Houston's Fifth Ward neighborhood will welcome an exciting new attraction called Beat the Bomb starting January 24.

Built by ARCO/Murray, the 10,000-square-foot game space sends four to six players through various bomb-themed activities over 60 minutes. The bombs in question are paint bombs, essentially paint balls in grenade form, so players wear hazmat suits through the experience to keep their clothes clean. Each game revolves around high tech video technology, lasers, puzzles, and other paths forward until the players reach the final bomb room. There, they have to disarm a massive bomb before time runs out.

It's a silly but high stakes experience that combines the best parts of an Escape Room and attractions like Activate in Katy. Teamwork is key, as are fast reflexes and quick thinking.

This is the sixth Beat the Bomb attraction to open.

“Houston was an obvious choice for Beat The Bomb. It’s the energy capital of the world and the fourth largest city in the U.S. It has a vibrant arts scene, boasts the headquarters of 24 Fortune 500 companies, and is home to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Beat The Bomb will fit right in with our high-energy games and paint, foam and slime blast endings,” founder and CEO Alex Patterson said in a statement. “Beat The Bomb’s mission is to use technology to engineer human connection, encouraging camaraderie amongst friends ,family, and coworkers. We are thrilled to land in Houston and begin blending the Fifth Ward’s industrial past with our modern technology and cutting-edge special effects.”

Once the explosive quest is done, players can enjoy The Bomb Bar, a full-service bar and eatery with pizza, wings, slushies, and alcoholic beverages. It overlooks a 1,500-square-foot beer garden for those that want to relax after their harrowing experience, but gaming pods are also available for those that want to keep the competition going with simple social games while they eat.

Beat the Bomb joins Meow Wolf in the renovated Moncrief Lenoir Buildings in the Fifth Ward. Open since October, Meow Wolf is home to Radio Tave, an immersive art experience about a terrestrial radio station transported to another dimension. It's easy to imagine families or groups of friends visiting both venues and then grabbing a meal — and a cold beer or two — at the nearby Saint Arnold Brewing Company beer garden and restaurant.