It’s not every day that you get to be a secret agent. But that’s what you are in for during an adventure-filled 20 minutes at Dreamscape’s latest immersive experience, MIB: First Assignment.
The virtual reality company, that has its UAE branch at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, has unveiled its latest location-based, free-roaming adventure, in which Men in Black fans get to channel Agent K and Agent D and go on a mission to save the planet. Well, not quite, but you do get to save cute intergalactic creatures, the Zarthanians, from their alien nemeses, the fearsome Octopoids.
Having already tried out Dreamscape’s existing adventures at Mall of the Emirates – the daring and immersive Curse of the Lost Pearl: A Magic Projector Adventure (featuring an Atlantis-like lost city, majestic landscapes and wild rollercoaster rides) and the deep-dive yet soaring experience of The Blu: Deep Rescue (a stunning underwater swim-with-the-whales outing) – MIB: First Assignment is more of a trippy, fast-paced and edge-of-your-seat thriller in comparison.
It’s a tough feat to match up to the previous two adventures, but MIB: First Assignment offers an entirely new interactive experience via a futuristic setting, complete with a train ride and free-fly on hoverbikes over cities and through galaxies before getting the loveable, glob-like alien Zarthanians home to safety.
The entire experience, from start to finish, takes about 35 minutes, including the gearing-up with trackers attached to your hands and feet, and strapping on the VR backpack and attached headset. You get to choose your game avatars, and once the headsets are on, are able to view yourself and your fellow agents (playing in batches of up to six people) in avatar mode.
Even though the characters and settings are rendered in graphics-like imagery, the VR experience feels almost unsettlingly real, with 3D surroundings, distance and perspective (we were even warned not to sit on the subway “seats” during the adventure) and very tactile sensations.
After taking the train to the MIB headquarters and the assignment briefing on the Zarthanian rescue mission – with plenty of wry, deprecating humour thrown in – the initial fly-out over the city even gets the physical G-forces right; it feels like you’re soaring at a great height and viewing the urban sprawl far below – not for the vertigo-prone.
During the experience, you stand and walk on a platform that moves to mimic the sensations of the vehicle or journey you are on. It has rails on all sides to hold on to if the motion is too much for you and to prevent you from walking off during the adventure, as I almost did but got bumped back in.
The rest of the experience is a high-octane rush through increasingly crazy-looking galaxies and scenarios (look out for the bulldog floating in outer space) while avoiding the evil, tentacled Octopoid attackers. Unlike traditional video games, there is no skill or manoeuvring required here, you just get to suit up, step on and enjoy, but it will take you out of your comfort zone and leave you wanting more. We also wish each adventure lasted longer than 20 minutes, which goes by quickly.
With all the recent talk of the Metaverse, where we may one day live, work and interact in a space that blends physical, virtual and augmented reality, VR game experiences like these offered by Dreamscape could be a perfect introduction to the brave new world we’re stepping into.
Tickets for MIB: First Assignment are Dh78.75 ($21.45) per person including VAT, with the experience open to those aged 10 and above. Dreamscape is located in Mall of the Emirates, Level 2, next to the Apple store. Bookings can be made at dreamscapeimmersive.com.
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
MATCH INFO
Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')
Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')
Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
As it stands in Pool A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
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Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
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(Yale University Press)
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The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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GMC Sierra Denali 1500
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
