Section 13

I really wanted to love Section 13, and while I did enjoy it, it was held back by the incremental pace of the game as well as the brutal difficulty of enemy encounters. This is a very, very grindy game, and while I don’t mind spending time with an adventure, I do wish this particular game were on Switch 2. I find portable play is ideal for rogue adventures, and I feel I would have had much more success were that an option. That said, Section 13 is still a compelling game, it’s just one that regularly feels like a slog. Here’s hoping the next adventure from Ocean Drive Studio manages to capitalize on the rogue genre’s strengths better.

With so much variety to unlock and action-packed combat that'll have you dodging and shooting like a pro, Section 13 is one great shooter. 🧟

Fans of twin-stick shooters have a new game to look forward to from Ocean Drive Studio. This game has traces of rogue-like, which means repeating the same scenarios over and over again, progressively improving our protagonists with each round.

Section 13 is a game in which the Roguelite component works well, encouraging the player to repeat the loop, trying to upgrade between runs. The gameplay itself, based on the dual stick system, is effective, with an intuitive and easy-to-use control system. The game is obviously designed to be at its best in co-op mode. Unfortunately, this mode is not yet available. With the implementation of co-op, Ocean Drive Studio's work can only get better.

Section 13 may not be the game that fans of Blackout Protocol originally signed up for, but it successfully reinvented itself into something more playful, aggressively action-oriented, and engaging. Though the progression gets kind of old and the style and writing won’t appeal to everyone, Section 13 is still good; not revolutionary, but definitely worth your time if you’re a fan of fast-paced roguelikes and don’t mind a few rough edges.

Sadly, as it stands, Section 13 is marred by technical issues that make it hard for me to recommend, but there is a worthwhile adventure beneath the issues. Perhaps it will be amended down the line.

Blackout Protocol is a decent co-op rogue-lite with its own unique tricks. With the game being in Early Access, there is a great amount of potential for the game to add in content such as more playable characters and levels.

Blackout Protocol, despite being in early access, is already an incredibly fun game to play, with the caveat that you have two friends to play with or don't mind playing with random strangers online. If you're a solo player, you might want to look elsewhere.

Blackout Protocol currently suffers from many symptoms of other online-first games. It needs a large player base to function, yet the developers are stifling the community from growing organically. It runs the major risk of being yet another Blightbound - a nearly dead-on-arrival multiplayer game that failed to resuscitate. However, Ocean Drive Studios can perhaps turn things around by taking player feedback seriously. Those interested in Blackout Protocol should monitor the ongoing Early Access development and make a call on when they are ready to jump in.