Selaco has best-in-class action, but what really makes it stand out is its tempo.

It would be understandable if you finished the 10–12 hour campaign in Selaco and were shocked to see that the game was not only unfinished but only partially finished. Recently, the first episode of Selaco was released in early access on Steam, but there are many reasons not to judge this shooter based just on its box cover.

Ambiating mindfulness with chaos

I've been kind of half-heartedly doing the "dopamine detox" thing that young people do, which involves blocking specific apps, limiting screen time, or even simply reading a book before bed rather than checking my phone. By the way, it really does work; I find that using screens makes me much more engaged than it did before. In a way, Selaco resembles a shooter version of dopamine detox.ULTRAKILL, Turbo Overkill, DOOM Eternal, and Mullet Madjack are some of my favorite fast-paced shooters. After a time, I find them to be a little tiresome as well. In these games, every encounter requires more than simply shooting or even precise placement; every time, you have to tango with a double-time death. More equally paced, Selaco punishes bad play quickly while allowing you plenty of time to recover in between shootouts.I was often having to redo battles when playing on the second-hardest difficulty setting, but it wasn't because I forgot to quick-swap to the appropriate weapon or missed a super-bounce. It was my own fault for playing sloppily. As long as you're traveling recklessly at Mach 9, you can go very far in "movement shooters" like the ones mentioned above. You will need to outmaneuver, slow down, and outsmart the unsettlingly smart AI in Selaco before it can plant a lead in your flank.

arranging the pace

An average battle in Selaco often grows to cover the gaps after applying pressure (in the form of guys brandishing firearms) from one direction. Although enemies are hidden by flying dust, smoke, and debris, they will quickly travel across the open area to gain the upper hand on you as they flow in from predetermined spots. Your enemies are cunning, lethal, and agile. The best course of action is to set traps, plan ahead, and outmaneuver them with your tactical power slide.

Naturally, if a battle goes awry, you can nearly count on having a lengthy break to collect yourself and some supplies before the next one. Instead of crashing into hostile rooms one after another, Selaco's Fighters are scattered around explorable area somewhat sporadically. These calm times of introspection and light-hearted puzzlement may be dull to others. I refer to them as mindfulness exercises.There are many different kinds of enemies to defeat, and as you go, they change in terms of both weapons and strategy. Later on, when their troops are being upgraded, "Squad Leaders" would use intelligence to command them. Should you succeed in eliminating a Squad Leader, their subordinates will impotently disperse, ready to be ridiculed. You'd think shotgun goons would spawn in directly behind you because of how aggressively and cunningly they flank. Peek, kill, and relocate is the only way to survive. A waltz rather than a shuffle, a dance with death.

A universe, for the most part, worth getting lost in

The realm of Selaco is astonishingly detailed, dynamic, has well-hidden mysteries, and worldbuilding—all of which are made much more stunning when you consider that it was created in GZDoom. The surroundings clearly depict the life of the crew and residents of this man-made environment, even though there isn't a storyline (yet). A few of the locations you'll be exploring in between appointments include malls outfitted with inside burger places, arcades with interactive equipment, and birthday celebrations hosted in office buildings. These are transitional areas devoid of reminiscence and filled with an unsettling, lonely futuristic feeling.

For a while, getting lost in these areas is enjoyable. A few times I found myself having to apply my trusted strategy of hugging the left wall in corn mazes and similar situations in order to figure out where to go next. Green lights are generally helpful, but sometimes a crucial switch or route is not so much too. difficult to find. Though I don't think a waypoint system or anything like that is necessary, I do believe that some more diegetic highlighting of important data would be beneficial.If Selaco seems like a game about aimlessly exploring transitional areas interspersed with quick shooter action, that's because that is exactly what it is. There is an abundance of gunplay to be enjoyed, with top-notch weaponry that sounds and feels strong as it annihilates adversaries. There is enough flying debris and viscera to make Brutal. DOOM blush. However, taking down people is only one part of the recipe; even though I got lost a few occasions, I thought the meticulous resource collection and hidden seeking that were scattered throughout the game were just as important.Right now, for those who like something a bit more Half Life than DOOM, Selaco is a no-brainer. Though the plot still needs improvement and I would have loved to see more bosses and set pieces, the game's contemplative pace, crisp action, and amazing attention to detail throughout its long duration more than made up for it.