Secure Contain Protect. The worldwide phenomenon that has been haunting the internet for years has a new game available on Steam Early Access from developers Affray Interactive. SCP: Pandemic is taking inspiration from modern titles and trying to create a cooperative game that instills thrills and chills in the hearts of those willing to explore the depths of the secret lab and the horrors that hide within. Although SCP fans hope for this to be a worthy addition to the ever-growing lore, fans may be a bit underwhelmed for the time being.

Gameplay

SCP: Pandemic is a cooperative shooter that puts players in the role of a rogue fireteam that set out to disrupt the SCP program's goal of complete annihilation of the human race. The game starts you off in Area 12 of the secret facility, which is the origin site for the Psi-Z program. This is essentially a zombie outbreak in the SCP lore, which are the main enemies that you will encounter as you delve deeper into the facility.

There are hardcore shooter mechanics implemented into the game such as leaning, ammo and magazine conservation, and friendly fire. Weapons are all found on-site and can be modded with different attachments to help you gain an upper hand on your mission. With the most recent update, the game allows you to save modded profiles so it is quicker for you to customize your gun the next time you play.

Missions can be played with up to eight players, which initially seems like more than enough, then you eventually realize that it's almost necessary to complete the mission. Players watch each other's backs and take out the oncoming hordes of zombies and the surviving security team of the facility. The zombies all react exactly the same, nearly running in a straight line, causing some easy headshot setups. The enemy AI definitely needs some improvement to amp up the challenge.

The security guards aren't much smarter than their zombie counterparts, running right into the line of fire in a single file line. Some will stay behind cover for a short period of time, but all the enemies in this game are currently just walking targets. Now, this doesn't mean that they can't get a lucky headshot on you because you can die fast in this game if you are too reckless. But overall the gunfights leave much to be desired.

The most recent update added the SCP-173-B, formerly known as “Peanut” to the older SCP fans. This SCP monster looks like a cryptid statue that moves only when no one is looking at it. This added some variation to the gameplay but only slightly. Unfortunately, SCP-173’s role in this game is so minor that it doesn't feel very impactful at the moment.

The main objectives are typically scattered with button presses and switch flipping. Although this may be a bit underwhelming, I found myself very intrigued with the atmosphere of the game and the initial unknown factor of the facility. I was eager to explore the lab and find out what other horrors we could run into next.

Expectation

The developers of SCP: Pandemic was not shy to label their early access title as an alpha in the very early stages of development. I am glad the developers are transparent with this because that is exactly the case with this game. It is a very early alpha. There is not much content here, bugs are a dime a dozen, AI needs to be fully fleshed out, and some areas on the map have little to no texture detail. This is a work-in-progress in every sense.

That being said, there is definitely some fun to be had here. The game also offers a wave survival mode and a very basic PvP mode, all of which feel very bare-bones and are clearly a placeholder for what's to come in the future. Many players familiar with early access titles may be disappointed with the amount of content being offered at this time.

Verdict

SCP: Pandemic is in its infancy at the moment. There are basic gameplay mechanics here that can pass as a mini-game but the overall vision for this game is nowhere near complete. And that is fine! This is what early access is for, to get the community to back the project and help mold it into the awesome game it is meant to be. 

That being said, I would probably only recommend the game, in this state, to hardcore SCP fans that want to contribute toward the development. There just isn't enough game to offer here. The potential is there, but now we just need the content.

We are eagerly awaiting the next update for SCP: Pandemic and will keep you posted as more significant content drops. The game is available now for PC on Steam Early Access.