DESYNC
- February 28, 2017
- The Foregone Syndicate
- 2h median play time
A fast, punishing, stylish first-person shooter with a unique character-action-style formula and nuanced combat to boot. Hardcore and rewarding, if you can get a handle on it.
Get on Steam"DESYNC is a single-player shooter with fantastic gameplay, featuring fast-paced, intense action and a unique combo system for maximum carnage. The game boasts fabulous visuals with a sleek poly-neon aesthetic and ruthless enemies, as well as a wonderful soundtrack and detailed leaderboards to track your progress. Prepare to unleash Attack Sequences and show off your skills in this digital otherworld."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Fast-paced gameplay that rewards skill and creativity in combat.
- Stylish neon visuals and an outstanding synthwave soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
- Challenging mechanics that encourage players to learn enemy patterns and improve their skills.
- High difficulty level can be frustrating, especially for players unfamiliar with fast-paced shooters.
- Lack of clear explanations for mechanics and upgrades can lead to confusion.
- Visual effects, such as screen distortion, may cause discomfort for some players.
- music157 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "Desync," primarily composed by Daniel Deluxe and Volkor X, is widely praised for its energetic synthwave and electronic beats, which perfectly complement the game's fast-paced gameplay and vibrant visuals. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as the standout feature, enhancing the overall experience and atmosphere, although some note that the repetition of tracks can become tedious over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major draw for fans of the genre, making it a key element of the game's appeal.
“The soundtrack by Daniel Deluxe fits the game perfectly with its dark synthwave sound and the transition between dying, getting into combat, out of combat, etc. fades the music perfectly.”
“Honestly, Desync has one of the best soundtracks in an FPS I've ever heard, and I've played many of them in my day.”
“The music fits so well with the game and the speed you need to be at, but it's the fast-paced action that gets me.”
“I'm not an expert, but it sounded like generic electronic music.”
“Too little of the game's systems are explained, particularly weapon upgrades and sidearm requirements, and the music tracks, strangely, don't loop within levels, leading to periods of awkward silences, save for sound effects.”
“Ultimately this could've been a much better game if the devs weren't busy listening to retro music and jerking themselves off all the time.”
- gameplay154 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Desync" is characterized by fast-paced, arena-style shooting mechanics that blend elements from classic shooters like Doom and Quake, emphasizing skill-based combat and unique weapon interactions. While many players appreciate the engaging mechanics and rewarding combo systems, some criticize the game's steep learning curve, lack of clear instructions, and frustrating design choices that can detract from the overall experience. Despite its aesthetic appeal and strong soundtrack, the gameplay can feel repetitive and challenging, with mixed opinions on its execution and enjoyment factor.
“The gameplay is solid and the soundtrack is great, all around a good skill-based shooter.”
“The gameplay works perfectly with the soundtrack and graphics, which ultimately leads to a lot of fun!”
“With so many levels, imaginative weaponry, differing enemies, and awesome, fast-paced gameplay, Desync is an amazing workout for your brain and reflexes.”
“The art style looks sweet but the gameplay is pretty trash.”
“By the end of my time with you, it felt like more of a chore, rather than something I genuinely enjoyed at that time, with gameplay being tedious to the point where I just wanted it to be over.”
“The complete lack of information about the mechanics of this game both in and out of the game itself proves to be quite frustrating.”
- graphics127 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant, neon aesthetic reminiscent of 80s cyberpunk, which many players find visually appealing and immersive. However, some users report that the intense visual effects can lead to discomfort, including headaches and dizziness, particularly during extended play sessions. Overall, while the art style and graphics are praised for their uniqueness and style, they may not be suitable for everyone due to their overwhelming nature.
“The ultra-stylized graphics paired with the synth-wave soundtrack by Volkor X and Daniel Deluxe set up a great atmosphere.”
“The graphics are vibrant and smooth.”
“I love the 'poly-neon' aesthetics; it feels really nice to play and the attack sequences feel satisfying.”
“The graphical 'glitches' constantly hurt my eyes and give me a headache.”
“This game has the worst aesthetics in a shooter I've played in a long time, and it's painful to even look at.”
“The graphics are certainly a looker but unfortunately they are too 'busy'; I can't play more than 20-30 minutes in a row until I just don't want to play any longer.”
- story31 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game "Desync" features minimal story elements, focusing instead on fast-paced gameplay and high-score challenges across a series of missions. Players navigate through combat arenas in a stylized, cyberpunk world, with little narrative context beyond boss encounters and mission objectives. While the lack of a traditional story may disappoint some, many reviewers appreciate the game's emphasis on gameplay mechanics and replayability over plot.
“I recommend this game for its gameplay and story.”
“There's no real story to speak of but it does take place in an incredibly stylized, cyberpunk world, backed up with incredible visuals and a great synthwave soundtrack.”
“It eschews the hyperrealism of 'kitchen sink' FPS games for a blunt and highly stylized aesthetic; it trades mission markers and NPC dialogue for the pursuit of the almighty high score and wordless combat.”
“There isn't much story to speak of, though Desync doesn't seem to mind much, as the core feedback loop of killing enemies to get higher scores is already so enthralling.”
“Gone are the days of following a story, experiencing a twist you never saw coming or marveling at amazing next-gen graphics.”
“I would not recommend it to anybody who needs to 'git gud' or to anybody wanting any semblance of story whatsoever.”
- replayability15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability, particularly for players who enjoy chasing high scores and competing on online leaderboards. While the main campaign is relatively short, ranging from 5 to 25 hours depending on player engagement, the addictive gameplay and various challenges encourage players to revisit levels. However, some reviewers noted that the lack of multiplayer options and limited level variety could hinder long-term replay value.
“The game is really addicting, has lots of replayability.”
“Awesome FPS with addictive replayability and a sick synthwave soundtrack on top.”
“It has lots of content, plenty of replayability, and a great soundtrack.”
“While it's certainly replayable (I know I went back and replayed some levels), it's simply rather short.”
“Last thought, there aren't a lot of levels and there is no multiplayer; there are score leaderboards and an alternate version for each level, which does not increase the replay value above zero; desync is cheap enough to make up for that.”
“The online leaderboard is a great way to show off your skills, and being able to compete against others provides plenty of replayability.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is often described as tedious and frustrating, with players feeling that it transforms from an enjoyable challenge into a chore. While there are moments of satisfaction in overcoming difficult areas, the repetitive nature of gameplay and the design choices can lead to a sense of exhaustion rather than accomplishment. Overall, the grind can detract from the experience, making it feel more like a test of endurance than a rewarding journey.
“By the end of my time with you, it felt like more of a chore rather than something I genuinely enjoyed, with gameplay being tedious to the point where I just wanted it to be over.”
“Not particularly interesting and super grindy when you get a one-shot enemy at wave 7 and have to start at wave 1.”
“Unfortunately, most enemies tend to move nearly as fast as you and want nothing more than to get up in your face; the result is an incredibly tedious act of kiting a group of enemies around as you attempt to increase the distance between the two of you so you can stun and kill them.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its ultra-stylized graphics and synth-wave soundtrack, creating a captivating cyberpunk experience. While some players appreciate the unique visual effects and overall ambiance, others feel that the minimalist design can make the game feel unapproachable and that combat mechanics detract from the otherwise engaging atmosphere. Overall, it is described as a fast-paced, retro-futuristic environment that resonates well with fans of the genre.
“The ultra-stylized graphics paired with the synth-wave soundtrack by Volkor X and Daniel Deluxe set up a great atmosphere.”
“Desync leads a very atmospheric tone which is complemented by the legendary Daniel Deluxe and Volkor X; this is a cyberpunk fan's dream come true.”
“However, I can praise this game on its visual style, which does a good job of using, but not abusing, some interesting visual effects (color displacement on the sides, HUD reacting to taking damage), with the music and sound design done quite well enough to form the atmosphere I believe Desync is after.”
“Weapon feedback isn't very great as well having small delays before and after firing, making them counter-intuitive since the game creates a tense and fast-paced atmosphere.”
“Fast-paced, pretty hard, retro-futuristic atmosphere game.”
“+ excellent atmosphere”
- stability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability has improved significantly since its 2017 release, with many players noting smoother performance and fewer glitches. However, some users still report occasional freezes and crashes, particularly in specific areas, and express frustration with the intentional visual glitches that can detract from the experience. While the developers have shown dedication in patching the game, there are still areas needing improvement to enhance overall stability and gameplay enjoyment.
“No glitches to report either.”
“So far I'm enjoying it, and it runs great.”
“The graphical glitches constantly hurt my eyes and give me a headache.”
“There were also a few freezes and crashes that I experienced, though such hiccups were thankfully only encountered in the hub world.”
“It’s full of digital artifacts and fuzzy glitches and may boast the most chromatic aberration I have ever seen in a video game.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some users report it runs well on various machines, others highlight a lack of graphical settings and specific optimizations for low-spec systems and higher resolutions like 2K. There are calls for more optimization options to enhance performance for players with lesser rigs.
“It's a trippy performance-based FPS, with a decent soundtrack.”
“Really optimized, will run on every machine with no problems.”
“Performance for this game shouldn't be a problem for many.”
“All I can ask for is a few more optimization options for low-spec.”
“It's always important to point out games with horrid optimization for those with lesser rigs.”
“Needs optimization for 2K monitors, as on mine it had black bars and looked weird.”
Critic Reviews
DESYNC Review
Beautiful aesthetics and soundtrack wrapping a Doom-alike shooter, slightly marred by unfair and punishing gameplay that could use a good dose of balancing.
65%'80s ‘tastic: Desync review
An immensely tough, but amazingly satisfying shooter experience for only $15 (USD). If you’re looking for a serious challenge, a brightly colored, uniquely appealing geometric aesthetic, or the best ‘80s soundtrack you never knew you needed in your life, then Desync is your jam.
85%Desync Review
A fast, punishing, stylish first-person shooter with a unique character-action-style formula and nuanced combat to boot. Hardcore and rewarding, if you can get a handle on it.
84%
