FRENZIES: Everything We Know

Near Light, the developer of Synapse and Fracked, is working on another shooter game for virtual reality platforms: FRENZIES. It promises to be fun, pitting players against each other in action-packed gunfights set in neon-drenched arenas. Moreover, it promises to be unique by introducing new concepts that break from the genre’s traditional gameplay design.

FRENZIES is still under development, but Near Light has shared enough information to give fans a good idea of what to expect. Here is an overview of everything we know about FRENZIES.

What is FRENZIES?

FRENZIES is a virtual reality PvP arena multiplayer shooter game that debuted on 10th July 2024 but is yet to launch. It is a winner-takes-all style of game where the best-performing fighters enjoy all the glory. The game takes inspiration from other iconic arena shooter games like Unreal Tournament and Quake. Moreover, it incorporates nDreams Studio’s award-winning gunplay mechanics that make Synapse and Fracked shooting games exceptional.

The game aims to stand out from similar games through innovation. Paul Mottram, the head of Near Light, says, “Taking inspiration from classics like Quake and Unreal Tournament, we wanted to inject some unpredictable excitement back into the genre while retaining what makes VR shooters so special. We think FRENZIES nails that sweet spot.”

Story

FRENZIES doesn’t have a background story. After all, you don’t need a story or reason to shoot other players set on killing you. It’s simple: dive into the VR world’s neon-lit arenas and start shooting at everyone else. All that matters is the current round’s rules and objectives.

Gameplay

The most significant chunk of the FRENZIES gameplay design involves shooting your opponents and avoiding getting shot yourself. Moreover, showboating is a substantial aspect of the game, as players try to look good as they blast their way through the neon-lit arenas.

As a PvP multiplayer shooter game, FRENZIES supports up to 12 players in winner-take-all fights. Fights are set in virtual, neon-soaked arenas, and players are armed with diverse, often oversized weapons. Notably, the fights include Synapse and Fracked's award-winning run-and-cover gameplay design. As such, players can dash, sprint, and even use ziplines for fast and fluid movements towards or away from other players. Moreover, they can hide behind objects to take cover from gunfire.

FRENZIES also uses PSVR 2’s sense controllers to track and replicate players’ physical gestures. The game replicates physical gestures 1:1 in-game, enhancing social interaction to enable players to express themselves through hand signals. For example, teammates can play a game of rock-paper-scissors or show their enemies the middle finder. Moreover, the 1:1 gestures enhance tactical depth, complementing the game’s innovative run-and-cover gameplay design.

Interestingly, the fights span five rounds, including Green Light, Red Light, and Glitter Pig, each with varying rules, objectives, and playstyles. For example, the Glitter Pig round requires players to hold on to a big squealing pig as their opponents hunt them to take it from them, and the player that holds on for the longest period wins. Overall, some rounds require you to team up with other players, while others require you to go solo in a free-for-all frenzy. Players’ performances are gauged and aggregated, and the best-performing player wins.

The rounds are selected based on a randomized lucky dip system to keep the gameplay unpredictable and exciting. Moreover, the maps, arenas, and weapons also change with every round. Essentially, no two matches are ever the same. Notably, the game is fun to play but difficult to master for a lasting challenge.

Showboating is also a big aspect of the FRENZIES gameplay. The game ensures that players to look good as they fight by fitting them with killer onesie suits, cool kicks, compact gloves, and digital face masks. Moreover, players can choose over a dozen designs and diverse colors to customize their onesies.

Development

FRENZIES is the brainchild of Near Light and nDreams, two pioneering developers in the AR and VR segments. More specifically, the developer is Near Light, which is owned by nDreams, the world’s biggest VR game developer and publisher. Notably, Near Light has permission to use some of nDreams’ proprietary gameplay designs from the latter’s Synapse and Fracked shooter games.

Near Light has been a nDreams studio since 2002. Notably, it is backed by serious VR and AR gaming pedigree and draws on experience from its past partnerships with big-game developers like Sony, Microsoft, Activision, and Disney. The studio has a reputation for innovation, as exhibited in games such as Zumba Fitness, Guitar Hero, and Eye Toy Play.

Trailer

The official trailer for FRENZIES showcases the game’s best features. It dives right into the arenas and gunfights, showcasing different players shooting at each other. The gunfights look epic, and the arenas are expansive and decorated with colorful neon lights. The trailer also showcases the game’s showboating aspects, including the appearance customization options. Everything appears to move smoothly, including the diverse hand gestures that players can use to communicate or signal.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Unfortunately, it is not clear exactly when FRENZIES will launch, and players can only hope that it will be sooner than later. However, the developers launched a closed alpha test for Meta Quest users on July 18. Players interested in guiding the game’s development can sign up on the FRENZIES discord server.

FRENZIES will be available on PSVR 2 and Meta Quest. VR is one of the most flexible gaming platforms, immersing players in a virtual world and supporting fluid movements. However, it is still a relatively small but growing segment of the gaming industry. As such, there are concerns among users of other platforms, such as PC and consoles. Fortunately, the developer announced on Reddit that the game would support cross-play with other platforms when launching. However, they didn’t specify which other platforms the game would support, but PlayStation is a leading consideration.

So, what’s your take on our preview of FRENZIES? Are you excited to play the game? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.