One of the first reviews of "Syndicate" has gone live.

68%...

Pros:

- Hacks are a nice idea

- Four player coop mode

- nice graphics and sound effects

Contra:

- short campaign

- weak story, unlikeable characters

- delivers nothing new to the genre

- average coop mode

- pointless end fight

http://www.looki.de/syndicate_test_a5183_1.html

Jeff liked it a lot and I trust Jeff over German site I never heard of.

And some of those criticism seem wacky. I'm pretty sure hacking shit in the level and the enemies adds more things new to the genre than most other FPSes out there. I'd really hate to see how they score other shooters if bringing something new to the table is a major concern.

Yo bro, dat site ain't even in English.

Well duh. It doesn't have simulator in the title.

@MiniPato said:

Jeff liked it a lot and I trust Jeff over German site I never heard of.

And some of those criticism seem wacky. I'm pretty sure hacking shit in the level and the enemies adds more things new to the genre than most other FPSes out there. I'd really hate to see how they score other shooters if bringing something new to the table is a major concern.

1. Honestly, I don't. Jeff has some very weird taste. Love the guy but I find myself disagreeing with him a lot of times.

2. How is "hacking shit" new to the genre?

3. I'm German and I never heard of this "looki.de" site. So yeah, It's probably bullshit.

@CptBedlam said:

3. I'm German and I never heard of this "looki.de" site. So yeah, It's probably bullshit.

Why don't you read the review for yourself and then tell us whether or not it is credible/convincing/well argued?

@CptBedlam said:

@MiniPato said:

Jeff liked it a lot and I trust Jeff over German site I never heard of.

And some of those criticism seem wacky. I'm pretty sure hacking shit in the level and the enemies adds more things new to the genre than most other FPSes out there. I'd really hate to see how they score other shooters if bringing something new to the table is a major concern.

1. Honestly, I don't. Jeff has some very weird taste. Love the guy but I find myself diasagreeing with him a lot of times.

2. How is "hacking shit" new to the genre?

Hey, I disagree with Jeff with a lot of things, for example I love Monster Hunter and Dark Souls, both games he relegates to "for crazy people." But I trust him when it comes to first person shooters. And even then my trust in Jeff is mostly by comparison to a site I never heard of.

And hacking in Syndicate isn't like doing a minigame and you open a door or control a turret or something, thought I assume you can do that. You can make enemies blow their brains out, hack grenades to defuse them before they blow up, hack the level to make cover appear, all sorts of things. Though I've only seen one level in the single player, I think they can do a lot of neat things with that environmental and AI interaction. It certainly has more going on in it than other FPSes out there even if the concepts I listed aren't wholly original.

@Jumanji said:

@CptBedlam said:

3. I'm German and I never heard of this "looki.de" site. So yeah, It's probably bullshit.

Why don't you read the review for yourself and then tell us whether or not it is credible/convincing/well argued?

He starts and ends the review by complaining that the game is a Shooter and not a top-down tactics game. I agree with him but it's not how you should write a review.

edit: Okay, here's another German review from a very trustworthy site (they scored it a 7.5): http://www.gamersglobal.de/test/syndicate

Seems like the game is indeed pretty mediocre.

@W0lfbl1tzers said:

Well duh. It doesn't have simulator in the title.

/thread

@CptBedlam said:

@Jumanji said:

@CptBedlam said:

3. I'm German and I never heard of this "looki.de" site. So yeah, It's probably bullshit.

Why don't you read the review for yourself and then tell us whether or not it is credible/convincing/well argued?

He starts and ends the review by complaining that the game is a Shooter and not a top-down tactics game. I agree with him but it's not how you should write a review.

Ah come on, that's a pretty rough way of summarizing things up. And it doesn't do justice to the review.

@Predator2k9: Yeah I wasn't in the mood of summarizing everything, so I pointed out why I don't trust that review. Do you happen to know this "looki.de"-site?

Here are some criticisms from the other review (gamersglobal):

- monotonous level-design

- very linear, no alternative routes

- no creative use of weapons despite the future scenario

- weak characters

@CptBedlam said:

@Predator2k9: Yeah I wasn't in the mood of summarizing everything, so I pointed out why I don't trust that review. Do you happen to know this "looki.de"-site?

Yap and I don't even deny that.

@Anwar said:

@CptBedlam: Never heard of this site either. (German-speaking dude here as well)

SO WHAT. I've never heard of @Anwar or @CptBedlam before, yet I give their posts the best possible reading that I can.

http://www.destructoid.com/review-syndicate-222216.phtml

65%

@Appuh said:

http://www.destructoid.com/review-syndicate-222216.phtml

65%

Thanks dude, is there still anyone here who doesn't believe the 68% ?! :D

IGN = 7.5

@Predator2k9: Sounds like it's your review then, why don't you summarize it for us? :P

Honestly, it's not a badly written review (except maybe for the part where the game is criticized for being a shooter) but I'm wary of sites I haven't heard of.

@Marz said:

IGN = 7.5

Okay, that's pretty much the nail in the coffin because 7.5 is at the bottom of IGN's scale.

@CptBedlam said:

@Predator2k9: Sounds like it's your review then, why don't you summarize it for us? :P

Honestly, it's not a badly written review (except maybe for the part where the game is criticized for being a shooter) but I'm wary of sites I haven't heard of.

Take a look at the conclusion, where it says that it could have been an awesome shooter.

The problem is (in my opinion) that EA chose the primrose path and just put their trust into the name of the franchise. There a lot of people who had high hopes regarding this game.

There are no prejudices just because it's a shooter.

Obviously this means that it is terrible terrible game and all of the Internet rage was completely justified. Death to Starbreeze!!!

@Predator2k9: Sorry man, didn't mean to offend you. I just think that the "why is this not a tactics game?"-sentiment doesn't belong in a review.

@CptBedlam said:

@Predator2k9: Sorry man, didn't mean to offend you. I just think that the "why is this not a tactics game?"-sentiment doesn't belong in a review.

Hey relax buddy, no offense here either ;)

@Predator2k9 said:

@CptBedlam said:

@Predator2k9: Sorry man, didn't mean to offend you. I just think that the "why is this not a tactics game?"-sentiment doesn't belong in a review.

Hey relax buddy, no offense here either ;)

Okay. I agree with you btw ... loved the first Syndicate and it's a shame that they made it into the next generic shooter. :(

I've played the first 1.5 hours or so, of this game. Know what it sort of reminds me of? The Darkness 2.

Granted with a different set of "powers", and a completely different aesthetic. But the flow of combat, the types of enemies, the layout of levels - it reminds me a lot of Darkness 2. You can even get an upgrade where running up and melee executing a guy gives you health back.

@CptBedlam said:

@Predator2k9 said:

@CptBedlam said:

@Predator2k9: Sorry man, didn't mean to offend you. I just think that the "why is this not a tactics game?"-sentiment doesn't belong in a review.

Hey relax buddy, no offense here either ;)

Okay. I agree with you btw ... loved the first Syndicate and it's a shame that they made it into the next generic shooter. :(

Oh... didn't see this comment coming :)

@Predator2k9: Yep, I played it and I also played the American Revolt addon.

@CptBedlam:We all did I guess... but times are changing... I'd appreciate any effort to develop a worthy sequel or remake of the original one. :(

Strange. Other reviews I've read love the fun co-op provides. Certainly it's helped by playing with better, more fitting players though. I agree that it delivers nothing new but some tiny brainhacking content, but a short campaign - compared to what games? BF3 and MW3, two recent big FPS games?

doesn't matter for me if ign gives it a 7.5 or anything else. will get it when it's on sale and then play it with my friends. co-op and sci-fi shooter is a "sold" for me.

@mortal_sb: Coop mode could have been MUCH better in my opinion. Sry to say.

GameSpy review in progress: http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/project-redlime/1219100p1.html

It's more or less in line with the other reviews in this thread.

PC games dude (also a German site) finished it in four hours which means no full price buy. Maybe a rental but I honestly have to say that it looked pretty generic from what I saw. In addition to that there are just too many good games coming out at the moment.

@altairre:Four hours is quite optimistic :) It took me seven to eight hours, just because I'm a player who's watching the environment, try to do some things in different ways etc. .. and yeah, I died a lot due to own foolishness not the difficulty :D

@SomeJerk: I've seen most reviews criticizing the coop... even GT who gave it an 8.2

and yet every CoD thats comes out every year gets a high score, while doing nothing new, Syndicate gets a lower score for not really doing anything new? I love review sites!

I am german and never heard of this site. The Nr.1 german games authority is in my opinion is pcgamer.de. They have basically a quick look up without a rating. Calling it solid, but not exciting.

Eurogamer (ger) 6/10

Damn it, Starbreeze. I loved Riddick and the Darkness. :(

@MiniPato said:

Jeff liked it a lot and I trust Jeff over German site I never heard of.

And some of those criticism seem wacky. I'm pretty sure hacking shit in the level and the enemies adds more things new to the genre than most other FPSes out there. I'd really hate to see how they score other shooters if bringing something new to the table is a major concern.

What's the deal? Do you have the game pre-ordered or something?

@Metal_Mills said:

Damn it, Starbreeze. I loved Riddick and the Darkness. :(

The guys once mentioned that basically no one from the teams making those games is still at the studio.

I probably will still check it out, but not at full retail price.

@Metal_Mills said:

Damn it, Starbreeze. I loved Riddick and the Darkness. :(

The guys once mentioned that basically no one from the teams making those games is still at the studio.

@SASnake:At least CoD has a certain directorial impact, decent pacing and a really big multiplayer component. And no, I'm NOT a fanboy ;)

@MEATBALL said:

Obviously this means that it is terrible terrible game and all of the Internet rage was completely justified. Death to Starbreeze!!!

Your avatar resembled my face when I saw the "68%" originally :D

Despite the tepid reaction from some reviewers, I still want to play this game. I liked the demo quite a bit. I have 3 dudes to play co-op with. Plus, I just like the way that Starbreeze makes games. They never disappoint me.

It's weird that he only listed pros, and then went on to review Contra in the same article.

We don't need a new thread for every review that runs counter to that of the Giant Bomb staff. Unless you have something new or meaningful to contribute to the discussion then this information doesn't need a new thread.

I'm sure if people actually cared about the review score on Rivalvideogamewebsite.com then they would go there and read it themselves.