QuestRoom: Red Giant (Los Angeles)

Why did it have to be snakes?

All your life, the Pink Pyramid has stood as a testament to the ancients who built it and the civilization that once stood. Your elders have told you stories about the treasure that lies within, though none who have ventured after it have ever come back the same. As a child you dreamed of being the first to find The Red Giant, the most valuable ruby in the world. Now, you, and your crack team of experts, stand at the mouth of the tomb that will either give you what you’ve always wanted or doom you for eternity… How far are you willing to go to find The Red Giant!

The Red Giant is an action-packed adventure that goes beyond most escape rooms. Set in the present, your team of archaeologists have made the trek to the “Pink Pyramid,” the rumored hiding place of a dazzling ruby and the treasure of the pharaohs. You’ll need to think quickly, as oxygen is limited, and escape the tombs, but will it be as billionaire, or cursed forever?

We only had a brief time in LA. Most of it was dedicated to Disneyland, but of course we had to do a few rooms. After much debate, we knew Lab Rat, Stash House, and Zoe were on the list of must do rooms, but we did have enough time to fit in another. After much research, Red Giant was the winner.

Located less than ten minute from the Hollywood Walk of Fame and downtown LA, the location fit well with our Escape Room tour, and we were warmly greeted upon arrival at Quest Room. The best way to describe Red Giant is, quite simply, beautiful. Quest Room has a reputation for creating some of the most immersive rooms in LA, and we certainly weren’t disappointed on that front. Stepping through the door into the Pink Pyramid, I’ll admit I felt a bit like Indiana Jones. The room was an adventure from start to finish, with some elements that felt as though they had been pulled straight from a movie.

PUZZLES

Quest Room has marked Red Giant as moderately difficult. I would agree with that. The puzzles are generally well thought out and logical, once you know what to do, but it’s not always easy to get there. Gord and I have rather bad habits of not searching thoroughly enough, and also over complicating things, both of which nearly thwarted us a few times; Sometimes, things really are as simple as they seem. On that note however, I will tell you, like Indiana Jones, I was not a fan of the snakes.

IMMERSION/ROOM DESIGN

From start to finish, you are fully immersed in the world created for you. This room is 3rd gen, with not a padlock in sight. As you’d expect from the proximity to Hollywood, set design is impeccable, with beautiful scenery, custom props, and clever lighting. I spent a fair amount of time just looking around the room, trying to take it all in. Midway through, there was a wonderful element that added a bit of excitement and danger, that was completely unexpected. The final puzzle goes against everything you know about escape rooms, and yet was immensely satisfying.

GM/CLUE SYSTEM

You have a fellow archaeologist that will give you nudges and hints over a loudspeaker. Barnaby is there also to help immerse you in the story, as well as help you keep track of how much time you have until you run out of air, giving you warnings at appropriate intervals. Like other rooms in LA, these are pre-recorded, in character, and the immersion is never lost.

ANYTHING ELSE

I wish we had had more time to do a few of the other rooms by Quest Room. If Red Giant is anything to go by, the company may well be setting the standard for the future of escape rooms.

Success / Failure

Final Rating: 

Team: 2 people

Address: 5517 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Website: https://questroom.com