Gameplay Impressions
Gameplay ImpressionsThe single player campaign is painfully short, we clocked it in just two and a half hours. Despite its premature ending though, it did prepare us nicely for the online onslaught and taught us all we needed to know about how to handle the likes of the sniper rifle and rocket launcher; enough to ensure that we'd fine-tuned our aiming skills so that we could hold our own in the multiplayer arena. Still, the single-player mode feels half-finished, like it's been tacked-on as an afterthought to attract any gamer who doesn't happen to have an online connection. If that's you, then we really wouldn't bother picking up Section 8 because it's all about the multiplayer. If you’re up for a bit of online mayhem on the other-hand, with 31 mechanized, jet-pack hopping, space marines, then Section 8 just about does enough to warrant your attention.
When you jump online the action is incredibly smooth, especially considering the amount of explosive activity on-screen. Though racking up victory points for your team, as you try to take control of points on the map, is something that most gamers will have done many times before, it is still fun thanks to some good map design and the tactical variety that can be employed. The gameplay is action-packed and there's a fair degree of strategy needed if you want your team to win. The drop-in feature is a great idea, which allows you to spawn anyway on the map, so it helps to keep the action flowing.
The eight huge maps have been well designed and offer plenty of scope for tactical play. The use of the jet-pack to launch yourself into the air, or the Overdrive function to boost from one end of the map to other at high speed, ensures that there’s plenty of ways to get out of a sticky situation or back up your team-mates at short notice. Section 8’s biggest strength is the variety in the gameplay. No game ever feels the same because there’s an infinite number of ways that you can play and a wealth of customisation options that help to keep things fresh. The decent range of armour abilities that you can tweak and the variety of objectives that you need to achieve during online matches means that even if you don't want to team up with your friends, you'll still feel like you’re contributing to the team.
You can jump into a dynamic mission, which include escort and protection objections, or you might choose to go on a killing spree, or try and capture an enemy control point. Whatever you decide to do in the game you'll gain victory points so you’re always helping the team out. There’s nothing new or innovative about Section 8, and it's ugly graphics make it feel decidedly last-gen, but it's an enjoyable shooter that overflows with variety in the online arena. It's rough around the edges but worth checking out if jet-pack boosting space marines are your thing.
Final Score: 7.5/10
