We tried Sandbox VR in Birmingham and it was absolutely out of this world

The new immersive gameplay venue is a hit with locals and I had to check out what the craze was after seeing so many videos on social media.

On arrival I heard people screaming and shouting from their games rooms, which had me laughing at what I was about to experience.

The new site based in Grand Central, is the company's largest venue globally, with bookings available from the via the Sandbox website.

Up to six players are collectively immersed as if they were living inside a movie or game, experiencing a full spectrum of adrenaline-fuelled emotions as they enter worlds of swashbuckling pirates, zombie apocalypses, or soar above the clouds in a space elevator.

Sandbox VR is the fastest growing destination-based VR startup with 32+ global locations, and the Birmingham location is the second in the UK, along with the London branch.

Whilst waiting for staff to direct you to your game experience there is a lounge area to unwind, enjoy alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, including cocktails made by the robotic bartender named "Toni", who makes the drink in front of you with its technology. However, there is also a human bar, for those not trusting of a robot making their drinks..

Once ready for the game, staff inform you of everything that you have to do, and provide the equipment including sensors which you wear on your wrist and ankles, followed by a bodysuit and a headset.

Verdict

I have played two games at Sandbox VR, and those are Deadwood Valley, and Amber Sky 2088.

After playing both, I can say without a doubt that Deadwood Valley is the better game - it is incredibly fun, so immersive, captivating and an all-round great experience.

Set in a town that has become overrun by zombies, you go on a thrill ride with jumpscares, vehicle chases, and so much more, where the dark valleys are crawling with zombies, who you can literally feel thanks to the sensors you are wearing. The objective of course is survival, and to kill those trying to attack you. You're allowed to choose the weapon of your choice, and I went to an assault rifle - in nod to my Halo and Call of Duty days, and my weapon was the right one, as it has the power and distance to shoot the zombies from afar but also close range.

Sandbox VR provides a fantastic, immersive, captivating experience that has you thoroughly entertained throughout the time there, and I, as a man who loves gaming, loved the experience and will be going back to play more and more.

Amber Sky 2088 has more a Halo kind of feel to it and again, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, as I defended Earth from a swarm of aliens and androids.

The graphics are high-quality, which often isn't the case for some VR games, but here at Sandbox, it is visually pleasing, and because of the tech you're wearing, you can see your teammate(s), which again, provides a more personal touch. Each experience lasts for around 30 minutes which is a decent amount of time.

One of the best parts about the whole Sandbox VR experience, is that your gameplay is recorded, and so afterwards, you're able to watch back on your best bits, hear your ridiculous reactions or screams, all of which is collated together into a movie-like trailer - this element provides a brilliant, personal touch that has you walking away genuinely impressed and wanting to come back.

I will be visiting Sandbox VR again, this time to check out the newly released Squid Games experience, which I'm hoping will be just as wild and captivating as the Netflix TV series.

I'd recommend Sandbox VR to anyone wanting to have some fun on a day out, date night, or anything else - it's genuinely a fun experience that allows you to take a step into the world of Virtual Reality - almost as if you're in the movie Ready Player One.

Anyone interested in visiting, can book online here: sandboxvr.com/birmingham