25 replies to this topic

[xg4bx]

the bad news? its another friggin FPS.

The oft-rumored EA and Starbreeze Syndicate reboot is real. A product page, including a description and set of screenshots, were put up on the EA Origin store tonight, but were quickly removed. Though not before the internet could grab a hold of it!

EA and Starbreeze are turning the classic real-time tactical franchise into a “unique action shooter” set in a 2069 where “Business is War.” Here’s its description, as seen on the Origin store before it was taken down:


•Visceral FPS Experience: Utilize an upgradable arsenal of futuristic weapons, armor and gear to annihilate your enemies and harvest their chip technology for personal advancement and sinister corporate greed.


http://gematsu.com/2...rst-screenshots

[HuckleCat]

Yeah, I'm actually really pissed about this. Really pissed.


So first X-Com gets the FPS treatment, and now this. Syndicate and Syndicate Wars were 2 of my favorite games of all time, I was really hoping for something truer to them. I have heard people saying "Well, isometric strategy games don't sell anymore, especially not on a console." I think this is only true because none are there to begin with.

A perfect example is Jagged Alliance 2's remake.

http://www.shacknews...ance-2-reloaded

This is what I wanted to happen with the new Syndicate, an even the new X-Com. Same formula, new polish, new stuff to do.

Balls.

I shudder to think what will happen to the rumored Ultima 4 remake.

[Jibbajaba]

Well, if people would buy games tat weren't FPSes or Madden, companies would make other types of games. If you want to play Syndicate, just play Syndicate. It has like 50 levels. That's a lot of replayability.

Chris

[Hyper_Eye]

Man... the original Syndicate offered a ton to work with. They really could have done something awesome with it.

[HuckleCat]

Jibbajaba, on Sat Sep 10, 2011 11:24 PM, said:

Well, if people would buy games tat weren't FPSes or Madden, companies would make other types of games. If you want to play Syndicate, just play Syndicate. It has like 50 levels. That's a lot of replayability.

Chris

Well, Chris, as a fan of the game, I want more. You can only watch a season of your favorite show so many times before you really want the next season, regardless of how many episodes there are. Understand?

I would rather they kept this show canceled instead of taking a different show and giving it the old shows name.

As for the sensible part of your point, yeah, it does suck that the success of FPS games in general has made big companies like EA and Activision "scared" to take risks outside of the genre. My point is that "if you don't try you'll never know". Besides, both companies have proven that if you advertise like crazy, the masses will come.

A strategy game can sell well, especially if they tell morons every commercial break that they need the game. They just need to try.

[xenomorpher]

By unique action shooter they may mean with strategy gameplay too? I think it would be cool to swap between first person and a bird's eye view each being able to maneuver around the map and give orders. That is what I wanted the new X-Com to be like, but it looks like wishful thinking. At least there's DOSBox.

Edited by xenomorpher, Sun Sep 11, 2011 7:51 AM.

[King_Salamon]

Disaster... another FPS to fill the bargain bins.

Shame... a potential franchise reboot get booted square in the nuts.

[Jibbajaba]

HuckleCat, on Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:48 AM, said:

Jibbajaba, on Sat Sep 10, 2011 11:24 PM, said:

Well, if people would buy games tat weren't FPSes or Madden, companies would make other types of games. If you want to play Syndicate, just play Syndicate. It has like 50 levels. That's a lot of replayability.

Chris

Well, Chris, as a fan of the game, I want more. You can only watch a season of your favorite show so many times before you really want the next season, regardless of how many episodes there are. Understand?

Believe me, I completely understand what you're saying. I love it when new games come out that stick to their roots, like New Super Mario Bros.

But if you think that they are going to come out with a sequel to games like X-Com or Syndicate, you are just setting yourself up to be a disappointed and pissed off person. Games cost a LOT of money to make, and FPSes are easy to make since most of them are just built on top of pre-existing engines. This probably just gets more into my attitude about modern games in general, but gaming has become a *thin* shell of its former self. I expect absolutely nothing out of the modern game developer/publisher. If they happen to produce a game that I'll enjoy, great. If not, then I'm perfectly happy playing my older games. But I don't go out and spend a ton of money buying modern consoles on day 1 knowing that I'll get my investment back in entertainment value. Much the opposite. I buy modern consoles cheaply so that I don't have to feel bad about the fact that I hardly play them.

You are right that they could make a modern rehash of Syndicate that sticks to the classic formula, and them ram it down the public's throat with lots of advertising and hype. They could also come out with a complete shitpile of a game (any game) and do the same thing. But in this economy, it's unwise to mess with consumer confidence. It's much safer to stick to a tried-and-true formula that makes a large customer base happy. EA can keep churning out sports sequels and military-themed FPSes and people will keep buying them. There is simply no incentive for them to develop games that appeal to niche audiences.

So believe me when I tell you that I feel your pain. The problem is that you still have hope, while I don't. If you like playing strategy games, look for some titles that you haven't tried yet. Is there an active modding community for X-Com or Syndicate? Maybe someone is making new levels for them.

Chris

[xg4bx]

King_Salamon, on Sun Sep 11, 2011 9:37 AM, said:

Disaster... another FPS to fill the bargain bins.

Shame... a potential franchise reboot get booted square in the nuts.

yup, it'll be right next to xcom and front mission.

[HuckleCat]

Jibbajaba, on Sun Sep 11, 2011 1:25 PM, said:

Games cost a LOT of money to make, and FPSes are easy to make since most of them are just built on top of pre-existing engines. This probably just gets more into my attitude about modern games in general, but gaming has become a *thin* shell of its former self. I expect absolutely nothing out of the modern game developer/publisher. If they happen to produce a game that I'll enjoy, great. If not, then I'm perfectly happy playing my older games. But I don't go out and spend a ton of money buying modern consoles on day 1 knowing that I'll get my investment back in entertainment value. Much the opposite. I buy modern consoles cheaply so that I don't have to feel bad about the fact that I hardly play them.

You are right that they could make a modern rehash of Syndicate that sticks to the classic formula, and them ram it down the public's throat with lots of advertising and hype. They could also come out with a complete shitpile of a game (any game) and do the same thing. But in this economy, it's unwise to mess with consumer confidence. It's much safer to stick to a tried-and-true formula that makes a large customer base happy. EA can keep churning out sports sequels and military-themed FPSes and people will keep buying them. There is simply no incentive for them to develop games that appeal to niche audiences.

Ok, yeah, I do hear what you're saying.

It's just a damn shame. It's like hearing that the Beatles are reforming, but only to just play Britney Spears songs.

[Gabriel]

And another franchise joins the list of rape victims.

[Reaperman]

xcom and syndicate universes could be good settings for FPS titles, but why call them xcom and syndicate? Why not call them 'futuristic shooter x' or something. When I hear that they're coming back, I expect them to actually come back.

Fallout 3 made a nice transition to first-person, so I guess there's hope. It somewhat kept with the genre of the original--minus the movement system, though. Do people really like shooters this much?

Sometimes it seems like a better idea to keep the classics buried.
I'm expecting a Wing Commander FPS out of EA next. Or maybe 'Great American Cross Country Road Race: Extraction Team.'

Edited by Reaperman, Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:08 AM.

[roland p]

I wonder what made them choose for an FPS style game. The sims are isometric too, and that is selling well. Lots of RTS games (which I don't care for) are isometric too. Or should I say birds-eye-view?

It would be really cool if they had chosen the old isometric style, but in 1920x1080 for ultra-detailed cities.

I just hope that it's going to be a cool game and that we are proven wrong.

[Vic George 2K3]

There's only one answer if you want a true sequel to your favorite games that the leading game companies aren't giving you...

CREATE IT YOURSELF!!!

[HuckleCat]

Vic George 2K3, on Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:25 AM, said:

There's only one answer if you want a true sequel to your favorite games that the leading game companies aren't giving you...

CREATE IT YOURSELF!!!

Hopefully you're just being sarcastic, but on the premise that you're not though, I will explain what's wrong with this suggestion.

First off, not everybody has the time to sit around and learn the skills needed to pull this off. Second, and this is actually more important,

IT'S POINTLESS TO READ A BOOK THAT YOU YOURSELF WROTE!!!

It's a waste of time. Think about it. What fun is it to play something when you know what will happen, where everything is, and what you will find? No discovery, no exploration, no surprise, no fun.

So, no.

[Vic George 2K3]

To HuckleCat: YOUR PROBLEM, NOT MINE!!! It's one thing if you don't have the skills to create your own sequel, but if you have the skills and you stick up the middle finger at the idea of creating your own sequel while expecting everyone else to create it, that's just an excuse for laziness.

Edited by Vic George 2K3, Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:14 PM.

[Rex Dart]

Vic George 2K3, on Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:25 AM, said:

There's only one answer if you want a true sequel to your favorite games that the leading game companies aren't giving you...

CREATE IT YOURSELF!!!

Hahaha... what a lousy suggestion. I mean, it'd work fine if the game in question were some early 80's title like Dig Dug, but Syndicate? Come on. The only real solution to wanting a true sequel to this particular game is to get over it, because it isn't going to happen.

[Hatta]

HuckleCat, on Sat Sep 10, 2011 10:44 PM, said:

A perfect example is Jagged Alliance 2's remake.

http://www.shacknews...ance-2-reloaded

The what? Awesome! Looks like it's not quite turn based, but it will have to do. Does anyone else keep their fingers hovered over the pause button in these semi-real time games? I swear, I spend more game time paused than playing these games, and almost all gameplay takes place while paused.

[HuckleCat]

Vic George 2K3, on Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:12 PM, said:

To HuckleCat: YOUR PROBLEM, NOT MINE!!! It's one thing if you don't have the skills to create your own sequel, but if you have the skills and you stick up the middle finger at the idea of creating your own sequel while expecting everyone else to create it, that's just an excuse for laziness.

You not being intelligent enough to be clever is actually not my problem.

Seriously, you come up with a douchebag solution, I explain to you why your point is more than flawed, and now you're all upset about it. Quit crying.

Hatta, on Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:43 PM, said:

HuckleCat, on Sat Sep 10, 2011 10:44 PM, said:

A perfect example is Jagged Alliance 2's remake.

http://www.shacknews...ance-2-reloaded

The what? Awesome! Looks like it's not quite turn based, but it will have to do. Does anyone else keep their fingers hovered over the pause button in these semi-real time games? I swear, I spend more game time paused than playing these games, and almost all gameplay takes place while paused.

Yeah, that pretty much sums up my entire experience with Fallout Tactics. Still loved the game though.

[HuckleCat]

This is more like it:

http://www.rockpaper...rtel-interview/

[Karyyk]

Reaperman, on Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:07 AM, said:

I'm expecting a Wing Commander FPS out of EA next. Or maybe 'Great American Cross Country Road Race: Extraction Team.'

Honestly, as bad as the last Wing Commander game was on XBL, an FPS would be a step up (and no, I'm not saying I want that, just that Wing Commander Arena was a travesty).

[RARusk]

I've never played any of the "Syndicate" games but I am interested in this version, mainly because of Starbreeze Studio's involvement. They made the excellent "The Chronicles of Riddick" titles and "The Darkness", games that I've liked enough to write text based guides on.

I know that a lot of you don't like the direction "Syndicate" has taken but the involvement of Starbreeze Studios may make this more interesting than your standard FPS fare.

I find it intriguing that "Syndicate" is being released at about the same time as "The Darkness II" which is being handled by Digital Extremes. I already plan to write a guide on "The Darkness II" (along with "Hitman: Absolution" and "Grand Theft Auto V") but if "Syndicate" is as good as Starbreeze's other works I may do one for it as well.

[HuckleCat]

I did really like the Riddick game.

The trailer actually does not look bad, I just wish it wasn't called Syndicate. It is cool though that they used the music from the original. Too bad that's all they used.

[A_Locomotive]

I agree on Riddick, Easily one of my top favorite games. As for Syndicate, I've never played the original though that will change soon, a seller on ebay had it for $10 sealed and new for the Jaguar, bought it and its on its way.

[Reaperman]

A_Locomotive, on Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:39 PM, said:

I agree on Riddick, Easily one of my top favorite games. As for Syndicate, I've never played the original though that will change soon, a seller on ebay had it for $10 sealed and new for the Jaguar, bought it and its on its way.

I've tried a bit to play console versions, but could never get into them. I for sure have the Genesis, psp, and Jag versions--maybe even the snes. I'm pretty sure that they don't use the mouse for the systems that had them, which would really have helped them out. With a controller, it felt like I was fighting a complex control set that didn't work well with the style.

Oddly wikipedia lists the new title as a 'remake' of the original. (link)