SYNDICATE (PS3)

 

I kinda remember the 1993 Syndicate as a “not my cup of tea” game. Not sure what was the issue: Maybe the controls, unclear objetives… I don´t recall. Anyway, years later the IP was in EA's hands, who decided to revive it as a FPS. Maybe it didn´t resonate on me when it was launched in 2012 because of my lack of interest on the original, or simply because it wasn´t successful

Anyway, years later I got a copy and – since I am trying to finish up all PS3 games before Sony discontinues the console – thought I could give it a try. Overall it´s a solid game. There is nothing fundamentally bad on it, just nothing truly memorable. But certainly enjoyable if you get your hands on it under full prize

On the bright side, the weapons design is very solid. All guns feel powerful and helpful in most situations. The “breaching” abilities are not amazing but they do the trick to offer some variation on the basic gameplay. Enemies are not particularly clever, but they do move a bit looking for better positions enough as to perceive that developers put some work on them. Visually speaking is very decent, probably above most other PS3 titles

On the dark side, like I said there is nothing remarkable in the game. A pity, I am a big fan of “Bladerunner´s style” stories whenever available. Maybe because of that I tend to dislike bright and clean cyberpunk (Mirror´s edge / CDR Cyberpunk) because they don´t communicate to me the feeling of a rotten society, or suffering proletariat. The story is not bad, just predictible, and the Hollywood talent don´t hurt but also won´t sell me the game by themselves

There is a fair number of glitches – I almost had to restart the game from the beginning if it weren´t for the online automatic saves, I couldn´t experience the coop mode (the servers are completely abandoned), and there is a number of weird decisions that detract from the final enjoyment: Loading times, so-so metagame, and a cuestionable choice imho over which elements to include in the normal HUD and which on the DART mode (bullet time)

Anyway, it´s still a decent shooter that should please fans of the genre or SF aficionados. Otherwise it won´t change your life