Blackout Protocol

About

"Blackout Protocol" is a top-down shooter with rogue-lite progression, where you play as an Agent of the S2P Corporation tasked with infiltrating a research base overrun by experiments. Master your Agent's unique expertise, from psychokinetic impact to biochemical triage, and choose from a variety of high-yield munitions to aid in your mission. Manage your Panic Gauge to avoid freakouts and physical danger as you face otherworldly horrors.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+12

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 243 reviews

gameplay25 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The game has a solid foundation with great graphics and engaging gameplay mechanics, especially when played with friends.
The developers are responsive to feedback and are actively working on updates to improve the game.
The roguelike elements and meta progression system provide a satisfying sense of growth and replayability.

The game is currently unbalanced, making solo play extremely difficult and frustrating, with many players feeling it is designed primarily for co-op.
There are numerous bugs and technical issues, including problems with matchmaking and game-breaking glitches.
The removal of co-op features and changes to core gameplay mechanics have disappointed many players who enjoyed the original vision of the game.

gameplay
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
54%
5%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating its solid mechanics, fun combat, and engaging roguelike elements, while others criticize the shift from tactical co-op to a more casual experience, leading to frustrations with balance and progression. Many users highlight the game's difficulty and the need for coordination in team play, but also note issues such as bugs and repetitiveness that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the core gameplay loop is seen as enjoyable, it requires further refinement and balancing to meet player expectations.
- “The gameplay formula was solid and fun.”
- “Absolutely excellent to play with friends - lots of really interesting mechanics and the difficulty spikes make the game exciting and fun to shout about on Discord.”
- “The gameplay loop is good, combat feels good and the upgrades look impactful, hard to ask for much more from a roguelite.”
- “This slow and tactical co-op shooter looked promising until they removed the slow and tactical co-op gameplay from the shooter.”
- “Now with their newest announcement and rebranding, they have completely spun away from the gameplay and difficulty that I bought this game for.”
- “This would have been a nice game, but the three issues up top: boring repetitiveness, single-player imbalance, and too-grindy progression make the gameplay loop too much of a chore and absolutely un-fun.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
63%
19%
The game's shift from a fun, tactical co-op experience to a story-driven single-player format has drawn criticism, with many players feeling that the narrative is unnecessary and detracts from gameplay. Users express frustration over the focus on story elements, arguing that it undermines the original appeal of the game and complicates the mechanics, making solo play challenging. Overall, the consensus is that the story is not a priority for players, who prefer engaging gameplay over narrative depth.
- “The developers decided to switch from a fun, tactical co-op game into a story-driven single player experience.”
- “This game feels like a blend of an alien shooter with a cooperative story mode.”
- “The new hub area is quite nice, but the new story elements feel completely unnecessary.”
- “Bought for the coop aspect, this same story has been repeated before - see Liberdade (great coop roguelike, changed into single player slop).”
- “It's because they decided a year after making their fun, challenging coop roguelike game public, then pulling a massive 180 focusing on the narrative, story-driven singleplayer experience, pandering to a group of people who weren't going to buy the game anyway because they thought the game was 'too hard'.”
- “Just don't focus too much on the story in the future, it's the least important thing and I don't think many people care.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
8%
23%
The graphics of the game have received positive feedback, with players praising the clean art style, beautiful visuals, and unique camera perspectives. Many reviewers appreciate the aesthetic and thematic elements, noting that the graphics contribute significantly to the overall experience, especially for an early access title. However, some players have expressed a desire for improved graphical fidelity and more UI options.
- “Amazing visuals, great sound, unique camera perspective changes and a great rogue gameplay.”
- “Beautiful graphics, effects and sounds.”
- “Loving the graphic style of the game, always drawn to the rough-like titles and this one scratches my gaming itch very well.”
- “It feels like a completely different game with just the art style remaining.”
- “Would like more graphical fidelity and for the UI to be more tightened up, or given more accessibility/UI options (ammo count under panic gauge).”
- “I played through multiple closed betas of Blackout Protocol after encountering it at PAX East in 2023: everything about the concept drew me right in - the aesthetics, the perspective, the tactical co-op that I managed to sell 2 of my friends on in a heartbeat meant we all jumped at the betas and I even managed to sell the idea to online friends as well later on.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some enjoy the process of collecting blueprints and upgrading their characters, others find it tedious and overly repetitive, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. The reliance on RNG for blueprint farming and the spongy nature of enemies contribute to a sense of imbalance and make progression feel like a chore rather than an engaging challenge.
- “Removing panic from enemies has led to spongier tanks that just end up being a tedious roadblock to clear, rather than an enemy that required greater tactical positioning or planning.”
- “Single player is slow, tedious, and kind of brutal.”
- “This would have been a nice game, but the three issues up top: boring repetitiveness, sp imbalance, and too-grindy progression makes the gameplay loop too much of a chore and absolutely un-fun.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's optimization is generally favorable for three-player co-op, providing a fun and varied experience based on team composition. However, solo players may encounter significant stuttering and difficulty, leading to a frustrating cycle of death, indicating that the game is not well-optimized for solo play.
- “The game is definitely optimized for 3-player co-op, and co-op feels very fun as you can have different experiences depending on your team composition.”
- “The optimization in this game allows for smooth gameplay even during intense moments, making it a joy to play.”
- “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the game mechanics to ensure that every character feels balanced and impactful in co-op mode.”
- “Stuttering as if going to crash.”
- “This game is not optimized for solo play, and you as a solo player will be swarmed and killed by enemies in an endless cycle of death that isn't fun.”
- “No tinkering with minor stuttering, but fun nonetheless.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging ambiance and appealing visuals, enhanced by enjoyable main menu music and a diverse character selection. However, some reviewers note that while the atmosphere is well-executed, it may prioritize style over gameplay functionality.
- “So far so good, good atmosphere, main menu music is great, nice variety of characters at the moment, and the gunplay feels good.”
- “It's currently in early access and has a nice atmosphere.”
- “Nails the atmosphere and visuals, but is completely form over function.”
- “Nails the atmosphere and looks, but is completely form over function.”
- “The atmosphere feels empty and lifeless, lacking any real immersion.”
- “While the visuals are stunning, the atmosphere fails to engage or draw you in.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Users express that the game currently lacks depth and replayability, with some hoping for future updates like leaderboards and new maps to enhance its replay value. There is a belief that these additions could significantly improve the game's potential and make it more engaging over time.
- “I reckon it could turn out to be one of my favorite games of all time if things are added to aid replayability.”
- “But once leaderboards and new maps are added, all of a sudden, maybe a hugely replayable challenge will be there, and that's when this game can start fulfilling its potential.”
- “On another note, it lacks any depth, replayability, or people to play with.”
- “I reckon it could turn out to be one of my favorite games of all time if things get added to aid replayability.”
- “But once leaderboards and new maps are added, all of a sudden maybe a hugely replayable challenge will be there, and that's when this game can start fulfilling its potential.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers suggest that the game's monetization strategy could benefit from increased media advertising to raise awareness and attract more players. There is hope that the game will evolve into a rogue-like experience similar to "Gunfire Reborn," encouraging players to return periodically for new content and builds.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Reviews on stability are mixed; while some users report a bug-free experience and commend the game's price and cooperative features, others express concerns about potential bugs and balance issues if certain features are re-enabled. Overall, the game's stability appears to vary significantly among players.
- “Can't recommend this enough! Great price and co-op, as far as I've seen, it's bug-free. It's repetitive but keeps surprising you with something new and has no microtransactions.”
- “The game runs incredibly smoothly without any crashes or glitches, making for a very stable experience.”
- “I've played for hours without encountering any issues; the stability of the game is impressive.”
- “It will be horribly buggy and unbalanced by the time it is re-enabled, and that is if you ever re-enable it at all because all we have is a promise.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “There are constant server issues that disrupt gameplay and ruin the experience.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly enjoying the comedic elements of friendly fire during multiplayer sessions, which adds to the overall fun of the top-down gameplay experience.
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, especially with the friendly fire mechanics that lead to some hilarious moments.”
- “I love how the game incorporates humor into its gameplay, making even the most intense situations funny.”
- “The witty dialogue and funny character interactions keep me laughing throughout the game.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The music in the game is praised for creating a good atmosphere, with catchy main menu tunes and a nice variety that complements the character selection and gameplay. Overall, it enhances the overall experience without overshadowing the action.
- “The main menu music creates a great atmosphere, and I love the nice variety of characters.”
- “The music enhances the overall experience, making the gameplay feel more immersive.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic, adding depth and excitement to every moment of the game.”