Syndicate Plus™

It is difficult for me, firstly, to categorize Syndicate, and secondly, to say what makes it attractive. This is not to say that it is a very intricate tactical strategy - its "turn-based" contemporaries X-Com and the first Jagged Alliance look much more solid in this sense. The simulation aspect of the game also doesn't shine: a sparse technology tree, a simple simulation of city life. It seems that the authors lost their inspiration halfway through, and simply left the game "as is". Even "spiritual successor", Satellite Reign, looks deeper than its predecessor. The interface also adds to the hassle: for example, you can control either all the characters, or a single one. But you can not break our combat four agents into separate links. It also narrows the room for tactical maneuver. The minimap is concentrated on agent, not on camera. Pathfinding is horrible. There is no stealth component in the game: from the very beginning, we have to reflect the waves of advancing opponents, miraculously knowing in advance where to look for us. But, nevertheless, you suddenly get involved into the game, especially if you don’t take it as a strategy, but rather as a lively dynamic arcade action game with elements of tactics (especially in the missions of the add-on, American Revolt). Unlike the strategies I mentioned, Syndicate often forces you to act randomly, improvisationally, by quickly and suddenly attacking enemy using firepower of entire squad. The levels are short and fast, like in arcades, although they become boring over time due to the repetitive design. Buildings can be used as shelters from enemy fire, and through persuadertron, you can turn the local population into your allies and human shields. The game is very atmospheric, due to the texts and graphics - as if you really command a squad of supercyborgs in bleak dystopian future. The levels often feel like small sandboxes where you can do almost what you want. In general quite solid and simply fun action game.

Back in the mid 90's, when Syndicate Plus was still newish, I would be rewarded with half an hour to an hour of gametime on my math tutor's PC if I completed the lessons to his satisfaction. As if my tutor's mother bringing us piping hot servings of lemon honey tea weren't enough of an incentive! It's dated now, granted, but if you're willing to play it for the nostalgia factor, without being too judgemental, you will come away appreciating what developers were able to do with what little they had. I received it for free during a giveaway, so I can't complain, but if I were to choose between this and Syndicate Wars, I would go for the latter. It's not much older but for me it feels like a generational instead of intergenerational leap.

This game, along with other gems X-COM and Populous, should be included in the Hall of Fame. Perfect blend of strategy and 3rd action, balance and immersion. Incredible that after almost 2 decades no one could make such a similar game! And who better than GOG to bring this one back to life? Really GOG, thanks for this gift!!!

One amazing game.... to bad Starbreeze Studios and EA destroyed the franchise with the 2012 garbage release of Syndicate as a fps.... same as the new thief has destroyed a once great franchise.

I make no secret of my respect for Bullfrog. In an industry dominated with "me too" companies today it's hard not to look back at the 90's of video games, where genres were still being invented and finding footing in a brave new world. Syndicate is a game like no other to come before it, and few that have come after. Distilled, Syndicate is a game of real time tactics with some overworld management. Set in a dystopian, coprocratic world you are a marketing director for the declining Eurocorp- it is your task to manage a team of cybernetic agents as they perform missions in areas around the world, securing equipment, assassinating officials, brainwashing scientists and waging war with other corporations. All the while you must manage the members of your team, research new equipment and manage funding and taxation of your territories. It sounds complicated on paper but as with all Bullfrog games, low level management and details are ignored or missing- while this means Syndicate is not a deep or terribly hands-on experience (JA2 fans may be put off), it concentrates on the enjoyable parts of the experience. The main portion of the game is missions, and the mechanics of the combat are uncomplicated. You can control one of four, or your entire group of agents, but the are also far more autonomous than in most games. By controlling drugs in the blood stream you can increase their speed, firing accuracy and self-reliance so in a cohesive group your agents can manage themselves quite well. Your main role in combat is tactical- do you send in a team of minigun wielding supersoldiers to storm the prison complex, or do you position snipers across the street to take out guards? Do you keep your enemies at a distance with rifles, ambush them from within the back alleys or attempt to persuade them? These choices will influence the composition of your team and their equipment, as well as the enhancements you decide to install in them as the game progresses. You probably won't remember the slightly anaemic funding management, the largely absent story or the similar nature of some missions. But the fantastic atmosphere the game produces makes you feel like the director of a powerful company. The sometimes shockingly high number of civilian casualties will make you feel morally ambiguous, and the cohesive, effective game play will make you feel in control. It's so disappointing to see the 2012 "sequel" to Syndicate as a Deus Ex inspired FPS. In 2012 the license seems to be following the bandwagon, riding the IP of a company that used to ride its own bandwagons. In 1993 Syndicate was a defining game, a style of game never made before in a way that had never been tried before. Today, Syndicate is still revolutionary, and worth the time of any gamer worth his salt. I should note I played the Macintosh version- having spent time with the DOS version I wholeheartedly recommend the Macintosh in preference due to it's higher resolution graphics and better sound (the core of the game is much the same). The Mac version is however much harder to obtain.