Sovereign Syndicate

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 157 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Sovereign Syndicate Game Cover
A little magic, mystery, and mythology seems to be just what you need for a gripping story.
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"Sovereign Syndicate" is a Victorian steampunk cRPG that allows you to explore an open world and play as three characters with intertwining stories. Use skills to level them up and trust your fate to the tarot card chance system for interactions with NPCs. The game features a skill and etiqu system, where the skills you use will improve, and NPCs react to your choices. Combat, persuasion, magic, or explosives are some of the methods you can use to solve problems in the dangerous docklands.

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Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 157 reviews
story47 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • Sovereign Syndicate offers a beautifully dark and intricate steampunk world, with a captivating Victorian-inspired setting that enhances the narrative experience.
  • The game features complex characters with unique story arcs, making each decision feel significant and contributing to a highly replayable experience.
  • The combination of choice-driven storytelling and compelling RPG mechanics, including a unique tarot card system for skill checks, adds depth to the gameplay.
  • The writing, while ambitious, often lacks emotional impact and can feel shallow, making it difficult for players to connect with the characters and their struggles.
  • The pacing of the game is inconsistent, with some chapters feeling overly long and tedious, while others rush through important plot points, leading to a disjointed narrative flow.
  • The exploration can be tedious due to slow movement and excessive backtracking, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • story181 mentions

    The game's story is a complex, choice-driven narrative set in a richly crafted steampunk world, featuring three distinct protagonists whose arcs intertwine, though some players find the character-switching disrupts the flow. While the writing is praised for its depth and engagement, the pacing can be slow, with some quests feeling like filler and the overall plot lacking novelty. Despite these criticisms, many players appreciate the intriguing core story and the meaningful choices that enhance replayability, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of narrative-driven RPGs.

    • “The game masterfully combines choice-driven storytelling with compelling RPG mechanics, making each decision feel significant.”
    • “Each character is unique, and their individual story arcs are engaging and add so much depth to the world.”
    • “The story-telling is supported by some strong worldbuilding and is tight without sacrificing complexity.”
    • “Honestly, I only started getting interested in the story from chapter 13, more than halfway through the game!”
    • “A lot of the early stuff as well as side quests don't seem to matter much to the overall plot, and you can still get a pretty good ending while ignoring several side quests.”
    • “As a story, Sovereign Syndicate starts off well, but with each subsequent chapter, it becomes more and more tedious, relying more on the most banal clichés, and by the end, I was simply clicking the 'next' button hoping it would end.”
  • gameplay48 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a blend of choice-driven storytelling and RPG mechanics, though many players find the RPG elements to be shallow and not significantly impactful on the narrative. While the writing and unique mechanics offer an interesting experience, the reliance on dialogue and limited interactivity can lead to a tedious experience, especially with repetitive tasks and a lack of meaningful character development. Overall, the game presents a slow-paced narrative that may appeal to those who appreciate story over mechanics, but it struggles to deliver a robust gameplay experience.

    • “The game masterfully combines choice-driven storytelling with compelling RPG mechanics, making each decision feel significant.”
    • “The quality of the writing and the unique gameplay experience make it a memorable adventure.”
    • “The tarot cards representing rolls and abilities is a good idea, and improving your stats through your dialogue choices feels like a very promising mechanic.”
    • “Having to reload and blindly click through 100 lines of dialogue you've already read, 6 times, until the toss of a coin is finally in your favor... that was tiresome 40 years ago, that was fixed 25 years ago with smart mechanics and, for unfathomable reasons, the annoyance is trending again these days.”
    • “The RPG mechanics are exceedingly shallow.”
    • “While this might be acceptable in a game with other gameplay mechanics, when 95% of the experience is simply reading the writing, this is a huge problem, and not one that can be balanced out by other things.”
  • graphics31 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful steampunk artwork and aesthetic that enhances the narrative, while others criticize the blandness of the overall world and the average quality of the graphics. Some players feel that the visuals, particularly the 3D backgrounds, lack depth and could benefit from a more stylized approach. Overall, the game's art style is appreciated for its thematic fit, but it falls short in delivering a consistently engaging visual experience.

    • “The steampunk artwork and concepts are gorgeous.”
    • “The artwork is fitting and the music is often great, setting the mood perfectly for a world that is riddled with dystopian darkness and just few enough slivers of light to not completely lose hope.”
    • “A really well done RPG, the aesthetic is beautiful, and steampunk Victorian London is weird and wonderful to roam about in.”
    • “The game would have been better served as a visual novel, since the strongest part about the game are the comics and some of the visuals, though the overall world looks very bland and unintentionally colorless.”
    • “Graphically, the lack of resources is evident.”
    • “To address other, minor issues first: the 3D art style for backgrounds is fairly dull and unimpressive, and I think the game would have benefited significantly by having a more hand-drawn/stylized aesthetic, but I acknowledge that that may have been too ambitious for how small the dev team were.”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it for enhancing the atmosphere and fitting the game's themes, while others find it dull, forgettable, or lacking in variety. While a few standout tracks and vocal performances are noted, many reviewers feel that the overall soundtrack does not elevate the experience as much as it could have. Overall, the music is described as either atmospheric and enjoyable or uninspired and repetitive, reflecting a significant divide in player opinions.

    • “The visual design of the game was very nice, the atmosphere was very strong throughout (of course this was helped by the music, which really was a great fit for the game throughout!).”
    • “The artwork is fitting and the music is often great, setting the mood perfectly for a world that is riddled with dystopian darkness and just few enough slivers of light to not completely lose hope.”
    • “The music is fitting and atmospheric and I quite enjoyed it.”
    • “The same extremely dull music loops far too quickly.”
    • “Apart from the writing, the graphics are average and the music is forgettable - so, again, can't really be compared to other games with their unusual graphics and great music.”
    • “Additionally, the music is fine but nothing noteworthy.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with many reviewers highlighting its deep and immersive qualities, particularly within the steampunk London setting. The visual design and fitting music contribute significantly to the overall experience, creating a gritty yet compelling world filled with complex characters and intriguing quests. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a major strength, drawing comparisons to other notable works in the genre.

    • “Highly recommended for anyone seeking a deep and atmospheric RPG!”
    • “The visual design of the game was very nice, the atmosphere was very strong throughout (of course this was helped by the music, which really was a great fit for the game throughout!).”
    • “The steampunk London setting is atmospheric and gritty, and the characters are complex and compelling.”
    • “This game has real atmosphere.”
    • “However, the world and atmosphere that Sovereign Syndicate establishes were so compelling to me that I was left curious for more.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to repetitive exploration and fetch quests that require revisiting the same locations and interacting with the same characters. This repetitiveness detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration as players navigate through banal tasks and unclear quest progression. While the story starts strong, it becomes increasingly monotonous, prompting players to rush through the narrative.

    • “I do love the setting and the writing so far, but the exploration feels tedious.”
    • “Especially when you walk around the exact same locations and see the exact same things and talk to the same exact people the other characters did while doing tedious chores and fetch quests.”
    • “As a story, Sovereign Syndicate starts off well, but with each subsequent chapter, it becomes more and more tedious, relying more on the most banal clichés, and by the end, I was simply clicking the 'next' button hoping it would end.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to impactful choices and varying skills that alter narrative outcomes, making it particularly appealing for fans of story-driven experiences. Players appreciate the value added by these elements, suggesting that multiple playthroughs are worthwhile.

    • “The choices really make a difference, creating a highly replayable experience that fans of story-driven games will love.”
    • “The different skills and attributes clearly change certain narrative outcomes, so there is ample scope for replayability.”
    • “It's more than worth its price, especially because I can see significant replay value in it as well.”
    • “The different skills (or attributes) also clearly change certain narrative outcomes, so there is scope for replayability.”
    • “It's more than worth its price, especially because I can see some replay value in it as well.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with good performance and no major glitches reported. However, players have expressed frustration with slow character movement, which can hinder exploration and progress, leading to a less enjoyable experience during longer play sessions. Despite some minor bugs, the game remains considered worth the investment.

    • “Good performance on the deck with no glitches.”
    • “I did not experience any performance issues, which is great!”
    • “Despite a few bugs and somewhat forgettable music, this game was still absolutely worth the time and cost of admission.”
    • “Controls are straightforward, but I really feel like you move too slowly. Since you have to run all over the map sometimes to find clues (or blindly figure out what will trigger progress, which happens way too often), I have found myself playing this game in bursts because I get frustrated running slowly back and forth to the train station to locate a clue.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a quirky blend of character-driven wit and clever dialogue choices, influenced by the four humors—yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood. This unique mechanic not only adds levity but also deepens character development, making the sidekick a memorable source of both humor and emotional depth within the steampunk narrative.

    • “He's more than just a sidekick; he’s a character that adds a touch of humor and heart to the story.”
    • “You choose dialog options from the four humors: yellow bile, black bile, phlegm, and blood, that shape who your character is, all set in a steampunk version of London.”
    • “Whenever you have a dialog, you are given choices based on your attributes. Favoring an attribute choice adds a point to your humor, similar to the swelling of Hippocratic fluids, which levels up your attributes.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report mixed stability experiences, with some encountering visual glitches and camera issues that can affect navigation, while others experience good performance without any glitches, particularly on the deck.

    • “Good performance on the deck with no glitches.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs.”
    • “I appreciate the consistent frame rates and overall stability during gameplay.”
    • “Some visual glitches, notably with the camera in specific spots, some of them leading to navigation issues.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
    • “I encountered several bugs that caused the game to freeze, forcing me to restart my console.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted for its unique approach, particularly through the use of body "humours" that influence gameplay based on characters' moods. This emphasis on character growth and world-building draws comparisons to titles like Disco Elysium and Gamedev, showcasing a deep integration of narrative and mechanics.

    • “I was reminded of Disco Elysium and Gamedev in terms of their emphasis on character development and world-building.”
    • “The body 'humours' as a kind of character development is unique, and the characters' mood affects the gameplay in different ways.”
    • “I was reminded of Disco Elysium and Gamedec in terms of their emphasis on character development and world-building.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is hindered by a weak script, which fails to deliver the intended emotional impact.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

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Play time

11hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
9-12hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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