Section 8, the upcoming sci-fi FPS from TimeGate Studios, is now in full, free open beta across North America, Europe and Australia.
The beta test opened to North American gamers last month, although access was limited to users who were given keys in a staggered format. Now, with the game only a couple weeks away from launch, the beta has been opened to anyone from North America, Europe or Australia who has a FilePlanet, IGN or GameSpy account.
The beta will give gamers “a first look at Section 8’s online multiplayer mode with two of the maps from the final game, as well as a variety of some of the vehicles, weapons, deployables, missions, and equipment.” Windows XP or Vista, a 3Ghz CPU, 1GB RAM (2GB for Vista) and an Nvidia 7800 or ATI X1800 video card will be required to run the game.
Powered by the Unreal Engine 3, Section 8 is a futuristic FPS in which players wear special armor that allows them to be dropped anywhere on a battlefield from ships hovering high above. The ability of players to begin fighting from anywhere on a battlefield will add a new element of unpredictability, as fixed spawn points and preset routes through maps are eliminated from the gaming equation. In a hands-on preview last May, our own Keane Ng called Section 8 “a solid capture-point shooter that comes off as fairly rudimentary but packs in its fair share of nuances.”
To get a copy of the beta, head to fileplanet.com/promotions/section-8 and log in (a free account is good enough, you don’t need to be a paid subscriber), sign up for your beta key and start downloading! Section 8 lands on August 28 for the PC and Xbox 360.
