Being a fervent virtual reality enthusiast and the proud owner of thevirtualreviewer.com, I’m always on the lookout for the latest and greatest VR experiences. Sandbox VR recently caught my attention with its promise of multiplayer cooperative VR games, complete with full-body motion capture. Eager to immerse my family in this futuristic realm, we set out on a pilgrimage to the Las Vegas Strip at The Venetian, ready for an unforgettable adventure.
As we stepped into the Sandbox VR location situated in the bustling heart of Las Vegas, excitement bubbled within my family. With my wife Patty and kids, Jenette and John, in tow, we were greeted by six enticing 30-minute VR experiences: Amber Sky 2088, Deadwood Mansion, Unbound Fighting League, Deadwood Valley, Star Trek: Discovery Away Mission, and Curse of Davy Jones. Opting for the recommended Amber Sky, we braced ourselves for an exhilarating ride defending Earth from an alien invasion in Virtual Reality Vegas.
Sandbox VR Location and Offerings
The Sandbox VR location comprises a small lounge and waiting area up front, with the actual VR bays in the back. After gearing up in our haptic vests and motion-sensing backpacks, we entered one of the large green-screen rooms with a team of staff to help situate our headsets, controllers, and other peripherals.
I was impressed by the size of the space – big enough to run around freely but still enclosed. They use the green screen so that the motion capture cameras mounted in the room can overlay custom avatars onto our real movements.
I made a mental note that if my family enjoyed this first trip, I would be bringing them back in the future to battle pirate ghosts or investigate a creepy mansion!
Getting Set Up in VR
After suiting up with our vest packs, the staff designated me the squad leader since I was the dad. That meant I would be guiding everyone and making high-level decisions about how to allocate our squad during the mission. Jenette and Patty were assigned defensive “Guardian” roles with shields and pistols, while John would be an offensive “Reaper” wielding a plasma rifle alongside me.
We had to stand in designated places in the room as the staff made sure all the camera trackers and sensors were connected. Despite looking like ridiculous mechanized Vanderbilt backpack kids, I could feel the energy and anticipation building. This was really happening – we were about to inhabit a cinematic alien world together!
After a countdown, they flipped the switch, and suddenly – we emerged on a landing pad hovering over a towering futuristic city, speeding hover cars whizzing by all around us. It was go time!
Experiencing Amber Sky 2088
I wish I could fully capture in words what it felt like to be standing there with my family, neck craned looking out over the vast metropolis stretched below and a fleet of alien spacecraft emerging from the clouds ahead – but alas, it was one of those “you had to be there” moments. We all let out exclamations of awe and wonder, enthralled by the sense of presence. It seemed 100% real like we had been dropped into a big-budget CGI film.
Following story prompts and guidance over our comms from HQ, we learned it was time to board the space elevators and ascend into low orbit to intercept the invading enemies. Stepping onto the platform, I braced myself as the simulated high-speed ascent kicked the room’s giant fans on full blast.
Even knowing it was just air blowing on me, my legs wobbled at the vertigo of rapidly gaining altitude. Over our comms, the HQ director coached us to grab our weapons and get into position. Alien ships emerged, deploying ground troops onto our elevator to thwart our mission.
What followed was the most exhilarating and outrageously fun 30 minutes I’ve ever experienced in my life. I blasted incoming spiderbots while defending my wife and daughter, calling out positioning adjustments to concentrate our squad’s fire. My son John went aggro, charging into the fray guns-blazing Rambo style.
At one point, he got overwhelmed and knocked out – I had to dash over and physically tap my controller on his shoulder to revive him amidst the chaos. The whole time my cheeks hurt from smiling so hugely behind my headset. I lost all sense of being in a room – the gameplay and environment were so immersive that I completely inhabited the world of Amber Sky. It was like the pinnacle evolution of everything Virtual Reality Vegas promises to be.
Soon, we completed our final heroic push to secure the elevator’s ascension path just as the countdown ended. HQ’s director applauded our victory before the simulation faded back to the empty green room. As we removed our gear, we all couldn’t stop raving about what an unbelievably cool experience it was. I knew it would be a highlight of our family’s trip that we’d be talking about forever!
Memorable Moments
It’s hard to isolate just a few memorable moments when the entire 30-minute Amber Sky 2088 mission was nonstop mayhem, fun, and excitement. But a few snippets in particular stood out:
That breathless initial reaction of awe stepping onto the landing pad and soaking in the towering futuristic cityscape. My kids’ faces behind their VR headsets were priceless – slack-jawed, eyes darting around rapidly trying to take it all in. “Wowwww!” they kept exclaiming.
My daughter Jenette’s panicked screams and flailing around firing her pistol randomly when the spiderbots first leaped out and attacked us cracked me up! At one point, she dropped to the floor in the fetal position while John and I defended her before getting her back on her feet. Gotta protect my girl!
High-fiving John after he revived me following an unfortunate blindsiding. Despite taking on a bit too much Leeroy Jenkins-style at times, he turned out to be quite the little combat medic for our squad!
As I was climbing the elevator shaft towards the orbiting enemy mothership, I experienced vertigo due to the building’s height. Although I knew it was just giant fans, the sensation made my head spin. I even reached out to the digital walls a few times to steady myself.
Of course, the triumphant end-mission excitement and celebrations. We all kind of collapsed on each other, pulling off our sweaty headsets and firing off exclamations about how extraordinarily awesome the experience was. Extremely gratifying for me as both a VR enthusiast and dad to have this shared experience with my family – something we’ll cherish forever.
Sandbox VR: Wrap-Up and Impressions
After high-fiving and hugging it out, the staff helped us take off our vests, backpacks, and other gear. Dripping with sweat but filled with exhilaration and endorphins, we exited the VR room. They informed us that the game had rendered a video of our highlights that we could watch. Grabbing some water bottles, my family and I took the couches to relive our heroic exploits.
Seeing the video caused us to relapse into uncontrollable laughter and cheering. I looked so goofy, waving my rifle around while poor Jenette spazzed out during the intense action scenes. It was hilarious yet reassuring evidence of the incredibly fun experience we just had.
After collecting our belongings and some final high-fives with the staff, we emerged back out on the Vegas strip, the bright sunlight temporarily disorienting after spending 30 minutes jacked into a digital realm. My family bantered and raved the whole walk back to our hotel about what an insanely enjoyable time we had. It really brought us together and gave us an unforgettable shared memory we’ll always cherish.
As someone who has tried various VR systems from Oculus Quest to HTC Vive to PlayStation VR, I can unequivocally say that Sandbox VR offered the most advanced and immersive experience yet. The multiplayer aspect, along with the haptic feedback vests and full body tracking, puts it over the top. Being in that world together with my family made it extra special on an emotional level as well. At $65 per person, it’s obviously a premium activity, but I deemed it well worth the pricing.
I recommend Sandbox VR for ages 13+ based on the intense action combat. Groups of 2 to 6 players can occupy a bay together. For squad coordination though, 4 seems like an ideal number. In terms of booking, weekends unsurprisingly tend to sell out, so reservation is a must.
I foresee myself becoming a repeat customer, excitedly dragging different groups of friends and family back to complete all the other available missions. And if this first visit was any indication, I know my wife and kids will be begging to return as well. Kudos, Sandbox VR – you’ve set a new bar in the VR entertainment landscape that will be hard for competitors to match!
Conclusion
Sandbox VR delivered one of the most outrageously fun and downright addicting VR experiences I’ve ever encountered. Every key aspect hit the mark – the technical capabilities were cutting edge, the gameplay was exciting and polished, and the group social dynamics made for next-level immersion. Having my family embark on that wild sci-fi adventure ride together is a special memory that will stay with me forever.
My cheeks actually hurt the next day from smiling and laughing so much behind that VR headset! Beyond just enjoyable distraction and entertainment, I found immense emotional fulfillment in the shared experience with my loved ones too. So a heartfelt thanks goes out to the Sandbox VR team for pioneering such a fantastic concept execution.
Consider me a zealous convert and evangelist now. I’ll be making many return pilgrimages in the future to check out new missions as they are released. And you can bet I’ll be dragging everybody I know back with me so they too can get a taste of the phenomenal adventures that Sandbox VR offers! This is exactly the kind of VR advancement that gets me fired up about the limitless potential still untapped in this industry. Bravo, Sandbox team, you knocked it out of the park!