Satellite Reign

Satellite Reign is an incredible successor to Syndicate that gets more right than not. Where it falls down on bugs and control issues, it shines brightly in aesthetics and fantastic combat mechanics.

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Satellite Reign is a real-time, class-based strategy game set in a fully simulated, cyberpunk city. Control a team of four agents in single-player or co-op mode, using stealth, agility, and firepower to complete missions and battle for control of the city. With a wide range of abilities and upgrades available, every choice you make will shape the outcome of your mission.

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Reviews

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,701 reviews

story111 positive mentions

optimization41 negative mentions

Great graphics and atmosphere, reminiscent of classic Syndicate games.
Offers multiple ways to approach missions, allowing for creative strategies.
Engaging gameplay with a mix of stealth and action elements.

Poor AI pathfinding and controls can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Frequent bugs, including agents getting stuck in walls and issues with saving.
Difficulty spikes and enemy scaling can make the game feel unbalanced.

story
872 mentions
13 % positive mentions
81 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story in "Satellite Reign" is often described as minimal and lacking depth, primarily conveyed through text logs and mission briefings rather than engaging narrative elements. Players can explore a vast open world and undertake missions in any order, but many find the missions repetitive and the overarching plot uninspiring, with little character development or emotional investment. While some appreciate the cyberpunk atmosphere and the freedom to approach missions in various ways, the lack of a compelling storyline and the reliance on reading for context detract from the overall experience.
- “The game offers a lot of freedom in how you approach missions.”
- “The story is largely emergent, which I like, but also takes a weird left turn at the end which leaves you scratching your head.”
- “The story is there, but will be mostly incomprehensible if you haven't read the prequel novella.”
- “The story is virtually non-existent, the ending leaves you thinking 'that's it?!' yeah, it is.”
- “The overall plot and the individual missions aren't much more than 'those guys are bad' and 'there's money and weapons here'.”
gameplay
497 mentions
24 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Satellite Reign" is a blend of real-time strategy and stealth mechanics, drawing inspiration from the classic "Syndicate" series while introducing modern elements. Players navigate a vast, open-world cyberpunk city, utilizing a variety of tactical approaches to complete missions, though many reviews note that the gameplay can become repetitive and is marred by bugs and inconsistent AI. While the game offers a satisfying core loop and multiple ways to tackle objectives, it suffers from issues like poor pathfinding and clunky controls, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “Satellite Reign is a worthy spiritual successor to Syndicate and Syndicate Wars, as it keeps everything that made these games such great cynical cyberpunk experiences, while adding modern gameplay ideas that meaningfully expand on the formula: Satellite Reign is set in a mostly contiguous open-world city environment filled with lots of interactive environmental features that combine to create very dynamic gameplay scenarios.”
- “The gameplay is complex and rewarding, especially when you complete a mission by the skin of your teeth using shrewd tactics and imaginative work-arounds.”
- “The gameplay is generally excellent, with your agents controlled through simple mouse commands and keyboard shortcuts.”
- “Regular crashes (expect to randomly crash to desktop once an hour or more), hideously un-immersive gameplay (troops/agents will stack on top of each other, incredibly inconsistent detection and safe zones, gameplay loops that encourage abusing the game's bugs being the norm/embraced by the community being widely accepted).”
- “The gameplay is frustrating and not worth your time.”
- “The stealth mechanics are a joke and the combat is uninspired.”
graphics
275 mentions
52 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and immersive cyberpunk aesthetic, effectively capturing the gritty, neon-lit atmosphere reminiscent of classic titles like Syndicate. Many players appreciate the detailed environments and character models, although some have noted performance issues and optimization problems that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's art style and graphical fidelity are highlighted as standout features, contributing significantly to its appeal despite some gameplay shortcomings.
- “The graphics are phenomenal, even if you need to zoom all the way out or in to appreciate them, buildings/city and characters respectively.”
- “The visuals were stunning, and the music and lighting helped create an incredible atmosphere.”
- “Graphically, the game looks gorgeous with some excellent neon-lit buildings and a strong aesthetic style.”
- “Perhaps I let it sit too long; the graphics were dated, to be honest.”
- “Even with all the graphics settings at the bottom, the FPS is way too low to enjoy.”
- “The game runs so poorly, not lag, just poor optimization with the Unity engine.”
music
147 mentions
49 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its synthwave aesthetic that complements the cyberpunk atmosphere. The soundtrack is noted for enhancing the immersive experience, particularly during combat and exploration, although some players found it repetitive or lacking in variety. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's ambiance and nostalgic appeal.
- “The music is fantastic, the graphics are pretty and detailed, and the gameplay is great - moderately challenging and addictive.”
- “The music is great, with some lovely ambient tracks for when you're moving through the city's open areas, and also some solid synthwave tracks for when combat begins.”
- “The atmosphere, the visuals, and the music create a very cyberpunk vibe, something you don't see in games often.”
- “Audio is somewhat skimpy, the music - befitting as it is - tends to be monotonous with not much variety.”
- “The soundtrack... may be a matter of taste but I found it rather bland and frankly more annoying than fitting in many situations, especially the 'currently in combat' tracks were nagging at my nerves quite a bit.”
- “Music is kind of bland cyberpunk techno stuff.”
atmosphere
138 mentions
65 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive cyberpunk setting, characterized by stunning visuals, neon lighting, and a synth-heavy soundtrack that evokes a gritty, dystopian world. Reviewers highlight the consistency of the atmosphere across various city areas, noting how it enhances the overall gameplay experience, despite some criticisms regarding repetitive quests and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, effectively capturing the essence of classic titles like "Syndicate" while offering a modern twist.
- “The atmosphere is great in terms of visuals, audio, and writing.”
- “The atmosphere in this game is amazing, and stays consistent throughout the 4 main city areas you steadily progress through.”
- “The visuals were stunning, and the music and lighting helped create an incredible atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is bleak, as is your mission.”
- “The few good things of the game are the music and the atmosphere of the city, but for me it is clear that the designers have very little experience playing with other games, and are terrible at the construction of a game, don't know what entertainment really means, and lack empathy for the average new player.”
- “The atmosphere is there, features are there, feels very syndicate-y, but the alarming amount of bugs and the infuriatingly broken AI, not to mention the quirky, non-responding controls, makes it unenjoyable.”
optimization
115 mentions
9 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
36 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and long loading times, even on high-end hardware. Despite some enjoyable gameplay elements, the poor optimization significantly detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration among users. Many reviews suggest that the game requires substantial improvements in optimization to reach its full potential.
- “If you're willing to tough out amateur level developer mistakes and poor optimization, then this is a pretty satisfying tactics game.”
- “There are definitely some widespread performance issues, but if you can deal with them, this is a lovely blend of small-squad tactics, isometric RPG, and cyberpunk.”
- “Gameplay has improved, loads of content has been added, the game has been substantially optimized and loads of bugs have been fixed.”
- “Absolutely horrendous optimization which takes all the fun out of it sadly.”
- “The consensus is that this game is very poorly optimized, so prepare yourself for very low fps if you play it, even at the lowest possible settings.”
- “The performance of this game is absolutely atrocious.”
stability
100 mentions
3 % positive mentions
-1 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. Players have encountered game-breaking glitches, AI pathfinding problems, and frequent crashes, leading to frustration despite the game's enjoyable core mechanics. While some users find the game fun and nostalgic, the pervasive instability remains a significant drawback.
- “Bug-free: check.”
- “No glitches, no crashes, no horrible mechanics I hated.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any interruptions.”
- “A buggy, frustrating, unpolished mess with only the tiniest veneer of charm and addictive gameplay loops.”
- “The game has a few possibly game-breaking glitches that trap you into lead pipes or other objects that you can walk into but not ever escape, and if you happen to find your whole party trapped and no enemies patrol around where they are, well you get to start everything you did up to that point again.”
- “It's just a shame that that fun often comes to a screeching halt due to the bugs and glitches.”
replayability
41 mentions
24 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the variety in playstyles, randomized gear, and multiple mission approaches that enhance replay value. However, some users feel that the overall replayability is limited, particularly for single-player experiences, and suggest that additional content or features could significantly improve it. Overall, while there are elements that encourage replaying, opinions vary widely on how much incentive there is to return after the initial playthrough.
- “I wish they had made more DLC or a sequel, but the game has replay value, so I can return to it whenever I want; every playthrough is different.”
- “The gear you may find doing missions is somewhat randomized, which adds replay value, not to mention the Iron Man and Uber damage options you can enable on new games.”
- “Gameplay is fairly good, offering multiple ways to solve a task, customizable characters, different loadouts, and cybernetic upgrades, which increase replayability.”
- “I don't think I'd play it again, as there seems to be very little replayability, unless you are doing it for the achievements.”
- “As for replayability, there is not really that much of a reason to play it more than once.”
- “Not much replayability but it's extremely enjoyable the first time through.”
grinding
35 mentions
6 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
Players frequently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, with many noting that leveling up and completing missions often feels like busywork rather than engaging gameplay. The slow progression, clunky controls, and repetitive tasks contribute to a sense of monotony, making it difficult for players to stay invested. While some appreciate the atmosphere and slight RPG elements, the overall consensus is that the grinding detracts significantly from the experience.
- “It's addicting and fun for me because it's cyberpunk, tactically deep, with slight RPG elements, but not the grinding type.”
- “You can earn money over time by hacking ATMs, so there's no grinding for currency.”
- “Unfortunately, the game often feels like a chore, leveling is slow, and your abilities/options are very limited in the early game, forcing you to handle things in a very specific, cautious, and often tedious way.”
- “It was the letdown of the century: the gameplay was tedious, the environment had no life, it just lacked any sort of fun.”
- “I have made some progress in shooting matches but only by grinding and failing the same missions over and over again to get enough XP and equipment to make my agents competitive.”
humor
21 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wicked sense of humor, with players enjoying the absurdity of situations like hijacking turrets and witnessing comically inept AI behavior. The humor is further enhanced by clever item descriptions, funny easter eggs referencing sci-fi, and the chaotic fun of multiplayer sessions with friends. However, some players feel that the humor can be overshadowed by gameplay issues, leading to a mix of hilarity and frustration.
- “The game has a wicked sense of humor.”
- “The implementation of multiplayer now makes for some good fun and hilarious times with friends.”
- “Add to that the well-toned amount of humor that is woven into mostly item descriptions, and you got yourself a great way to have a good time!”
character development
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development in the game is largely lacking, with minimal narrative depth and no meaningful interactions or choices beyond skill progression. While some players appreciate the pacing of skill-based development, the absence of story elements and character dialogue detracts from the overall experience, leading to a perception of characters as expendable rather than fully realized. Overall, the game prioritizes gameplay mechanics over rich character development, resulting in a more action-oriented experience.
- “In terms of character development, you have a limited but quite nicely paced progression.”
- “Character development skill-wise is done well, but once you are maxed out, there is pretty much one strategy to rule them all: hijack heaviest minigunners with shields, rage with soldier, slow time with support if a lot of enemies -- steamroll everything.”
- “- multi-faceted character development.”
- “There is zero character development (there shouldn't be because these agents are meant to be expendable proxies), which adds to the cruelty of a futuristic world.”
- “There are no cut scenes to fill in meaningful character development and no inter-character dialogue as seen in other turn-based RPGs.”
- “100% gameplay, 0% roleplay, no real character development or choices besides skill points or which mission to do next.”
emotional
6 mentions
83 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a stark contrast in emotional engagement across different games. While some players find themselves deeply affected by the emotional weight of a game's ending, others criticize the lack of story and character development, resulting in a disconnection from the emotional experience. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly, with some titles leaving players in turmoil and others failing to evoke any feelings at all.
- “Satellite Reign's ending left me in deep emotional turmoil, which makes it somewhat difficult to decide what to play next, as most games will pale in comparison to this neon-infused masterwork.”
- “(no spoilers) The ending for me personally was almost a little emotional.”
- “All of the fun, none of the heartbreaking reality of replaying the original.”
- “When there are so many other isometric games that have done this genre better, I couldn't justify pushing myself deeper into a boring story with dull characters.”
- “The emotional moments felt forced and unconvincing, leaving me disconnected from the characters and their struggles.”
- “I expected a rich narrative experience, but instead, I was met with shallow plotlines that failed to evoke any real feelings.”
monetization
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized as a typical Kickstarter cash grab, with heavy reliance on in-game advertisements that detract from the immersive experience. While the cityscape is visually appealing, the lack of engaging audio elements and street life further emphasizes the game's focus on monetization over meaningful content.
- “Tldr: your average Kickstarter cash grab.”
- “You can zoom the camera all the way down and get a good look at the advertisements on the buildings and the dystopia of cyber street life.”
- “The scenery of the city is great, reminiscent again of the great Syndicate of old, reminding me with its overpasses, huge video screens on buildings beaming advertisements or propaganda into the street and the people wandering about, going to bars and hanging out at the market.”