Section 8 Tips and Tricks

Section 8 is a first-person shooter made for the XBOX 360 and PC. The game makes some fundamental shifts from traditional first-person shooters by emphasizing a dynamically changing battlefield, giving players the ability to deploy units and transport vehicles at any point during the normal flow of the game. In other words, Section 8 puts players in the position whereby they are able to re-spawn their characters anywhere on the map. This element adds a whole new dimension to the first-person shooter field.

At first glance, Section 8 would seem to be like every other bleeding edge first-person shooter you've played on XBOX 360 or your PC so a familiarity with the structure of first-person shooters will certainly help your gameplay. However, there are some important distinctions between Section 8 and other first-person shooters that bear keeping in mind. The most important gameplay shift is the re-spawning mechanism of the game. When starting a new mission or simply re-spawning after death, you are zoomed onto the playing field, briefly dazing your character on landing before you gain control of your senses and can see the location where you have suddenly appeared. In other words, starting off a level should not present a problem but if you do die mid-level, you could find yourself re-spawning in the thick of the action that just killed you. One of the best tips for dealing with re-spawns in the midst of deadly action is to aim for the side as much as possible as re-spawning in the center of the stage will only make you a sitting duck. Better yet, entering from the side guns blazing allows you the opportunity to get some much needed revenge on the enemies that just took you down.

Most of the landscapes in Section 8 are pretty familiar to any weathered first-person gamer. The areas of cover are sparse and full of long passage hallways so when exploring this area, it's a good idea to keep on the move. Finding yourself pinned in a corner of a complex can lead to sure death. When running through the complexes, your camera angle will eventually move to the third person, allowing you to steer your character with the camera controls. This is a useful way to quickly survey a specified area. Even better, you can utilize your buildup of speed to crash into enemies and do damage. Watch out for "friendly fire" though, crashing into your companions will do equal damage.

Always utilize your companions to cover you when entering unfamiliar territory. We all want to be the hero, running into a section unexplored firing at random but that will only get you killed. Those soldiers in your unit apparently feel the same way and they will always rush into a gun fight, providing you with critical cover especially when up against heavily armored enemies. While your allies are keeping turrets and enemy commandos busy, you can plot at a plan of attack and find points of cover.

As for gun play, your primary weapon of choice will likely be a machine gun throughout the game. Most of the enemy soldiers are similar to you in that they move quickly and are able to exercise impressive evasive maneuvers. A quick fire machine gun gives you the best chance to cut into these infantry lines and actually make a dent. Obviously, a machine gun is less useful against stationary objects like turrets. In those situations, it's best to use explosives to take down the machines in one go. Shooting at a turret with your machine gun is simply a waste of ammo.

You'll notice also that weapons you take out are available for your usage. Vehicles and tanks aren't as useful offensively as you might expect, so feel free to pass on those. But turrets are a gold mine providing you with a single point of sustained firepower that can attack multiple enemies. The turrets are not very useful in tight quarters however, and they will really only work in an area with a central location to place the turret.While most of these tips might seem a bit standard, it can be easy to lose your cool in the heat of a fire fight. Section 8 rewards those players who exercise caution and self-control. By mastering the basics, you can ensure that you have a successful and enjoyable campaign.

Article Resource: Jason S.