7th Sector Review for Xbox One

Warning: If you’re a Luddite, you might not like this game. 7^th Sector, by developer Sergey Noskov and publisher Sometimes You, is the latest side-scrolling, puzzle, adventure game with a cyber punk twist. Lately I’ve seen a growing appreciation for these kinds of titles, and 7^th Sector definitely continues that trend. We recently covered Stela, which makes for a great comparison as we dive into the review.

              We play as some sort of entity that exists within the confines of electricity. To our surprise, it turns out we can move anywhere because of those constraints. For instance, we break free from a television and travel along power chords and telephone poles/transformers. I personally think we’re a poltergeist, because of the human-like features we exhibit when we’re silhouetted on a screen.

Aside from side-scrolling action, 7^th Sector is full of puzzles. They are not all mandatory, but they all have to do with appliances. We also find ourselves possessing toys, drones, and machines at points in the game. Some puzzles were naturally more challenging than others, however it’s not these that are not procedurally generated levels; it is the same every playthrough. At the end of the day, trial and error pushes us to the next thing. The same could be said of Stela, but this title has more variety of puzzles.

              7^th Sector is also an atmospheric novel. Just like Limbo, Inside, and Stela, we get a glimpse of what could be a story through the world we traverse. It’s not all explicit and more up to our interpretation. I like to think it is a commentary on the interconnected world built by our level of technology, but, on a darker note, despite the miracle of progress we can see apathy of actual human beings. Whenever we saw people, it seemed more like a passerby moment, and sometimes I thought the people themselves were lonely (or alone).

The graphics and design of the game are decent for an indie experience, too. I almost thought of Inside when I was playing for the first time. I thought the design of the TVs were a little off, because they have dials – but that feels like a minor comment. I really like the premise of having to travel through the wires and the appliances to make progress. The gameplay is really simple: hold A to zap over to something else or to interact with objects and X makes you speed up. The music is also on the subtle side, but I think it’s just what the game needs. You don’t need much of a soundtrack, especially when some puzzles utilize sound. That, and you’re always hearing whirring electrical buzzes and zaps like a tesla coil.

Overall, I think this is a cool title to add to your casual puzzles/side-scrolling adventure collection. I think the price is pretty reasonable ($19.99) compared to other titles, and this one feels like there was extra effort in making those puzzles. I personally enjoyed playing it, and from what I’ve read elsewhere there may be some things that I have missed along the way. I don’t think this title will be valued highly for its replayability, but I would recommend it solely on its novelty. I think a fair score for 7^th Sector should be a 9 out of 10.

Check Out the 7th Sector Trailer:

7th Sector is available now on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PS4 for $19.99 USD as well on PC via Steam.

John Pruitt

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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.

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