One million dollars has been poured into the place, fitting it out with three distinct areas, each with its own distinct lighting and theme. The lower level is a darkened, wide-open space that contains the base of what appears to be the leg of a gigantic machine, with broken ironwork providing limited cover in one corner. The special feature on this level is a lighted gate; pass through it while green or blue and you'll receive a health bonus or rapid fire ability, but pass through when red and you'll lose power to your shields.
The middle ground is the most contested of all three areas, containing real brick walls and broken windows. It's exactly like fighting within a broken and abused warehouse, though this warehouse also houses corrugated pillars that provide decent cover but leave one side completely exposed, as you dodge between them on your search for targets. This level is made even harder with the presence of an automated chaingun-wielding robot, whose sensors detect the passage of your vest sensors - and he'll soon pummel you with enough lasers to roast a pig.
The final top level is reached by a single access ramp that connects to the middle level, a treacherous walkway that features cutouts that you can shoot out from - or be shot in. Once you reach the top, a maze of what seemed to be discarded (yet very futuristic) office cubicle walls are arranged in random pattern, providing twists and turns that proved exhilarating to chase people through - even more so, considering the top level's twist. Quirky lighting is the order of the day, with either flashing and unpredictable fluoro lighting, or simply no lighting at all save for the lights on your vest! This was perhaps the most exciting of all three levels in the complex, and as the shadows danced and bobbed around each corner there was a palpably apprehensive atmosphere.
Throughout the entire arena booms high-tempo music, but it's the design of the place that gives a much better amount of immersion - for a while, we could almost be forgiven for acting as real soldiers. You'll even be rewarded for doing so, as the second game we played involved a two-team battle, and those more organised were able to pin and corner those other players who were easily split from their group. After we'd played two games we were all pretty drenched in sweat, but despite the exertion we all had a great time.
Pricing is pretty good for the amount of awesome you get out of it, with one game costing $16 and two running you $24, but there's also a lot more to do than just bowl. A fully-stocked bar lies not twenty metres from the laser arena, with two soundproofed karaoke rooms (or as we found out, not quite soundproofed enough!) and arcade machines on the same floor, and an entire bowling alley one floor up. It really is a great place to go to fulfil that inner geek inside you, and no matter your skill or fitness level, there's definitely something here for you to do. As for Atomic's performance in each game, well, we were legendary.
Jump into the gallery of pics to see some more of the arena, with thanks to Strike Bowling for the opportunity to give it a go.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012