Directive 8020 Review: Space Horror That Falls Flat

Players join an advance party preparing Tau Ceti for terraforming and colonization. Gameplay centers on stealth and basic puzzle solving, with frequent chest-high obstacles used to hide during enemy chases. A wrist device can be activated like sonar to reveal hidden enemies, escape routes, and points of interest. A stun baton can unlock doors and temporarily disable an enemy after a grab. The narrative follows branching paths with choices that can cause immediate character deaths or shape personality traits that affect later options. The experience remains relatively short, with a full playthrough taking about seven to ten hours.

"You play as one of several members of an advance party sent to prepare the planet Tau Ceti for future terraforming and colonization expeditions. As so often happens in space, Things Go Wrong, and it's up to your quick action and decision-making skills to save the day."

"Most of the gameplay revolves around stealth and extremely simple puzzle solving. There are loads of chest-high obstacles to hide behind when a baddie is chasing you and your biggest challenge is stringing together a path with those obstacles to avoid detection. And although this process is generally so easy that their presence feels largely unnecessary, you're given some tools to help."

"Each character has a device on their wrist that you can activate like sonar to reveal hidden enemies, potential escape routes, or points of interest. Characters also have a stun baton that unlocks doors and temporarily disables an enemy if it grabs you."

"Like most of Supermassive's story games, Directive 8020 lays out its narrative like a road with multiple branching paths. At certain points you'll be presented with choices that can determine the path you take and the fates of your various crew members. Some of those choices have immediate consequences resulting in a character's death. Other choices help shape a character's personality, ultimately impacting the choices they'll have available to them later in the game while closing off or opening up different story branches."

Read at Kotaku