One of my surprises of the show was the game Section 8, coming from SouthPeak Games this fall. I was able to get a demo of this with the lead producer of the game. Section 8 is a futuristic sci-fi shooter with similar gameplay to that of Tribes and Battlefield 2. You have large map areas with 32 total players, two teams of 16 each. Each map has various objectives and areas your team must capture or complete to gain points for your side.
As you spawn or respawn, you locate an area on the map that is a safe drop zone. Once selected, you character falls to the ground at the location selected, but a brake command can help guide your player slightly off course if you so choose. You can pretty much spawn anywhere on the map, unless the enemy has set up artillery guns, which will shoot you down should you attempt to make a drop in that area.
Once safely down and into combat, you join your team in seizing areas, planting or preventing bombs, and various other tasks the game designates during the match. You have your standard fare First-Person Shooter gameplay mechanics, but Section 8 delivers some new features to help change the way the game is played.
The first thing we got to witness was Overdrive, which let the player quickly sprint across the map until their meter ran out. This helps players rush to a teammates aid or even attempt to remove themselves from combat in case things get overwhelming. Another feature demonstrated was the Jetpack, which allowed players to reach higher locations on the game, or even use it strategically to overcome obstacles that enemies could be hiding behind.
Section 8 will also feature all weapons from the start of the game, so everyone has equal access whether they are a long time player or a newcomer to the game. They will utilize a rank system to help match up game types. This will help prevent a group of level thirty player facing off against a group of level five players.
When I finally got my hands on the game, I was impressed by how well it played. South Peak had twelve consoles set up for a lan, along with twenty bots. I quickly found myself sucked into the combat and trying out all the various options at my disposal. I had immense fun utilizing the jet pack and flying over huge rocks and coming down right on the enemy while laying round after round into him or her. I witnessed no hiccups in gameplay or cheap mechanics during my 20 or so minutes of hands on play.
The game will feature a single player campaign and single player local play featuring bots, but will be more geared to online multiplayer. I couldn’t get an exact release date, but was informed Section 8 will be coming to Xbox 360 and PC this fall. An open beta for the PC version will be available in the coming months, so be on the lookout for more news on that.