Synapse

Synapse is a substantial, somewhat interesting FPS adventure and a compelling PSVR 2 exclusive that lets you become a mind-trawling mayhem merchant with psychic powers.

A beautiful and exquisitely violent ballet of gunfire and telekinesis, that feels incredible to play but lacks the challenge or variety for long term play.

Synapse is a roguelite shooter with an interesting idea, but without much depth. With the aim of repeating the areas to become stronger and more agile, in addition to a simple plot, Synapse is worth checking out for its fun gameplay and nothing more.

We recognize that Synapse tried hard but may have accomplished little but style. However, we must also acknowledge that Synapse may not be a game for everyone. It is brilliantly inspired and tries to combine successful mechanics that, in theory, would have resulted in a compelling game. If you are up for a tough challenge and are into Soulslike games, Synapse may be worth playing. For an FPS player, the game should last around 12 hours, and that is 12 hours of a solid VR game; it is immersive, has interesting abilities, intriguing gameplay choices and a great atmosphere. But that is the right amount of time before everything becomes mundane and repetitive. So suppose you are like me and must spend several hours grinding, doing and seeing more of the same to go past the first few areas of Synapse. In that case, I suggest you skip it altogether and find a more approachable and less repetitive game to play.

I wouldn't call Synapse a must-have for PlayStation VR2, but it's certainly a unique experience. Basic gameplay and character development are brilliantly executed, so if you decide to pick up this game, you'll be throwing enemies to the ground and bludgeoning them with virtual bullets with a smile on your face. It's just a shame that the small amount of content makes it feel a bit like a proof of concept rather than a full-fledged game.

Synapse is at its best when you are flinging enemies around and shooting them from the sky. Unfortunately, poorly paced-difficulty changes and an unsatisfying endgame left me wanting a little more.

Mechanically, Synapse is incredible, but the breadth of content is another story. This feels like a proof of concept for a full experience, once the amount of content can match the level of gameplay.

Synapse gives players an incredible feeling of telekinetic power that's undeniably cool and fun, and also adapts some of the best mechanics from nDreams' last game, Fracked. But Synapse follows a now familiar pattern for the developer: unique and well-built VR mechanics that are unfortunately paired with middling game design that lacks enemy, weapon, level, and scenario variety. While the game asks players to beat a 'full run' three times to reveal its full narrative, you'll have seen most of what the game has to offer not long after your first completion. As a roguelite, Synapse is missing that compelling feeling that makes you want to try new strategies as you play over and over.

Synapse has very nice game mechanics that are the basis for everything, but since everything only breathes "glorified tech demo", it is difficult for me to really spew out any real praise.

A great power fantasy that invites the creation of strong cinematic moments, but is also never quite pushed to its limits in terms of content and playfulness.