Syndicate - Announce Trailer - YouTube
-this aint Deus EX....
Syndicate is Back - ign.com
And it's in very capable hands.
ew names in our industry are as recognizable as Peter Molyneux. Known today for his projects with Lionhead Studios, such as the massively popular Fable series, Molyneux's earlier days in the 1980s and 1990s saw him at Bullfrog Productions, where he designed titles like Populous and programmed games like Theme Park. And then there was Syndicate, the futuristic, story-heavy cult classic that Molyneux produced.
Syndicate received an add-on pack and a sequel in the 1990s, but all has been quiet about the series' future since then. That is until now. Megalithic publisher Electronic Arts has owned the rights to Syndicate for some time and has now commissioned the accomplished and respected Starbreeze Studios (of The Chronicles of Riddick and The Darkness fame) to bring the series into the 21st century with a reboot of sorts. And while Molyneux and his old Bullfrog cronies have virtually nothing to do with the reimagining of Syndicate, the game is very much headed in the right direction. I had a blast playing through part of the game's second level for about half an hour, and I can't wait to see more of Syndicate in action.
For starters, Syndicate isn't the isometric, third-person game you might remember. With Starbreeze at the helm, Syndicate is now a first-person shooter, and its futuristic environments are most recently reminiscent of Deus Ex: Human Revolution (although Syndicate doesn't look or feel as dated). Syndicate is all about violent and deadly competition between ultra-powerful corporations and the technology they control, and the seriousness of the story shines through well.
There's a decidedly slick look and feel to Syndicate, from the sterile yet technology-filled corridors of Aspari's headquarters (a rival corporation to the infamous Eurocorp) to the human and mechanical enemies you face off against. Fighting Aspari thugs was a breeze using only my basic pistol at first, with a slick HUD design surrounding the gun most reminiscent of Dead Space. Eventually, I gained access to other weaponry, including assault rifles and even a firearm called Gauss, which tagged enemies and shot them around corners and cover. Think of the Tag feature on the Bullseye from the Resistance series for a near-identical facsimile.
But the coolest part about Syndicate is its reliance on special "breaching" skills. This adds not only a puzzle-like element to the overall experience, but opens the entire game up for inherent replayability and in-the-moment decision making. By using special technologically advanced implants in your character's head, you can unlock sealed doors and bypass other security features. You can even use your special skills to coerce other enemies to kill themselves, turn on each other in battle, and lock-up their guns so that, when fired, they explode in their hands. Using the game's special Dart System, you can slowdown time, take extra damage, and see what can and cannot be breached around you.
This is what made my time with Syndicate so satisfying. It's not a first-person shooter per se, but rather a first-person experience with plenty of extra elements to keep it fresh. There are puzzles to solve, equipment to find, collectibles known as Business Cards to scour the environments for, and above all else, a deep story to be told in a frightening futuristic setting where corporations have become so powerful that they constantly fight with one another without much of a consequence from organized government.
Syndicate also packs an almost Mega Man-like development of powers, in which you extract new abilities from certain enemies you kill. And then there's the skill tree in Syndicate, which allows you to craft your character as you see fit. The best part about this is that it's impossible to fill the skill tree in a single playthrough, which again adds to what appears to be Syndicate's slant as a replayable game.
EA and Starbreeze Studios joked around, facetiously telling me that Syndicate was its best-kept secret. And while there's a reason for their facetiousness -- people expected that a new Syndicate would indeed finally be coming -- no one expected a shooter with such amazing potential. And beyond that, no one expected that Syndicate would be ready so soon. In mere months, come February of 2012, Syndicate will finally be out, and we'll get to see if the rock-solid demo I got to play parlays itself into the entire experience.
Syndicate (Feb 21 2012)
Originally Posted by Slayer1
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