SYNAPTIC DRIVE

Synaptic Drive feels slightly too expensive and bare-bones and feels almost 'early-access' quality in some regards. That's a real shame, since the core gameplay is solid and lots of fun if you have friends to make the most out of it. The game will most likely improve over time, with ongoing updates and new content downloads promised, but since we can only review what is currently on offer, we're only able to recommend this to the most die-hard fans of Custom Robo who find themselves constantly longing for a new entry in this niche franchise. This isn't quite on the same level yet, but it should scratch the itch nonetheless.

29%Game Brain Score

gameplay, replayability

story, graphics

27% User Score Based on 30 reviews

Critic Score 60%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

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About

SYNAPTIC DRIVE is a single player and multiplayer shooter game. It was developed by Thousand Games and was released on May 28, 2020. It received neutral reviews from critics and negative reviews from players.

Bring blood to cyberspace. Strategic,high-paced arena battles start here.

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27%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

story12 negative mentions

Synaptic Drive successfully captures the nostalgic fun of Custom Robo with solid gameplay mechanics and a variety of customization options.
The game is fast-paced and offers a unique combat experience with interesting mechanics like the use of wires and homing parts.
Players who enjoy local multiplayer with friends will find a lot of fun and variety in matches, thanks to the diverse characters and stages.

The game lacks significant single-player content, with no story mode and limited AI battles, making progression feel tedious and unengaging.
Online play suffers from severe lag and connection issues, making it frustrating and often unplayable, even with local connections.
The overall polish of the game is lacking, with unresponsive controls, poor visual feedback, and balancing issues that detract from the competitive experience.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
60%
13%
The gameplay of Synaptic Drive successfully revives the classic Custom Robo experience with a fresh take on its mechanics, offering solid gameplay and extensive customization options that cater to various playstyles. However, the introduction of problematic "ultimate" abilities and a lack of depth in strategic gameplay due to unrestricted movement while shooting detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the game's poor PC port, with limited graphics settings and navigation issues, further hampers its potential, leaving room for improvement.
- “Synaptic Drive successfully brings back the old Custom Robo fun with a fresh reimagining of its old mechanics.”
- “Mechanics are solid, loads of customization options, there's something for everyone, playstyle-wise.”
- “Custom Robo was all about options to get around that limitation and the creative solutions you could have to mitigate committal, which made for really interesting and nuanced gameplay.”
- “The new 'ultimate' abilities are terrible - it is a comeback mechanic that allows your opponent to do over half your health if they knock you down.”
- “Completely separate from my overall displeasure with the gameplay, this is a terrible PC port: very limited resolution options (16:9 only), no real graphics settings to mess with, the game doesn't support a mouse cursor and you must navigate with the keyboard (and yet it defaults weapon controls to the mouse which otherwise does nothing).”
- “Being able to move mostly unhindered while shooting means less actual commitment to your actions, which in turn means less thoughtful gameplay in a game based almost entirely around punishing commitments your opponent makes to play intelligently.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
31%
55%
The game lacks a dedicated story mode, leading to a reliance on uninspired arcade battles against AI, which many players find unsatisfying. Reviewers express disappointment over the absence of narrative content that could have provided context and depth to the characters and universe, suggesting that a story mode would enhance immersion and progression. While some acknowledge that the arcade mode offers gameplay variety, the overall sentiment is that the lack of a story detracts significantly from the experience.
- “When you unlock parts in the Custom Robo story, you feel like you earned them.”
- “I think they could have done a lot more with maybe adding a story mode to explain these characters and other parts of the story much better.”
- “That, or release a story mode immediately.”
- “Without any sort of story mode, you're forced to grind out arcade battles against AI opponents.”
- “Extreme lack of single player content; I understand there is no story, but the predetermined AI battles are uninspired and there are only 22 of them.”
- “The lack of a story mode causes me the most pain.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
45%
44%
The graphics of the game are generally considered unpolished and lackluster, with limited customization options and a lack of charm. Characters and environments appear lifeless and uninspired, contributing to an overall bland visual experience. Additionally, the poor PC port exacerbates these issues, offering minimal resolution settings and no mouse support, which further detracts from the graphical quality.
- “I would have expected this type of game to have much more customization, such as colors and paints for each player to reflect their individual styles of both gameplay and aesthetics.”
- “The fact that this is a 500 megabyte game should tell you a lot about what to expect from the visuals.”
- “Overall, I do think the game had some potential, but given the unpolished visuals, the tedious unlocking process, and the poor balancing, I can't recommend it in its current state.”
- “The graphics are fine, but it lacks any sort of charm. The sounds have no impact, the win screen is extremely plain, and while the characters mostly have decent designs, I feel like they should have some sort of voice acting to make them come to life a bit.”
- “Completely separate from my overall displeasure with the gameplay, this is a terrible PC port: very limited resolution options (16:9 only), no real graphics settings to mess with, the game doesn't support a mouse cursor, and you must navigate with the keyboard (and yet it defaults weapon controls to the mouse, which otherwise does nothing).”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
The music in the game features standout tracks that are described as "certified slappers," showcasing a mix of high-quality compositions. However, players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive after a couple of hours, leading to a quick fatigue of certain songs. Overall, while there are notable highlights, the inconsistency in variety may detract from the experience over time.
- “The music has peaks and lows; some of the tracks are really good, certified slappers.”
- “Other times though, the music is very repetitive and that's only after 2 hours of playing; it's pretty quick to get tired of a song.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a tedious and frustrating experience, with many expressing that the lengthy unlocking process detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite some potential, the unpolished visuals and poor balancing further diminish the game's appeal.
- “Unlocking everything is a tedious slog.”
- “Overall, I do think the game had some potential, but given the unpolished visuals, the tedious unlocking process, and the poor balancing, I can't recommend it in its current state.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers high replayability, appealing to fans of various genres such as action shooters and competitive gameplay. Players can enjoy customizing their characters and engaging in fast-paced, strategic battles across uniquely designed arenas, ensuring a fresh experience with each playthrough.
- “The game offers endless replayability with its diverse character customization and unique arena designs that keep each match feeling fresh.”
- “Every playthrough feels different thanks to the variety of strategies you can employ and the fast-paced action that keeps you coming back for more.”
- “With its engaging mechanics and the thrill of competition, I find myself replaying matches just to try out new tactics and character builds.”