Support NeoGAF

[CecilRousso]

Serves them (the publisher and the suits) right, when they lack ambition with the game concept. It´s a shame for the actual developers though, who did what they could within those constratins, and at least created a game with a great art style.

 

[glaurung]

I wanted to buy it, but I never got around to it. The reviews were also less than favorable. Still, 150k units moved is very poor, even for EA.

The demo didn't do it any favors either.

 

[Aaron]

Really? It was just a fairly even, consistant game for me. Im curious, what were the highs and lows for you? It was fairly similar the whole way through, I don't really understand these peaks and troughs you speak of.

Getting trapped in a room where enemies spawn from rooms you can't enter due to invisible doors, followed up by an annoying boss fight where none of your tricks work. That's a low point. The whole train section that followed it though was amazing.

There's also highs and lows in the core gameplay. Like having to hold a button to hack is bad design. It should be like active reload, that is tap to start and tap again to hit the sweet spot. That way you wouldn't be so distracted from the half dozen dudes shooting you in the face. The weapons have a great feel to them, but the vision mode is pretty terrible in the way it blacks out most things. Batman did it so much better. Upgrade system is light but nice, while having to hold a button to select grenades before throwing them is SHIT.

 

[madmackem]

All the comments on this thread make me wonder if people even give it a chance or even played it, its a very good game really enjoying it. Jeff at giantbomb also seemed to love it. Another on the list of good games that have sold like shit (binary domian).

 

[Nome]

Wow, I had no clue this was already released

 

[FuKuy]

Requiring Origin didn't help. My brother and I refused to buy it because of that alone.

Worst than that, the game is not even available on the major PC gaming store: STEAM.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

All the comments on this thread make me wonder if people even give it a chance or even played it, its a very good game really enjoying it. Jeff at giantbomb also seemed to love it. Another on the list of good games that have sold like shit (binary domian).

I played all the way to the fight with the chaingun guy on a ledge and two woman chasing you around, the game is a mess.

 

[subversus]

Wow, I had no clue this was already released

haha

MARKETING

 

[michaelius]

All the comments on this thread make me wonder if people even give it a chance or even played it, its a very good game really enjoying it. Jeff at giantbomb also seemed to love it. Another on the list of good games that have sold like shit (binary domian).

Nope.

If i gave it a chance it would mean i bought it.
If i bought it it would mean i gave them my money.
If i gave them my money It would mean I'm supporting turning iconic strategy games into FPS.

 

[NinjaBoiX]

Getting trapped in a room where enemies spawn from rooms you can't enter due to invisible doors, followed up by an annoying boss fight where none of your tricks work. That's a low point. The whole train section that followed it though was amazing.

There's also highs and lows in the core gameplay. Like having to hold a button to hack is bad design. It should be like active reload, that is tap to start and tap again to hit the sweet spot. That way you wouldn't be so distracted from the half dozen dudes shooting you in the face. The weapons have a great feel to them, but the vision mode is pretty terrible in the way it blacks out most things. Batman did it so much better. Upgrade system is light but nice, while having to hold a button to select grenades before throwing them is SHIT.

Can't say I disagree with those sentiments. Also, to much in the way of none interactive cut scenes. I still enjoyed it though!

 

[Card Boy]

1) Shat on original fanbase and made into an FPS
2) Banned in Australia
3) Origin requirement
4) No Steam
5) No advertising
6) Not fixing bugs
7) Shouldnt of being $60
8) No PC demo to my knowledge
9) EA backlash
10) Average reviews

Yeah it's no wonder it sold like shit.

 

[Aaron]

Can't say I disagree with those sentiments. Also, to much in the way of none interactive cut scenes. I still enjoyed it though!

Definitely enjoyed it overall and feel it was worth playing, but there's some really rough edges that should have been playtested.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

1) Shat on original fanbase and made into an FPS
2) Banned in Australia
3) Origin requirement
4) No Steam
5) No advertising
6) Not fixing bugs
7) Shouldnt of being $60
8) No PC demo to my knowledge
9) EA backlash
10) Average reviews

Yeah it's no wonder it sold like shit.

11) Announced then released within a few months

 

[AHA-Lambda]

Just slightly better than Syndicate, unfortunately.

Now, that's a shame, I did enjoy the darkness 2

 

[Arksy]

Maybe it would've sold more if they put the game on Steam....Ya'know...Just sayin' :/

Edit: Oops was on first page, massively beaten.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

11) Announced then released within a few months

The excitement and anticipation for this game was building up at such a pace that it might even have sold 200k if it was announced four years ago. (It was pretty much an open secret that it existed anyway.)

 

[subversus]

Now, that's a shame, I did enjoy the darkness 2

nvm, it was about sales

 

[dark10x]

If we didn't do an exact copy of the game, they'd hate us. If we did do an exact copy, they'd say we didn't innovate. They were never ours to win; it was a lost battle from the get-go.

I think this is a bit of a black and white statement. They could have created a different sort of game that still managed to please fans of the original.

I think something like Watch Dogs actually gives a better indication of what Syndicate could have been, for instance.

Really, if they had simply taken more of a "Deus Ex" approach to building the game they would have garnered more praise and possibly more sales, I believe. Syndicate, as it was released, was basically nothing more than a linear shooter with a nonsensical plot and poor progression. It really could have been so much more.

 

[PedroLumpy]

Throw me in with the Defence Force, I really enjoyed it.

Mechanically, it was the best shooter I've played in a long while.

 

[Stallion Free]

When EA really doesn't give a shit about a game, they really don't give a shit. See: BulletStorm.

 

[Glass Rebel]

Thinking about it, this has probably zero chance of appearing on Steam, right? Does it use Origin for multiplayer/matchmaking?

 

[Stallion Free]

Thinking about it, this has probably zero chance of appearing on Steam, right? Does it use Origin for multiplayer/matchmaking?

That shouldn't make a difference, it's just the selling of DLC... which Syndicate will never get.

I'm waiting for a 10$ bomba though, I don't care what service.

 

[Glass Rebel]

That shouldn't make a difference, it's just the selling of DLC... which Syndicate will never get.

I'm waiting for a 10$ bomba though, I don't care what service.

Ah, I knew about the DLC thing but I thought it was about requiring a separate client as well.

 

[Stallion Free]

Ah, I knew about the DLC thing but I thought it was about requiring a separate client as well.

Street Fighter won't function without the GFWL client installed.

 

[Glass Rebel]

Street Fighter won't function without the GFWL client installed.

Do you mean the Marketplace client or the regular one that every GFWL game used? If it's the former that's rather unexpected. It's sometimes hard to know where Valve pulls the line.

 

[Stallion Free]

Do you mean the Marketplace client or the regular one that every GFWL game used? If it's the former that's rather unexpected. It's sometimes hard to know where Valve pulls the line.

Those are one in the same.

EA made this game exclusive from Steam because they wanted too, not because of any rules.

 

[codhand]

I'm just sad for Starbreeze, Chronicles of Riddick and Darkness remain two of my all time favorite FPS.

 

[Stallion Free]

I'm just sad for Starbreeze, Chronicles of Riddick and Darkness remain two of my all time favorite FPS.

I'm pretty sure *that* Starbreeze doesn't exist anymore as most of those teams are gone.

 

[Derrick01]

All the comments on this thread make me wonder if people even give it a chance or even played it, its a very good game really enjoying it. Jeff at giantbomb also seemed to love it. Another on the list of good games that have sold like shit (binary domian).

From what I understand I made it about halfway/60% before I had to quit. It was just too terrible so I sent it back, but it's currently the worst game I've played in 2012 at this point of the year.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

Loved this game. Good to know I contributed to that tiny figure. Hopefully starbreeze aren't too hard on themselves about it.

 

[codhand]

I'm pretty sure *that* Starbreeze doesn't exist anymore as most of those teams are gone.

From what I've seen of the game it seemed to retain a lot of the same atmosphere and full-body-mechanics style that the other Starbreeze games had, but I didn't play it so I can't comment.

 

[Glass Rebel]

Those are one in the same.

EA made this game exclusive from Steam because they wanted too, not because of any rules.

themoreyouknow.jpg Thanks, I thought they were separate for some reason. It's the GFWL team after all.

Loved this game. Good to know I contributed to that tiny figure. Hopefully starbreeze aren't too hard on themselves about it.

Oh don't worry, they're in full denial mode right now.

 

[mclem]

I'm glad it bombed as hard as it did. Maybe next time publishers will think twice before "modernizing" (ie shooterizing) classic PC games.

I don't think it's inherently wrong to investigate genre shifts within a universe; in principle, I'm fine with the idea of FPSes set within the Syndicate or X-Com (or, for that matter, Shadowrun) universes; I think the Metroid universe might just lend itself to a nice survival horror adventure, and I could see the merit in a Resident Evil squad-based strategy game.

I don't think devs should be scared to do that despite the reactions here; these universes are more adaptable than the genres that birthed them, and they shouldn't be shackled to just one genre.

...that said, if you do that, mention "It's set within the Syndicate universe" casually, in passing. Don't start promoting it as "a new Syndicate game". Gamers will generally associate titles with *genres*, not universes.

...that said, though, that does require you to keep a tight lid on leaks and exert very careful control of how the news is delivered; a leak with insufficient information will mutate and become dangerous *very* quickly, and it's very easy for your intent to get lost and peoples' expectations become impossible to meet.


In this specific example, I honestly don't recall: in what context did we *first* hear that 'a new Syndicate game' was on the way?

 

[elektrixx]

That money they used to get Skrillex to remix the original game's theme could have been used for marketing.

No man THAT WAS THE BEST.

It should've had dubstep throughout the game.

 

[8bit]

In this specific example, I honestly don't recall: in what context did we *first* hear that 'a new Syndicate game' was on the way?

Long time rumours, and then it was widely assumed any time Project RedLime was mentioned it was Syndicate. It was revealed to stunned silence and indifference late last year.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-12-ea-and-starbreeze-announce-syndicate-fps

 

[Nemesis_]

It's actually a really fun shooter that does things a little bit differently. The co-operative modes are fantastic when you play them with a group of good people.

Really loving Syndicate right now, this news does sadden me though. Starbreeze are amazing developers who have a great knack for designing and delivering superb atmosphere in almost every game they've put out.

 

[codhand]

The industry as a whole is down, people happy it bombed, will also be mad when the next game is browser only.

 

[mclem]

Long time rumours, and then it was widely assumed any time Project RedLime was mentioned it was Syndicate. It was revealed to stunned silence and indifference late last year.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-09-12-ea-and-starbreeze-announce-syndicate-fps

But at that point, were the rumours of "a new Syndicate game" or "a new game in the Syndicate universe"? My point is that those are two very different things, and I'm wondering if it was the rumourmill itself which spawned the worst of the reception.

Had they plugged the leaks and controlled the story, I think they could perhaps have salvaged peoples' initial impressions.

 

[8bit]

But at that point, were the rumours of "a new Syndicate game" or "a new game in the Syndicate universe"? My point is that those are two very different things, and I'm wondering if it was the rumourmill itself which spawned the worst of the reception.

IIRC it was spoken of as a well-regarded franchise which was being brought up to date for modern sensibilities, but reboot and reinvention were tossed around as well. I don't think it was ever mentioned as set in the universe but I'm not entirely sure.

 

[Commanche Raisin Toast]

Oh don't worry, they're in full denial mode right now.

Good. Crossing my fingers that it lasts long enough for them to get another game out.

 

[Derrick01]

The industry as a whole is down, people happy it bombed, will also be mad when the next game is browser only.

Honestly it probably has a better chance of being like the original if it's browser only. I still won't play it because I don't play browser games, just saying that.

 

[NHale]

Singleplayer shows a lot of promise in the first 3/4 chapters but then the game turns into a standard FPS where you can use some unique abilities once in a while. And the campaign is really short, it took me 4 hours to finish it.

Co-op is a lot better but the more I play it, the less I like it. I'm guessing it's the repetitiveness of playing the exact same maps with the same exact enemies spawning in the same place every time.

Asking the same price for this game as other games with more and better content is the problem here imho.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

I've been thinking about picking this up, but how is it in terms of interactivity? I hate how nowadays most fps'es forget about creating different kinds of scenarios that you control via instinct and instead replace those with quicktime events or scripted first-person sections (the worst thing to grace gaming).

BF3 was basically this, where you never felt immersed because you constantly were thinking "Now it's scripted/QTE so no point in trying to control what's happening", Bulletstorm also suffered from this, and MW3... Almost all fpses nowadays suffers from this when I think about it...

 

[Pyronite]

To be fair, if Starbreeze were the ones to make it, it was never going to be anything but an FPS. That's where their experience and talent lies. To put them in charge of anything but would have been an equally strange decision for a developer of their pedigree.

 

[WickedCobra03]

It's $30 at BB right now. Thinking about picking it up.

That is the money I am willing to spend on it. That and the deus ex. $34.99 as retail price, and I would have been there on day one, but I just beat Battlefield 3, and still have yet to finish Mass Effect 3 and Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit. As you can tell by that, I have limited gaming time and therefore, its hard to justify buying anything day 1 that I know I wont get to for at least 6 months a lot of times and for $60 at that.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

To be fair, if Starbreeze were the ones to make it, it was never going to be anything but an FPS. That's where their experience and talent lies. To put them in charge of anything but would have been an equally strange decision for a developer of their pedigree.

I'm a fan of the Amiga game but all I wanted was a good Starbreeze game, they failed to deliver that.

I've been thinking about picking this up, but how is it in terms of interactivity? I hate how nowadays most fps'es forget about creating different kinds of scenarios that you control via instinct and instead replace those with quicktime events or scripted first-person sections (the worst thing to grace gaming).

BF3 was basically this, where you never felt immersed because you constantly were thinking "Now it's scripted/QTE so no point in trying to control what's happening", Bulletstorm also suffered from this, and MW3... Almost all fpses nowadays suffers from this when I think about it...

It's really linear, at first the abilities seems like they might elevate the game but even those end up being less then they should be.

It's better to just play Darkness, Butcher Bay or DA again.