Review: Red Alert (Formerly Known As P.U.T.I.N. Bunker) | 60Out Escape Rooms (Hollywood)

Game Website | Company Website | Based In: Los Angeles, CA, USA

OFFICIAL SPEC

💪 Difficulty: Hard.

⏲️ Time duration: 60 minutes limit.

🔢 Capacity: 2 to 6 players. Private booking.

💬 Hints: Via built-in, hidden speakers system, (if my memory serves me).

🛒 If you BOOK due to this blog, please give EscapeMattster.com a shout-out! ;)

MATTSTER'S REC

💪 Difficulty (as perceived by Mattster): 5/10 (team of 3). I was worried that it'll be super hard--it turned out manageable.

🔢 Ideal team size: Around 4 players, ideally with escape room experience. It's a puzzle-heavy room; be ready!

RECOMMENDED

OFFICIAL PREMISE

The last dictator of the world is relinquished of his powers but he won’t go down that easily. In a last ditch effort, he initiated a nuclear missile sequence that could decimate the civilization. Stop the countdown to save our planet.

MATTSTER'S ANALYSIS

First, a special note:

This game play took place before pandemic announcement in the United States (before March 2020). This review reflects previous business standards & practice at the time. Your experience may follow new health & safety guidelines where and when applicable. Please contact business venue for operating hours, booking info, and other further inquiries.

The following is adapted from a Yelp review I've previously published.

And now, read away, my lovely readers:

It's a real treat to finally update a review for this 60Out location. I still remember when I was an escape room baby when I first tried out their "Dr Psycho" game, which was awesome. I then beta tested for their "Fire & Ice" room that pitted two groups of friends against each other, though this room is now closed. (I did not review this room.) And now, "Red Alert"!

I held off on playing for "Red Alert" because the staff has repeatedly warned me that these are some of their hardest challenges, and should be reserved when players are truly ready. I heeded this warning rather seriously since I'd literally played through tens and tens of escape rooms since I last faced the cannibalistic doctor.

But now, I wasn't just ready... I rocked "Red Alert" so hard, Vladimir Putin's shirt fell off. (Well, he's usually already shirtless, so I guess he put it back on, then our team shook it off again with our awesome puzzle solving efforts.)

Awkward joking aside, (which is *EXACTLY* what you're getting in this room, kinda,) "Red Alert" (previously named "PUTIN Bunker") is really, truly a puzzle room. So right off the bet, if you're considering choosing this game, you need to know, it's lighter on the story, there's not much running around, it's mostly a time to flex those bulging brain muscles. What's missing in terms of plot, was made up with tongue-in-cheek humor, as you'd find several amusing, sometimes absurd, scenarios throughout the game, which were all purposely meant to make you crack a smile. Or smirk.

Once again, if you like solving solid puzzles, if you like silly jokes, and if you *don't* like a lot of action or plot driven steps, this room's for you. (And for me. Because I qualify for the first 2 features.)

Red Alert ▪ 60Out Escape Rooms (Hollywood)

To elaborate a bit, your main objective was to sneak into the self-loving Putin's top secret office, and halt an imminent nuclear weapon launch. Yes, it's a bit (or a lot) typical, you go through a lot of motion to finally land on the holy grail of a password, punch it into the PC, and crisis diverted. Yes, it's been done before, but this game does do it well, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the mental challenges.

The variety of puzzles laying throughout the room is eclectic to say the least, and though there were your commonplace locks, keypads, and such, every step required us to use a certain unique angle to reach the solution. (Sometimes literally, hint hint.) I never once felt bored because the designers really aimed to deliver something different in every puzzle, and with every code cracked, my brain was more pumped, and even on a roll, rushing to the next clue. It's this level of intensity of brain work that "Red Alert" required me to be constantly on my toes, that I appreciated the most.

Now, with that said, though I was always busy gathering clues and applying them, I'd confidently say *none* of them was considered honestly super difficult. We missed a detail or two, didn't do a complete scavenger hunt, but that's about all that my team faltered on. (But yes, I've played quite the number of rooms, so that does weigh an impact.)

And for completeness sake, I feel obligated to inform everyone that "Red Alert" is categorized as a mixed gen-1/gen-2 room, so you'll encounter a large range of inputs, tools, and technology at your disposal before finally preventing a deathly disastrous bombing. Echoing above, it's this nice mix of variety, the marriage of classic elements and newer interesting gadgets that'd lengthen the longevity of this game. With the advantage of the game's setting in the Cold War era (I think), this game may probably feel somewhat timeless, and be a great consideration for any escape room junkie.

Let's play a game of "Spot The Shirtless Putin" ▪ 60Out Escape Rooms (Hollywood)

Oh! And the set! The set was nice looking, and that helps to recommend this room to others, (keeping in mind that it's more suitable for a certain subset of the audience). To put in other words, the set impressed me enough for it to work for what it's assigned to do, while occasionally adding something extra. There's A LOT OF Russian reference in there. And I ate all that right up! Whatever publicity still photos you find on the 60out website, they accurately portray what you'll see in person. In fact, I thought the room looked more beautiful in real life. It's just realistic enough, spacious enough, and playful enough to be a good time.

Beginners, bring up to 6. My fellow advanced fanatics, no more than 4. We 3 got out in 47 minutes; so, budget your team size.

Side note: I know you're here for my review, not for an anecdote, but you're getting one anyway. During my game play, the entire room shook. Literally. My team was so speechlessly amazed at this off-the-chart special effect. Was this a warning for the nuclear war that's about to happen? ...Nope. We had an earthquake. In Southern California. During my game.

Good times, good times.

Happy 4th Of July! ▪ 60Out Escape Rooms (Hollywood)

READY FOR FUN?

"Red Alert" is available for booking HERE.

If you BOOK due to this blog, please give EscapeMattster.com a shout-out! ;)

Signing off,

ESCAPE MATTSTER

Instagram @EscapeMattster ▪ Facebook.com/EscapeMattster

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