Section 8 Review

This generic-looking shooter may not turn the genre on its head, but it has enough dynamic objectives and satisfying combat to entertain.
The GoodDynamic combat missions add a dose of unpredictability Weapons are well balanced and fun to shoot Bots are intelligent and formidable. The BadAwful vehicles Generic visual design.
Far away from the prying eyes of the war-fearing citizens who make up the bulk of peaceful society, a battalion of armor-clad soldiers stages needless battles in desolate environments. Section 8 is a generic look at the struggles futuristic space marines will have to go through, but despite its uninspired trappings, the intergalactic fights are unpredictable and chaotic, and the diverse array of objectives gives more thoughtful players a chance to help their team in ways other than unmitigated destruction. There are a few missed opportunities in Section 8, such as vehicles that are all but worthless and environments that are too large for their own good, but the main elements are enjoyable, though not quite gripping. With a dull aesthetic and heavy reliance on gameplay techniques found in other first-person shooters, Section 8 struggles to stand out from the pack, but the engaging matches and satisfying gun battles make this online-focused game worth playing.


Although the focal point of Section 8 is the 32-player online conflicts, there is a single-player campaign that goes slightly beyond mere training levels. The story surrounding your feats is entirely forgettable, but the levels themselves are generally well designed, offering a fun alternative to the online warfare. The maps in the campaign are the same as in the online mode, but they're structured differently, and their vast size mimics a real-life siege as you slowly gain ground, complete objectives, and push the enemy further and further back. Whereas the multiplayer versions of these maps are completely open as soon as matches begin, the single-player offerings have walled-off areas that open only once you reach certain checkpoints. Because its levels are structured in an easily digestible fashion, Section 8 is able to introduce you to this world without overwhelming you with sprawling levels and an overabundance of objectives.

The only match type in Section 8 is called Conquest. Here, two teams strive to earn victory points by killing other players, capturing control points, and completing dynamic combat missions (DCM). There is no way to choose just team deathmatch or a capture-the-flag variant, but the different objective types are all rolled into this mode, making for an ever-changing, unpredictable experience. To capture a control point, you have to find either a neutral or enemy-owned computer and hack it by tapping a button. Once it's in your possession, you earn the accompanying turrets and other defensive structures, making it difficult for the other team to steal them back. Every few minutes, teams earn points for the number of control stations they possess, and victory is awarded to the team that reaches the designated number of victory points first.

Although the tug-of-war aspect of capturing control points can get tiresome before long, the dynamic combat missions do a good job of keeping matches fresh. You earn feats by completing certain tasks, such as killing two players with a knife or destroying one tank, and once you earn enough feats, a DCM is automatically triggered. There are six different mission types that can be initiated, and these diverse objectives add a lot of excitement to the matches. You have only a limited amount of time to complete these, so it makes for frantic action as you try to beat the clock while your opponents attempt to halt your progress. Not only do you get more victory points for successfully passing (or thwarting) these missions, but you earn other bonuses that make victory easier to achieve. For instance, if you can successfully steal intelligence from within your enemy's base, you can see your opponent's positions across the entire map. Because of the importance of these mini-missions, teams usually go full throttle trying to complete them, which makes for exciting combat sequences.



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