7th Sector Review
Release Date: February 6th, 2020 (Consoles), March 5th, 2019 (PC)
Developer: Evgeniy Kolpakov
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), Nintendo Switch, PC
Price: $19.99 (Console), $12.99 (PC)
As we grow more and more into the digital age of distribution, evolution, and lifestyles, the cyber life brings with it a vulnerability that, despite all of the quality of life enhancements, can ultimately bring more harm than good depending on the circumstances. With a seemingly infinite space of knowledge and tools at our disposal right from our fingertips, the way we use technology can be beneficial for both helping us to grow and do good, as well as corrupt the way we think and act with the devices attached to us. 7th Sector is a stunning puzzle game at its core, but introduces many different ways of going about progression that isn't done in a typical level-based fashion, and makes sure that despite its simplicity in approach to gameplay, that the environment around you - especially the background - is one that feels alive and tells a narrative as you play.
There's not much in the way of dialogue in 7th Sector, and truthfully it doesn't need it. It’s imagery carries a tone throughout the course of the game that watches you go from a spark in an ensemble of intertwined cables to taking over toys, roombas, machinery, and anything else that's comprised of wires to weave your way through a multitude of seamlessly connected levels hacking your way through a dystopian setting to gather information and unwind the story of the world for yourself. In the vein of similar titles like Inside, the background isn't just a set piece but one that helps accentuate the actions the player is taking and how it's affecting the environment around you. Lots of levels have puzzles within its puzzles that don't need to be solved but you'll feel inclined to do so, and these will usually resort to more unraveling through on-screen visualizations as well as unlockables you can take a closer look at under the Data tab in the main menu. 7th Sector doesn't really tell the player what it is you're doing or why you're there to begin with, so things can be initially overwhelming despite the simplicity of its approach as you're only really using a few buttons to play the game - your stick for movement, one for connections, one to speed up your movement, and that's essentially it outside of menu navigation - but it doesn't work against it either, as figuring things out from the get go gets your brain warmed up for any impending problem solving within each location.
Learning as you go is very much a theme, and things can get stressful later down the line as you'll quickly realize that checkpoints exist for a reason. It's not a matter of just solving puzzles, as the player can come across hazardous areas that can cause whatever you're in control of at the time to fry, explode, malfunction, etc., effectively serving as a death. More often than not a simple trial and error run would cause things to naturally figure itself out, but there are also plenty of moments that are frustrating because of the need to emphasize something the game clearly hasn't specialized in and won't touch upon for a few hours later if ever again. One section I found particularly aggravating didn't even involve puzzles, but a chase sequence that also had you shooting at little *hard to hit* drones with a newly acquired spider-tank you had gotten access to. Having only essentially used three buttons for the entirety of the game up to this point, a laser-mounted scope rested on top of the contraption, and you could shoot at will, but after much recoil it would just aim up and I couldn't run through and tackle anything either - it had to be shot and killed in order for me to progress. A few deaths later and turns out your friendly neighborhood d-pad opted to be functional, which would then aim the laser up or down. My initial thought was using the right stick for the sake of ergonomics, but that didn't do anything, so my fingers sat in an uncomfortable position while I had to run-and-gun my way through a facility. I'm not the biggest fan of combat in hugely puzzle-focused games unless they're in a controlled environment, so needless to say after all of that was over (which overstayed its welcome) and I was able to move on to the next section, the game became relatively enjoyable again.
Graphically the game is extremely beautiful, making great use of shading, lighting, particle effects, and physics to help bring 7th Sector's seamlessness to life even more. Being outdoors temporarily and watching the rain run down windows, form puddles, reflect electricity you emit, and neon lights bounce off of slick walls and floors makes it all really come together in a wonderful way that helps accentuate the atmosphere and incentivize looking for the smaller details to help overcome some puzzles. Sometimes you'll come across a number pad or some sort of device that needs a password, and you'll have to manipulate the environment in certain ways that isn't just math or physics, but one that requires directional lighting and perspective to gather the information you need. Making sure you pay attention to every part of the screen can be key when certain answers or tips can also be hidden in the shadows, away from any illuminating source. It's a clever design trick that when you frequently find yourself asking "why?" or "huh?" that the answer is usually in front of you when it doesn't require any thinking involved. In a weird but satisfying way, it's almost like 7th Sector plays tricks on you as to not make anything feel repetitive or mundane. Add that to the fact that this is a one-man project, and it makes the entire package even more impressive from the get-go.
7th Sector keeps things inventive and fresh with a multitude of puzzles that are genius and rewarding but sometimes become so caught up in their own complexity that they borderline being nonsensical. The intricacy of the entire game and how it's woven is brilliant, however, and while I found myself frustrated in many aspects of the game, it was more so during the traversal portions of the gameplay than the actual problem-solving itself. It's one of the smartest and most clever puzzle games I've ever played, and it's awesome being able to hack into many different machines and utilizing their core mechanics to get to where you need to go, but some of the movement feels flawed, and in some portions of the game where you need to patient and stealthy - something akin to the likes of Inside - it's easy to wonder why you keep having to restart when you seem to be doing everything correctly. There are many times during puzzle games when things come together after multiple trial and error sessions and it's an "Oh, I get it!" situation, but most of the time during 7th Sector things would just work because they decided that they would work this go around—you simply accept it and moved on to the next segment. Despite the small issues, however, 7th Sector overall is a fantastic package that brings its own flavor and aesthetic to a wonderful genre of dark, side-scrolling puzzles (though this one lacks the platforming finesse games like Little Nightmares or Planet Alpha would emphasize on) that I wish we saw more of. It's equal parts aesthetically pleasing, calming, intricate, and thought-provoking without having to say much. Its environmental storytelling does a great job complementing player actions and accentuating the background just as much as the foreground, and it's because of this I found myself staying still to see the world behind me stay in motion watching a society work, crumble, grow, and hide all at once. 7th Sector is a solid six-hour experience that's sure to please fans of pushing the norm of puzzle design (despite its flaws) and dynamic gameplay that keeps you hooked on the dystopian landscape of your journey throughout circuitry and a foundation of data.
PROS:
Unique puzzles that are intricate and rewarding
A cyberpunk setting that helps give the environment and puzzles an identity
The Turing Test meets Inside
Puzzle at its core but implements many different scenarios requiring different ways to move, think, and solve
CONS:
Movement, despite its simplicity, can become slow even with the speedup button
The out-of-puzzle portions (such as walking through TVs or having to take an enemy out) can feel a little janky and cumbersome
Thank you to Sometimes You for providing us a copy of 7th Sector on PlayStation 4 for the purposes of this review