Warm Machine
Member
This is the sort of game that Kickstarter would have done very well with. A remake/expansion of the original with updated visuals would have been a multimillion kickstart success.
EDGE: Syndicate Sold 150,000 Copies.
- Thread starter Saty
- Start date
blazinglazers
Member
Enjoyed it for what it was.
The real misstep was the forgettable sp campaign. The co-op was actually really fun and felt closer the what the original was -- more of a sandbox, more options and coordinated teamwork. It's a shame that the whole thing was such a missed opportunity. Starbreeze gives their fps a great sense of virtual body, the presentation was slick, and the shooting was satisfying.
Sad.
The real misstep was the forgettable sp campaign. The co-op was actually really fun and felt closer the what the original was -- more of a sandbox, more options and coordinated teamwork. It's a shame that the whole thing was such a missed opportunity. Starbreeze gives their fps a great sense of virtual body, the presentation was slick, and the shooting was satisfying.
Sad.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
Why is this so hard for devs to get? Just look at the old game, think "what kind of things did we not get to accomplish with this game, due to time and technology constraints?" Or, "what do fans want from a new game that they never got from the original?"
Not, "we need to modernize this old piece of shit and ignore all of its legacy. Let's make a modern FPS because those are way more popular than slower paced, tactical games."
Besides the fact that it was nothing like the original...
... THIS.
The game didn't even play to Starbreeze's strengths, let alone the open nature of the series. I might have considered buying it if it did.
After Riddick and The Darkness, I don't think it would have been hard for Starbreeze to top a hub world similar to what was seen in DE:HR. Instead they release a 5 hour, ultra-linear game.
... THIS.
The game didn't even play to Starbreeze's strengths, let alone the open nature of the series. I might have considered buying it if it did.
After Riddick and The Darkness, I don't think it would have been hard for Starbreeze to top a hub world similar to what was seen in DE:HR. Instead they release a 5 hour, ultra-linear game.
I lost interest too. From what I was reading, the co-op mode was given more attention than the single player, and that's what I really care about. Sounded like the co-op campaign was longer and more fully fleshed out, but I don't particularly like being required to play with random people. I get more enjoyment just playing by myself. That didn't make me want to run out and pay full price.
I'll probably still pick this up in the future...
Burger
Member
I'll tell you why I didn't buy it, so if you are reading Starbreze, maybe this will help you understand from one gamers perspective.
I grew up on video games. I played my NES, I played with my friends Amiga, and I played much much more with my PC.
I'm tired of people taking games from my teenage years and shitting them up. You took arguably one of the great isometric strategy games from that generation and turned it into a bad FPS. Why? Look at what Firaxis are doing with X-Com. They didn't ruin it by making a disconnected FPS. Now that's not to say it can't be done, Bethesda did it with Fallout but you didn't do it with Syndicate.
I grew up on video games. I played my NES, I played with my friends Amiga, and I played much much more with my PC.
I'm tired of people taking games from my teenage years and shitting them up. You took arguably one of the great isometric strategy games from that generation and turned it into a bad FPS. Why? Look at what Firaxis are doing with X-Com. They didn't ruin it by making a disconnected FPS. Now that's not to say it can't be done, Bethesda did it with Fallout but you didn't do it with Syndicate.
Visually interesting, but it played like crap on the PS3 if the demo is anything to go by. "Weight"-y controls don't work with the masses (and don't work with me either) so it isn't surprising most everyone passed on a weighty-controlled Left 4 Dead with Cyberpunk art-style.
I need to try the co-op. I've read nothing but good things about it here. I do hope Starbreeze gets another crack at a game, though. The presentation in Syndicate is top-notch aside from the lens flares and shit. The animation of Kilo and weight he has is something I appreciated, but the lack of freedom to do much of anything really dragged it down for me. I think they're still a capable developer, but the things I read about EA sending managers over there to keep an eye on things and all that during the development process makes me think their hands were tied.
EDIT: Do we know how well The Darkness II did? I thought that was the better game as far as single player goes, and it came out like 2 weeks before. It'd be funny if Starbreeze's old franchise outsold their new one.
Yeah, it wasn't anything that was going to set the FPS world on fire. But the core mechanics were fun and the levels were pretty decent. You're right though the story could have been so much better considering the creative world Starbreeze built (liked all of the little data icons that appeared on everything).
I also played the co-op for a lot longer then I expected. Me and an angry british man had a blast going through a couple of those later levels on hard.
Syndicate had the classic Halo 30 seconds of amazing gameplay, but unlike Halo, it didn't repeat over and over again. It happened roughly once per 20 minutes.
That game was too barebones. It needed more. If they did a RPG with that combat, that aesthetic, and that soundtrack, it would have been godly.
That game was too barebones. It needed more. If they did a RPG with that combat, that aesthetic, and that soundtrack, it would have been godly.
Sho_Nuff82
Member
Played the demo, was completely turned off by the nauseating FOV and persistent autoaim. As close to unplayable as any FPS I've played this gen.
It's really hard to understand why take a franchise that only "old" gamers would care about and try to fit in the FPS genre. What kind of value does the Syndicate brand adds in that scenario?
And there probably is a middle ground between making "exact copy" and an FPS...
Still, I would probably grab cheap on some promo... but it isn't on steam on EA doesn't let other services (gamersgate, greenmangaming) sell to my region, so I'm stuck with Origin and the twice a year good deals they made over here.
And there probably is a middle ground between making "exact copy" and an FPS...
Still, I would probably grab cheap on some promo... but it isn't on steam on EA doesn't let other services (gamersgate, greenmangaming) sell to my region, so I'm stuck with Origin and the twice a year good deals they made over here.
D
Deleted member 80556
Unconfirmed Member
Isn't the coop peer-to-peer?
Takamura-San
Member
This is funny, because is not true.
There's no sure way to make this statement with a straight face.
diffusionx
Gold Member
Everything knew this would happen.
It will be interesting to see how X-Com EU turns out.
It will be interesting to see how X-Com EU turns out.
Genesis Knight
Member
What I heard was that the SP was really short and easy, and that the 'true' game was in the co-op. Is that not correct?
NullPointer
Member
About 150,000 copies by the look of things.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
I'll pick it up during the Steam summer sale to support Starbreeze. *dog whistle*
It will be interesting to see how X-Com does with the isometric game coming out, if it bombs like this than your right but who knows until it happens.
XANDER CAGE
Member
The co-op is great fun, and the campaign is... fine, if a little short. The Syndicate name probably dragged them down, honestly - I doubt many people who knew what Syndicate used to be wanted the game, and people unfamiliar with the original had no reason to get excited about a reboot.
Takamura-San
Member
I actually want to see how X-com does.
Not that I want it to bomb, but I would like to see how "hard core" fans react when they are given what they want.
B_Rik_Schitthaus
Banned
Think of it like this, if it incorporated the originals concepts then it would have been a far more interesting game and that would appeal to people whether they knew about the first game or not.
Xcom will beat those numbers on PC alone. Watch.
I agree, I want it to do well but I just don't know how it well it will do.
It's very well might but it's possible it's going to bomb as well, I hope it doesn't but it will be interesting to see.
diffusionx
Gold Member
Well, provided it's a good game. I am wary of Firaxis. But I actually feel the same way. My prediction is that it is going to bomb.
AgentOtaku
Member
ice burn!
I did love that remix though. Shit was in my head for months
Didn't care for the SP, but coop was fantastic and feel guilty for trading it in =/
AHA-Lambda
Member
That's sold not shipped right? EA might have made a little more money on it I guess but probably not alot more (I still remember they never even mentioned it in the last financial report).
As for Starbreeze's argument, that's utter crap on 2 levels:
1) You only need to look at XCOM enemy unknown to know that this stuff can be done right and will please a fanbase.
2) By contrast you chose a damn FPS, the one genre that is far too crowded for its own good and expected massive success? Going back to XCOM the RTS will probably be faaar more successful than the oft-delayed FPS reboot. Companies need to learn that not ever game needs to be an FPS.
Lastly, even then the game could still have been enjoyable on its own merits whether or not it lived up to the IP, but it still didn't do that. Syndicate was totally mediocre crap.
As for Starbreeze's argument, that's utter crap on 2 levels:
1) You only need to look at XCOM enemy unknown to know that this stuff can be done right and will please a fanbase.
2) By contrast you chose a damn FPS, the one genre that is far too crowded for its own good and expected massive success? Going back to XCOM the RTS will probably be faaar more successful than the oft-delayed FPS reboot. Companies need to learn that not ever game needs to be an FPS.
Lastly, even then the game could still have been enjoyable on its own merits whether or not it lived up to the IP, but it still didn't do that. Syndicate was totally mediocre crap.
Takamura-San
Member
Unlike you, I don't want games to bomb.
I'm just tired of this "give what the forums posters want, and it would have sold a shit load better".
I think that the syndicate IP had no weight these days. Regardless of how the game turned out to be.
NullPointer
Member
I'm definitely picking that one up. And one nice thing to notice about that X-Com game is that its not a carbon copy of the originals, but a modern take on it.
That's what the fans want. Original gameplay but modernized and streamlined. And modernized is not shorthand for first-person-shooterization.
Will it please everybody? No. But then again nothing ever does.
Criminal Upper
Banned
I swear to god, this game was announced to even EXIST something like 4 months before it's release date. It's not a masterpiece, but it's a solid game all around, and deserved to sell at least 500K.
But EA forgot to tell people it existed.
But EA forgot to tell people it existed.
diffusionx
Gold Member
I feel the same way. I think Syndicate would've been a huge bomb no matter what.
X-Com may strike on a nerve on console (again, provided its good) because the X-Com brand is more well-known than Syndicate, AND CivRev was very popular on console a while back. But Syndicate? No chance.
I agree: total waste of a franchise.
Stay true to the roots. I think a game like that would have done much better.
I think Syndicate has a better name recognition that XCOM. Maybe it is a Euro thing. Not sure.
RockmanWhore
Member
It was a great idea to make a game nobody wanted in an overcrowded market. Good job EA, you've ruined another franchise, wasted the time of a brilliant team and compromised their future.
Ventilaator
Banned
Holy crap, could you be any more of an idiot?
snoopeasystreet
Member
150,000 probably didn't even cover the skrillex song.
AgentOtaku
Member
More Fun To Compute
Member
Well, UFO is way better than Fallout so if it doesn't smash through sales figures for Fallout 3 it will be a disaster.
jaundicejuice
Member
Uh, actually I'm pretty sure people would've loved to see an honest-to-goodness, real Syndicate. I mean look at how people are reacting to Xcom: Enemy Unknown. The new Syndicate didn't necessarily have to be exactly the same, again, look at Xcom: Enemy unknown. Making the new Syndicate a linear corridor crawler cinematic experience ala CoD sure as shit wasn't the right direction to go in.
And yes, I own Syndicate, I am one of the few that bought the game.
â Narayan
Member
Co-op in this game was fucking awesome. Still is, actually.
Raitosaito
Member
Freaking EA man. . .
Deus Ex had the leak that made people hungry for it though. I liked the look of the game and wanted it, but was weary of it because it was made by a different team and it was their first game. The first 1/3 of the game getting leaked was a great thing. It left people wanting more, wanting to see the end of the game.
Shareware is something that devs of big games should really look into doing again. Because if a dev is confident in their product a shareware release will only help them.
And this is the type of game that probably would have benefited from a shareware release. A good game that got lost in the crowd because it didn't get backing.