IN a path off the quieter back streets of Shoreditch, there is a man who will warn you he is ready to “kaboom” you – win lose or draw, he will kaboom you.

This is Boom Lab, the latest live experience option for those looking for an alternative night out, ending with players ordered into protective boiler suits and masks for a “paint” splatting.

The concept is a video game come to life, the instructions for a series of challenges appear on a screen like an old Nintendo menu and then it’s game on.

It’s meant to provide some workplace bonding perhaps and first up was Blue Blur, where we had to work together to punch in codes from instructions on one screen into another. While this settler had a welcome Doctor Who vibe, each game goes on for 10 minutes, which is a lot of technobabble for some.

Pink Panic had a simpler premise, smashing lights off in a Whac-a-mole tower. It’s a frenzied fun, but again probably goes on for one level too many.

Red Reflex followed. In case you’re wondering about the names, there’s some overriding and not very important story about the world having all its colour stolen.

This room was a crowd pleaser, with dry ice and rows of laser beams creating an assault course.

Increasingly tricky routes are presented as you avoid the beams like jewel thieves in a museum.

There was still time for Yellow Yell, chucking balls at quiz question answers, and Orange Outrun – where we became big kids shrieking at each other for this take on the “floor is lava”.

But what about that colour blast kabooming we were promised from the enthusiastic host when we walked in?

He shuffled is into a wet room after dispensing 3XL suits.

Here there as another game to play, a sequencing memory test, but whatever your score Mr Kaboom lets fly with his armoury of paint hoses at the end.

It was quiet on the night we went but he insisted it gets busier later on.

Certainly Boom Lab is different from other escape games type attractions in London and there’s enough to keep it interesting, even if the dressing up at the end is a bit of a palaver for what, for us, was more of a light dusting of food colouring. than a full-on emulsion eruption.
They have a lot of cleaning up to do in between kaboomings.

• Boom Lab is at 83 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY Nearest tube: Old Street