getaway.

New Mexico Escape Room is heavily praised for their high-quality scenic design, all executed at a large scale. While this mission might not be the one’s first choice compared to the venue’s many other offerings, its sets maintain the same high standard. The greatest strength of Bombshell is its compelling narrative, which doesn’t fall apart once the traitors enter the warehouse. The twists and turns continue throughout the experience.

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Venue: New Mexico Escape Room

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Number of Games: 6

GAME SPECIFIC INFORMATION:

Duration: 60 minutes

Capacity: 8 people

Group Type: Private / You will not be paired with strangers.

Cost: $32 per person