Compelling Protagonists
Often overlooked as a result of its predecessor’s shortcomings, it is unfair to simply ignore the virtues of Syndicate in favor of its more treasured brethren. It sits unceremoniously in the middle by most accounts, but its merits are many and worth another look.
For starters, the dynamic between the sibling protagonists is a big highlight. They’re both well written, and their skillsets are used in creative ways during gameplay, adding a layer of strategy not seen in other AC games. Evie Frye plays like your traditional assassin: calculated, stealthy, lethal. Her brother Jacob bucks the trend by operating more like a drunken lout, leaping headlong into the fray with fists flailing. Though it is important to utilize both, the fact that you could meld styles to suit your mood and situation meant that multiple playthroughs could be handled in vastly different ways.
Their frequent failure to see eye-to-eye also made for intriguing storytelling, with the pair as much at each other’s throats as by the other’s side. Jacob’s brash demeanor may be a little grating at times, but the overlying fact is that he is an anomaly in a series that has a tendency for repetition, and that’s a welcome change.
Improved Traversal
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room.
The rope launcher is about as divisive an element as we’ve ever seen in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Some bemoan the way it taints the purity of the game, foregoing the chaotic parkour of its predecessors for ease of use and accessibility. In the eyes of others, it alleviated their frustrations, taking one hard look at Big Ben, contemplating climbing it the old-fashioned way, before ultimately deciding ‘screw that’ and rocketing to the top in seconds.
Much like the differences between Jacob and Evie’s play styles, however, the benefit of the rope launcher is that it allows freedom of choice. Those who prefer their Assassins to be more Assassiny can minimize their use of the item, and though it is occasionally necessary due to the map’s immense size and height of its Victorian-era buildings, how much you lean on it is up to you.
Much like actual parkour, bounding across rooftops in Assassin’s Creed can be a clumsy and painful experience, and if you prefer it that way, all the power to you. But it was an issue for many in earlier titles that wasn’t going to go away, and multiple failures to get from A to B could prove too damning for casual players, or those who are trying to get to grips with the game for the first time. Something had to be done about it, and that something ended up being the rope launcher. Whatever your stance is on it, you have to recognize that it solved one of the franchise’s most prominent faults.
Victorian London
The faithfulness of London’s recreation in Syndicate is truly a sight to behold. It may not be as visually appealing as some of the other locations on offer (London was not a pretty place back in the day), but it is loaded with charm. Happening upon a world-famous landmark is a thrilling moment, and best of all, there’s no god-forsaken Gherkin jutting out like a misshapen glass thumb.
The point in history really lends itself to a video game, a particularly nasty and cruel time when widespread poverty made every day a struggle for survival. The real-life figures are as notorious as any of your imagination, with an entire chapter dedicated to Jack the Ripper. The shelf life for spoiler alert has probably expired on that one, but we’ll spare you the details, just in case. Let’s just say that the interweaving of fact and fiction is definitely fun to watch unfold.
In relation to the previous point, Syndicate’s newfound traversal accessibility means that exploring all of London’s nooks and crannies is an enjoyable experience, rather than a chore. Would we have loved to romp around in Unity’s Paris with such frivolity? Of course, it was stunning. But we more often than not ended up breaking our bones in our zeal, and French healthcare was not that great in the late 1700s.
In stark contrast, London felt conquerable. Nothing seemed insurmountable, and that sense of power came with its own set of inherent risks. Standing perched atop its highest points may not have been as rewarding, but it still felt damn well satisfying.
The Best of the Pre-Origins Combat
With a change in the style of protagonist came an overhaul of the combat system, and Syndicate was a much better game for it. It won’t feel quite as accomplished to anyone that’s just come off the back of Assassin’s Creed Origins, but there’s plenty to love about Syndicate’s combat too. The close quarter brawling of the Fryes made fights faster and much more brutal than previous games in the series. More than simply trying to dispatch of an enemy, there is a maliciousness in those fists, with brutal slamming of appendages against walls and skull smashing aplenty.
Stun multiple opponents with combos, then unleash contextual kills that take sickening advantage of their weakened state. In Syndicate, battles went from being a means to an end to a game within itself. How best to handle the incoming fray? Rely on the direct impact of your brass knuckles, or pull out a weapon to help even the odds?
As with pretty much every other entry on this list, it wasn’t for everyone. The combat did a 180 from the style found in Unity, and for some, that was an unwelcome change. But again, and you can underline this as being the consistent factor we have observed in Syndicate, it dared to be different.
If you want a ‘me too’ Assassin’s Creed that is too meek to take risks, you have several to choose from. But if you want a game that feels and plays differently from the others, for better or for worse, it may be time to give Syndicate another shot.
Published: Apr 5, 2018 10:01 am