Clue HQ Birmingham: Bunker 38

Pretty much the whole of this game was just trying codes over and over in different padlocks until you matched the right ones. No particularly memorable elements to this game but it was an ok play.

Quite padlock heavy, I counted around 18/19, some basic ideas the introduce the concept of escape rooms, seemed a little tired too.

We did escape, but more due to sheer dumb luck than any help the GM might have given. If he had given any help, that is... Not one of my favourites. 

Terrible. Terrible. Terrible. Terrible.  The host didn't want to be there and the game itself needs burying. 

I think our main gripe with this one is it never felt particularly immersive and we zipped through it really quickly despite being only a pair having done 4/5 rooms each.  Whilst all elements worked just fine, the hosting wasn't memorable and puzzles weren't particularly varied. I imagine it might be a good "first room" for some folks, but having been treated to some excellent escape rooms in the local area it pales in comparison!

Not for big groups

The host we had was not great, didn't really give any form of H&S talk at the beginning, barely looked at us or interacted with us the entire time. 

The props in the room were very worn, ripped and just generally falling apart. 

Puzzles boring and generic. Just avoid this.

After playing other ClueHQ games, we took advantage of the groupon offer.  This room is just carnage. I don't think the props have ever been swapped out or cared for. Paper was "hairy" it had been used so many times. Some random out of place puzzles.

Our host was also awful. He clearly didn't want to be there. Or on the planet. 

Quite a simple room based around locks and keys. A good room for beginners even if some of the set up seemed a little odd at times. 

We had a blast escaping Bunker 38 with our crew of 6 members in February 2016. The Bunker was not particularly atmospheric but had some really fun puzzles from what I can remember. We escaped in 54.50 minutes.

How Many Hints?!

I took advantage of another Groupon to get this room at a good price.

Story

A radiation leak forced you into this bunker, where you've been living for years. It's safe to return up top, but now you're locked in and oxygen levels are critically low. Escape before the last sixty minutes of breathable air runs out.

Puzzles

Far too samey; almost all of them involved finding combinations of numbers, which doesn't strike as being creative enough given the storyline. There was an incredibly misleading red herring that can only be described as stupid. One puzzle and its solution were far too tenuously linked for you to know what to do. My biggest gripe, though, was the amount of hints that were being thrown left, right and centre at us. Despite our team being engaged in trying to solve puzzles, the giveaway messages came through thick and fast.

Mise-en-scène

It did feel like a bunker, but I suppose giving compact underground shelter vibes isn't too demanding a task. The damp smell was probably the most realistic part. There was a pointless, unwarranted crawling part that didn't contribute anything to the experience.

Final Comments

At least it was cheap.