Mini Review: Section 13 — A Brutal, Stylish, and Sometimes Exhausting Descent Into the Dark

Section 13 drops you into a claustrophobic sci‑fi nightmare where every corridor feels like it’s waiting to swallow you whole. It’s a twin‑stick roguelite built around tension, repetition, and the slow, stubborn satisfaction of pushing a little further each run. The isometric presentation is crisp and moody, with stark lighting and a rotating camera that gives each floor a sense of shifting unease. What really sells the atmosphere, though, is the voice work: your handler, your squadmates, even the facility’s chirpy AI all add personality to a world that’s otherwise cold, sterile, and hostile.

Moment to moment, the game thrives on chaos. Enemies don’t just attack you, they swarm, flank, and overwhelm, forcing you to constantly reposition, reload under pressure, and make snap decisions about when to fight and when to flee. It’s a game that expects you to die, learn, and die again, and it doesn’t apologize for it. The upgrade systems help soften the blow, offering a mix of permanent agent skills and temporary run‑based modifiers that can dramatically change your playstyle. Some runs feel like controlled experiments; others feel like barely contained disasters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT8r5MUtE38

Where Section 13 stumbles is in its pacing. Progress can be slow, especially if you’re playing solo, and the difficulty curve sometimes spikes hard enough to feel unfair rather than challenging. The lack of shortcuts means every deep run is a commitment, and losing late can be demoralizing. Co‑op play alleviates a lot of this, as the game’s systems clearly shine brightest when you’re coordinating with others, but not everyone will want to rely on multiplayer to smooth out the experience.

Despite the rough edges, there’s something undeniably compelling about the loop. The mystery behind the facility, the oppressive atmosphere, the incremental mastery of its systems, it all builds into a rhythm that’s easy to fall into and hard to shake. Section 13 isn’t a gentle roguelite; it’s a demanding one, but it rewards persistence with moments of genuine triumph.

Pros

• Strong atmosphere with stylish visuals and excellent voice acting

• Intense, tactical combat that keeps you constantly engaged

• Deep upgrade systems that encourage experimentation

• Co‑op play enhances both survivability and fun

• A compelling sci‑fi mystery that unfolds gradually

Cons

• Progression can feel slow and punishing, especially solo

• Difficulty spikes may frustrate players looking for a smoother curve

• Long runs with no shortcuts make late‑run deaths sting

• Some upgrades and weapons feel inconsistent in usefulness

Section 13 is a harsh but rewarding roguelite that thrives on tension, atmosphere, and the thrill of barely surviving. It’s not the most accessible game in the genre, and it doesn’t try to be, but if you enjoy methodical progression, high‑pressure combat, and a world that feels genuinely hostile, it offers a gripping descent worth taking. It’s the kind of game that gets under your skin, even when it knocks you flat.

XPN Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (SILVER)

Section 13 is out now!