Selaco
- May 31, 2024
- Altered Orbit Studios
- 12h median play time
Get on Steam"Selaco is a single-player action game with excellent mechanics and a lengthy story-driven campaign. Inspired by classics like F.E.A.R. and Half-Life, it offers thrilling action, destructibility, smart AI, and a fleshed-out story in an immersive game world. As Dawn, an ACE Security Captain, uncover the truth about Selaco's dark past while fighting off invaders in this underground refuge."
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Incredible gunplay and satisfying combat mechanics that encourage tactical play.
- Highly detailed environments with a lot of interactivity and secrets to discover.
- Strong enemy AI that reacts intelligently to player actions, making encounters feel dynamic and engaging.
- Confusing level design that can lead to players getting lost and struggling to find objectives.
- Some weapons feel underwhelming or lack distinct roles, leading to less variety in combat.
- The story is minimal and primarily conveyed through logs, which may not engage all players.
- gameplay443 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Selaco has been widely praised for its fast-paced, tactical combat that combines elements from classic shooters like Doom and F.E.A.R., offering a satisfying mix of exploration, resource management, and engaging mechanics. Players appreciate the depth of customization, the variety of gameplay modes, and the intricate level design that encourages strategic thinking and adaptability. While some minor issues with enemy balance and navigation have been noted, the overall experience is described as polished, immersive, and highly enjoyable, making it a standout title in the retro shooter genre.
“Gameplay is fast, but also tactical as you can set up traps or use the environment to your advantage.”
“The gameplay is a mix of F.E.A.R.'s shooting and Half-Life's level design with a tiny amount of System Shock 2 sprinkled in here and there.”
“Selaco is already one of the best boomer shooters out there with high octane and fast gameplay inspired by Doom, F.E.A.R.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired.”
“The gameplay is punishing if you don't react fast.”
“It's a shame because the gameplay is pretty decent, but if this is a hint of the level design, then I'd rather play something else.”
- music393 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and atmospheric qualities that enhance the gameplay experience. The soundtrack, described as a mix of electronic and ambient tracks, effectively complements both intense combat and exploration moments, creating a captivating audio backdrop. Several players have expressed their desire to purchase the soundtrack, highlighting its standout quality and contribution to the game's overall appeal.
“The game is rewarding, and well designed with beautiful environment changes and good music that will keep the battles fresh, moving and keep up with the beat shooting at your enemies!”
“The soundtrack is tracker-based electronic music where there is action or a need to set a specific atmosphere, and creepy silence elsewhere, which highlights the rich environmental sounds.”
“The music is outstanding and was one of the main aspects that pulled me in.”
“Most boomer shooters have a start/stop setup when it comes to music, which can be quite immersion-breaking.”
“The music came off as a bit basic when I started, but there were some really creative flourishes and themes that showed up when I wasn't expecting it.”
“You will probably get sick of the music pretty fast.”
- story370 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story in "Selaco" is currently minimal and primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and scattered datapads, leaving players to piece together the narrative themselves. While some find the world-building intriguing and the lore engaging, many reviewers express a desire for a more developed and cohesive storyline, especially as the game is still in early access with more content promised in future updates. Overall, the game offers a compelling atmosphere and gameplay experience, but the narrative aspect feels undercooked at this stage.
“The detail in the world and the visual storytelling is amazing; part of the fun while you move through Selaco is piecing together the story from the environment and logs.”
“For an early access title, this is already a fully-fledged 8-hour-long campaign with myriad snippets of lore and environmental storytelling, all serving to punctuate a variety of intense close-quarters battles.”
“The story is interesting so far in chapter 1 and I would like to learn more about what's going on and how it relates to Dawn, but at the moment it's hard to piece things together.”
“The story remains very nebulous so far, as the game only contains the first chapter and the main character isn't voice acted yet - although I do appreciate the sheer amount of love and passion put into every detail.”
“The only thing that seems absent or undercooked is the story – the only info player about Selaco is through datapad entries and the main story seems to be barebones.”
“Despite the story not yet being implemented, I quite like what's portrayed through the environment and through the documents and logs that can be found throughout the game's environment.”
- graphics333 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of Selaco have received widespread acclaim for their impressive blend of retro aesthetics and modern visual fidelity, showcasing detailed pixel art and voxel environments that elevate the experience beyond typical GZDoom titles. Players appreciate the vibrant art style, intricate level designs, and smooth animations, which contribute to an immersive atmosphere, despite some concerns about visual clutter during intense combat. Overall, the game is praised for its charming visuals and the technical achievement of delivering high-quality graphics on an older engine.
“The graphics are visually stunning, and I find it incredibly hard to believe that this game runs on GZDoom, but it does!”
“The art style is exceptional, and the enemies are very well distinguished by role and their designs; I like them very much.”
“Easily one of the best shooters I've played in a long time, amazing art style, intricate environments, and an insane amount of details spread throughout the world made even more impressive by being on GZDoom.”
“The amount of effects on screen is ridiculous, making it near impossible to actually see what you're shooting at unless you turn the graphics way down, and if the game is basically unplayable with certain graphics effects, what's the point in even having them?”
“Enemies drop smoke grenades, things you hit produce smoke, your own guns produce smoke, and the end result is that after two bullets fired you usually can't actually see your target any longer when on default graphical settings.”
“Performance also becomes an issue - I have a decent system, but I had to crank the graphics down and even then I only sometimes got 60fps.”
- atmosphere132 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, enhanced by a dynamic soundtrack that shifts between energetic combat themes and subtle ambient tracks. Reviewers highlight the exceptional sound design, detailed environments, and a unique art style that collectively create a captivating experience, reminiscent of classic shooters while maintaining a modern feel. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its appeal and gameplay experience.
“The sound and light design are sublime and don't just serve the setting and atmosphere, they are integral to the gameplay.”
“The atmosphere and level of detail in the world is amazing.”
“The presentation is unmatched in doom-like boomer shooters, from a shockingly great original soundtrack to gorgeous and atmospheric environments that get more impressive the later into the game you get.”
“The gray-blueish tone of the game, in my opinion, is the biggest downside. It's not that it's bad, but maybe some people may become bored by the atmosphere. I know this is an artistic decision made by the developers, similar to what the cultic developers did.”
“It's a rather brief section compared to the rest of the game, and while I understand the atmosphere and change in pace they were going for, I didn't find this segment to be that enjoyable.”
“It's not a horror game, but it can be spooky. Don't be fooled by the engine; with a focus on slow exploration, atmosphere, and deadly tactical combat, it's much closer to 'millennial shooters' like Half-Life and Fear, rather than anything resembling Quake or Duke Nukem.”
- optimization53 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and impressive visuals, while others report significant frame rate drops and stuttering during intense combat, particularly on lower-end systems like the Steam Deck. Many users noted that performance issues can vary greatly depending on the level and specific settings, suggesting that while the game shows potential, further optimization is needed to ensure a consistently stable experience across all platforms. Overall, the game's performance is seen as a work in progress, with hopes for improvements in future updates.
“The cherry on top of the cake is the optimization of the game.”
“You would truly not think for a second this game was in early access; this game is more optimized and packed full of content than a lot of AAA games now. Huge congrats to the devs, what a gem!”
“The performance is shockingly good.”
“Can't even hold 60fps on the 'Steam Deck performance' setting.”
“Performance decidedly suffers as a result – there are times, infrequent as they are, where even my system, with an i9 CPU and an RTX graphics card, experiences some notable drops to the framerate.”
“Such frequent performance hiccups in a fast-paced game like this, especially one that looks like this, are just unacceptable in my view.”
- replayability42 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to features like a randomizer campaign mode, extensive modding options, and diverse playstyles that keep gameplay fresh. Players appreciate the dynamic enemy encounters, hidden secrets, and various difficulty levels that enhance replay value. Despite some criticisms regarding backtracking and limited enemy variety, the overall consensus is that the game offers a rich and engaging experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
“There is lots of replay value in the form of a randomizer campaign mode that keeps new runs fresh.”
“The game is endlessly moddable and replayable.”
“This game is for you, has a lot of replay value and hidden secrets to find.”
“Replay value is lacking.”
“Not very replayable though because going forwards and backwards and finding those aces offices and having to unlock the tram things gets dull pretty fast.”
“Could help replayability (I dread doing replays of this game for all the empty backtracking).”
- humor31 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending classic graphics with clever quips, funny secrets, and darkly comedic moments that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the well-written data logs, amusing references to pop culture, and the overall lighthearted tone, which includes hilarious interactions and over-the-top gore. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in design and humor quality, the general consensus is that the game successfully delivers a fun and immersive comedic atmosphere.
“You've tied progression and exploring together, and that really made me sniff each corner of each map, looking for secrets, resources, and funny details.”
“That one optional area with the dungeon and things that insult you when you pick them up had me laughing.”
“The story is pretty cool too and it has a lot of funny inside jokes, TV references, and easter egg stuff.”
- monetization20 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is characterized by an overwhelming presence of advertisements, which some players find visually distracting and confusing, while others appreciate the immersive world-building they contribute to. There are no microtransactions, allowing players to enjoy the game without additional costs, although the in-game ads can hinder gameplay, particularly in aiming mechanics. Overall, the game's aesthetic is heavily influenced by a cyberpunk theme, filled with neon lights and ads, which some players view as a stylish addition, while others criticize it as a cluttered experience.
“No microtransactions, only fun.”
“There's silly ads everywhere.”
“So everything is dark, neon ads are bright and overwhelming, you have no idea where to go and what to do.”
“Ads sprites are a hindrance, in some cases.”
- grinding16 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, with exploration feeling more like a chore due to excessive backtracking and secret hunting. While some appreciate the reward system for exploration, many feel it leads to prolonged periods of aimless searching rather than engaging gameplay, making the overall experience exhausting. The need for shortcuts and improvements in level design is frequently mentioned to alleviate the grind.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Because so many important things are in secrets, you feel obliged to find every single one before moving on, which results in maybe 10 minutes of actual shooting in a level, followed by hours of tedious secret hunting in empty maps.”
“This game has inherited the mind-numbing, dull, and tedious design choices that feel like obligatory padding to run up the clock.”
“It's incredibly boring and tedious.”
- stability13 mentions
- 77 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly on various platforms including the Steam Deck and high-resolution monitors. While some minor bugs exist, particularly with specific enemy mechanics, players report minimal issues such as crashes or the need to reload saves. The experience is generally enjoyable and free from significant glitches.
“Awesome music and runs great on Steam Deck!”
“If you have a Steam Deck, the game runs great there and you can just play on their Steam Deck high preset which does give a solid frame rate or even push it a little further and set the frame rate to 40 for a great visual experience that still doesn't drain the battery.”
“I should also say that the game was shockingly bug-free with the only exception being that my Steam Deck suffered a single crash during the whole runtime.”
“The slide/dash mechanism is one of the gameplay mechanics, but it's a bit buggy right now.”
“Sometimes flying enemies, like the jetpack soldiers, are a bit buggy and can die instantly upon spawning.”
“I haven't had to restart the game or reload to the latest save due to any bugs or glitches that caused the game to crash.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, likening it to nostalgic experiences from their childhood while appreciating its modern features. The heartfelt storytelling and character development evoke strong feelings, reminiscent of classic titles like System Shock 2, highlighting the game's ability to create a profound impact despite its indie origins. Overall, the emotional resonance is a standout aspect, making it a memorable experience for players.
“Heartbreaking.”
“Some NPCs or even an important character would ground me emotionally.”
“It's the first game that's made me feel like I'm playing System Shock 2 for the first time again.”
