At first glance, Selaco might seem like just another retro-styled shooter, but it quickly reveals itself to be much more. While it pays homage to the classic FPS games of the '90s, Selaco integrates modern world-building, weapon dynamics, and enemy AI to create a unique and engaging experience.
One of the standout aspects of Selaco is its world-building. The game creates an immersive atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and fresh. The environments are detailed, with every nook and cranny adding to the lore and storytelling. The attention to detail is evident, and it’s clear that the developers poured their love into crafting this world.
The weapon and enemy handling are also modernized, providing a satisfying challenge. The game leans towards the harder side of the difficulty spectrum, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Clearing a room of enemies gives a sense of accomplishment that is rarely matched in other shooters. Each weapon feels unique and powerful, and mastering them is part of the fun.
The atmosphere in Selaco is thick and palpable. The world hums with life, and the sound design is phenomenal. Everything sounds amazing, from the ambient noises to the intense combat sequences. It’s reminiscent of that scene in Mass Effect when Tali describes how the Normandy hums, contrasting with the the flotilla and the fearful silence in when the sound stops (Jep, i did throw Mass Effect in here).
The gun gameplay is exceptionally tight. All weapons have a heavy feel and weight to them. While some compare the gameplay loop to the original F.E.A.R., Selaco feels weightier in my opinion. No sprinting, but a powerful slide and dodges are Dawn's most important combat movements. These actions are on a cool down, a fairly quick one, that feels like eternity when in battle. But the enemies are surprisingly smart. It will be hard to stay in cover and pop head after head. They surround you and they get you out quickly with grenades. Health, on the other side, is interesting implemented. You regenerate 35 health points when not being hit for a short time, giving you a surviving chance for the next battle without pushing you to backtrack for health items. You can also carry some medi packs to top up your health when needed. When in battle the health sometimes feel glued to the 1%, giving you that "man, i just survived that" moment.
Visually, Selaco is interesting. Built on the GZDoom engine, the game sometimes reveals its roots, but the developers have transformed it impressively. Occasionally, you might notice some hacks, like unreachable rooms visible on the map, but these are necessary for certain functions within the game. The enemies and weapons are sprite-based, and the sheer number of sprites is astounding. The weapon sprites are beautiful, reacting to lighting and featuring detailed reloading animations. Most weapons even have melee attack animations, except for the sniper rifle, which prompts the character Dawn to kick enemies.
The world of Selaco is exceptionally detailed, feeling lived-in and authentic. Levels are filled with varied objects like bottles, paintings, chairs, plates, tools, books, and food, many of which are interactable and can lead to secrets. The game's world is believable, with buildings connected by outdoor areas. It has some immersive sim vibes, but only in rich world design. You can not normally enter a building in completely different ways like you would expect from a System Shock. From time to time we come to powered down generator systems. These are not a obstacle like in other 90's shooters to overcome, but intigrated in the lore. The defenders tried to slow the invaders down, making the hunt for power cells feel purposeful.
Selaco's world feel draws heavily from games like Half-Life, borrowing some of its best elements. The game starts with an invasion scenario, where you wake up in a hospital filled with get-well-soon messages from friends. As you fight to retrieve your gear and weapons, the tension mounts. The invaders are humanoid, speak your language, but bleed pink. Without revealing too much, escaping the hospital opens up the game world significantly, offering more depth and complexity.
Currently the game is in early access. That is something i would warn for, but what you get in the first episode is worth the money they asked for. Even if there would be no more life sign for the promised second and third episode. In summary, Selaco is a game that combines retro aesthetics with modern mechanics to create a compelling, intelligent and challenging shooter. Its immersive world, tight gameplay, and detailed environments make it a game of the year pretender for me.
