If you enjoy first-person shooters, particularly retro or “boomer” style shooters, you have likely noticed something. Early Access is not just a way to get into the game before everyone else—it is a significant part of indie FPS game development, and improvement.
For smaller game studios, Early Access has unquestionably become a smart way to not just test concepts, but to gather player feedback and grow a community, all while still actively working on the game. Quite frankly, it is shaping the future of the entire industry.
Why Early Access Is Important
Let’s be honest—Early Access once had a terrible stigma attached to it. People generally expected broken games, or incomplete game projects. However, that has changed—especially within the indie shooter community.
Early Access offers developers a way to:
- Obtain real feedback on what is or is not working
- Explore fascinating ideas, such as new weapons or new enemy types
- Involve players in the shaping of the final product
- Be in front of any issues or problems prior to a complete release
Games like DUSK, ULTRAKILL, or HROT used Early Access to gain a following. These games did not simply take a traditional shooter, slap an old-school shooter label on it, and call it a day; they incorporated new forms of fun gameplay, showed it to players, and then continued to iterate and improve upon it.
Selaco: A Prime Example of Early Access
One of the best indie FPS games currently in Early Access. Built using the GZDoom engine, Selaco is obviously inspired by Doom, F.E.A.R., and Half-Life. However, it is not a remaster of any of these indie FPS games.Selaco has a ton of new features to offer—an intelligent enemy AI, destructible environments, and a richly designed level. The action feels fluid, the shooting is satisfying, and although in early access, it’s significantly better than most finished games.
Altered Orbit is doing a great job, I can tell they want to make something extremely good and not just released it because.
Is Selaco Multiplayer?
That’s the big question a lot of people are asking: Is Selaco multiplayer?
At the moment, it is no.
No multiplayer, no co-op mode, no PVP battles. It is a single-player experience for now.
This is disappointing, especially for those that really enjoy hosting LAN parties or running game servers. At EVLBOX, we are always on the lookout for fun multiplayer games to share with each other. Seriously, Selaco rightly feels like it was built for that kind of fun.
Why We Want Selaco to be Multiplayer
A co-op campaign, where you and your friends make your way through the story together, taking down enemies and clearing rooms cooperatively.
A survival mode, where you face waves of enemies and try to get everyone to survive.
A team-based PVP a-la Chivalry where the environment crumbles away during combat and you can use everything at your disposal (rockets smashing walls, grenades clearing tight spaces, etc.)
A Team Fortress 2 type class system, where Medics, Engineers, and Soldiers all have their part to play.Or even an Invasion Mode, where one player takes control of the monsters and tries to kill the others before they survive.
There is so much potential here! Selaco already has the gameplay, the vibe, and the quality. If multiplayer gets added, it could be taken to the next level.
What is so Beneficial About Early Access
Early Access is not just about showcasing a work in progress. It’s about developing something with the community.
If there is enough support for that kind of gameplay in Selaco, the developers may consider updating the game with multiplayer features. That’s the benefit of Early Access: nothing is settled and most of all, player feedback is valuable.
Other indie titles have added considerable features like multiplayer co-op or game modes by witnessing what their players were looking for. If enough players want these features then Selaco can do the same.
Even if Selaco stays a single-player experience, it will still be an amazing shooter. But knowing how flexible Early Access can be, we can always hope.
Boomer Shooters Are Back
Games like Selaco do not just show that retro FPS games are back, but that they are evolving. These games may feel like they are from the 90s, but they skate by with smarter AI, new ideas, and creative design choices.
Early Access assists these smaller games while they gain their footing organically. Developers get time to experiment. Players get to be part of the process. And everyone wins.
The results, some of the most creative and polished FPS games we have seen in years.
Final Thoughts
Even as a single-player experience, Selaco is one of the best indie shooters you can play today. So fast, entertaining, smart, and stylish. It is exactly what you want if you grew up playing Doom or Half-Life, or even if you simply love a good FPS.
Early Access is helping games like Selaco become something amazing. Who knows, with enough support maybe there are even multiplayer experiences in the future.
Until then, Selaco is absolutely worth a play. Plus, it is proof that Early Access is helping shape the future of indie FPS games. In the best way possible.
