A beautiful fusion of FEAR, System Shock 2 and the original Doom.
It’s that latter point that is so crucial.
Arguably the most impressive aspect is the sheer volume of interactivity and destruction.
Despite the destruction and chaos, Selaco doesn’t play like Doom.
If you always run in guns blazing, you will die.
The enemy AI is surprisingly robust too, with a system that varies the aggression and intensity of foes.
This is where tactics play a role.
Beyond the strong AI opponents and destructible environments, the visual design is a huge triumph.
Selaco also supports more complex level layouts, reminiscent of what the Build Engine can deliver.
The developers are perfectly walking the fine line between retro and contemporary.
As a result, Selaco winds up looking unlike anything else I can think of.
I think one of my favorite elements is the work poured into the sprites and weapons.
Every frame of a reload feels precise, and certain frames even simulate motion blur or depth of field.
The sheer quality of the animation and the punchiness of every frame mixed with the particles…
I can’t praise this enough.
Selaco does include Steam Deck specific menu options and presets, though, including a performance and quality mode.
The final thing I want to discuss is the gameplay and design.
This is where theSystem Shockcomparisons arise.
The only words of caution here are that the game’s first couple of levels are the most confusing.
