Originally known as Blackout Protocol, the twin-stick roguelike Section 13 has undergone a complete transformation ahead of its full release in early 2025. What was once a tactical co-op game is now single-player and story-driven, though its roguelike elements remain at its core. The best news? It already has a demo on Steam for you to test.
Ocean Drive Studio announced the roguelike game’s new direction at Gamescom with an action-packed trailer that showcases what Section 13 is all about. Though it might look similar to its original incarnation on the surface, many elements have been redesigned and remade which fundamentally changes how it plays, and explains the fresh branding.
Most notably, the action has been kicked up a notch. Given it was originally intended to be a slower, more tactical co-op experience, a few key changes had to be made to make the indie game both more fun and more welcoming. Movement speed has been increased across the board, alongside the removal of the dodge cooldown, and ammo is now unlimited. To complement this, the level design has been overhauled to add more paths and even new, procedurally generated areas.
Progression has also had a major shakeup. While it retains the roguelike elements, Ocean Drive seeks to make Section 13’s single-run progression much more diverse by restructuring the Synaptic Enhancements, weapon perks, and body mod upgrade systems.
Finally, the narrative has been overhauled, with Section 13 aiming to deliver a “proper single-player game experience.” The start menu has been transformed into a hub area, storytelling is now done through a 2D visual novel-style interface, and it’s overall much more important to the experience.
All in all, Section 13 is effectively a brand-new game born from the remnants of Blackout Protocol, taking what worked and ditching what didn’t.
As for why this drastic decision was made, it largely comes down to intense feedback. During the early access process for Blackout Protocol, the developer explained that it received a great deal of feedback that the team did not expect. Subsequently, this caused the team to “seriously reconsider the future of the project.” Though changes were made to Blackout Protocol to fix many of the criticisms, Ocean Drive did not believe it was substantial enough.
“We realized that we needed to move away from the tactical and co-op aspects as our primary design goals, and focus more deeply on satisfying single-player action,” the studio says. “We also aimed to significantly enhance the narrative aspects of the game, to provide a proper single-player experience from end to end. Thus, we made the decision to overhaul the game, and began development with these focuses.”
If you’re eager to try out this promising roguelike’s new direction, then it’s your lucky day as this announcement coincides with the launch of a Section 13 demo, available right now on Steam. You can also purchase the Section 13 Early Access version at a 25% discount until September 4, costing $9.74 / £8.24. Keep in mind that the base price will increase around the official full release in early 2025.
On the other hand, there are plenty of great multiplayer games or FPS games you can play instead if you prefer the direction of Blackout Protocol. Nevertheless, it’s hard not to admire the decision to completely shake up the experience.
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