If there were ever a game that showed the importance of the digital distribution movement, it would be Section 8: Prejudice. When Time Gate Studios released the first Section 8 as a fully-fledged retail title, it floundered amid mixed reviews and even worse sales. Fast forward to game's first additional content, and things have changed dramatically. Section 8: Prejudice launched as a download only title and at only $15 is well worth your cheap gaming dollars. It may have its flaws, like a flawed match making system, but it's a fun, fast and ultimately rewarding shooter that you're sure to have a great time with.

For those new to the Section 8 fold, you take control of space marines outfitted in powered armor suits that allow them to use overdrive to move across the battlefield at breakneck speed, or their included jetpack to soar high over it. It may seem like a simple change, but the addition of being able to go up, rather than just forward, back and side to side changes how you play a first person shooter greatly. You have a limited fuel supply for most functions on your suit, meaning that you're going to have to pick and choose when and where you'll use it, and if you choose the wrong time; your enemies can lock on to you pretty easy and you'll pretty much become a living skeet target.

"..gives you the freedom to pick what kind of ammo you want to use."

Section 8: Prejudice brings the strategy element even further with your weapon selection choices. There are seven distinct weapon types, with everything from pistols to sniper rifles and rocket launchers, but you can only carry two at once.  Even more though, Section 8 gives you the freedom to pick what kind of ammo you want to use. Certain bullets are better against different types of armor and some have after effects. I found a lot of success, and the ability to create more than a few “holy shit” situations with the explosive ammo combined with my sniper rifle. If that's not enough, you'll also get to choose a tool to take with you into battle, like wrenches to fix vehicles. Section 8: Prejudice does a great job lessening the run and gun aspect we see in many online shooters and substitutes in a healthy amount of strategy.

Almost immediately after loading Section 8: Prejudice, I found myself incredibly grateful for the auto-lock feature as some of the game's controls, the aiming reticule specifically was noticeably sluggish. Characters move fast in Section 8 and it always seemed like the game's aiming mechanic was never fast enough to keep up. Going into the settings and tweaking the sensitivity helped a bit, but it still never felt quite right. There's also another issue with the game's match making system, as it can be tough to get into a match with any of your friends (on the PC version).

"The fast and fun gameplay translates well to the new mode."

Prejudice also adds a brand new mode called Swarm where you and your friends will take on a never ending swarm of enemies. Yeah, it's pretty much horde mode from Gears of War, but with the strategy elements of Prejudice, it feels fresh. The fast and fun gameplay translates well to the new mode.

One thing that Prejudice does miles better than its predecessor is the game's single player campaign. In the original, the single player campaign consisted solely on objectives and bots thrown on to recycled multiplayer maps, but here, we get a brand new fully fledged single player campaign. There's a story here, something about the space marines facing prejudice, but there underdeveloped characters  and anti-climactic events will ensure you won't care much. The good news? The campaign is incredibly lengthy, with a ton of varied objectives. One minute you're storming a huge battlefield and the next you're navigating a narrow passage on a time limit.

For a franchise that started its life as an underachieving Halo clone, Section 8 has grown into a quality and sturdy first person shooter. Prejudice takes the formula set up by the first game and tweaks it in all the right spots, and the result is one of the most rewarding online shooters of the year. Even better? It's only $15. Got your fill of Call of Duty and the other big first person shooters? Check out Section 8: Prejudice, it just may surprise you - it did me.