I see you, Pammy, I see you!” Pepper screamed beside me.
“What? How come I can’t see you?” I screamed back, craning my neck, moving my flashlight around what might just be the world’s creepiest hospital. Surrounding me in the dark room were figures hunched over in wheelchairs, some wrapped in bandages, many of them bloody. There was no sign of Pepper.
I too was strapped onto a wheelchair, watching terrified as axe-wielding men began attacking the others around me. Blood splattered as the blows came. The bodies in the wheelchair flailed before slumping over, suddenly still. They were dead. And I knew I’d be next. “Pepper! You have to pull the lever! They’re coming closer!”
***
We weren’t really in a creepy hospital—although it felt so real that I almost forgot I was far from danger, I was actually at City of Dreams Manila. I was at The Garage, immersed in Hospital Escape Terror, one of the virtual reality games at VR Zone, the result of the partnership between City of Dreams and Bandai Namco Amusement Inc., the legendary Japanese gaming company that birthed beloved classics such as Pac-Man, Galaga, Tekken and more. City of Dreams Manila is the first to partner with Bandai Namco Amusement Inc. in Southeast Asia.
“We hope to bring outside of Japan an immersive, multisensory and fun activities to Filipino and foreign guests with our unique VR activities at The Garage,” Kunihisa Yagisita, Bandai Namco’s general manager said.
“Thank you to Bandai Namco for all the work you’ve done,” Kevin Benning, City of Dreams Manila’s chief operating officer, said.
“I am greatly honored to open our VR Zone in such a fashionable place. This is the first VR Zone in Southeast Asia,” said Bandai Namco Amusement Inc.’s Ryuichi Osada, who is project manager of all VR Zones including the one at The Garage.
Yukiharu Tamiya, also a manager from Bandai Namco Amusement Inc. (and a game developer who called himself “a mad scientist”) said, “We hope you enjoy the games… There are more games to be announced soon and we’re excited for you to find out (what they are).”
“There’s more to come over the next six months or so,” Kevin said.
Right now, there are three games at VR Zone. Mario Kart GP VR (up to four players), which brings your Mario Kart experience to new heights, is a fun one to play and watch. Race to the finish line as Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach or Yoshi. It’s amusing to witness players trying to catch bananas, hammers and green shells in the the virtual world.
Ski Rodeo (Steep Downhill Ski Simulator, up to two players, with a height requirement of at least 140 cm) will have you skiing down the sharp slopes of snowy mountains and off crazy cliffs. The speed and the drops will give you an adrenaline rush—minus the risks of actually skiing in extreme conditions.
It’s one of Kevin’s favorite VR games. “I walked away with cold sweats. I was terrified the first time I got on this thing. I can’t wait to watch the level of screaming that is gonna come from this ride,” he said.
And then, of course, my favorite: Hospital Escape Terror (2 to 4 players, 13 years and older). You find yourself restrained and on a wheelchair and you and your friends need to navigate the dark, deserted hospital in search of freedom. (Don’t worry, there’s an escape button if things get too scary.)
Single player tickets are available for P450. You can play all three games for P1,200. Packages are also available for those playing in pairs or groups: P800 for two people playing Ski Rodeo, P1,600 for a group of four playing Hospital Escape Terror or Mario Kart GP VR.
Food park
VR Zone is just one attraction at The Garage. It’s also a food park—but not your usual neighborhood one. First, it’s huge and can seat 563 people at any given time. (Be sure to check out the artwork of Kookoo Ramos and DeeJae Paeste around the place.) But more than just space, The Garage offers a great mix of culinary delights. “We didn’t want to be just another food hall so we said, ‘Who can we partner with that are gonna set us above the rest?’ We brought in a variety of amazing partners,” Kevin said.
Setting up shop at The Garage are Pizza Grigliata (pizza, pasta); Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (ramen and other Japanese dishes); El Chupacabra (tacos, burritos, quesadillas); Katsu Sora (tonkatsu, katsu sets, teriyaki don, maki sushi); Little Flour (rice bowls like sisig, beef tapa and pork adobo); Pink’s Hotdogs (hotdogs, burgers and sides); and Farmacy (ice cream).
City of Dreams’ Food and Beverage team runs The Roaster (coffee), Bar (cocktails, mocktails and iced teas), Juiced (smoothies, slushies, juices) and Chocol8 (handcrafted chocolates), which Kevin is really proud of. “You’re gonna be blown away by the work they’ve done here,” he said.
Some of our favorites include the Margherita and Quattro Formaggi with Truffle Oil pizzas from Pizza Grigliata (don’t forget the honey chili); The Hollywood Legend (that chili is our forever favorite) from Pink’s Hotdogs; Farmacy ice cream (we’re obsessed with their sundaes); Katsu Sora’s Iberico Katsudon and Dynamite Tempura Maki; Chocol8’s Croustillant Bar, Pistachio Bar and Rocky Road Snickers Bar; and Bar’s lemonade mojito and lychee lemonade.
Here’s another thing to love about The Garage: only eco-friendly, biodegradable and compostable plates, utensils and takeout bags are used here.
I already have my next visit’s itinerary mapped out: Get fuel for the games by eating and drinking, play, and then eat and drink some more.
Because yeah, all the screaming will get you hungry.
Kevin calls Hospital Escape Terror “the number one screaming game,” saying you’ll enjoy it “if you like horror movies and jump scares.” And I do, which is probably why I had a blast playing this game. It was seriously scary. I had to fight the urge to just close my eyes. I didn’t—because I didn’t want to miss out on the fun.
***
“You’re almost there! Go straight then turn right!” I shouted, guiding Pepper closer to the lever as I watched his icon move on the map.
The door swung open and I saw Pepper roll in on his wheelchair. His arrival set off the lever, and the men with the axes grabbed their heads. Their desire to torture us was eclipsed by their own pain. They fell, defeated. Pepper and I screamed in jubilation. “We made it!”
But our ordeal wasn’t over yet. Just about a minute after Pepper saved my life, we were both shredded to death. I screamed and laughed and screamed and laughed.
The dreaded words flashed: GAME OVER.
I took off the VR goggles, a huge smile on my face. “That was so much fun,” I said. I definitely want to do it again. And next time, I’ll make sure we survive.
The Garage will open at the upper ground floor of City of Dreams Manila starting today at 5 p.m. It’s open daily from 10 a.m.-2 a.m.