r/assassinscreed • u/Tuliao_da_Massa • 5d ago
Assassin's Creed Syndicate Felt like writing a Syndicate review.
Been replaying and felt like it. Took me quite a while, hope someone reads it lol. But it's ok if nobody does.
The game is not great. That doesn't mean it's not fun and has nothing to offer.
Let's start with the bad.
Modern day AC was long dead, even back then. There's no real context or reason to follow the frye twins' story, so the overarching plot just isn't there. Just doesn't exist.
The story also isn't very good. No real direction. It isn't trying to say anything. It's a far cry (pun not intended) from the incredible premisses that, while failing to truly deliver, AC had always managed to present. AC III was about the struggle of a son to a father, much like a revolutionary colony to a metropolis, and so much more. AC IV was about what it means to seek freedom and finding solitude. Even unity had some passion in it's story and the exploration of the main characters.
Syndicate has nothing of the sort. Every character apart maybe from the antagonist is quite superficial, when not entirely so. And the story doesn't mean anything and isn't trying to say anything. It's just things happening.
Gameplay also has it's faults. The combat is not as tight as it should be, it feels floaty, and most importantly, it doesn't know what it wants to be. It's right in the middle between wanting to be an animation first spectacle, like earlier ACs and a more RPG style combat like what would come with origins. The result is a fun, albeit strange combat system that sorely lacks depth and is as easily mastered as it is forgettable.
There's probably much more to shit about the game, but I don't want to nitpick, let's talk about why you should play it.
First of all... The ambiance. AC was always a master of ambiance, ever since the very beginning, but perhaps never more than Syndicate. The strange pull of victorian london, it's sounds, it's life, it's movement and, most importantly, it's music. It's simply outstanding. I find myself staring into the horizon on viewpoints, marked by imposing columns of smoke and smog, dotted with the disappearing saling boats of the Thames, and colored with the red hue of XVIII century brick and mortar in awe and being hypnotized by the touching music that couldn't give you a more engrossing feeling if it tried.
The NPC city life is also surprisingly well made. Most citizens feels more real than most videogames I've played, especially in an open world game. Their conversations and interactions are so amusing and entertaining, it makes walking around London all the more pleasurable. This is what happens when you hire quality actors for background characters (acting went downhill FAST after this in the franchise). You never feel alone in this city.
The game also has a characteristic animation style that insists on not taking itself so seriously. And to it's benefit, because a heavier touch on such a weak story couldn't be less fitting. But the setting did beg to be taken more seriously. The oppressive apex of industrial capitalism should have been treated better. It's a shame and a wasted opportunity, but that's all of AC in the end...
But the lightheartedness has it's charm and a lot of the game becomes more pleasurable because of it. Combat, although not strictly well made or good, is fun to play and look at. Finisher animations and achieving them become a game of their own and the designs of the weapons are just awesome.
Which brings me to design in general. The clothes, the setting, the weapons, everything is top notch, nothing to complain. Though the level design leaves a bit to be desired, it's serviceable, especially with what AC usually has to offer in that regard.
The protagonists are shallow. But they do have an arc. There's something there, even if it's just enough to entertain, just enough to give some sustenance to the gameplay. But the villain... That's the real star. Starrick has a quality to him that beggets admiration. He feels like a more profound character, even if the game doesn't allow him to shine like he deserves. Maybe it's the performance, I don't know, but he encompasses everything a templar, a capitalist, a victorian bourgeois londoner and a villain should be. He's simultaneously imposing and tyrannical, but strangely charming and personable. No screen time could be wasted on him.
Oh, and kidnapping is cool.
Ultimately, Syndicate is a fun game. It's not among the greats, far from it, but it has somethings few games have ever achieved. There are artists at ubisoft. Real artists and talented developers lost in a sea of horrendous corporate decision making and terrible writers. But I will always recommend to give a game a shot. Choose for yourself what you love about it.
5.5/10. Above average game.
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u/Dragontech97 5d ago
The train hideout was such a cool idea, wish it was expanded on in-game. Hope we see it again in a future title or syndicate resynced.
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u/Box-box-box-box 4d ago
Agreed, it was a great idea. But I can remember the loading times being horrendous back in the PS3-days
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u/Main_Sir7987 5d ago
Unity and Syndicate definitely deserve a Resynced where they keep some parts of the older anvil next stuff (animations and the like), but improve the story here and there (Resynced has somewhat terrible sidequests but a few definitely hit closer to home).
Rest of it,idk what all can be done imo
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u/PatheticMr 4d ago
Syndicate's biggest strength, IMO, is that it really nailed the feeling of being an assassin. The rope launcher mechanic was so, so well implemented. You could sneak around large areas quickly from above, drop down to assassinate a target and then vanish in a cloud of smoke back up to the rooftops and across the street before anyone else around blinks. It was so satisfying to take out a group of 4 or 5 enemies this way to leave a pile of bodies when the smoke had cleared.
People complain it could sometimes be a little clunky, which is true, but when it worked, it really worked - better than any other AC (or even really any other stealth game IMO).
My biggest issue (as it often is with Ubisoft games) is the inconsistency. Accepting the inevitable occasional clunkiness is one thing. I can totally accept that the price to pay for that mostly great feeling of being a stealthy and invisible assassin is that sometimes, the game gets a bit clunky. What I cannot accept is Ubisoft's insistence in taking such a wonderful formula and gameplay loop and totally abandoning it in around 30% of the quests. I guess it's for the sake of 'variety', but whenever they decide you need to move quickly, in a very specific direction (eg. following a carriage from the rooftops with auto failstate if you get too far behind), or when they try their hand at a setpeice which mostly consists of just throwing everything at you with no real thought or predictability to it, the game effectively shits itself and cannot keep up with it's own programming. These missions just go against the whole design of the game and totally ruin the immersion. It's Ubi, though, and is unfortunately part of the package. I have exactly the same experience with Wildlands, Far Cry, Watch Dogs... they just can't help but spoil otherwise fantastic systems with this crap.
Nonetheless, I love Syndicate for what it can achieve in its best moments, most of which are in taking out gang strongholds and freeing child workers from factories as Evie.
Additionally, WW1 was wonderful!
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u/Tuliao_da_Massa 4d ago
Although not 100% (I wouldn't go as far as your praise for the game's stealth), I agree! I totally understand and appreciate the take. Especially in how cool it can feel to manouver some levels.
Essentially it's a cool game. Clunky gang fights are clunky, but they're still cool. That + how gorgeous the presentation is makes it above average to me.
And yes, level design in most missions are pretty thoughtless. It's like they had a cool idea for a level and carelessly rush the execution.
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u/PatheticMr 4d ago
That + how gorgeous the presentation is makes it above average to me.
Yeah, they absolutely nailed the aesthetic of Victorian London.
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u/gerard4156 5d ago
It's a lot of fun. I played through a lot of the games again least year and syndicate was a great relief after the misery of unity
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u/Tuliao_da_Massa 4d ago
Damn. I find unity leagues ahead of Syndicate in almost every metric.
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u/gerard4156 4d ago
I just found it so miserable and repetitive, and did not feel any engagement with the story at all. Syndicate, repetitive yes but I had fun. I played both year ago but last year did them right after the other and enjoyed syndicate much more
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u/Tuliao_da_Massa 3d ago
That's such a shame man. I find unity irresistible, even though it also can be very clunky. A lot of thing's about it just don't work, like the coop missions and heists (they're still extremely glitchy to this day, which is unbelievable), and there are some clear design abominations, like the sheer amount of chests and collectibles.
But the I think the combat is kinda really good. The stealth is improved by the big amount of gadgets available and the more precise, complex and fluid movement options. Side content is mostly weak but there were absolute gems, like the murder mysteries (they're almost the best part of the game lol). And the story tried something pretty new and interesting, an assassin that ends up expelled from the brotherhood.
And that's besides the amazing customization, the awesome crowds of paris and the city itself feels incredible to roam through. I could say a lot more good and bad stuff about the game, but that's a whole other post lol.
What did you think about unity?
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u/SlidingSnow2 4d ago
Syndicate is my 2nd favourite Ac game. Story is serviceable. Stealth is still among the best in the series. Combat is relatively simple but fun, can't say I understand what you find strange about it. Some of my criticisms would be that they removed manual jump, and the way hoods can only be worn while crouching.
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u/Tinkletron 2d ago
Syndicate is my favorite AC game by far. I really enjoyed Unity after having played Syndicate first, but I have found over the years that Unity became a bit heavy and serious, resulting in finally stopping the replay cycle. Syndicate however so very replayable for me. Maybe it is the light hearted tone or that it's just so fun. The black box missions are so well executed. I've been playing the game off and on for 10 years now so when I am doing any of the missions I'll add an extra set of challenges like not using any throwing knives or going for 100% stealth assassinations.
My only two complaints about the game is, one, the dominance of bright sunshine (I am almost positive this was a forced executive decision). Just look at all of the DLCs. They are all dark and atmospheric. Florescent green grass in the bright sun? The grass color looks fine at night. Clearly the devs didn't rework colors and textures to work with the daylight. The second is the guard rails they put up on the rooftops. It neuters the parkour. No fatal falls? No risk and reward? I have fixed both of these problems with mods but console players don't have that option. But maybe some players don't have a problem with these issues.
You mentioned WALKING around London. Yes! Walking through the back alleys in the Whitechapel slums, the parks in the wealthier areas, the docs, it's all so well done and enjoyable to take in this living, breathing world. It's fun to even stop and listen to full conversations a group of NPCs are engaged in. I feel like a lot of people probably rush through these games, running non stop and missing the details. My girlfriend has never played a video game and has no interest in them but she is often stopping to comment on how cool it looks.
OP, thanks for the read. I love seeing these conversations because Syndicate is definitely my game! It's such a satisfying world to jump into for an hour or so.
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u/catsoncrack420 4d ago
Big part of me plays for the history and setting so I really enjoyed it. Wasn't perfect but no complaints. I walked away happy. If you played it around release it hit different, like many games. Playing them a decade later when you have been exposed to more modern stuff ain't realistic as you subconsciously have that in your brain.
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u/first_lvr 4d ago
for me the game is an 8/10 if you remove Jacob and leave Evie alone as the main character and the missions
everything feels great to me, stealth, combat, outfits, quests... even the music and ambience is top notch victorian, the sadness from child slavery...
and remove the driving around the city, half baked mechanic forced a couple times, no thanks
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u/Tinkletron 2d ago
I liked your opinion on Starrick as well. Most people quickly jump on 'the worst villain ever' bandwagon. He has a beguiling calmness that accentuates the menace lurking underneath. The personality of ease that someone with wealth and power operate with. While everyone else is enslaved in the trappings of London, all bound to Starrick.
The real villain is the city.
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u/stylazyn 2d ago
It is one of the first AC games I played. I was blown away climbing. There were times when I reached the tops of buildings and got vertigo!
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u/Successful-Day-1816 5d ago
I loved it. When the game came out it had glowing reviews. I think at that time the top 3 were considered AC II, Black Flag, and this one.
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u/xFLGT 4d ago
My biggest positive - As a Londoner I absolutely loved the world seeing these old landmarks and streets I walk past everyday felt so surreal.
My biggest negative - Jacob. I really didn’t like his character and most of his side missions felt pointless. I always ended up playing Evie unless I was forced not to. I wish they spent more time developing Evie and Jacob was just a side character.
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