If you like physical and a little cerebral challenges, the brand new immersive activity Bomb Squad is undoubtedly made for you. The first place of this kind has just opened in Paris, and I tested it without knowing what awaited me. Here is my objective opinion on this outing to do with the family.
The concept of the Escape Game, which arrived in France in 2013, has been a great success. But have you ever heard of the concept of Action Game? It is an improved version of the Escape Game, to say the least. Clearly, these are real-time action games, in which you, as a player, are required to make decisions with a certain agility. Generally, there are physical and cerebral challenges to complete before the time runs out, a bit like in Fort Boyard. And this is precisely what is at the heart of the all-new Bomb Squad location, which combines cutting-edge technologies and special effects, all in an original plot. Accessible from 7 years old, it opened its doors on January 15 in Paris, at 94 Boulevard de Sébastopol. A first in France, and the feedback has so far been unanimous!
With its colorful facade, Bomb Squad attracts attention and it has what it takes. The objective of Bomb Squad is simple: players must pass a recruitment test to join an elite team, whose mission is to defuse a bomb hidden in New Terra, the new Paris, in a post-apocalyptic universe, in the year 2065. To do this, each team, which can consist of 2 to 6 players, must pass five tests. The level is announced straight away: there is only a 5% success rate. Will we be able to meet these challenges? First of all, when you push open the door of the place, you discover a slightly raw, but colorful decor. We quickly get a taste of what awaits us thanks to the presence of a large screen, which broadcasts what is happening in real time in the five rooms where the tests take place.
Once ready, a Bomb Squad recruiter takes us to the first room for our first challenge. We are given a bracelet per team, which must be badged in front of each door to start the event. Challenge No. 1 is a game of speed and above all cooperation. We find ourselves in a small room, equipped with several tablets on the wall. On each screen, you must follow the instructions as quickly as possible to earn points and time, which will be useful for the final phase.
After this test, comes the second, which is the laser room, plunged in darkness. Like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible, you have to avoid the lasers to cross the room and press the buttons. And needless to say, the lasers didn’t do us any favors, a part of me is still on the floor in this room! For now, it is better to have enough energy to expend.
The third test involves hearing and memory. We must identify a series of sounds, associated with symbols that appear on a screen, before transcribing them in the correct order.
Challenge No. 4 is the one where we exert ourselves the most (the laser room next door is a joke). We enter a room decorated with a floor of tiles with sensors on the ground. These activate and change color. The goal is to touch the yellow tiles, without stepping on the red ones. Here again, the game becomes more complex as you go: if you fail a level, you start again. Small confession: I left liters of sweat there. Self-service towels would not have been refused at the time.
At this point, you know how many points and therefore time you have collected to go to the last room. This time is precious to be able to deactivate the bomb in time. For this last challenge, we equip ourselves from head to toe with a suit and a helmet. In front of us is a giant screen through which we will have to drive a battle tank to destroy all the targets in a very specific order. If we succeed, the bomb is defused, but if we fail, a big explosion of paint comes to remake the portrait. Luckily, I succeeded in the mission and escaped the explosion.
What we take away: Bomb Squad is, in our opinion, a complete, fairly immersive activity that challenges each participant. It is also aimed at families with children, groups of friends or companies wishing to organize a team building. Ideal for an activity during school holidays or during a weekend. We still advise you to come dressed in comfortable clothing and sneakers. As for prices, they vary depending on the number of players. Count, 45 euros per person for a team of 2, and 28 euros per person for a team of 6.