Panicked, I sprint through the doorway of a nearby building in desperate search of shelter. Low on health, I grab my Transfuser and shoot it into my chest, activating the life-saving chemicals housed inside and healing my bloodied body. Revitalized, I grab my AK47 assault rifle with both hands and carefully make my way through the half-frozen hangar. I grab the handle of the closest locked door and remove the sliding lock.

As I open the heavy metal frame I hear the low rumbling of what can only be described as a violent electrical thunderstorm. Before I can raise my weapon, a seven-foot biomechanical monstrosity phases into existence right before my very eyes. As I make peace with my maker, three shots ring out from behind the otherworldly creature, bringing it to its knees in less than a second. Just as I’m about to thank my unexpected savior, I notice their blue armor and my heart sinks. I lift my half-frozen assault rifle with my orange-clad arms and aim it begrudgingly at my new friend. “I’m sorry,” I whisper as I pull the trigger.

This is Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds, a brutal PvPvE VR shooter from developer InXile Entertainment and publisher Thirdverse Inc. that has you fighting man as well as beast across a forgotten military base located deep within the frozen wastes of the arctic tundra. In addition to enemy players, you’ll need to keep your head on a swivel for terrifying creatures lurking around every corner. Thankfully, you’ll have access to an arsenal of impressive weaponry ranging from assault rifles and explosives to otherworldly energy weapons capable of firing powerful bouncing projectiles. Put simply, Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds isn’t your grandparents multiplayer VR shooter.

Centered around epic 10v10 matches set across four complex environments, players begin each battle from their respective home bases located on the far ends of each map. Here they can purchase more powerful weapons using in-game currency. They can also pick up additional tools, such as the Transfuser, a handheld medical device which can be used to heal yourself and revive fallen teammates, as well as grenades—which, you know—blow things up.

Throughout each and every match you’ll fight endless waves of horrifying biomechanical creatures armed with otherworldly weaponry. Farming these NPC enemies can be an excellent way of raking in some quick cash whenever you find yourself outgunned. Hats off to the development team for including an economy system. Not only does this add a bit more strategy to the experience, but it also forces you to appreciate the more expensive weaponry at your disposal.

Frostpoint VR’s features two primary game modes. “Conquest” has you working with your team to capture and hold certain objective points scattered throughout each map. Once you’ve captured an objective you can then spawn directly to its location from your base as well as purchase automatic turrets to defend your hard-won position. The more objectives you hold, the more points you earn. “Team Deathmatch”, on the other hands, features your classic PvP experience, with each team battling it out to rack up the most kills. If a match starts without a full lobby AI bots will be added to the game automatically, so you never lose that sense of scale.

One of the most interesting aspects of Frostpoint VR’s is the return feature. Each player has the ability to teleport instantly to their respective home bases at the touch of a button. This can be a life saver when you find yourself low on ammo or separated from your team. Simply tap the return icon located on your wrist and watch as your body instantly re-materializes back at base. This is especially useful considering how large the maps are. Each battlefield features its own unique layout to memorize. As a result, keeping an open line of communication with your team is an absolute must. Planning attacks and staging defenses with your nine other comrades is easily one of the most entertaining aspects of the game, at least when everyone is cooperating.

Speaking of weaponry, Frostpoint VR’s arsenal of guns and explosives is nothing to scoff at. There are conventional firearms, such as assault rifles, SMG’s, sniper rifles, and pistols, as well as futuristic energy weapons capable of firing ballistics that ricochet throughout your environment. You can even charge your shots to fire massive energy rounds and damage multiple enemies at once.

It’s these futuristic sci-fi elements that sets Frostpoint VR apart from the mountain of VR shooters cluttering VR storefronts. Instead of focusing on modern warfare and hyper-realistic PvP combat, Frostpoint VR takes the nonfiction approach, offering players the chance to play the lead role in an action-packed cinematic adventure; or the expandable background character, depending on your skill.

Whether it be the fast-paced multiplayer gameplay or spooky biomechanical alien creatures, Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds is easily one of the most refreshing VR shooters released this year.

Frostpoint VR: Proving Grounds is available now for $24.99 on SteamVR headsets.

**This post was created in partnership with Thirdverse Inc.**

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