While graphically inferior, Section 8: Prejudice is nevertheless a captivating FPS at an intriguing price...

The follow up to the first person shooter Section 8, the recently released Section 8: Prejudice is a new and modestly priced game that combines action and enjoyment to create an unlikely winner. The price alone is a great addition, allowing the user - once again - to battle it out in a futuristic land for a minimal price, with the main improvement being the single player campaign. Prejudice is currently available on Xbox Live and Steam for PCs and, if Sony can ever revive the war-torn face of PSN, is likely to join the PS3 platform.

Modes

The greatest addition over its predecessor is the extremely enjoyable single player campaign. Over the years, FPS' such as the Call of Duty franchise have shown the world that you don’t just have to rely on multiplayer to enjoy a game; they made a story that was gripping, action packed and, at times, quite powerful to the player. In all honestly, Section 8: Prejudice does not compare to COD, but unlike many unsuccessful first person shooters it does not aim to. Instead, Prejudice uses a simpler layout and a cheap price tag to entice the gamer to play and see where the story mode can take them; and in all this is a success.

Throwing you head first into the storyline, you begin the game with a glowing reputation in battle and, in an attempt to prove this throughout the tutorial, you are learning and teaching the AI army interns around you how to shoot, run and other necessary things needed in battle. As you venture through the career mode, you are presented with a number of futuristic challenges, whilst experimenting with the vast array of exciting and deadly guns, all of which are necessary to defeat the unsurprisingly cruel enemy.

The tremendous single player mode does - somewhat impressively - set you up for the world of online. Multiplayer is now the major selling point to any game, and once again Section 8: Prejudice doesn’t disappoint. It has two online game modes that are both frantic and tactical, allowing the gamer to show off your skills against worldwide competitors whilst enjoying great unlockable features ranging from a typical knife to high flying jet packs. In the mode Swarm, you will have to be more tactically aware than Fabio Capello (bad example) as you and other allies have to defend your base from the oncoming attack; whereas in Conquest you are in more of a free-for-all battle, meaning the gamer must use all his/her individual skills and unique marksmanship qualities to survive. Both of these online adventures are fun, and offer an enjoyable gaming experience, but personally Swarm was my favourite of the two.

Emotional Path of the Protagonist

Modern day gaming, as we all know, has become somewhat reliant on game producers being able to bring in stunning single player modes that really get you emotionally involved with the story. Fight Night, Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty are the current kings of this, but Section 8: Prejudice certainly gives them an affordable run for their money. Unfortunately, while possessing a remarkably enticing single player mode, the game stumbles get with your rival at its emotive capabilities; with plain expressions and cliché voice over’s detracting any emotion from what is otherwise a great campaign. LA Noire has recently set the bench mark for facial expressions and how important they can be and, while obviously different, gamers expect more from all genres as a result.

Now, this is not to say the game is void of enjoyment - you will, at times, be gripped by the protagonists journey as he faces numerous challenges and enemies - and the game has more than its fair share of fist pumping moments, but overall it just doesn’t give you the connection we desire whilst completing a single player campaign.

Graphics

You can’t play this game without making the comparison to Halo; the first time you enter the battlefield you will combine the story and the graphics and make an early conclusion that you are playing a low resolution version of the combat evolved series. The graphics lack any use of the technology we have today and, if you are a fan of COD or Halo you will be extremely disappointed at the look of the characters and settings, and the game feels like a title released 10 years ago as opposed to a 2011 release.

Saying that, it's important to remember the affordability of this release (it's just €12.99 on Steam at the moment). Halo had a huge budget, Microsoft backing and some of the most celebrated game designers at its disposal, so Section 8: Prejudice was always going to struggle. On its own, Prejudice is a decent looking game, but when compared to iconic FPS titles such as Halo it falls way, way short.

Controls

For many action games, the use of a keyboard and mouse to operate your chosen protagonist is usually a challenge, with many games failing to meet this challenge; but Section 8: Prejudice does a great job. The controls are easy to use, ensuring a frantic gaming experience that is as challenging as it is enjoyable, yet it's probably a good idea to write them down next to you as, at times, you can seem to forget what button is what...or maybe that was just me? Furthermore, the controls are also surprisingly simple and, while a control pad would inevitably be easier to use, your trusty keyboard and mouse will get the job done.

Life Span

For a game that is so cheap in price the life span is fantastic. The single player consists of a long and gruelling campaign and the online section will keep you attached to your television for so long that your eyes will physically change shape from small eager ovals to large zoned out squares; and when you go to bed it will not be silence you are hearing, but instead the constant sounds of bullets flying past your head...it's that intense.

With such a large and viable selection, it's hard to see how you could become bored with Prejudice's weaponry, and there are a lot more scenarios than its predecessor, providing miles of war based scenarios for you to battle your way through. Its life span is longer than a vast majority of fully priced games out there and this alone deserves to get the Charlie Sheen salute that it is bi-winning, and worth every penny.

Overall

A surprise success as its predecessor was simply average if not below, but this sequel has made a few adjustments and added a lot more unlockable items and it now exists as a stand out game with a stand out price tag. The obvious disappointment is the poor graphics, but for sheer game play and enjoyment it does offer a refreshing FPS experience that doesn’t boast of being better than its competitors; and this modesty is rewarded by the developers opting to go back to basics and simply create a good, futuristic war game. In this seemingly never ending recession, Section 8: Prejudice represents a fantastic purchase that offers a great life span and puts a lot of fully priced games to shame.

Section 8: Prejudice is available now from Steam and also from Xbox Live Arcade.

See also:

FPS Superiority - but which console rules supreme?

5 reasons why Brink may redefine the FPS

Brink Review

Did Blake's 7 predict the modern FPS?

Top 10 hottest videogames for 2011

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