SCP: Secret Laboratory is a multiplayer survival horror game, initially released in 2017, where players are randomly assigned roles within a breached underground facility. The core loop involves intense asymmetrical conflict: Foundation personnel attempt containment and escape, Insurgency groups seek capture objectives, and escaped SCP anomalies hunt the humans. Its distinctive feature is the fluid, faction-based gameplay requiring quick adaptation to shifting alliances and utilizing unique class abilities across the interactive, labyrinthine map.
The central loop revolves around factional conflict and objective completion within the compromised facility. Upon spawning, players are randomly assigned to one of several distinct roles, each with conflicting goals:
Success is heavily dependent on communication and adapting to the ever-changing situation dictated by player actions and random events.
The game distinguishes itself through its asymmetrical multiplayer design. Unlike traditional team-based shooters, roles are fluid, and objectives are often mutually exclusive, leading to emergent gameplay scenarios. Players must quickly identify who they can trust and who they must evade or eliminate. The inclusion of various SCP entities, each possessing unique abilities and methods of interaction, adds significant strategic depth to both hunting and hiding.
The environment itself plays a crucial role. The facility is highly interactive, featuring complex door systems, keycard access requirements, and environmental hazards. Managing inventory, conserving resources like ammunition and batteries, and navigating the labyrinthine map are essential survival skills.
While action-oriented, the game incorporates light role-playing elements through class-based abilities and the necessity of adhering to faction protocols. For instance, Scientists may possess knowledge crucial for bypassing certain security measures, while Mobile Task Force units are heavily armed combatants.
This title was initially released in 2017 and is available exclusively on PC (Microsoft Windows). It blends elements of the Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), and Strategy genres into its core experience. As a Main Game, the experience is centered on these persistent, high-stakes multiplayer sessions. Regarding additional content, the base game currently features no official downloadable content (DLCs) or expansions.