Hey everyone! Blake here, and welcome back to my website — The Virtual Reviewer. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I love testing out new virtual reality experiences with my family. My wife Patty and I have two kids – John, who’s 14 and loves video games just like me, and Jenette, who’s 12 and is more into creative stuff.
Anyway, I’m excited to share my latest adventure with you all – we just got back from a very “immersive” outing at Houston’s new hotspot, Immersive Gamebox. In case you haven’t heard of it, Immersive Gamebox is a virtual reality gaming center that opened up in downtown Houston earlier this year.
They have these decked-out rooms called “Gameboxes,” where you and your group get locked inside and play VR games using motion tracking, touch screens, and surround sound. It’s fully interactive, so you feel like you’ve been transported inside the game! The website described it as “hyper-immersive,” so I was really curious to see if it lived up to the hype.
Anyway, if you want to hear all about our Immersive Gamebox adventure, including the games we played, what it was like inside the Gamebox, and whether it lived up to expectations, then keep reading.
Choosing Our Games
When we first walked into Immersive Gamebox Houston, I was impressed by how modern and slick everything looked. The lobby area almost felt like an Apple store with a minimalist design and giant screens showing off their different games.
We were greeted right away by one of their “Game Guides” named Abby, who helped explain how everything worked. She told us each Gamebox session was 60 minutes, and we got to pick from about 10 different games.
I could tell my son John was itching to play Squid Game since he just binged the show on Netflix. But sadly, he’s not 16 yet, so we had to go with something more family-friendly.
Jenette asked if they had any games related to art or creativity, but no luck there. However, Abby suggested one called the “Alien Aptitude Test,” which was designed for families with kids over 7. The premise was that aliens had invaded Britain and would only keep the humans that passed their special tests measuring intelligence and skill.
That sounded fun and challenging enough, so we decided to give it a try. Abby also recommended we add on a 30-minute bonus round of Angry Birds to get the full experience. So Alien Aptitude Test first, then Angry Birds — bring it on, Gamebox!
Stepping Into the Gamebox
After we picked our games, Abby led us to our assigned Gamebox chamber. From the outside, it looked like a big glass-walled cube in the middle of the room. I was surprised by how spacious it was inside – probably about 12ft by 12ft.
The moment we stepped in, upbeat pop music started playing loudly from surrounding speakers. Every wall was covered in floor-to-ceiling screens, which Abby explained would display the gameplay visuals once we started.
“You’re about to enter an alternate reality,” Abby said with a wink. Sure enough, when she closed the glass door of the Gamebox, I initially felt trapped and disoriented by the blasting music and screens on every side.
Then Abby handed each of us a special “visor” hat to put on. It turned out these weren’t virtual reality headsets like I expected. Instead, they were baseball cap-style hats, but with sensors on the brim to detect our head movements.
“The visors track your motion and allow you to interact with elements of the game,” Abby explained. “Just follow the on-screen prompts once gameplay starts. You’ll be working as a team, so make sure to stay close together!”
With our visors snug on our heads, suddenly, all the screens in the room lit up, and we found ourselves standing inside a cartoonish alien spaceship bridge. A booming announcer voice welcomed us aboard the SS Human Test Ship. I have to admit, the 3D visuals were crisp and vivid – it felt like we had been transported inside an animated movie.
Then, the Alien Aptitude Test began, pitting our human cognitive skills against a series of challenging and often hilariously bizarre alien tasks. I don’t want to give away all the details and spoil the surprise if you decide to try it. Let’s just say we had to scramble through virtual mazes, perform odd memory games, dance in synch to alien music, and “prove” basic human abilities like creativity, empathy, and imagination.
The visors tracked our movements as we twisted, jumped, and waved our arms to accomplish each task within the time limit. It was close, but our family somehow managed to escape the alien’s diabolical tests with our lives and get transferred to the “smart human” enclosure. Phew!
Finishing Up with Angry Birds
After celebrating our victory, I checked the timer and saw we still had 30 minutes left in our session. The screens suddenly switched scenes and we were now standing inside a lush island paradise, face-to-face with the one and only Red from Angry Birds (in 3D of course!)
He explained we had arrived just in time to help the birds defend their eggs from thieving bad piggies. Our mission was to aim, stretch the slingshot back as far as possible, and let the angry birds fly toward the rickety pig structures.
It was tricky maneuvering into position across the small space without crashing into each other. But with some strategic ducking and side-stepping, we eventually got into a good flow as we smashed those pig cities one by one!
Seeing the iconic Angry Birds come to life In 3D with the visors was a total trip. At one point, I literally felt like I could reach out and grab one of the birds fluttering past my face. Jenette tried to pet the Blue Bird at one point, which made us all crack up.
Even Patty, who isn’t usually into gaming, was pretty engaged, yelling, “Take that, pigs!” every time she launched a bird. I have to say, it was a pretty solid arm workout after 30 minutes of nonstop slingshot action!
But working as a team to pop those pig houses like bubble wrap was strangely satisfying. By the final round, our battlefield was covered in feathers and bricks, with just one obstinate pig left wobbling atop a tiny tower. “Go get ‘em!” I told John, letting him take the final winning shot. The pig and tower toppled, and we all jumped and cheered! What a rush!
The Good, the Bad, and the Verdict
Stepping back into the real world after our Gamebox quest was slightly jarring I have to admit. As we exited the chamber, I couldn’t believe nearly 90 minutes had passed. Although I was pumped with adrenaline after our back-to-back games, I felt some stiffness setting in after basically nonstop motion for that long!
While we rehydrated in the lounge area, my family and I started processing our experience. I wanted to make sure to consider both the good AND not-so-good parts before delivering my final verdict. So here goes:
The Good
Next Level Interactivity: I’ll say this first…Immersive Gamebox delivered big time when it comes to innovative tech and interactive entertainment. Using the tracking visors and surrounding 3D screens, it’s about as close as you can get to stepping inside a video game or movie. The motion sensors meant our whole bodies became the controllers, which made everything feel super dynamic. Whether we were stuck in alien labyrinths or defending eggs from pigs, nothing felt static, which kept the energy and engagement maxed out the entire hour and a half.
Group Bonding Experience: Gamebox forced us to communicate and work together as a team rather than zoning out solo with VR goggles on. I think going through those wacky games brought my family closer and gave us a stronger connection. Solving clues or overcoming obstacles side-by-side made victory feel that much sweeter when we succeeded!
Appeal for All Ages: Even as a self-proclaimed gaming nerd, I’ll admit a lot of VR stuff I try tends to skew kind of dark or intense. But Gamebox offered broad appeal with colorful, fun themes that were still mentally and physically challenging. My son, wife, and daughter were all entertained without feeling excluded or overwhelmed.
Next Level Customer Service: From the upbeat greeter Abby to the tech attendants outside each Gamebox, the entire staff could NOT have been more friendly, welcoming, and enthusiastic. They made the experience feel polished from start to finish. Major kudos to the Gamebox crew!
The Not-So-Good
Price: My one big gripe is the price. At $35 per person for 60 minutes, Gamebox is not cheap. As much fun as we had, I did feel some sticker shock, paying almost $250 for 90 minutes of entertainment. In the end, I guess the value depends on whether it becomes a regular activity or a rare splurge. But parents with multiple kids should definitely account for the cost.
Small Space: While the Gamebox chamber comfortably fits my family of four, much more than 6 people at once might make things crowded. Depending on the game, having limited space could get tricky when maneuvering around. They do offer private bookings, which I assume would allow for more room. But casual walk-ins should expect cozy quarters.
Location Challenges: Now, to be fair, this isn’t directly Gamebox’s fault. But just be warned their Houston location inside the Shops at Houston Center Mall is somewhat hidden away and a chore to access. You have to park in the attached garage and then take floors of elevators just to enter the correct wing. So dodging mall traffic and backtracking through vacant corridors left us all scratching our heads even with the handy maps they provided.
Potential Lines: We lucked out hitting a midday lull with no line or wait for a Gamebox to open up. But Abby mentioned that on Friday and Saturday nights, wait times can back up 1-2 hours for walk-ins! Again, booking reservations allows you to skip the queue, which is probably wise for peak times. Nothing kills the buzz faster than restless, bored kids!
The Verdict
Now for my final take…drumroll, please!
I tip my visor to the masterminds behind Immersive Gamebox for creating such an imaginative, outside-the-box entertainment concept that actually lives up to the next level of hype. Using smart tech to inspire in-person connection through play is exactly the kind of innovation I love to see!
Despite a few logistical hiccups with location and price, unlocking our family teamwork skills and creativity in the Gamebox was an absolute blast that left us feeling closer than ever.
I have to say, our epic hour and a half battling aliens and pigs delivered one of the most smiles-per-minute of any activity I’ve tried lately. My face hurt from laughing and yelling so much!
Would I fork over nearly $250 bucks regularly? Honestly, probably not. But as a one-of-a-kind treat for a birthday or special milestone? Absolutely!
If you’re searching for a way to break out of routine and bond with your people, I can’t recommend Immersive Gamebox Houston enough for all ages. Just be sure to plan for peak times, brush up on communication skills, and brace those arm muscles because things are going to get wild!