With the fluid COVID-19 situation and the constantly changing restrictions (especially in recent weeks), it’s hard not to feel frustrated with all that’s going on. Whether it’s cancelling or rescheduling plans for the umpteenth time, not being able to dine in (again), on top of all the stresses of work and everyday life, I sure felt like a volcano about to erupt at any moment.
So, when Native gave us an opportunity to try out a session at The Fragment Room, I wasn’t going to pass it up. What can I say? It seemed like the perfect outlet for me to vent my frustrations.
The Fragment Room
The Fragment Room is Singapore’s first ever rage room. Born after the founder’s searches for rage rooms in Singapore turned up empty, The Fragment Room has been welcoming customers to unleash their pent-up frustrations in its dedicated spaces since 2017.
Located in the MacPherson neighbourhood, The Fragment Room occupies one of the many shophouses along MacPherson Road. With its minimal logo lit up in neon lights and a storefront that has a concrete-looking finish, it sure does stand out among its neighbouring counterparts.
The minimal, concrete-esque design continues inside: all the walls were painted in light grey and had an oddly calming effect. The place was stylishly furnished with plush sofas and older models of electronics on display. There was also a brightly lit neon sign of a hand with the index finger up, a nod to the Room’s status as the very first rage room in Singapore.
While eating and drinking is currently not allowed here because of the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) restrictions, The Fragment Room usually offers drinks (including beers and ciders) for an extra cost.
After checking in on SafeEntry and having our temperatures taken, we had to sign a waiver form that explained the possible risks of participating in a session. This might sound scary, but rest assured there are necessary safety measures in place to keep you safe (more on that in the next section). Then, we were off to the Armoury to suit up.
Get your gear
I meant it quite literally when I said suit up — we had to wear coveralls, cut-proof gloves, and a safety helmet with a visor. Safety boots are also available, but they’re optional if you have closed-toed shoes on. My Native team member and I decided to don the safety boots anyway, just to get the full experience (and for additional peace of mind).
After putting on the protective gear, we looked like two professionals about to handle a biochemical hazard of some sort (minus the weapons). It really felt like we had some important business to tend to.
The staff gave us a safety briefing — what we can and cannot do, and the designated areas to throw the glass items in our crates. You are allowed to change your weapons at any time during your session, so don’t worry too much if you can’t decide on what to pick. During our visit, we tried a baseball bat, a hammer, a metal pipe, and a crowbar.
Then it was time for us to get smashing.
Smash your heart out
There are two rooms available here: a bigger room and a smaller room. While there is no difference in price for the two, the bigger option is typically reserved for larger groups (up to five people at once, when restrictions ease). We got to try the bigger room, which was fitted with two barrels, a metal table, and a huge pile of debris left by past customers. Both rooms also have a Bluetooth speaker and a phone stand — perfect for jamming out to your music of choice and taking selfies.
Honestly, we didn’t really know how to act once the door closed, signalling that the space belonged to us for the next one hour (two back-to-back sessions). My coworker and I looked at each other awkwardly before deciding we should just start throwing the glass bottles we were given. Spoiler alert: it’s not as easy as the movies make it look. Many of the bottles we threw just bounced off the wall, landing atop the heap of debris, still in one piece.
The first time our bottles broke, both of us cheered. I’ve got to say, it did feel good — breaking bottles was something I’ve always dreamt of doing, and finally being able to do it without any repercussions (or having to clean up!) felt amazing.
For the next hour, we experimented with using the different weapons to smash whatever that was breakable. Speaking from experience, shouting does help put a little more force into your actions, making it easier to break things. An hour was a little long for us though — we tried to maximise the full duration of our session but had to take many breaks along the way. A regular session lasts 30 minutes, which we think would suffice.
Both of us are pretty petite, and even putting down the weapons from time to time required energy, so we felt like the experience was a full-body workout. One thing’s for sure though: I did leave the place feeling a little less stressed and angry as compared to when I walked in.
Chill out with a few rounds of games
Apart from its main attraction, The Fragment Room also has a wide selection of board and card games for visitors to unwind with. Pick from popular games such as Exploding Kittens, Cards Against Humanity, and many others, or discover a new one that you’ve never played before. “Brain games” like Chess, Checkers, and Codenames can also be found here.
The best part? All of these games are complimentary to enjoy. Whether you’re waiting for your turn at the rage rooms or looking for a way to cool off after all that smashing, there is never a dull moment at The Fragment Room.
Go solo or bring your friends
The Fragment Room is open daily (12pm–10pm) for anyone who’s looking to let off some steam. A solo 30-minute session is $38, and there are packages for up to five people. Neon smashables ($35) and electronics ($25++) are also available as add-ons, if you’d like to take your rage session up a notch.
Ready to break all your anger and stress into fragments? Book a package for two or four (when restrictions allow) on our Experiences page to find out how smashing a bunch of ordinary objects can work wonders for your state of mind.
Pro-tip: When you book on Native, you’ll be entitled to a discount on an extra crate of breakables (usually worth $25).
This article is in partnership with The Fragment Room.
