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This month the Lindon, Utah location of the VOID Virtual Reality experience opened for the first time to the public. Recently, I was allowed to get a preview of one of their popular experience designs based on the Ghostbusters franchise. Walking in, I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I’d been on the waiting list for over 6 months and was excited to finally take my turn and see what the whole state seemed to be buzzing about.

My companion, a complete stranger and Ghostbuster cosplayer, we’ll call him Tom, was the best kind of stranger to experience this particular design with. He was knowledgeable enough with the franchise that his expectations would be similar to my own, and I observed before we began that his excitement leading up to it was on par as well.

Tom and I are led into a corridor like a shiny Laser Tag equipment station, vests on racks along the wall with large rifles and goggle sets attached are placed upon us like tiaras on pony princesses by the staff - delicately and slowly, as they explained the proper ways to handle the equipment and behave within the experience. Along with your typical Laser-esque combat rules (no running, no monkey business, etc) they added a few for our unfamiliarized constitutions as far as staying safe in a virtual world, and we were advised that they’d be out of sight the whole experience, but would follow us through in case we were in need of assistance.

Garbed, gunned, and impatient, Tom and I donned our goggles and set off through the doorway they directed us to.

The animation was more imaginative than realistic. I was familiar with the graphics already, as they seemed to be designed in congruence with a sandbox game by the name of Garry’s Mod which I often indulge in playing. Tom, who I’m sure thought he looked quite pro with his blaster mounted facing upwards upon his tall shoulder, couldn’t place the reason for my giggle when I saw his character’s arm extending through it’s own body to get into the position to hold his gun there. With the graphics bar set, we waited for the signal to enter the doorway and forged onward.

Tingly. Tingly is the word one might use to describe the sensation they might have if a supernatural and non-threatening spiritual entity were to cross their very un-super and very natural being, and the haptic equipment we’d been strapped into did a fantastic job creating just that sensation as ghouls of all sorts passed through me to go about their mischief. Tom reached out to a window to see the Ecto-1 on display on the other side, and beckoned for me to come join him. When I reached out to place my hand upon the window projection, I was surprised to find an actual glass pane there. The window frame, as well, felt the texture as it was displayed in our view. The furniture all felt as it should, down to the kitchen sink, and we marvelled to find we could use our weapons to manipulate any and every object in the first room. Later, I was told by a designer that you can carry those objects throughout the whole experience. While I’m ashamed to admit that I missed the easter eggs hidden throughout the level, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. As I don’t want to ruin the specifics of the experience, I won’t go into more detail. This was purely to share the information of how well it went. For the hefty price ($25 for a roughly 12 minute experience), one would not be disappointed. If any of our readers have questions about this or other experiences, feel free to comment below and we will do our best to be honest and spoiler-free. To all those already planning their trips to Lindon, I hope you have as great a time as I did, whether you go for the ghoulish Ghostbusters experience, the tomb-raiding Indiana Jones type adventure, or any of the many other virtual mini worlds they have to offer. You can buy tickets to the experience here, but they’ll be out of tickets soon!

One last note: Don’t be fooled by the size of the building either, these developers have designed it so that you can walk in one direction for MILES, manipulating your surroundings just so for the sake that you won’t realize you’re in about a 14’ diameter round room the whole time. I cannot wait until they finish their larger location just around the corner from the current Lindon office, a virtual reality park would be almost as great as a Jurassic one.

The Verdict

10 Masterpiece

The Good

• Great staff
• Realistic Experiences for 4 out of 5 senses
• Coded to give you a unique experience depending on your own choices throughout the map
• Top of the line haptic vest is literally "sensational"

The Bad

• Animation is a bit wonky
• Of course I have to whine that it isn't a longer experience