We tried Orlando’s new ‘Squid Game’ free-roaming VR experience | Review
Sandbox VR is a full-body, motion-capture, virtual-reality experience in the heart of Orlando’s tourist district, and the Attractions Magazine team was invited to check it out.
New VR spot at Pointe Orlando
The Sandbox VR venue, located on the ground floor of Pointe Orlando, features five private rooms, or “holodecks” as they are called, where players can play one of the nine currently offered virtual reality experiences.
The experiences range from shooting zombies and stabbing pirates to playing an actual licensed version of “Squid Game.” Instead of being confined to a small area or using a controller to move around in the game, players don a wireless virtual-reality getup and are able to literally move about the entire holodeck while shooting, stabbing and surviving in the virtual worlds. We were able to try out a sample of three different games.
Sandbox VR isn’t the first free-roaming virtual-reality experience at Pointe Orlando, or even the second (with previous such games as Main Event, now a laser tag arena, and Nomadic, now an online VR betting company). Having tried out these previous, now defunct, operations, we were curious what makes Sandbox VR different and if it would have what it takes to last.
The VR gear
The facility itself is clean, if a little spartan, with furniture out of a sci-fi movie. After filling out a waiver, we were taken back to our holodeck.
First, we suited up the most elaborate VR gear we’ve ever tried on. Along with the visor and headphones were a haptic vest that vibrated to register hits, as well as bracelets and anklets that resembled motion-capture equipment used to film CGI elements in movies. This was pretty close to the truth, as each holodeck was covered from all angles by cameras which were able to accurately tell where our bodies were in the space and even how we were moving.
The VR games
Guests will typically play one game, but we were offered a small sampler of three of Sandbox VR’s most popular games. Sandbox VR has an agreement with Netflix, so several of their Orlando games are officially licensed Netflix properties including the global hit, “Squid Game.”
In “Squid Game,” we played a series of mini-games which, while not exactly the games from the show, mimic their style nicely, including the famous red light/green light. Each game is short and competitive, allowing opportunities to move about the room and mess with our fellow players. Ultimately, I think I enjoyed this one the most, possibly because I was the best at it.
Next, we played “Curse of Davy Jones,” a pirate-themed game where we were handed a physical “sword” and “pistol” controller and fought cartoonish skeleton pirates. The props feel good and have a pleasant heft without being too cumbersome.
I did have some issues in both this experience and the next with reactivity from my pistol. Often, I felt I had to hold down the trigger for a second or two before it would fire. One of our players also reported an amount of lag several times that disrupted his gaming experience.
Finally, we tried “Deadwood Phobia,” where we played as military agents sent into a creepy asylum to rescue some missing soldiers. In this game, we were given the option of several different weapon loadouts including shotgun, assault rifle, and dual pistol (which I chose). This game is a true workout, requiring movement all around the holodeck and even to duck occasionally to dodge spikes or whatnot.
By the end, I was drenched in sweat and it most definitely counted as going to the gym.
After the experiences, all players are sent a video of themselves playing the games, which alternate between showing the in-universe world we saw while playing and real-world footage of us wearing VR gear and bumping into each other. These videos are fun and a cool souvenir of the experience.
The experience
One of the criteria I often judge experiences by is, “Can I do this at home?” For myself, I have a VR setup at home, so I can do something similar. However, at Sandbox VR, not being wired into the system, having a large room to walk around, full-size weapon controllers to use, and playing with my friends in the same location all made a difference. Not to mention for those that might not have the equipment at home, this could be an all-new experience.
It was also nice to see that families and groups could all play VR games together inside in the AC during the hot Orlando summer months. Perhaps because we played three in the row, the games did start to feel a little repetitive. We stood in a room, listened to exposition, and then zombies attacked. Then we moved to a new room, listened to some exposition, and then zombies attacked with some slight variations. Rinse and repeat.
Final thoughts on Sandbox VR in Orlando
Ultimately, Sandbox VR will be perfect for families looking for a video-game-type experience that kids will love and that will make them move around. Sandbox VR is a global chain, so I chalk up some of our issues to opening-day jitters at the Orlando location. Hopefully, with more repetition the team will tighten up the experience and Sandbox VR can bring free-roaming virtual reality to Pointe Orlando to stay.
Sandbox VR is open now at Pointe Orlando and over 50 locations across the world. For tickets or to find a location near you, visit SandboxVR.com.
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