Derek 'Dez' Maggs 
In December of 2020, just after COVID lockdown was starting to ease, and the air was filled with excitement to step outside and rejoin the world. It was on this fateful day that I was invited to gather six of my friends and try out Zero Latency VR. To say we had a blast would be an understatement. After being confined for so long, we donned our backpacks, put on our VR goggles, and went on a zombie-killing spree. What more could you ask for?
Fast forward three years, and I received another invitation to a Zero Latency VR event. This time, it was to experience their incredible new game, Outbreak. This Zombie-themed game, with a plot that could easily be adapted into a movie, has it all: sabotage, zombies, a stolen cure, and soldiers fighting their way through the chaos to retrieve it. All of this packed into an exhilarating 30-minute game.
The Playthrough
The event consisted of teams of eight, with random pairings of media and influencers. I was fortunate enough to be paired with Liessshy, an amazing influencer I had met at PAX. At PAX, we were on opposing teams and won quite decisively against her & her team. And I needed to make it up for it by having her back this time.
As we sat down for our briefing, a short video gave us an overview of the storyline and taught us how to play, along with important safety measures. Then, it was time to head onto the course.
As we donned our VR goggles and picked up our guns, one notable change was the absence of backpacks. In my last article, I mentioned how impressive the small laptop on our backs was, controlling the game and linking all players. This time, we had goggles with built-in headsets and a gun, which added to the sense of realism and immersion, making the game even more terrifying.
Gameplay Experience
Our team of eight, amusingly named Team Teabag (blame Liessshy!), embarked on a mission to retrieve the cure. As we familiarized ourselves with our guns, attempting to take down incoming zombies, we were unexpectedly divided into four teams. This was a completely different from my earlier experience with Zero Latency VR, in that sessions, our interactions were largely limited to defending our fixed position against waves of zombies, with the extent of our physical movement mainly encompassing rotating from side to side or back and forth.
However, the Outbreak game brought about a transformative shift. Instead of being confined to a single location, we had the freedom to roam and explore. We could walk to into rooms or sewers, and journey through eerie hallways+, making the entire adventure immersive and dynamic. It allowed us to engage with the virtual environment in a way that felt more like real-life exploration, and it added an extra layer of excitement and immersion to the entire experience. It was as if the game had broken free from the constraints of stationary gameplay, providing us with the opportunity to truly inhabit and navigate the digital world in a way that felt both liberating and surreal.
This change was remarkable. I loved my first experience, but this felt like an entirely different game, a new level of immersion. si much so, that I vividly recall Liessshy’s squeals as the zombies got too close to her….. several times. It truly felt like we were there, untethered and free to move. This is undoubtedly the future of open-world gaming, as it feels like more than just playing a game; it feels like being there.
Compared to my experience three years ago, Outbreak feels like it’s light-years ahead. I’ve already spoken to several of my friends, as I need to do this again. Which is a testament to how Zero Latency VR is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of VR.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never experienced this, it’s an absolute must. After you finish reading this, call eight of your friends, head to Zero Latency VR – they have locations in most major cities. You need to experience this for yourself. I can rave about how incredible it is, but you need to live it to truly understand.
I can’t thank the Zero Latency VR team enough for an amazing night. Being able to experience this again and getting hands-on with their new game, Outbreak, only heightens my excitement for what else they have in store for us in the future.
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