Hello, this is RetroAhoy - and this is Game Over.
In this episode: Syndicate - an isometric tactical shooter, wrapped in a dystopian cyberpunk
setting.
Syndicate was published in 1993 by Electronic Arts - and developed by Bullfrog Productions,
based in Guildford, in the UK. Bullfrog’s first game was Fusion, in 1988
- a top down shoot-em-up, programmed and designed in part by studio co-founder Peter Molyneux.
In 1989, Populous would be the game that would help establish their reputation, being arguably
the first 'god game', and one that would kick start an entire genre.
Populous was followed two years later with a sequel in Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian
Gods. Soon after, Bullfrog would release Syndicate,
a drastic departure from the mythical setting.
Cyberpunk was a popular theme for video games of the era, stemming from science fiction
literature of the late 20th century and its transition to cinema, such as Blade Runner
in 1982. 1988's Neuromancer was amongst the first cyberpunk
games, a loose adaptation of William Gibson's 1984 novel into an interactive adventure,
set in a futuristic Chiba City, Japan. Adventure games were a popular genre for the
theme, with titles such as B.A.T. taking advantage of the newer 16-bit hardware to illustrate
the game's vision of a bleak future society. Some titles introduced more action, such as
Shadowrun on the SNES in 1993 - a game based on the table-top RPG of the same name.
With a mix of RPG elements, and real-time action - this was a memorable title with a
rich cyberpunk narrative.
Syndicate is set in a futuristic world ruled by corporations - with global reach and a
distinct lack of morals, any means of furthering the corporation's interest is fair game.
You play an executive, in charge of up to four cyborg agents - with a host of cybernetic
upgrades and an arsenal of high-tech weaponry at your disposal.
These agents are your pawns in a game of global domination - as you complete each mission,
you extend your corporation's reach into that domain, and swell the coffers with the resultant
tax income. Rival corporations were the key threat - with
each employing their own cyborg agents in a manner similar to you. Killing enemy agents
was a common objective in many missions, as eliminating all resistance left the region
ripe for the taking. Other missions included more surgical assassinations,
with a single specific target - and persuasion missions, in which you have to employ a device
called a ‘persuadertron’ to… ‘encourage’ enemy scientists to join your cause.
Most solutions grow from the barrel of a gun, however - and as such you had quite some hardware
at your disposal. Your agents start with pistols - sufficient
for the first couple of missions, but later outclassed by progressively more powerful
automatic weapons, such as the Uzi - and the devastating power and awesome sound of the
minigun. More specialist weapons are available too,
including weapons ideal for tackling unsuspecting foes at long range - and the massive explosive
ordnance the rocket-launching Gauss gun offered. These later weapons weren't available from
the outset - instead, you had to allot funds to your R&D department to unlock them for
purchase. Cyborg upgrades were another potential avenue
for research, and a variety could be purchased for your agents in the field, enhancing their
combat ability. Later missions have greater dependence on
such upgrades, and will require a full set of 4 upgraded cyborgs armed to the teeth - as
the difficulty level increases steadily with each region unlocked.
Rival syndicate agents become better equipped, and without quick reflexes and improved armour,
you won't last long - the dystopian city streets of Syndicate teem with low-life and high-tech.
Similarly cyberpunk title System Shock was released the year after the first Syndicate
game; With a full 3D environment and immersive world, it's arguably the first cyberpunk first
person shooter - and its sequel in 1999 would lay the foundations for the more recent Bioshock
series. Deus Ex took inspiration from System Shock,
and occupies a similar genre - a fusion of first-person shooter and RPG, set in a familiar
dystopian future typical of a cyberpunk setting. The Deus Ex universe was revisited recently,
with 2011's Deus Ex: Human Revolution - a fairly faithful update to the original's mechanics,
which is less than can be said for the ultimate fate of the Syndicate franchise.
Syndicate would get an expansion in American Revolt - a set of new missions in which you
must quell a rebellion in the Americas. It was noted for a considerable ramp in difficulty
compared to the original mission set - ideal for those wanting a challenge.
Syndicate Wars would be released in 1996, the first true sequel to the original game
and marking the transition from isometric graphics to 3D, running on a modified Magic
Carpet engine. The game didn't stray too far from the original,
barring visual changes - but the game lacked the influence of Sean Cooper, and reviewed
only moderately well, lacking the critical acclaim of the original.
Bullfrog established quite a reputation at the start of the 90s, and went on to produce
a number of successful games during this period. Theme Park was one such title in 1994 - although
quite a radical departure from the dark dystopia of Syndicate, it was a well polished and innovative
take on the business management genre – and a key inspiration for the later Rollercoaster
Tycoon. Bullfrog were acquired by Electronic Arts
in 1995, perhaps marking the beginning of the end - but would release a few good titles
yet, such as the successor to Theme Park, ‘Theme Hospital’ in 1997, along with the
Dungeon Keeper series. Bullfrog co-founder Peter Molyneux left the
studio in 1997 to found Lionhead Studios, known for ambitious god-game Black & White
in 2001, and the Fable series - including the most recent entry, Fable III, and the
forthcoming Kinect-only ‘Fable: The Journey’. Theme Park Inc - also known as SimCoaster
- would be Bullfrog's last title in 2001. The studio was ultimately combined into EA
UK in 2004. EA UK, later known as 'Bright Light', would
close its doors in 2011.
Electronic Arts retain the rights to the Syndicate franchise, and - together with Starbreeze
Studios, previously responsible for The Darkness - released a series reboot in early 2012.
The new game adopts a more market-friendly first person shooter mantle, with the game
being a far cry from the first. Still, it rekindles some of the atmosphere
of the Syndicate universe, and features some of the weapons and concepts first introduced
in the original.
Dark, brooding and atmospheric, the original Syndicate is a satisfying shooter in a compelling
universe. Few real-time squad-based strategy games have
matched it; and fewer still can boast a weapon as satisfying to use as the gauss gun.
Bullfrog may be no more; but their legacy remains.
This has been Syndicate, and this is Game Over.
Thanks for watching - and be sure to join me next time, when we'll be covering forgotten
realms from a title that would open the gate for an upstart studio and raise the bar for
later RPGs. Until then, farewell.