Synthetik is a 2D rougelike shooter. If you're new to the term rougelike, it means content is heavily randomized and progress isn't safed after death, allowing devs to limit level design (there are four although lvl 3 is so basic it's more like 3 1/2) in favor of weapons, mechanics and other content.
Since starter weapons are not customizable - there's only 1 good pistol per class anywaysSynthetik is a 2D rougelike shooter. If you're new to the term rougelike, it means content is heavily randomized and progress isn't safed after death, allowing devs to limit level design (there are four although lvl 3 is so basic it's more like 3 1/2) in favor of weapons, mechanics and other content.
Since starter weapons are not customizable - there's only 1 good pistol per class anyways - this means you begin every run with the same weak starter pistol again and again. Weapons gained from crates are largely (you can adjust drop rates in a limited fashion) random, ineffective weapons usually guarantee a short run, many of the stronger ones have ammo issues, requiring you to fall back to the starter pistol. This is the game's biggest shortfal. You can unlock a mission option with random gear later in game, but it can only be accessed once per day.
Progress driven by collecting data points is rather slow in general and additionally limited by data being only saved after defeating bosses. You need data to unlock starter weapons, to unlock some beneficial modifiers and to unlock mission options, which themselves also cost data. You can't collect more than 1000 data, anything beyond that is not stored for some reason. Regarding class progression, perks are unlocked every five levels, exp gain, while not limited by death, of course scales nonlinear, so this too is a bit of a grind. Remember that this is a singleplayer / cooperative game, although it seems it has drawn a bit too much inspiration from it's online counterparts.
Class modules centered around shield regeneration make or break classes. There are lots of these modules but just as with starter items very few are strong enough to be viable. Most of it is just random brainstormed clutter, stuff that could have been usable had more thought gone into making it.
Enemies are well designed and adequate to the number of missions available. AI improves with your own playing skill, making for deadlier and faster moving opponents. Bosses are somewhat randomized.
All in all this is a well made game by a small developer group. But it relies on cheap tricks to slow down progress and distract from lack of content, also there's basically no story. Not worth $20, maybe buy while on discount.… Expand
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