Edited by: Tiffany Lillie

Telefrag, developed and published by Anshar Studios, is an upcoming PvP virtual reality FPS that revolves around the mechanic of its namesake. You can use your weapon to fire a teleportation projectile, which will teleport you if it hits a valid spot in the arena, or can "telefrag" (kill) or damage your enemy if it hits them. This mechanic, tied with the frantic pace of movement (short dashes with brief pauses between them), and the terrifyingly short time it takes to kill or be killed, creates an atmosphere of emergency at all times.

From Above

The map design in Telefrag takes full advantage of the VR space and the teleportation abilities given to the player. Ignoring rational gravity, maps rely on vast open areas with floating platforms with their own gravity, many of which can be seen from any of the others. This means most of the time your safety comes from objects floating in the void between you and your nemesis, or from the sheer travel time of projectiles. There was only one map available during my time with the game, and after learning it I was able to use my knowledge of the layout to great advantage, finding certain areas that viewed most of the rest of the map and provided cover. Combined with an area denial weapon that essentially created AoE damage for a dozen seconds or so, I began winning matches with ridiculous ease.

Too Early To Say

In the version I played, only 1v1 first-to-three-kills deathmatches on a single map were available, with three loadouts to choose from, each becoming inaccessible after dying with it equipped. It was a bit frustrating to try and get a grasp of the mechanics when I was dying before I even saw my enemy, but once I did I felt like an unstoppable force. Yet it all feels unfinished at this point, and Telefrag will likely undergo a lot of balance passes and content updates before release. As it stands, it’s a foundation for something both unique and fun, but only time will tell how it turns out.

Final thoughts

A solid and frantic PvP FPS for VR, Telefrag makes use of 3D space to create awesome arenas where death can come from any direction and your movement is only limited by your creativity. While a little difficult to pick up and play at first, it's easy to become a master in time. With some refinement it could easily become something great, but it’s too early to say.