A good shooter makes enemies dangerous. A great one makes players question every decision. That distinction could define Selaco Chapter 2, which arrives on November 13, 2026, with a redesigned combat system that may prove more important than its additional campaign hours.
Independent developer Altered Orbit Studios is expanding its Doom-engine FPS while rebuilding how its enemies behave. The result promises more freedom to plan encounters, although a relentless mechanical hunter could make surviving them considerably harder.
Selaco Chapter 2 makes enemy intelligence the real threat
Selaco already draws inspiration from F.E.A.R., particularly its emphasis on aggressive opponents and tactical firefights. However, The Machines of War goes further. Its developers have rewritten almost the entire enemy AI system, introducing improved decision-making, movement and coordination.
One particularly interesting addition is the new rally system. Combined with area patrols, it should make encounters less dependent on enemies waiting for players to enter a scripted combat zone. Instead, hostile soldiers can occupy spaces before fighting begins, giving players opportunities to observe their surroundings and decide when to attack.
That change could transform how Selaco’s enormous environments are approached. A corridor might offer several ways to initiate a firefight rather than functioning as a straightforward shooting gallery. Meanwhile, new enemy voice lines should make hostile squads feel more coordinated. Whether these systems deliver consistently smarter opponents will become clearer once the update is playable.
A mechanical hunter changes the rhythm of the campaign
The second chapter also introduces a different kind of pressure. Somewhere inside Selaco’s sprawling space station, an unstoppable machine is hunting protagonist Dawn. Altered Orbit Studios has presented this threat as a major part of the new campaign, rather than just another enemy added to its roster.
Its presence creates an interesting contrast. Regular mercenary encounters increasingly reward planning and positioning. However, an enemy that cannot simply be eliminated through conventional firepower could force players to abandon carefully prepared strategies and keep moving.
The setting makes that possibility especially compelling. Selaco takes place aboard a gigantic, city-sized station sheltering humanity’s remaining survivors. Its dense interiors, connecting passages and industrial spaces already encourage exploration. Consequently, a persistent pursuer could turn familiar navigation challenges into moments of genuine tension.
Players will also face additional enemy types, including Skirmishers, Tanks and Incinerators. Moreover, the new chapter adds more story content and more voiced characters, including Dawn herself. A temporary companion will even accompany her during part of the campaign, with an option to tell that ally to remain behind.
More weapons create new tactical choices, not just destruction
Of course, survival requires suitable firepower. Selaco Chapter 2 adds a minigun and an explosive heavy machine gun, alongside deployable equipment such as mini-turrets and sentinel drones. Mobile cover and additional weapon kits further expand the available options.
Perhaps the most interesting addition is the heavy ordnance system. Instead of treating every powerful weapon as permanent inventory, players can collect oversized battlefield weapons, unleash their ammunition and discard them afterward. This encourages improvisation, especially when an encounter becomes more difficult than expected.
These mechanics also highlight the difference between Selaco and many straightforward retro shooters. Classic FPS design often revolves around movement, ammunition management and rapid target selection. Here, positioning and preparation can matter just as much. That connection to shooter history is also visible in Battle4Play’s coverage of John Romero’s redesigned FPS project, where creative direction has become more important than sheer production scale.
Meanwhile, the game’s technical foundation offers another interesting contrast. Selaco uses technology descended from the original Doom engine, rather than the modern idTech technology discussed in our report on the future of Doom and Wolfenstein’s engines. Both approaches demonstrate how different generations of shooter technology can support ambitious game design.
The November update also changes the game players already own
Beyond combat, The Machines of War introduces 19 campaign maps and approximately six to eight additional hours. Altered Orbit Studios says the update effectively doubles Selaco’s existing length. It represents the second installment in a planned three-chapter campaign.
That is particularly notable because Chapter 1 was already substantial when Selaco entered Steam Early Access on May 31, 2024. Available for Windows and Linux, its opening campaign offered a duration comparable to some complete shooters from the 1990s. The new content therefore builds on an unusually substantial Early Access foundation.
However, the studio is not simply attaching another chapter to the original release. Chapter 1 has been revised with improved set pieces, additional surprises and updated lighting. Elsewhere, redesigned particle effects should make firefights more spectacular, while navigation improvements aim to reduce frustration inside the station’s complicated levels. Better controls and new music complete the broader overhaul.
There is one significant complication: existing save files will not work with the November 13 update. Players who have completed the original campaign can begin directly at Chapter 2. Those still progressing through Chapter 1 should consider finishing before launch or using Steam’s previous-version beta branch to continue their existing playthrough. Weapon Kit unlocks will remain available.
According to Altered Orbit Studios’ official Steam announcements, The Machines of War will be a free update for existing owners. Full patch notes and a new trailer are expected at launch.
Ultimately, Selaco Chapter 2 looks more ambitious than a conventional content expansion. Its biggest opportunity lies in making every encounter less predictable, while giving players more tools to respond. If the rewritten AI delivers on that promise, November 13 could mark the moment Selaco’s tactical identity becomes its greatest strength. Would you rather face smarter mercenaries or an enemy that refuses to stop hunting you?
Creator of the website, Pokemon trainer by nature. Trying to report on everything related to the world of video games, series and movies. Yu-Gi-Oh is my weakness, collecting cards since the dawn of time.
