SYNTHETIK is an action roguelite, similar to games like Enter The Gungeon or Nuclear Throne. The main mechanic that sets it apart is something you wouldn’t expect; reloading.
Reloading in SYNTHETIK is straightforward, but complex compared to how it works in most games. Rather than simply pressing ‘R’ to reload, you first must eject the magazine, then load the new one. There is also an element of timing, in which you can speed up your reload by pressing it again at a certain time, similar to the active reloading mechanic in Gears of War. Furthermore, any ammunition left in the magazine when you eject it is lost. There are some special cases where these mechanics don’t apply or are applied differently, but these are the general rules that most guns abide by. In practice, it makes the game feel faster paced and more intense, because it forces you to pay attention to it in the middle of every fight.
Combat in SYNTHETIK is largely based around its shooting mechanics. Even though it’s a top-down game, headshots are possible and encouraged. It seems like it would be difficult to get the hang of it, but most people will pick up on it fairly quickly. There are 8 classes that all have different strengths and weaknesses, as well as completely different playstyles. You can play as the riot guard, a class with high health and a focus on short range weaponry, an engineer focused on using items and turrets, or even a sniper that uses long range rifles. There is a class for everyone, and they all upgrade as you play. You can change what items and skills they start with, giving you even more freedom to customize your character. It’s a fantastic system and genuinely surprising that every class is so well-rounded and fun to play.
SYNTHETIK’s presentation is just as good, if not better than, the gameplay. The graphics are fantastic, with an extremely clean and polished style that looks different from nearly every game in the genre. Some animations can feel a bit basic, but they aren’t noticeable unless you’re looking for them. The game’s soundtrack is intense and fits the gameplay perfectly. Different tracks trigger as the game unfolds, so crazy fights will have equally crazy background music. It can get overbearing at times, but that’s part of the game. While the sound design overall is obviously superb, the weapon sounds are the biggest highlight. Each weapon sounds completely unique with a fitting sound profile. Not every gun sounds loud and powerful, because some aren’t. This makes it more noticeable when you get a powerful weapon, because you will hear its power.
Finally, we have to talk about the bugs. This is a very buggy game, especially co-op. Sometimes shops will show up for one player but not the other. Occasionally, a boss will get stuck in the corner. Sometimes a weapon or item will spawn in an unreachable area of the map. These are all annoying to come across, but ultimately, SYNTHETIK is so good that it’s easy to look past these issues. It’s a great game and one of the best roguelites on the market. I highly recommend it to roguelite fans, and I’m looking forward to SYNTHETIK 2, which is currently in the works.
Is it possible to save while playing?
No, it’s one of the more annoying parts of the game. It might be possible in the sequel, but in the first game you have to play it all in one sitting.