The future is here, kind of, with the first UK branch of this immersive VR gaming experience. In the US-based, celebrity-backed (Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, and Will Smith are all investors) Sandbox VR, teams of two to six don helmets, shoulder rifles and step into a virtual world where they’re generally charged with zapping something or other – the games skew towards aggressive shoot ’em ups with names like 'Dragonfire’ and ‘Deadwood Valley’, although there are a couple of gentler games in the mix too like official Star Trek spin-off ‘Away Mission’ or the explicitly younger audiences-orientated ‘Curse of Davy Jones’.
Older players will be able to sample the slightly random charms of Toni, who is, apparently, a robot bartender capable of making 80 drinks an hour. Anyone under the age of 18 requires somebody over the age of 18 to sign a waiver and remain in the building, but the adult can just cool their heels and get Toni to pour them a tall frosty one while the younger participants play – so good for teens and perhaps even older tweens so long as they have a supportive adult and can afford the not un-steep prices. The entire experience last around an hour, which includes ten minutes of instructions, half an hour of game, and ten minutes to grab a drink and watch highlights.