Xbox 360 Review: Section 8

Are you one of those FPS addicts that goes out of their way to purchase games like Call of Duty and Halo, simply to hop online and show people how well you can pwnt an unsuspecting n00b? You know, the type of gamer who completely forgets that, although online play is great, there actually is a campaign mode worth playing. If this sounds familiar, then Section 8 from Southpeak may very well be the game for you. This is one game that was developed only with multiplayer involved. Ironically, in several reviews I tend to weigh in heavily when a developer neglects to include online play for a competition-oriented game. In this review, I’ll do the complete opposite. Why is that? Because Section 8 is a game that goes out of its way to present one excellent online experience, but forgets to take into consideration that not everyone likes to game in groups.

Section 8 is all about the multiplayer experience, which you can get lost in for hours. The single-player campaign mode feels inserted as an afterthought. The story revolves around marines who fight in the future. That’s about it. There are 7 main characters who look like they were ripped off physically from Gears of War. You’ll go through several pretty expansive maps that feel overwhelming. However, most of the maps are sectioned off until you complete an objective. So, when you look at your radar you’ll see a red area that sections off unavailable areas. You start the game by burning-in; this is like parachuting down from the sky, but way cooler. This is actually an excellent feature that has a greater purpose in the multiplayer. We’ll get to that later.

The game features all of the standard weapons you would expect in an FPS. You’ve got instant access to rocket launchers, grenades, automatics and shotguns. The shotguns are a disappointment. They hardly provide the kick you’d see in some of the more well known FPS franchises. The rocket launchers are also uninspired; have a spray effect that doesn’t do the damage you’d hope. You’ll still need it when facing off against tanks and other vehicles, although the vehicles are just about as forgettable as the rocket launcher needed to take them down. I really wanted my tank to be a Halo Wraith, but, alas, it wasn’t. Luckily, you don’t always need a vehicle to navigate through the expansive maps. Timegate has included an overdrive feature that allows you to run at lightning speed. If you run for about three or four seconds unimpeded, you’re overdrive will kick in like The Flash (Barry Allen of course). You also have a limited-boost jetpack to get to those hard to reach places and avoid enemy fire. You can create some excellent dodge patterns by hopping into overdrive then kicking on your jetpack.

The knife-melee attack is reminiscent of Call of Duty. However, when you stab your opponent feel clunky and it never really feels like the knife is sinking in. I’m still wondering if it’s realistic that you can kill an enemy, covered in armor, with a simple knife. But, I guess this is science fiction. Explosions aren’t that great, either. You’ll have to destroy generators throughout the game. When you do this, they just explode into four perfectly symmetrical parts. I’d expect a generator to pack a significant explosion.

The multiplayer game is the real meat-and-potatoes of Section 8. Unlike most multiplayer’s games with several game types (like Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, etc), Section 8 only has one game type, Conquest. Surprisingly, this is all you need. Conquest is like one giant mash-up of multiplayer goodness. With up to 32 players in a game, no two games will ever feel similar.

Gamers are awarded victory points for capturing control points, much like King of the Hill or Territories. Gamers can hack enemy and neutral control points. The hack acts like a virus spreading through the system. The other team has the option to defuse it before they lose control. You also get points for completing dynamic combat missions and defeating enemy players. Conquest forces you to play as a team. So, if you’re a lone wolf Deathmatch gamer, you will have to learn how to work together.

Remember, I mentioned the burn-in feature of the game? Well through the TacNet (pre-spawn) menu, you can select new burn-in locations or change loadouts. What this allows you to do is decide just where the heck you want to enter the battle. How many times in other FPS games have you been frustrated from bad spawns: you’re either a continent away from the battle or right in the line of an enemy’s sniper scope. In Section 8, all of that randomness is, thankfully, tossed aside.

You can also purchase in game upgrades, like vehicles and deployable weapons. Anti-aircraft turrets will be your friends, as enemies try to land on your control points. This is another time when the burn-in feature is a great addition. You can choose to land hard on a specified spot, or audible at the last minute if you see an anti-aircraft turret. Also, the auto-lock is exceptional in Section 8. So if you see someone diving in, or jumping away with their jetpack, you can still lock-on and fire away.

Overall, Section 8 is a great game for FPS multiplayer fans. The single player campaign is almost a throw away. I even got stuck in the map on the first board. It only happened once and I had to quit out. I couldn’t replicate it, but flaw is worth noting. The graphics aren’t anything amazing, and could have benefited from a substantial texture and visual boost. However, if you’re looking for some fun-dynamic multiplayer action, you will get hours of gaming fun from Section 8.