Syndrome

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 146 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • gameplay
Syndrome Game Cover
Where Syndrome should have been a love letter to classic sci-fi horror games, it instead feels like a drunken, rambling text sent at three in the morning.
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"Syndrome" is a single-player, horror shooter game with an intriguing sci-fi story set aboard the abandoned spaceship, Valkenburg. Players must uncover the truth behind their crew's death while battling powerful enemies with scarce ammo, relying on stealth and evasion to survive. With good graphics and a beautiful atmosphere, the game provides a claustrophobic and horrifying experience for players. However, be aware of the numerous bugs that may affect gameplay.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 146 reviews
story23 positive mentions
stability11 negative mentions
  • The game has a great atmosphere with effective lighting and sound design that creates a tense and immersive experience.
  • The enemy designs are creepy and varied, providing a mix of combat and stealth gameplay that keeps players on their toes.
  • The story, while not entirely original, has some interesting twists and keeps players engaged as they explore the derelict spaceship.
  • The game suffers from excessive backtracking and fetch quests, which can make the gameplay feel tedious and repetitive.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt the experience, including issues with AI and character movement.
  • Combat mechanics are clunky and unsatisfying, with limited weapon effectiveness and frustrating enemy encounters.
  • story64 mentions

    The story of the game is often described as familiar and derivative, drawing heavily from established horror tropes like derelict ships and mysterious crew fates, reminiscent of titles like "Dead Space" and "System Shock 2." While some players appreciate the atmosphere and occasional twists, many criticize the narrative for being spread too thin and bogged down by repetitive fetch quests and clunky gameplay mechanics, ultimately detracting from the overall experience. Despite its shortcomings, the story manages to evoke a sense of dread and intrigue, making it engaging enough for some players to push through the flaws.

    • “But it has a nice story and the environment of the somewhat empty ship evokes a sense of dread and loneliness.”
    • “Although the story has been told before, it still manages to create an interesting and mysterious plot.”
    • “The story and setting are very immersive and will keep you wondering what the hell is going on.”
    • “The story is pretty much System Shock 2 with serial numbers filed off, and the entire concept/twist of the story on what went wrong on the ship is told to you in the literal first frame of the intro.”
    • “After the introduction, you will not see any chunk of story for a long time, and in the end, you will realize that the story is just a bad Dead Space rip-off.”
    • “The story, what little there is, is uninspired, dull, and boils down to a giant fetch quest!”
  • atmosphere52 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, creepy, and immersive qualities, enhanced by effective lighting, sound design, and environmental details that evoke tension and dread. Many players draw comparisons to classic horror titles like "Alien: Isolation" and "System Shock," noting that while the atmosphere is compelling, some aspects of the game, such as graphics and gameplay mechanics, may detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as a strong point, creating a captivating and suspenseful environment that keeps players engaged.

    • “The atmosphere is thick with dread, and the grotesque enemies will have you checking every corner.”
    • “The atmosphere, however, can't be faulted, and the sound is a particular stand-out, keeping you constantly on-edge before any action even begins.”
    • “Very atmospheric with excellent sound effects and ambience.”
    • “The game squanders the initial atmosphere for gore and jump scares.”
    • “The atmosphere is okay, I guess, but almost never scary.”
    • “It does have a spooky atmosphere due to the isolation aspect, but it’s not enough.”
  • gameplay34 mentions

    The gameplay has been widely criticized for its clumsiness, lack of engagement, and numerous technical issues, including bugs and glitches that disrupt the experience. While some mechanics are simple yet effective, many players find the combat and overall mechanics to be uninspired and repetitive, with excessive backtracking detracting from the enjoyment. Despite some positive aspects like graphics and atmosphere, the gameplay feels rough and in need of significant improvement.

    • “The gameplay is quite straightforward and the game mechanics work well.”
    • “At around 20 hours of gameplay, you will get your money's worth from Syndrome - the plot is pretty good, the game feels solid, and it's compelling entertainment, even if the gameplay feels very recycled at times and there are quite a few rough edges.”
    • “Nice graphics and surprisingly well-made visual effects, the soundtrack also added an eerie vibe to the gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is clunky at best, and the running mechanic runs out when you need it the most.”
    • “Graphically and level design wise there was clearly a ton of effort put into it by the developer, but the actual gameplay and story isn't up to snuff and the absolutely unnecessary 5-6 hours of backtracking kills the game.”
    • “It's buggy, dull and has the worst game mechanics and controls I've ever seen!”
  • graphics27 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their spooky atmosphere and solid visual design, with many reviewers noting the effective use of lighting and sound to enhance the experience. However, there are criticisms regarding graphical performance issues, such as stuttering and mediocre model quality, which detract from the overall enjoyment. While some players find the visuals impressive for the price point, others feel they are derivative and lack polish, ultimately overshadowed by gameplay and story shortcomings.

    • “The game has a spooky atmosphere, accompanied by its great visuals.”
    • “Graphics are visually pleasing with a dark atmosphere.”
    • “Nice graphics and surprisingly well-made visual effects; the soundtrack also added an eerie vibe to the gameplay.”
    • “Graphically and level design wise there was clearly a ton of effort put into it by the developer, but the actual gameplay and story isn't up to snuff and the absolutely unnecessary 5-6 hours of backtracking kills the game.”
    • “- graphical stuttering constantly, even when running at substantially lower resolution than the system can handle and achieving triple what my framerate could be.”
    • “Disappointing, the game story and atmosphere is intriguing, but the graphics performance is bad.”
  • stability11 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and a problematic save system that can lead to unexpected issues, such as inventory malfunctions and game freezes. Players are advised to avoid using controllers and to create multiple saves to mitigate the risk of losing progress. Overall, the lack of polish and the presence of significant technical problems detract from the gaming experience.

    • “Do not play using only one save; saves are buggy as well. Just always create a new save so you can easily go back to a previous one.”
    • “On your journey through this mess, you will encounter bugs and glitches (you will sometimes go through objects and fall down through the levels, also you will see monsters literally walking through walls and doorways), sound disappearance, and the inventory button suddenly stopping working. Close combat mechanics are a bad joke here; I'm not even going to describe it, go and see for yourself if you dare.”
    • “It's buggy, dull, and has the worst game mechanics and controls I've ever seen!”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with players praising its tense atmosphere and rewarding gameplay despite frequent issues like graphical stuttering, clipping, and clunky controls. While some users report decent performance at lower settings, many experience significant frame drops and unplayable moments, detracting from an otherwise engaging experience. Overall, the optimization appears to be a major drawback, overshadowing the game's intriguing story and environment.

    • “Other than that, the performance is good.”
    • “Graphical stuttering constantly, even when running at substantially lower resolution than the system can handle and achieving triple what my framerate could be.”
    • “After about 30 seconds, your performance is unplayably bad for about 5 or 10 seconds.”
    • “Basically setting everything to low and still jittery/stuttering.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game is characterized by minimalistic compositions that enhance immersion and psychological tension, with ambient sounds playing a crucial role in creating a horror atmosphere. While some players noted the absence of traditional music, the eerie soundscapes and occasional ominous tracks effectively contribute to the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is praised for its ability to complement the game's visuals and narrative.

    • “And the music/ambience is really terrific - one deck has music which is pure Doom 3, and sounds really ominous.”
    • “Nice graphics and surprisingly well-made visual effects, the soundtrack also added an eerie vibe to the gameplay.”
    • “There's no music in the game (it seemed) but a lot of ambient sounds that contribute a lot to the horror tension.”
    • “The music when walking around is very minimalistic and it helps, letting you really drown yourself between your footsteps and your mind playing tricks on you.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, often involving repetitive backtracking and lengthy tasks that detract from overall enjoyment. The necessity to repeatedly gather items across multiple levels can lead to frustration and diminished interest in the game's other features.

    • “It can be a bit tedious as you have to keep getting items from one level to pass an obstacle on another.”
    • “There are 8 decks (levels) in the game and you are backtracking most of the time and doing tedious work (and see the great loading screen again!).”
    • “Things that were already tedious got dragged out into half-hour long chores, and it got to the point where not only was the game not fun, I just couldn't maintain interest in anything else it might have to offer.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express that the game's emotional impact is heightened by its timely release, especially in light of the disappointment surrounding the delay of another anticipated title, Outlast 2. This context adds a layer of resonance and connection to the game's themes.

    • “This game arrived at the perfect moment for me, especially with the heart-breaking news that Outlast 2 wouldn't be released in time for Halloween.”
    • “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; it resonated with my own experiences in a way I never expected.”
    • “I was completely immersed in the characters' struggles, and their journeys evoked a profound sense of empathy within me.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely criticized, with some users finding it so lacking that they struggle to even comment on it, describing it as simply terrible.

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

Critic Reviews

50% average critic score

Buy Syndrome

Play time

20hMedian play time
20hAverage play time
20-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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