We experienced true immersion in Zero Latency’s VR Outbreak and conquered the Zombie horde

Zero Latency has lifted the veil on its newest, and most terrifying VR experience yet, with Outbreak marking another impressive step forward for the company as they push the envelope with utterly immersive, one-of-a-kind gaming simulations you just can’t replicate anywhere else. We went hands-on, quite literally, with this bold new creation and walked away stunned by the level of immersion.

The Dexerto Australia team was lucky enough to be invited along to the launch of Zero Latency’s newest VR experience. Outbreak is a zombie-infested simulation wherein, a team of eight players are strapped into their headsets, given a physical weapon to carry around, and forced to make their way through hordes of undead.

Movement is key within this unique VR experience, with all players on a grid in a giant warehouse, as the simulation maps your real-world movement and tracks each step in the virtual space. Thus, with this unrivaled degree of immersion, physically walking through the 3D space around you, every little fright is all the more chilling.

Though while much of its movement of the game does feel seamless with your actual steps, the odd few times in which you are required to go up a ramp or down into the depths of some dingy sewers is a mind-bending out-of-body experience.

While you are physically standing on solid ground, with your feet planted firmly, moving up and down within the game fully tricks your brain as you feel yourself needing to climb up or down despite simply moving forward on a flat surface.

Another specific moment from the Outbreak game requires players to move along a duct across a rooftop. And while not everyone is afraid of heights, looking down in this richly detailed world does feel as though you are able to fall off at any given moment.

A great use of some fantastic hardware

As stated on the Zero Latency website, the experience includes the following hardware to make the games run as smoothly as possible. “Featuring customized HTC VIVE Focus 3 headset, the new remote rendering stack allows customers the first chance to explore Zero Latency’s award-winning experiences through 5K video and 3D spatial sound, with nothing more than a headset.”

In regards to the 3D spatial sound, Outbreak does a surreal job of making it feel as though you are right in the heart of a zombie apocalypse. During the playthrough, I often found myself hearing the moans and groans of the hordes behind me, only to turn around and be face-to-face with the undead.

Graphically, the HTC VIVE Focus 3 headset is smooth and crisp and provides clear vision to gamers without feeling as though you’ve got a giant headpiece attached to you throughout the journey. And anyone afraid of motion sickness should fear not, the clarity along with your real movement helped alleviate any issues on that end.

Lastly, as one can expect from a VR experience surrounded by others, Zero Latency has solid measures in place to ensure you’re not knocking into each other at all times. When a player appears to be too close to another, a warning alarm will appear through the headset, with “Dorito” looking shapes masking the player they are in close proximity to. 

While of course, this does not completely eliminate the chances of you bumping into your teammates, it does provide some helpful boundaries, particularly in the beginning when still trying to get your feel for the dimensions of the experience.

All in all, Zero Latency’s newest VR experience Outbreak is one that utilizes its equipment and concept successfully. For those who love the genre and anything truly innovative in the tech space, grab some friends and head down to your nearest Zero Latency venue, which can be found all across the globe.

After more tech reviews and VR content? Be sure to check out Dexerto’s full coverage here.