Watch: We visited the new virtual reality experience in Brindleyplace & it was a whole new world

Virtual and augmented reality technology has been rapidly developing over recent years.

While there are devices on the market making it accessible, the pinnacle of the technology isn’t readily available. Here at the Park Playground in Brindleyplace, people have an opportunity to indulge in this experience without compromise.

Peter Vindevogel, the CEO of Park Playground told us: “Well at the Park Playground, we really believe that virtual reality is the future of entertainment. And what we did is we created experiences that really connect people.

“So the virtual reality experiences at the park are very inclusive, it’s for all ages, and all gender, everyone can come, you don’t need to be a gamer, the only thing you need to do is you need to come in a group because we want to connect people and the experiences that you do in virtual reality are all group experiences.

“But typically, people come with friends, with families from bachelor parties. Also a lot of companies come to our venue and they come for a one hour experience - so you’re one hour in a completely virtual world - either shooting zombies or on a space mission.

“You can do a family adventure in Egypt with the pharaohs for kids up from seven years. So there’s all kinds of experiences that you choose. And you’re still in Birmingham, but you’re absolutely in another place.”

There isn’t a more accurate description for my experience than this: it felt like stepping into an entirely new realm. What stood out to me was the sensation that, upon removing my headset, I wasn’t returning to reality, but merely transitioning to another plane of existence.

Although it’s fundamentally a video game, the most striking element was the social aspect and the connection I experienced with my fellow players.

Vindevogel says: “Well, it’s obviously different than what you will be doing at home because first of all, the technology that we use is the newest right? That’s like the highest level. We push the boundaries of the technology.

“Second, all the experiences are social experiences. So you always do them together. While doing a VR experience at home is a very individual experience. One person has the glasses and all the rest, he doesn’t see all the rest of the group.

“The third aspect is that actually what you do here is also 100% mobile, so you don’t need to be connected to a cable or to a very heavy computer. You do it in the group - you walk freely around in a big space and you see all your friends in that same virtual environment and you craft your adventure together.”

The Park Playground unquestionably offers an exceptionally distinctive experience in Birmingham, one that genuinely resonates with its visitors.

Maria says: “Yeah, so we’ve literally just done a VR game but it’s free roam. So you know how you have Oculus at home and you can move it with the remote - you’re actually walking and it’s so scary. It’s terrifying because everything just feels so much more real - and the headphones as well. Like this little woman just jumped out at me and screamed in my face! I’d do it again.”