Before Synced is released in the summer of 2023, we got to play the co-op shooter one more time. Who this game is for, however, isn’t quite clear yet.
Bringing a multiplayer shooter to the market and having success with it for years is probably not one of the easiest tasks in the games industry. After all, not only does the game have to be convincing at release, it also has to earn the loyalty of players again and again with updates and new content.
This challenge will soon be met by Synced, a co-op shooter from the giant publisher Tencent that will be released in 2023. We were recently allowed to play the co-op part of the title extensively and talk to a developer, but remain unsure whether the shooter can really be the success we hoped for.
What is Synced anyway?
Synced is a free third-person shooter that is primarily designed for three-player co-op mode. However, those who like can also play alone, or prove their skills in PvP. In Synced we explore an apocalyptic scenario where monsters called Nanos, created by modern technology, have attacked humanity.
From a hub, we’ll ideally set out on missions as a group of three, shooting massive amounts of monsters and taking down a boss. Then it’s back to spending earned currencies on permanent upgrades, listening to found audio logs, and preparing for the next mission.
What makes Synced special?
So far, so ordinary. But Synced also brings its own ideas to the table. The big unique selling point is your monster companions. Thus, you can take four different types of nanos to your side and send them into battle. For example, while the Crusher charges into battle and keeps your opponents busy in close combat, the Suppressor strikes more at range:
The choice of nano, along with the chosen character and weapons, will determine your play style. Because even the six playable fighters so far, so-called runners have different abilities: For example, they can cause area damage with grenades, turn invisible, mark enemies or heal allies.
According to narrative director Kevin Shortt, putting together different teams of three runners and nanos is also one of the attractions of Synced. So you’re invited to experiment with different combinations, and figure out what works well.
Big mess, big fun?
In practice, Synced is a bit chaotic, at least for new players: on the battlefields, which are sometimes hose-like shooter maps, sometimes open areas, massive amounts of enemies rush at us. In addition, our teammates and their nanos then populate the screen, which often makes it hard to shoot at the right target and understand where you’re taking damage from.
(Especially in more colorless environments, it’s hard to tell your nano from your opponents.)
The battles in the three-player team are quite fun, even though Synced doesn’t surprise us at any point: The variety in enemy types and boss fights is limited, and there are no exciting outliers in the arsenal either, aside from the typical rifles, shotguns and pistols.
More exciting is the upgrade system, which gives us random modifications in each round, which we strengthen during the mission and lose again at the end. For example, we destroy the armor of enemies when we push them back – an effect that can occur with critical hits. The modifications each encourage us to play in a certain style, as they can be powerful advantages when used correctly.
Free2Play in blood
In addition to temporary mods, we also get permanent improvements for our weapons and characters. This is also imperative, because we need to be strong enough for certain areas so that the enemies there don’t become invincible bullet sponges and the fights degenerate into frustrating work
But especially with our weapons, we get to feel the Free2Play model here. Because in order to improve their values, such as damage, fire rate or other, we have to collect a lot of resources in missions.
According to the developers, this can take quite a long time – and can be accelerated with premium currency that can be bought with real money. So the developers don’t limit themselves to purely cosmetic microtransactions in the shooter. Otherwise, however, there are only fancy clothes and weapon skins to buy for real money
Why do I keep playing?
When we started playing the game, we came to a point where I wondered what was to come. There is no campaign or continuous story in Synced. In the rather empty-looking maps we find audio logs and texts that explain the background story, but otherwise we just sprint from mission to mission.
To avoid a lack of variety in the long run, the developers have already announced regular seasons with new maps, characters and more. Whether this can refresh the basically somewhat monotonous gameplay loop remains to be seen.
What do we like?
Synced has some clearly nameable strengths. These include:
Nanos: Our companions are helpful partners, and it’s fun to experiment around with the various nanos.
Modifications: The random mods we find in the game could make every round feel different.
Runner: The characters also play pleasantly differently. For example, we can play as a healer, a sniper or a sneak expert.
What doesn’t convince us yet?
On the other hand, some things still make us skeptical:
Long-term motivation: Without a campaign or at least a story progression, it’s not clear what motivates us to continue playing in Synced at all.
Clutter: The battles in Synced sometimes get quite chaotic, because we lose track of everything. Coordinated action is thus made more difficult.
Grind: It is still unclear exactly how much we have to play to improve our weapons or find the best upgrades for the character. That we can shorten the grind through microtransactions is not a good sign, though.
Now it’s your turn: What do you think of the co-op shooter with classic monster invasion? Are you also afraid that Synced might not have enough unique selling points and won’t excite you much? Or have you already played the demo at Steam Next Fest and have a completely different opinion? Feel free to let us know in the comments!
Editor’s verdict
Synced is not a bad game in my opinion. The idea of an AI companion is quite exciting, the shooter looks quite pretty and doesn’t show any major technical quirks. In the end, however, I wonder why I should spend my time with it.
Because I can’t expect a particularly unique scenario, a cool story, or outstanding gameplay. I’m just not sure if the game can build up enough motivation to keep me from putting it aside after a few hours in favor of its numerous competitors.
Maybe the shooter can surprise at release, though. After all, it’s free, so a no-obligation trial is possible for all interested players. And maybe the teams of nanos and runners, the random modifications and the action-packed shootouts will find their loyal fans.
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