Review of Section 8: Prejudice
Okay, this is my first review so let us get a few things out of the way about me and this game. One, I?m a console gamer at heart, with only a few PC games under my belt. Two, didn?t play the first one so this is my intro to the series. And finally, when I first heard about the game, I thought ?Wow, they made a game about that Alien movie set in Africa?? of course the movie?s name is really Distract 9. So, I decided to give it a shot.
Section 8 Prejudice is a first person shooter out on PC for 15$ dollars and for the XBLA for 1200, made by TimeGate Studios. Is it out for PSN? Not sure since it?s still down, but perhaps it could come. Anyway, a first person shooter? Break out the check list people. Set in the future, check. Set in space, check. Male player character, check. PC in power armor, check. Okay, so it?s not winning points for setting. How about story? Not really.
Story wise, you play as Alex Corde, returning from the last game it seems. The setup is that your group, 1st Recon of the 8th Armored Division AKA, Section 8, has captured a big bad leader from the enemy force from the last game. Of course this leads to a break out, and you have to go get him. A quick romp through 8 mission and 4 environments later, we have an ending, through we get a twist mid way.
Not try to spoil things, but it?s not the biggest most impressive twist. Maybe it would have held more weight had I played the first game. Something that was nice of them was the fact you had most the toys and upgrades to mess around with in single player. But while the story wasn?t the greatest, I was interested enough to beat it. With it being only 4-6 hours, the campaign was rather short. Seems it was training me for the actual game that was Multiplayer.
All of the core game play is accusable in multiplayer. With a story and setting that is quite a few bars below Halo, I wasn?t impressed. The game, however, smacked me across the face when it came to game play.
First, instead of the mind numbing cover system, AKA Gears of War syndrome, Section 8 kicks you out into the battle field and wants you to run around like a chicken with its head cut off. And run you can. First, you can actually shot, reload, jump, etc, while sprinting allowing you to do something besides being a moving target. And then one of the selling points of the game can be triggered.
After sprinting, the player can go into Overdrive mode, shouldering his weapon and taking off at a higher speed. Add a jetpack option and the player can whiz around the battle field. Even respawning is an interesting mechanic. The game lets the player decide where to free fall to and once at a certain altitude, can basically glide to change their landing point. Heck, with all the movement, they had to give you the ability to lock on to a target. It?s not as over powered as one would think, lasting a few seconds and needing more to charge back up. FPSs where cover based firefights are a dime a dozen, so it?s nice to see Section 8 Prejudice literally leaving them in the dust with movement.
Actual gun combat is about the same as other FPSs, having your normal set of weapons; Assault rifle, machine gun, missile launcher, pistol, shotgun and of course sniper rifle. There?s an odd weapon called a Pulse Cannon, a gun that fire stronger the longer you charge it for, so that?s interesting. But, while the weapon selection is quite small, Prejudice makes up for it with ammunition load outs. Do I pick Buckshot to take on multi targets with a shotgun, or pick Incendiary Rounds to torch the poor sap on the other side of the barrel? With about 4 rounds to pick from and two weapons per load out, there?s a nice selection of combos to make.
There are also two equipment slots to use, from grenades to a repair function which also have different versions to use. Some could be turn off with the knife being an equipment, but this is a shooter not ?Run around and knife everyone?. But the load out selection is rounded out by upgrades. Players can make their bullets hit harder, have more shields or health, move faster, and a few other things that really help make each load out shine. Of course, players have to unlock the upgrades and different weapon types, mainly though leveling up in game. But some have to be earned through achievements within the game. Downside is some of them are rather hard to grab, such as landing on someone while spawn dropping.
Anyway the goal of the main multiplayer, Conquest, is to get to 1000 points before the other team does. Players earn points by killing opposing players, capturing one of the bases on the map, or doing Dynamic Combat Missions (DCMs). These are side missions that oddly get triggered by the game with, at least to me, with very little rhyme and reason. Most are protect something while the enemy tries to stop you. It?s a good idea to succeed/stop these as the side that gets the positive outcome gets points and usually a buff. The Outpost mission leaves a mini base in a location for the side it triggers if it and if the mission to protect is successful, the outpost stays.
These missions and everything else done, also give players requisition points. These can be used to buy defenses such as AA guns and missile turrets, to humanoid mecha and a tank for heavy fire support. There is also the Swarm game type, pairing a player up with three others to defend a base for a period of time. This can be good for training with friends or just messing around with certain builds.
So the game play gets a big o check mark for the game. But nothing?s perfect, let?s find things to rip apart. The characters in story are a bit bland, though they do have a good line or two. The music and sound are lack luster. They get the job done, but nothing memorable. Graphics are a good target. While rather nice, they seem like they?d be better coming out a few years earlier, maybe even a console ago. Still, this is set in the space future so everything looks high tech. Plus, I really can not mock it since some of the power armors remind me of Warhammer 40k space marines. How can you argue with that?
There are a few hiccups in multiplayer. Certain upgrades allow you to win fights, even if you both have the same guns. Thus it can feel more like rock-paper-scissors when it comes to battles. There?s also the annoyance of the enemy to plop AA guns in places to control most the map. While a viable plan, it is hard to defend it when your team is forced to drop spawn into the same small area where most the enemy team is waiting. This can be fixed by playing against bots. While this may make it easier, there is the chance of getting into a game with only one other person, with all the other spots, up to 32, being bots. Sniping is also rather moot, as an enemy can just spawn behind you if you are away from an AA gun.
End result time. What points do I give Prejudice? None, as I dislike handing out points like a report card. I?ve bought ?poor? rated games and had a blast, while wanted to chuck the controller at the TV after playing ?high? rated games. Thus I?ll end with a sum up and if I recommend it.
Section 8: Prejudice is a rather nice game to play. Multiplayer is fun and supposedly a new game mode is coming. The gameplay takes some chances and they seem to have worked out. Nothing like taking a base over by oneself and then calling down a mech as your reward (Insane laughter). If you bought Call of Duty Black Ops, or Halo Reach, pick up Prejudice. I haven?t had fun with a FPS since Monday Night Combat. If you like a nice amount of customization, Prejudice has enough to draw your eye. Dislike shooters, than stay away, for while it takes a different approach, it still ends on FPS drive. Still for 15 bucks, there are worst things to go get.
Section 8: Prejudice gets a recommendation from me.
Pros;
- Fast paced Action
- Interesting mechanics
- Cheaper than a big budget game
- Pretty fun
Evens;
- Sound is decent
- Graphics good enough
Cons;
- Short Story
- Weak Characters
- Hiccups in multiplayer
That's my review folks. Hope you liked it and please point out things to help me out. Thanks. And I am sorry about how the pics turned at, as it is the first time I messed with them.
Let's do this
Okay, this is my first review so let us get a few things out of the way about me and this game. One, I?m a console gamer at heart, with only a few PC games under my belt. Two, didn?t play the first one so this is my intro to the series. And finally, when I first heard about the game, I thought ?Wow, they made a game about that Alien movie set in Africa?? of course the movie?s name is really Distract 9. So, I decided to give it a shot.
Section 8 Prejudice is a first person shooter out on PC for 15$ dollars and for the XBLA for 1200, made by TimeGate Studios. Is it out for PSN? Not sure since it?s still down, but perhaps it could come. Anyway, a first person shooter? Break out the check list people. Set in the future, check. Set in space, check. Male player character, check. PC in power armor, check. Okay, so it?s not winning points for setting. How about story? Not really.
Shaved headed space marine. Check.
Story wise, you play as Alex Corde, returning from the last game it seems. The setup is that your group, 1st Recon of the 8th Armored Division AKA, Section 8, has captured a big bad leader from the enemy force from the last game. Of course this leads to a break out, and you have to go get him. A quick romp through 8 mission and 4 environments later, we have an ending, through we get a twist mid way.
Not try to spoil things, but it?s not the biggest most impressive twist. Maybe it would have held more weight had I played the first game. Something that was nice of them was the fact you had most the toys and upgrades to mess around with in single player. But while the story wasn?t the greatest, I was interested enough to beat it. With it being only 4-6 hours, the campaign was rather short. Seems it was training me for the actual game that was Multiplayer.
All of the core game play is accusable in multiplayer. With a story and setting that is quite a few bars below Halo, I wasn?t impressed. The game, however, smacked me across the face when it came to game play.
Really cool artic stage to help break things....., is that a MECH?!?!
First, instead of the mind numbing cover system, AKA Gears of War syndrome, Section 8 kicks you out into the battle field and wants you to run around like a chicken with its head cut off. And run you can. First, you can actually shot, reload, jump, etc, while sprinting allowing you to do something besides being a moving target. And then one of the selling points of the game can be triggered.
After sprinting, the player can go into Overdrive mode, shouldering his weapon and taking off at a higher speed. Add a jetpack option and the player can whiz around the battle field. Even respawning is an interesting mechanic. The game lets the player decide where to free fall to and once at a certain altitude, can basically glide to change their landing point. Heck, with all the movement, they had to give you the ability to lock on to a target. It?s not as over powered as one would think, lasting a few seconds and needing more to charge back up. FPSs where cover based firefights are a dime a dozen, so it?s nice to see Section 8 Prejudice literally leaving them in the dust with movement.
Future soldiers always get jetpacks
Actual gun combat is about the same as other FPSs, having your normal set of weapons; Assault rifle, machine gun, missile launcher, pistol, shotgun and of course sniper rifle. There?s an odd weapon called a Pulse Cannon, a gun that fire stronger the longer you charge it for, so that?s interesting. But, while the weapon selection is quite small, Prejudice makes up for it with ammunition load outs. Do I pick Buckshot to take on multi targets with a shotgun, or pick Incendiary Rounds to torch the poor sap on the other side of the barrel? With about 4 rounds to pick from and two weapons per load out, there?s a nice selection of combos to make.
Pulse Cannon, all charged up. Someone's gonna feel pain.
There are also two equipment slots to use, from grenades to a repair function which also have different versions to use. Some could be turn off with the knife being an equipment, but this is a shooter not ?Run around and knife everyone?. But the load out selection is rounded out by upgrades. Players can make their bullets hit harder, have more shields or health, move faster, and a few other things that really help make each load out shine. Of course, players have to unlock the upgrades and different weapon types, mainly though leveling up in game. But some have to be earned through achievements within the game. Downside is some of them are rather hard to grab, such as landing on someone while spawn dropping.
Hmmm,should I pick up a repair tool or drop the repair up mods?
Anyway the goal of the main multiplayer, Conquest, is to get to 1000 points before the other team does. Players earn points by killing opposing players, capturing one of the bases on the map, or doing Dynamic Combat Missions (DCMs). These are side missions that oddly get triggered by the game with, at least to me, with very little rhyme and reason. Most are protect something while the enemy tries to stop you. It?s a good idea to succeed/stop these as the side that gets the positive outcome gets points and usually a buff. The Outpost mission leaves a mini base in a location for the side it triggers if it and if the mission to protect is successful, the outpost stays.
Escorting a supply truck is one of the missions players can fight over
These missions and everything else done, also give players requisition points. These can be used to buy defenses such as AA guns and missile turrets, to humanoid mecha and a tank for heavy fire support. There is also the Swarm game type, pairing a player up with three others to defend a base for a period of time. This can be good for training with friends or just messing around with certain builds.
So the game play gets a big o check mark for the game. But nothing?s perfect, let?s find things to rip apart. The characters in story are a bit bland, though they do have a good line or two. The music and sound are lack luster. They get the job done, but nothing memorable. Graphics are a good target. While rather nice, they seem like they?d be better coming out a few years earlier, maybe even a console ago. Still, this is set in the space future so everything looks high tech. Plus, I really can not mock it since some of the power armors remind me of Warhammer 40k space marines. How can you argue with that?
The graphics do at least to a good job for their level
There are a few hiccups in multiplayer. Certain upgrades allow you to win fights, even if you both have the same guns. Thus it can feel more like rock-paper-scissors when it comes to battles. There?s also the annoyance of the enemy to plop AA guns in places to control most the map. While a viable plan, it is hard to defend it when your team is forced to drop spawn into the same small area where most the enemy team is waiting. This can be fixed by playing against bots. While this may make it easier, there is the chance of getting into a game with only one other person, with all the other spots, up to 32, being bots. Sniping is also rather moot, as an enemy can just spawn behind you if you are away from an AA gun.
Where'd you come from? AGH!
End result time. What points do I give Prejudice? None, as I dislike handing out points like a report card. I?ve bought ?poor? rated games and had a blast, while wanted to chuck the controller at the TV after playing ?high? rated games. Thus I?ll end with a sum up and if I recommend it.
Section 8: Prejudice is a rather nice game to play. Multiplayer is fun and supposedly a new game mode is coming. The gameplay takes some chances and they seem to have worked out. Nothing like taking a base over by oneself and then calling down a mech as your reward (Insane laughter). If you bought Call of Duty Black Ops, or Halo Reach, pick up Prejudice. I haven?t had fun with a FPS since Monday Night Combat. If you like a nice amount of customization, Prejudice has enough to draw your eye. Dislike shooters, than stay away, for while it takes a different approach, it still ends on FPS drive. Still for 15 bucks, there are worst things to go get.
Section 8: Prejudice gets a recommendation from me.
Pros;
- Fast paced Action
- Interesting mechanics
- Cheaper than a big budget game
- Pretty fun
Evens;
- Sound is decent
- Graphics good enough
Cons;
- Short Story
- Weak Characters
- Hiccups in multiplayer
That's my review folks. Hope you liked it and please point out things to help me out. Thanks. And I am sorry about how the pics turned at, as it is the first time I messed with them.
