Sector Six
- September 7, 2018
- Phoebii
- 64h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Sector Six" is a side-scrolling, sci-fi shooter with a unique silhouette aesthetic and procedural loot. As a space pilot, you must save the universe from the Eight Machines by building and customizing your spaceship's performance, appearance, and abilities. The modular difficulty system allows you to tailor the challenge for better rewards, making for a truly personalized experience. Master the ship combat, learn enemy patterns, and obliterate foes with lasers and missiles in this thrilling adventure.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The ship customization system is extensive and allows for a wide variety of builds, making gameplay engaging and fun.
- The game features a unique blend of bullet-hell mechanics and RPG elements, providing a satisfying loot and upgrade system.
- Despite some flaws, the game is considered a hidden gem with a compelling aesthetic and enjoyable gameplay loop.
- The lack of a proper tutorial and unclear mechanics can make the game frustrating and inaccessible for new players.
- Some players find the game repetitive, especially after extended playtime, leading to a sense of grindiness.
- The UI and controls can be cumbersome, with some players expressing a desire for better controller support and inventory management.
- story222 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered engaging but somewhat simplistic and generic, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a focal point. Players appreciate the unique art style and thematic elements, though some find the narrative progression unclear at times, leading to moments of confusion. Overall, while the story has its moments and can be enjoyable, it often takes a backseat to the game's mechanics and customization options.
“The story manages to make me feel what the character feels in a way that, considering their art style and that this is a shoot 'em up, is pretty astounding.”
“There's a long story that I really enjoyed; it's a great game for anyone who likes story elements mixed with destruction and chaos.”
“Amazing story.”
“The plot is fairly generic and nothing to write home about.”
“Suffice to say, the game has a certain lore and progressing story, but it’s hardly sophisticated.”
“The story is... well, it's pretty terrible.”
- gameplay110 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Sector Six is a unique blend of side-scrolling shooter and RPG mechanics, featuring deep ship customization and a satisfying loot grind. While the core mechanics are engaging and addictive, some players find the lack of tutorials, grindiness, and certain boss mechanics frustrating. Overall, the game offers a fun and dynamic experience, appealing to fans of both shmups and RPGs, despite some minor drawbacks in variety and control responsiveness.
“Jets'n'guns and Diablo (or rather Chronicon, being another game maker ARPG that nails everything just right too) have a baby and it's called Sector Six, combining side-scrolling shooter gameplay with ARPG itemization and unparalleled customization where you can make every kind of ship you can think of, since every item is a ship block.”
“The actual gameplay is your typical bullet hell, but the way the ship can be upgraded from parts you gather during the mission, and ship design actively affects how your ship behaves in combat, is a very interesting gameplay mechanic that more games should adopt.”
“I was surprised going into this game to find a really fascinating and cool world hidden behind the very solid gameplay, and a fully customizable ship building system.”
“I got this for like $1, so it's really hard to be upset, but the game is really frustrating, has no tutorial to speak of, does not explain the surprisingly deep shipbuilding mechanics, and there is one region boss that is really ticking me off because it's just so cheap and I can't figure out how to beat it.”
“The core gameplay loop involves running missions you don't get experience from, accumulating parts you don't need and can't mount, using a control scheme that feels clunky by design.”
“So the gameplay experience for me was spending 30-ish minutes per mission holding down a button and dodging incoming fire, waiting for health bars to very slowly be ground down.”
- graphics68 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a distinctive minimalist art style that effectively complements its themes and gameplay, despite being basic and lacking high-end fidelity. Players appreciate the unique aesthetics and ship customization options, although some express concerns about the limited graphical settings and occasional excessive bloom effects. Overall, the visuals are seen as fitting and enhancing the game's atmosphere, making it an appealing choice for fans of indie titles.
“Unique art style that works well with the destination themes and story.”
“The simple graphics abstract and add to the feel of everything rather than detract.”
“Attractive minimalist graphics.”
“This game is quite good despite not many knowing about it, and the gameplay loop is decently good, and my only complaint (as of now) is just the fact that you can't change your graphics settings to fit your current monitor size.”
“And the art style really does not help here, with flat black ships against fuzzy tan backdrops, without even a nebula or starscape in sight.”
“Sound could be improved upon (maybe contact keygen church for music for the sequel?), graphics are what you see in the screenshots.”
- music34 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many reviewers noting that the soundtrack fits the theme nicely and enhances the overall experience. While some describe it as decent or a bit repetitive, others highlight its empowering nature and how it complements the game's atmosphere and narrative. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's polished feel, despite suggestions for more variety.
“The latter is improved even further by the fitting soundtrack and ambience.”
“Even though I'm not a big fan of silhouettes or the interface style, the music, story, and sound are great, and everything else about this game feels like a polished little 'work of art'.”
“What I got was a fantastic soundtrack, a narrative more compelling and engaging than most AAA games, the most in-depth ship customization I've seen in a shoot 'em up, RPG mechanics, abilities, loot, and an ocean of depth in what I thought would be a shallow time sink.”
“There's a pervasive melancholy to it all--the story, the music, the look, the dialogue, everything.”
“Well, some of the boss battles go on a little too long, but just put on music or something in the background to distract yourself and before you know it whatever you're shooting at will be dead.”
“Sound could be improved upon (maybe contact keygen church for music for the sequel?), graphics are what you see in the screenshots.”
- grinding34 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features a significant grinding element, typical of loot-driven titles, which can become tedious over time, especially in later levels. However, players appreciate the ability to customize difficulty and enjoy the addictive nature of loot and ship design, making the grind feel less burdensome for those who engage with the mechanics. Overall, while some find the grinding repetitive, many still find the gameplay enjoyable and rewarding.
“After a couple of hours into the game, the combat really starts to feel tedious and boring.”
“On the other end, the 'sector six' becomes shallow after the main campaign and the plain, predictive grinding becomes very obvious.”
“It's a shmup, but somehow tedious and boring?”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as strange and intriguing, set in a world that is falling apart yet conveys a sense of indifference to that chaos. Its simplistic black and white silhouette style, combined with futuristic techno elements, creates a unique and engaging ambiance that enhances the overall gameplay experience.
“The atmosphere of the game is very strange and intriguing; the world around you is falling apart, yet you get touches of how little that matters.”
“It’s a simplistic, black and white silhouette style, with some futuristic techno vibes, that manages to deliver a rather unique atmosphere.”
“Good atmosphere, gameplay, and style.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Players find that meaningful customization and replayable levels are often lacking in shoot 'em up and shipbuilding games, making "Sector Six" a notable exception. Many users express enjoyment in their initial playtime and anticipate significant replay value, suggesting a strong potential for extended engagement with the game.
“Overall, I have really enjoyed my early playtime with Sector Six and I envision spending quite a bit more with it, especially if the replay value is as good as I think it will be.”
“Finding shoot 'em ups and shipbuilders that have meaningful customizations as well as replayable levels seems regrettably rare, even on Steam.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players noting the developers' strong comedic sense and their ability to deliver a unique and entertaining experience. The humor is described as weird and funny, setting it apart from other games in the genre.
“The developers have a good sense of humor and seem to actually understand what we want.”
“Weird and funny! It's different from other games, and I'm going back to fight against the machines!”
“The developers have a good sense of humor and seem to actually understand what we want.”
