ThaiDev on 07:40

Syndicate

Release Date: February 21, 2012
Platforms: pc, ps3,xbox360
Genres: First-person
In the not too distant future, the world is divided into regions controlled by mega-corporations known as Syndicates

Only a few weeks since I wrote the last hands-on and in the meantime Syndicate Electronic Arts has sent us the review version of this game, which has slipped straight into the slot of our PlayStation 3 editorial. The good impressions from the previous version will be confirmed, denied or even improved?

Compared to the previous version, nothing has changed in terms of game menus and interface, which is always very sophisticated without giving in to unnecessary complications in style. The Starbreeze team confirms an expert at creating an atmosphere very "dense", especially when they have a futuristic location. The intro and the narrative development of the game I told you last time so do not linger on the plot, which remains fairly solid (though in a bit obvious) from beginning to end.

Technically speaking, the good things seen above is fully confirmed. Excellent distortion and blur effects used by the development team, as well as valuable are some touches of class but not required to make a difference in some situations. An example? Depending on where you are, you tilt the weapon behind cover, he gets up in the presence of very narrow steps, and so on.

Even overcoming these obstacles was made ​​not to break the rhythm of the action, especially during the most hectic. When running, in fact, you can jump over a barrier or break over an obstacle by simply pressing the jump button. Strangely, however, seemed less immediate crouch behind cover: in this sense something similar to that seen in Rainbow Six: Vegas (or a temporary switch to a third-person view) would be appreciated.

The on-screen interface, the infamous HUD, is clean and provides essential information without being cumbersome. The only thing you miss the beginning is a little tutorial that explains a couple of basic techniques of the game, instead of being taken for granted. Nothing serious, of course, because for everything else (especially for special powers), there is even a sort of virtual training.

Given the additional time was available for this review than the preview, I had occasion to test much better than some of the features that make the gameplay much like the Syndicate, but at the same time different from that of all the FPS released so far.

First you will soon learn that despite the amount of ammunition available is not a problem in the game, use the powers of the chip Dart6 on a regular basis will make the adventure more fun and rewarding. The system created by the developers is so simple and elegant: the three powers that are acquired are not unlimited, and their "load" depends on how many enemies are killed with firearms and how we do away with them. Go ahead with the weapons you can, at least in single player, but it still means losing one of the most delicious whole experience.

The overall pace of the game is growing with very few breaks, and just as I had predicted in the preview, unlike other FPS Syndicate this movement is not made for the "Rambo" loners. To go round there will only lead to premature death and, given the number and average intelligence of the enemies, the number of the latter could soar from mid-game onwards.

In this we find solace in the so-called "Dart Overlay" or activated by the visual keys for a few seconds RT/R2 that highlights all the enemies in the area, even hidden, and the objects with which they can interact . Use this system may seem unnecessary at first but trust me when I tell you that after a few hours will become one of your best friends.

If desired you can also perform melee kills, but it's damn hard to get close at times. If you find yourself without a weapon available, a rare thing to tell the truth, eliminate an enemy with your bare hands you will automatically earn his weapon. About arsenals, the guns are placed in Syndicate for the most part quite canonical, but in some cases you'll be handling "toys" very tasty, but often lose their usefulness once the bullets ended.

To give the player some little break from the fighting, the developers have scattered the game of "collectibles" represented by holographic business cards of some characters and graffiti propaganda. Finding them is not essential to understand the plot of the game, but their research is the only small variation to an otherwise all too linear.

In addition to the main campaign, Starbreeze has decided to include a parallel experience dedicated to the co-op, I had the opportunity to experience in depth thanks to a long session completed a few days ago along with a trio of developers connected online by 'England.

As you know, in this mode you fight with three other players in many of the locations of the main game, but with different missions and modes and inspired by the original Syndicate. If standards do everything yourself in the adventure is rather difficult, in co-op is sometimes even impossible, to the point that many of the missions also report the number of agents recommended to be completed.

In a special screen that is accessed before entering game, summarizes all the progress made ​​in this mode, the missions overcome, the challenges completed, the objectives completed, and everything else.

Once you enter the lobby you can choose to start a quick match or create a personalized with your friends in one of the maps available, which presumably will be expanded with the upcoming DLC. Without this you go to character selection and after that the starting equipment. From this point of view there is no provision in the opulence of Call of Duty or Battlefield, but can range from firearms equipped with the chip provides still a sufficient amount of customization.

Power-ups available in single-player, that modify various characteristics of the characters, are available in co-op and access to them is determined by the amount of "experience" gained in the field. The same goes for weapons. In this multiplayer mode, you start with that base with the possibility, however, to make them evolve ... long to find the "ingredients" right. From the standpoint of power, their numbers in the co-op is much more than just 3 of the companion standard, and there are even 20 variants.

After playing in a game I did not notice any kind of problem from the technical point of view, no lag and no slowdown, but it shall be kept in mind that I was conducting a private session prior exit the game.

This is all still understand what the development team has focused on multi Syndicate, which for once is not a mere secondary bonus but something that deserves as much attention as the single player adventure.

If a few months ago I had said I was going back to a FPS sci-fi fan, I probably would have struggled to believe, but the end result is certainly deserving of praise. Syndicate is not the best shooter available on consoles, but it's probably one of the most exciting in terms of visual and emotional.

With some more attention in some detail might even become an "instant classic", but even so it represents an excellent starting point for a franchise that deserves to be explored by younger players.

 

Category

Review PC Game