Section 13

About

Unravel a thrilling sci-fi mystery in this action-packed twin-stick roguelite shooter. Select your load-out, stack up temporary and persistent upgrades, and delve into the depths of a sinister, shifting, subterranean base in the midst of an interdimensional crisis.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 247 reviews

gameplay25 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game has a fun and engaging gameplay loop, especially when played with friends, making it a great co-op experience.
The graphics and art style are appealing, contributing to an immersive atmosphere.
The developers are responsive to feedback and actively working on updates to improve the game.

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, tactical co-op elements, and engaging combat, while others criticize the shift towards a more casual experience and the removal of features like friendly fire. Many users find the gameplay loop enjoyable and challenging, particularly in co-op mode, but also note issues with balance, bugs, and repetitiveness that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the core gameplay is seen as fun and promising, it is still in early access and requires further refinement to fully 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 done a 180-degree turn 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%
62%
19%
The game's shift from a cooperative roguelike to a story-driven single-player experience has drawn criticism, with many players feeling that the narrative is unnecessary and detracts from the core gameplay. Reviewers express frustration over the focus on story elements, arguing that it undermines the tactical and cooperative aspects that initially attracted them. Overall, the consensus is that the story is not a priority for players, who prefer engaging gameplay over narrative depth.
- “Devs decided to switch from a fun, tactical co-op game into a story-driven single player experience.”
- “It's because they decided a year after making their fun, challenging co-op roguelike game public, then pulling a massive 180 focusing on the narrative, story-driven single player experience, pandering to a group of people who weren't going to buy the game anyway because they thought the game was 'too hard.'”
- “This game is kind of like an alien shooter with a co-op story mode.”
- “Bought for the coop aspect, this same story has been repeated before - see Liberdade (great coop roguelike, changed into single player slop).”
- “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.”
- “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'.”
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 users have suggested improvements in graphical fidelity and user interface options to enhance accessibility.
- “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
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some enjoy the process of collecting blueprints and engaging in cooperative play, others find it tedious and overly repetitive, with spongy enemies and imbalanced progression detracting from the overall experience. The reliance on RNG for farming blueprints and the slow pace of single-player gameplay contribute to a sense of frustration for many.
- “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 effective for 3-player co-op, providing a fun experience that varies with team composition. However, players report significant stuttering issues and a lack of optimization for solo play, leading to frustrating gameplay challenges.
- “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 in intense situations, making every session enjoyable.”
- “I appreciate how the developers focused on optimization, ensuring that the game runs well on a variety of systems without sacrificing quality.”
- “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.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging ambiance and appealing visuals, with users noting the enjoyable main menu music and a diverse cast of characters. However, some critiques highlight that while the atmosphere is well-executed, it may prioritize style over gameplay functionality. Overall, the early access version is seen as having a solid foundation for an immersive experience.
- “So far so good, good atmosphere, main menu music is engaging, 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.”
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 for new content and builds over time.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
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, repetitive but keeps surprising you with something new, and there are no microtransactions.”
- “The game runs incredibly smoothly without any crashes or glitches, making for a truly immersive experience.”
- “I've played for hours without encountering any issues. The stability of the game really enhances the overall enjoyment.”
- “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.”
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 light-hearted and fun.”
- “The witty dialogue and funny character interactions keep me laughing throughout the entire 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 diverse characters and engaging gunplay.
- “The main menu music creates a captivating atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “There's a nice variety of characters, and the gunplay feels satisfying.”
- “The overall sound design enhances the gaming experience significantly.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users indicate that the game suffers from a lack of depth and replayability, making it less engaging for repeated playthroughs, especially in multiplayer settings.
- “On another note, it lacks any depth, replayability, or people to play with.”