The Rec Room Toronto | Geek Life: Augmenting Reality

You HAVE to go to Cineplex's The Rec Room in Toronto, so that you can go try out The VOID's Ghostbuster VR game while you're there. It's a must. THE VOID at The Rec Room, Toronto I've been to The Rec Room on multiple occasions over this past month, and recently, I brought my good friend Deanna of Maple Leaf Mommy fame to try out the food and games while she was visiting Toronto for the day. The food was good, the games were great, and after shooting down aliens in the arcade we had decided on a whim to try out The VOID's VR game that is housed inside The Rec Room. [caption id="attachment_11172" align="aligncenter" width="675"] The Verge isn't kidding, this really is going to blow your mind, whoa![/caption] Due to an industry holiday party, the line up at THE VOID looked a bit long (which was never the case all the other times I've passed by The VOID over the past month,) so we went to shoot bad guys back in the arcade. We came back the very next day specifically to play the Ghostbusters DIMENSION VR game, just before Deanna was due to head back home. [caption id="attachment_11162" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Gearing up with Rapture tech to go kill some ghosts! Photo credit: THE VOID[/caption] It's hard to describe how real it looks to walk into this VR world, but also not. [caption id="attachment_11160" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Photo credit: THE VOID[/caption] As someone who loves games, I can't tell you how frustrating some are, because I get motion-sick from them easily. I was a bit afraid of that happening here, 'cause the whole ill/headachy feeling comes from realistic gaming. I.e. my brain thinks what I'm looking at is real, and can't comprehend my sitting still while simultaneously also running for my life away from some massive, and massively ugly troll. [caption id="attachment_11171" align="aligncenter" width="675"] Keep an eye on the Cautions before playing this game. It's meant to be fun![/caption] The VOID's Ghostbuster VR game is about 12 minutes long, and not once did I feel like I was going to throw up while embedded right in the game, nor after. I also didn't get any pinging warning signs that I would be hosting a headache soon. Everything is awesome in the VR world. It also felt quicker than 12 minutes, but that's because it was an amazing amount of FUN. This picture below does not fully describe how absolutely creepy some of the ghosts are in the game (little ghost girl "Gertie" was EPIC CREEPY, what the whut.) [caption id="attachment_11156" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Creepy ghost girl was super creepy. Photo credit: THE VOID[/caption] OMG, IT FEELS SO REAL. Like, it feels real. Reach out and touch that handlebar, it really is there, except it's not, except it is. [caption id="attachment_11161" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Reach out and touch. You'll be shocked at what you feel. Photo credit: THE VOID[/caption] It will blow your mind when Slimer's slimy-self blows right by you, and suddenly you feel his sliminess too. [caption id="attachment_11159" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Get ready for slime! Photo credit: THE VOID[/caption] Feel like going up an elevator in a haunted building? 'Cause it will absolutely feel like you're going up an elevator within a haunted building. As rookies, Deanna and I managed to walk away with a B+ for our play, URGH! The perfection loving geek in me was ready to fork over another $27 to go back in and fix that, asap. [caption id="attachment_11166" align="aligncenter" width="900"] I have no idea what device we managed to not destroy, doh.[/caption] Despite not having a full idea of what we were in for, that game was refreshing, and exactly what we both needed. It gave me a renewed sense of excitement for what is available now, and what we can look forward to in the future of the virtual realm. While $24 +tax for a 12-minute game sounds like a lot (and it is,) I can't stress how much it is worth every penny. You won't regret spending that amount once you have to put the proton pack away. If you ever wanted to play in a holodeck, this is probably the closest you'll get to one right now. TIPS to Playings The VOID's Ghostbusters Virtual Reality Game If you remember none of the rest of these tips, make sure you totally trash the first apartment that you walk into in the virtual reality game. Don't worry about breaking the chair, the walls, the plates. Prime your proton pack and go to town. Now, that doesn't mean go ahead an kick/smash the real contents of that real room. (See that virtual chair? You can sit in it for real!)Deanna and I were so careful to aim for the ghosts and try not to destroy everything else in sight. Apparently, the name of that game was to do the exact opposite.When we got our report card at the end of the game, the attendant laughed and said, "Yeah, I'm finding Canadians are way too nice in this game." We're meant to trash, and instead, we're virtually saying, "Oops! Sorry!" while doing our level best to not leave burn marks on the apartment walls. Make a plan ahead of time. Even if it's just minutes before the game, see if anyone is going to want to lead, and if anyone is going to want to follow.There were moments where I felt like I would be getting in the way if I just jumped in to check out what was around the corner, and gently-nudged Deanna along to go ahead of me (sharing the lead spot,) and after the game I found out that she would have been all kinds of happy if I had just gone first. While the VR avatars give a fantastic lead of where each player is. It doesn't have the best indicators for arms and legs. So just be cognizant that others won't actually see you reach out and touch the scenery. Deanna and I didn't have any mishaps in that way (we totally bulldozed each other at the final reveal of the game to try to capture that ghost, omg,) but the potential is there. Take your time... within reason. Somehow, Deanna and I missed the fact we were tasked to destroy a device, likely right after the elevator ride. Look up! I've realised, that while I looked down quite a bit during the game (there is a lot to see beyond your virtual feet,) I never really did look up to see what might be up there (heck, maybe that darn device we were supposed to blow up was attached to the ceiling...) [caption id="attachment_11157" align="aligncenter" width="1199"] Photo credit: THE VOID[/caption] The VOID is Around the WORLD! I had no idea that the VOID was something to play all around the globe. If you're in any of these locations, definitely stop by to play. [caption id="attachment_11158" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Full (sort of heavy) Rapture Gear to play VR games, like Ghostbusters DIMENSION. Photo credit: THE VOID[/caption] I've actually made it part of my bucket list to visit every location they have. Anaheim, California Dubai, United Arab Emirates Lindon, Utah London, United Kingdom New York, New York Orlando, Florida (ACK! I WAS JUST THERE!) Toronto, Ontario Have you tried VR gaming at THE VOID? Are you making plans to go right now??

Tag: The Rec Room Toronto

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Technology. Collectibles. Travel.

Technology. Collectibles. Travel.