Surya Anthony puts Activate Islington Square to the test, and barely makes it out unscathed.
I walked into Activate Islington Square not really knowing what I’d signed up for. Competitive socialising isn’t exactly new (London loves a buzzword) but no one told me I’d need to stretch beforehand.
The first clue should’ve been the demo video. There’s a girl on screen dressed like she’s about to hit a spin class. And you think; alright, a bit extra. Then you step into your first game, and suddenly you’re sprinting, ducking, jumping; very involved. By the end of it, you’re questioning your life choices and your hamstrings. I’m pretty sure I pulled something trying to land back-to-back three-pointers in one of the rooms. No regrets, though.
Not even two months in, and it somehow feels like Activate has been here for years. Like Islington Square was just waiting for it to drop into place. You can’t really picture it anywhere else. I went on a Saturday evening, which — by some miracle — felt relatively chill. That said, it turns out I’d just missed three back-to-back birthday bookings, so really, I lucked out.
The scale of the place is kind of ridiculous. 820 games. Eight hundred and twenty. I thought I misheard the floating head (yes, I said the floating head). There are 11 different rooms, each loaded with multiple game variations. There’s neon bouncing off every surface. It’s very futuristic. Very “Skynet is definitely watching but at least it’s fun.” Like a weird cross between Tron and Terminator.
The beauty of it is that you don’t have to be good at everything. In fact, you won’t be. Some games will humble you quickly. A few rounds in, you’ll figure out your games. For me, Hoops was a standout, partly because it taps into that sweet spot between skill and speed, but also because it sneaks in an element of my great love: trivia.
Grid, on the other hand, exposed me. Let’s move on.
Now, to truly appreciate Tom Cruise’s dedication to performing all of his own stunts, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to play any of the games in the Laser Room. I dare you.
What keeps it from feeling like a one-and-done novelty is the bigger picture. There’s a worldwide leaderboard, and if you’re good enough (emphasis on “if”), you can actually get pulled into larger competitions between locations. Add in the coin system — where your performance translates into rewards — and suddenly there’s a reason to come back. Although, fair warning: if you’ve got your eye on that PS5, you’re in it for the long haul.
The staff make a difference. Big time. Everyone I came across actually knew the games, and they’ll actually guide you towards what you’ll enjoy. Shoutout to Mubarak and Yabby. They held it down.
So, Activate: Islington welcomes you.
And if you’re thinking this is just another escape room or esports café, think again. You’ll sweat, you might ache, but you’ll leave buzzing, probably rinsing each other over epic fails for the next few days.
If that sounds like your kind of thing… Enter The Game.
