PAX East 2023: Blackout Protocol A Three Player Co-Op Shooter

PAX East 2023 is here, the Lords from the Iron Lords Podcast and LOGNET are live on the show floor. One of the many games being previewed on the show floor this year is Blackout Protocol.

Blackout Protocol is an isometric shooter from Ocean Drive Studio based out of the Seoul Korea and Los Angeles area. The top-down shooter has some minor rouge-like elements, as well as a three-player co-op mode. 

The story, setting, and lore are heavily inspired by the internet “creepypasta.” A term used to describe short horror stories copied and pasted continuously in dark corners of the internet. Additionally, the creative director describes it as a “modern setting.” The story should take 10 to 12 hours to complete.

Playing the game is very similar to something like Dead Nation or Alienation. It is a very simple top-down shooter with no crazy gimmicks. Although the action is solid and the visuals are fantastic.

More About The Early Access Release of Blackout Protocol:

“Blackout Protocol’s Early Access covers about 60% of Section 13 base, leading up to a boss fight. We plan to update the boss fight with the official launch, so players will find the true evil lying at the heart of Section 13 base later.

Multiplayer supports a party of 3 players. In Early Access, players have 4 different characters to choose from. Each character has a unique ability that sets him/her apart from the others, so we encourage players to try them all out and find the one they like the most!

Early Access will also feature about 60 different skill cards, each falling under one of the 5 different categories. Weapons have something like an affinity to these skill cards–certain weapons will be more effective with skill cards under a certain category. By collecting multiple skill cards within the same category, players can activate different levels of special perks associated with each weapon.”

Blackout Protocol has a closed beta on April 6th. From there, Ocean Drive will decide if the game will enter early access on Steam. Along with full support of the Steam Deck. The game has full controller support. With that in mind, they expect a full console release as part of the game’s roadmap.