Synergia
- August 10, 2021
- Radi Art
- 8h median play time
At the end of the world, love is sometimes the ultimate crime. Now remastered in high resolution, also featuring the SUNRISE expansion and bonus OST and in-game Artbook.
Reviews
- The art style and music are exceptional, creating a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- The story presents an intriguing cyberpunk narrative with well-developed main characters, particularly Cila and Mara.
- The game successfully explores themes of love, identity, and societal issues within a dystopian setting.
- The pacing of the story feels rushed, especially towards the end, leaving some plot points underdeveloped.
- There are very few choices throughout the game, which limits player agency and replayability.
- Some dialogue and writing contain grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, detracting from the overall immersion.
- story295 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its engaging premise and emotional depth, particularly in its exploration of a human-android romance set against a cyberpunk backdrop. However, numerous critiques highlight issues with pacing, especially in the latter half where the narrative feels rushed and convoluted, leading to confusion and a lack of character development. While some found the characters and world-building intriguing, others felt the story fell short due to its linearity and limited player choices, ultimately leaving them wanting more depth and resolution.
“Played this game on a whim, but eventually I found myself getting super into the lore and imagining how this world looked like as the story progressed.”
“A captivating story packed up with some rad art and soundtracks.”
“The story had me smiling, laughing, and crying.”
“The story feels rushed towards the end; the pacing is very different from the beginning and mid-game, and while the plot thickens, it becomes more confusing at the same time.”
“The story is a bit of a mess, and the romantic plot comes off as extremely creepy.”
“The story is poorly executed, with the latter half falling apart and leaving behind a plethora of plot holes.”
- music94 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in "Synergia" has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively complementing the game's cyberpunk aesthetic. Many reviewers praised the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as dramatic, synth-heavy, and well-suited to the narrative, although some noted moments of repetitiveness. Overall, the combination of music and art significantly enhances the game's emotional impact and ambiance, making it a memorable experience for players.
“A cyberpunk yuri visual novel with a killer soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack is fantastic, the art's essential yet fascinating style fits perfectly with the cyberpunk atmosphere, the characters are interesting and evolving.”
“The ambient, pulsing soundtrack (synth-heavy, naturally) really pulls everything together and heightens the immersion, never outstaying its welcome.”
“The music was dramatic and sometimes a little too repetitive to the point where I had to turn it off just so I could focus on reading.”
“As a result, it is pointless to try to understand most of the settings and story progress; the reader sees the artwork, hears the music, and generates the most generic dystopian sci-fi city in their mind as the backdrop, which really cheapens the experience by failing to introduce any concrete background to the story.”
“Until then, the questions of the player are usually met with lies, more lies, opaque answers, or with the promise of a vague answer later on, with little to hold the player's interest in the meantime, apart from some relaxing music.”
- graphics63 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in Synergia are widely praised for their stunning cyberpunk aesthetic, featuring beautiful character designs and a cohesive art style that enhances the game's atmosphere. The artwork, combined with an immersive soundtrack, creates a captivating experience, although some reviewers noted inconsistencies in the visuals and a lack of depth in the story. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a highlight, effectively capturing the essence of a dystopian world.
“The aesthetics and presentation in Synergia are excellent: the music, the backgrounds, the character art -- it's all so very well done.”
“The artwork has a rough, worn, sketched look, which uses a very limited color palette of mostly grays and tons of electric-looking reds with fantastic noir-like use of stark lighting and plenty of dramatic shadows which really matches the feel of the world.”
“Holy moly, I binged this game in one sitting, the art style, the atmosphere, and the music pulled me in and kept me there; sure, my eyes were so engrossed by the beautiful ambiance that I couldn't stop.”
“As a result it is pointless to try to understand most of the settings and story progress; the reader sees the artwork, hears the music, and generates the most generic dystopian sci-fi city in their mind as the backdrop, which really cheapens the experience by failing to introduce any concrete background to the story.”
“Between the plot holes, spelling mistakes, and the amount of mismatching art styles, this game was a bumpy ride.”
“Art: 9/10 - with an amazing intro video sequence and an overall style that makes your eyes bleed, it's hard to find fault in the artwork.”
- atmosphere22 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive cyberpunk aesthetic, enhanced by a fantastic soundtrack and unique art style that effectively convey the world’s complexities and social issues. Reviewers highlight the organic world-building and character development, noting that the atmosphere captivates players and keeps them engaged throughout the experience. While some critiques exist regarding character dynamics and plot depth, the overall ambiance remains a standout feature that elevates the game.
“The soundtrack is fantastic, the art's essential yet fascinating style fits perfectly with the cyberpunk atmosphere, the characters are interesting and evolving.”
“In my opinion they deliver a quality cyberpunk atmosphere, and slowly release nuggets about the world such that it feels organic.”
“Holy moly, I binged this game in one sitting, the art style, the atmosphere, and the music pulled me in and kept me there, sure my eyes were so engrossed by the beautiful ambiance that I couldn't stop.”
“A 7/10 not-so-thought-provoking plot, but not weak enough to ruin the great cyberpunk atmosphere brought by the delicate artworks and amazing soundtracks.”
“Holy moly, I binged this game in one sitting; the art style, the atmosphere, and the music pulled me in and kept me there. Sure, my eyes were so engrossed by the beautiful ambiance that I couldn't stop.”
“The music is exactly what you'd expect from a cyberpunk-themed game and keeps the atmosphere afloat without getting in the way of reading.”
- emotional15 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- -13 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Synergia delivers a heartfelt and emotional narrative, intertwining themes of love, autonomy, and human experimentation within a cyberpunk setting. While the romance is described as organic and heartwarming, some reviewers feel the story lacks depth and could benefit from further development. Overall, the game leaves a significant emotional impact, particularly through its exploration of relationships in a dystopian world.
“Synergia knows what it's doing; it's a convincing and heartfelt sci-fi story with satisfying (albeit derivative) takes on the singularity and human experimentation.”
“The tale it tells is gripping, emotional, and will keep you sat down till you finish it in one go.”
“The relationship that develops feels organic and is incredibly heartwarming.”
“Even that isn’t enough to save an otherwise boring story that I find hard not to dislike.”
“The emotional moments felt forced and lacked genuine impact.”
“I struggled to connect with the characters, making it difficult to feel any emotional weight.”
- character development10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the unique art style and character designs are praised for their creativity and appeal, many reviewers feel that the depth of character development is lacking or overshadowed by the worldbuilding. Some players appreciate the evolution of characters throughout the game, but there is a consensus that more depth and padding in character arcs would enhance the overall experience.
“You can see a lot of inspired elements in the character designs, and each one has something different to deliver.”
“The atmosphere and character development were spot on for me.”
“While the worldbuilding is actually pretty interesting, it comes in and sours itself by not joining but completely replacing all character development or even presence.”
“Love the artwork and how well the character development evolves throughout the game.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as straightforward and not groundbreaking, typical of visual novels with minimal interactive elements, primarily focused on narrative choices. Players can complete the game in about 4 to 9 hours, depending on the endings explored, but some characters feel underdeveloped due to the short length. Overall, while the gameplay is serviceable and satisfying, there is a desire for a more extended experience.
“But with easier gameplay and a better ending, this game gives a very satisfying vibe.”
“Still, I liked what I've experienced and those 9 hours of gameplay were enough to satisfy me; I wish only it would last longer.”
“Its about a 4 hour gameplay for both endings and epilogue.”
“It does not do anything groundbreaking with the gameplay or the story, but they are serviceable enough.”
“For those unfamiliar with visual novels, they're closer to choose-your-own-text adventures and have a minimum of gameplay.”
“Cila and Mara are great characters, but other characters that hold an integral part of the story fall apart due to the short gameplay length.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-received, with players noting a mix of lighthearted moments, such as funny lesbian robots, alongside unexpected darker themes that enhance the overall experience. Many found themselves smiling and laughing at various points, indicating a successful blend of comedy and emotional depth.
“The story had me smiling, laughing, and crying.”
“Funny lesbian robots.”
“The story went a lot darker than I was expecting at some places, which was a very pleasant surprise, and a couple of lines had me chuckling or smiling dumbly to myself.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is considered enjoyable, but it suffers from a lack of replayability, which diminishes its long-term appeal for players.
“All in all, good game; sadly, it has no replayability.”
“This gives the game very little replayability.”