Synthetik

About

Synthetik is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by FlowFireGames and was released on March 15, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Synthetik is a rogue-lite game set in a futuristic world where AI servants, the "Machine Legion," seek to destroy humanity. As the human consciousness of a forgotten Android prototype, players must battle through the levels of Kaida Corporation's Headquarters, defeating enemies and bosses to reach and defeat the "Heart of Armageddon." The game features a wide variety of weapons, items, perks, and upgrades, with the option to play alone or in 2-player online co-op, where every mistake could mean the end.

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,920 reviews

gameplay617 positive mentions

story25 negative mentions

The game features a satisfying and unique gunplay mechanic, including a manual reload system that adds depth to the gameplay.
There is a wide variety of weapons, items, and classes, allowing for diverse playstyles and endless replayability.
The fast-paced, chaotic action combined with a strong soundtrack creates an adrenaline-fueled experience that keeps players engaged.

The game suffers from a poor user interface and unclear mechanics, making it difficult for new players to understand how to play effectively.
There are frequent crashes and bugs, particularly in multiplayer mode, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
The difficulty can feel unbalanced, with some runs ending abruptly due to random enemy encounters or weapon jamming mechanics.

gameplay
1,554 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
56%
4%
The gameplay of Synthetik is characterized by its fast-paced, tactical mechanics that reward skill and strategy, particularly through its unique eject and active reload system, which adds depth to combat. Players appreciate the variety of weapons, classes, and upgrades, allowing for diverse playstyles and replayability, although some find the learning curve steep and the mechanics occasionally overwhelming. Overall, the game combines satisfying gunplay with roguelike elements, creating an engaging experience that challenges players while offering a rewarding progression system.
- “Its intense, skill-based gameplay and unique mechanics make every run feel fresh, challenging, and rewarding.”
- “The variety of weapons, upgrades, and classes keeps the gameplay dynamic, allowing for endless experimentation and personalization.”
- “The gameplay loop is simple but mastering the game and trying to beat your best run is what will keep you playing.”
- “The game punishes you for the developers' incompetence; the pacing is too slow, grenade throws have to be double-clicked, one to aim and one to deploy, enemies are awkward as hell getting stuck in corners of the map completely out of sight only to get shot or sniped from offscreen, and the stun mechanics from the enemies and environment are barely visible and unpredictable, especially with all of the visual clutter from the smoke and debris covering up.”
- “The reload mechanics and overall controls are messy and not too intuitive for such an intense game.”
- “The gameplay is different from arena with less healing and more sneaking and shooting.”
graphics
413 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the unique art style, vibrant colors, and clean visuals that effectively complement the gameplay. While some noted that the graphics can be cluttered or overwhelming during intense action, the overall aesthetic is described as appealing and fitting for the game's futuristic and cyberpunk themes. Additionally, the sound design and soundtrack are frequently highlighted as enhancing the visual experience, contributing to an immersive atmosphere.
- “The techno-synth soundtrack and crisp visuals perfectly complement the futuristic setting, immersing you in the chaos of every firefight.”
- “Amazing game, crisp graphics and tight design makes this game as close to perfect as they come.”
- “The graphics are fantastic, with an extremely clean and polished style that looks different from nearly every game in the genre.”
- “The game's tutorial and interface are some of the worst I've ever seen, and combined with the terrible graphical effects, I couldn't force myself to play this for more than a few minutes.”
- “The real issues are the visuals and audio; it's too damn crowded.”
- “So many flashing graphical effects and screenshake that I can't play for more than a few minutes without a splitting headache.”
music
377 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
55%
2%
The music in "Synthetik" has received widespread acclaim for its energetic and immersive soundtrack, which perfectly complements the game's chaotic action and futuristic setting. Many players describe the soundtrack as a blend of techno and synthwave, enhancing the adrenaline-pumping gameplay and making it a standout feature of the experience. However, some critiques mention that while the music is generally good, it can feel repetitive or underwhelming at times, with a few players opting to replace it with their own playlists for a more personalized experience.
- “The techno-synth soundtrack and crisp visuals perfectly complement the futuristic setting, immersing you in the chaos of every firefight.”
- “When you reach the point you're dancing through a hail of bullets to a stellar soundtrack, you realize you're onto something really special.”
- “The music gets faster, louder, heavier when you perform better, weaving in and out of combat in a symphony of gunfire and pounding electronic.”
- “The music is nothing special, just another 'industrial futuristic' soundtrack.”
- “The music is incredibly bland.”
- “The only real complaint is that the music is just kind of okay; it's not great, but it's not bad.”
replayability
240 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
47%
1%
The game boasts exceptionally high replayability, driven by its diverse classes, extensive weapon and item variety, and randomized elements that ensure each run feels unique. Players appreciate the engaging gameplay mechanics and the ability to customize difficulty, which further enhances the replay value. Overall, the combination of strategic depth, procedural generation, and a wealth of unlockable content makes it a standout title in the roguelite genre, offering countless hours of enjoyment.
- “With its diverse classes, each possessing unique abilities and playstyles, unlockable augmentations that further enhance your capabilities, and a seemingly boundless profusion of weapons and items to unearth, Synthetik bestows innumerable hours of replay value.”
- “The combination of classes, settings, and luck brings so much replayability.”
- “The amount of items there are to assist you—both class restricted and discovered—is absolutely astounding and adds a great deal of replayability.”
- “Thanks to the variety of weapons and items, as well as the amount of possible classes and their loadouts, the game's replayability value is absolutely sky-high, not even mentioning the fact that you'll probably play at least 20 runs before reaching the final boss.”
- “The amount of classes to master, variety in each run, and numerous unlocks provide near unlimited replay value, all for a relatively low entry price (especially if you get this on sale).”
- “With thousands of possible item combinations and even more possible playstyles, as well as the different classes, bosses, etc., the game has almost limitless replayability.”
story
163 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
75%
15%
The game's story is largely considered minimal and serves more as a backdrop to the action rather than a focal point, with many players noting that it lacks depth and character development. While some appreciate the simplicity and find it fitting for the gameplay style, others express disappointment over the absence of a compelling narrative. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes fast-paced action over storytelling, making the plot largely irrelevant to the overall experience.
- “Moral of the story, you never know what life holds in store for you, and if I would have given up when all the odds were stacked against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “There is a certain charm in the simple plot of the 80-90 movies.”
- “Synthetik is an action roguelike top-down shooter that's not so much about story as much as it is about violence.”
- “There's barely any story, reason, or words in this game.”
- “No one cares, obviously, because there's really no connection between the story and the gameplay.”
- “The story is basically non-existent, which is fine because you don't play roguelikes for the lore; you play them to claw at impossible odds.”
stability
111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many players reporting significant bugs, stutters, and freezes, particularly in multiplayer mode. While some users find the gameplay enjoyable despite these issues, others describe the experience as chaotic and frustrating due to frequent crashes and glitches that can disrupt progress. Overall, the game is seen as playable but marred by instability, especially in cooperative play.
- “Runs great on less than cutting-edge tech too, which is nice.”
- “I think it's worth it but could be pricey for some. This is the price you must pay for niche games, but I am glad to report that this game is very polished, runs great, 60fps never drops, very light on the system, no crashes.”
- “Synthetik is not the easiest game out there and it's definitely not bug-free, but it's enough fun to forget about bugs.”
- “The cherry on top are the recently-introduced random 1 second screen freezes that can lead you to die and have your entire time wasted, bundled together with your cursor not being made exclusive into the game's screen, allowing you to accidentally click out of the game and lose control of your character, once again leading to death and having your time wasted.”
- “The game has a severe memory leak issue that will make your game freeze and stutter a lot of times, there is no fix for this, and the troubleshooting on the discussions page won't work.”
- “This game is just a buggy mess, weapons shops and items shops not appearing, crashes, rooms so dark they are pitch black until you disable 'high quality lighting', and so many random desync and disconnect issues I can't even count them all.”
humor
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
5%
The humor in this game is described as chaotic and absurd, with players enjoying the comedic elements of gameplay, such as funny achievements and community interactions. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to create hilarious moments through its mechanics and the lively banter in the general chat, making it a fun experience both solo and in co-op. Overall, the humor is a significant draw, contributing to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “However, most importantly, it has a game-wide general chat which is hilarious.”
- “In all of my hours I have played as mostly engineer, meaning I have no idea how anything works, but killing things without doing anything is pretty funny.”
- “You keep laughing and you keep dying, but it's okay because you just love shooting so much.”
- “This game feels like I'm screaming and my PC is screaming and creaming and dreaming, and I'm just so overflowed with joy because this game kicks so much ass it's actually not funny. It's so insane and crazy and awesome that I'd honestly buy it again. My balls are quaking from the ecstasy of playing engineer and gambling and heavy gunner and shooting and printing and team killing with demolisher and raider. OMG, this game kicks so much ass it's not funny, I swear to God.”
- “The humor in this game falls flat; it tries too hard to be funny but ends up being cringeworthy instead.”
- “I expected some laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off. It's more awkward than amusing.”
optimization
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
62%
24%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many players reporting smooth performance on decent hardware but experiencing significant stuttering and performance issues on lower-end machines. While some users appreciate the visuals and overall gameplay, others highlight frustrating glitches, crashes, and performance spikes that can disrupt the experience, particularly in multiplayer modes. Overall, the game shows potential for good optimization but still requires further improvements to address the technical shortcomings.
- “Performance-wise, it should be just fine on any entry-level PC, and it looks graphically great in its characteristics.”
- “The game is well-optimized, although there are a few glitches, but honestly, these glitches add to the experience and feel more like a reward than just some kind of annoying bug, as if you accomplished something amazing.”
- “A beautiful combination of shoot-em-up roguelike with intricate and unique gun handling mechanics that put a fresh spin on the formula pioneered by titles like Nuclear Throne and Enter the Gungeon, adding a rewarding and addictive class progression system, smooth performance, and a massive array of weapons.”
- “Sadly, the satisfying effects can really slow the game's performance if you're playing on a PC with lower-end specs.”
- “The game stuttering on Synthetik is more severe than Elden Ring at this point; it is truly unplayable at times.”
- “Because I've had so many stuttering issues and lag due to connection problems, even when playing singleplayer, that ruined many runs unfortunately.”
grinding
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be significant, with many noting that character progression and class leveling can require extensive time investment, often exceeding 80 hours for completion. While some appreciate the depth and challenge that grinding provides, others feel it can become tedious and frustrating, especially for those with time constraints. Overall, the grind is seen as a core element of the gameplay experience, appealing primarily to fans of roguelites who enjoy the incremental progression and mastery of mechanics.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “There are a few robots, 1 or 2, as well as some insane finishing moves. My personal favorite is the Robo Blast Cannon, as featured in my favorite anime series, 'No Shuyien Shonen Jump High School Hero Master!'”
- “And then there's the massive grind of character progression, which means you will start on hard mode and won't get out of it until several hours of grinding. Then there's the prestige bonus and the clear bonuses for the alternate modes, which require a significant amount of metacurrency to even attempt.”
- “Really entertaining until you notice each class takes 20 hours to max, just so you have to reset its progression and go back to level 1 in order to unlock the final skill, before grinding it all up again.”
- “The game feels much slower paced, grindier, and is even more punishing.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional response to the game, with some players feeling frustrated by mechanics that detract from enjoyment, while others find heartwarming moments and camaraderie, especially when playing with friends. The emotional impact varies, with some players appreciating the nostalgic vibes reminiscent of 80s buddy cop films, while others express disappointment over gameplay decisions that lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, the emotional tone ranges from wholesome and nostalgic to frustrating and disheartening.
- “The dark souls of emotional damage.”
- “What a wholesome experience.”
- “Playing this with my best friend totally made me feel like we were in an 80s cyber buddy cop film.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
18%
9%
The atmosphere in Synthetik is widely praised for its engaging cyberpunk aesthetic, combining a unique graphic style with a compelling soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's demanding mechanics, which contribute to a tense and immersive environment, making each gunfight feel strategic and impactful. Despite some minor complaints about music customization, the game's authentic sci-fi industrial vibe and satisfying gameplay loop leave a lasting impression.
- “Overall, Synthetik is perfect if you're looking for a demanding game with a great atmosphere.”
- “Overall, Synthetik has a very authentic sci-fi industrial atmosphere to it, with its engaging sounds and sharp visuals.”
- “The mechanics can be difficult to adjust to, such as ejecting a spent magazine before reloading or gun jamming, but they combine well into an atmosphere that has you considering your approach in every gunfight.”
monetization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The game's monetization model is largely praised for its absence of microtransactions, allowing players to enjoy the experience without additional costs. However, some reviewers express frustration over the overwhelming variety of in-game mechanics and systems that feel reminiscent of monetization strategies, despite the lack of direct purchases. Overall, while the game avoids traditional monetization pitfalls, it still incorporates complex systems that may confuse players.
- “No microtransactions of any kind.”
- “Unique characters and loads of weapons to get, and no microtransactions.”
- “There are no microtransactions or anything like that, and the XP/skill unlock system is very fair and allows you to learn as you go, so it actually serves a gameplay purpose.”
- “All of that would be... a 'they may fix it' variable, if they didn't flood this 1st game with microtransactions on a game you already purchased, and ads for the 2nd game. The 2nd game looks like a copy/paste of this game, but with better UI.”
- “Indie-quality game, triple-A monetization and money-begging.”
- “Despite not having gacha monetization, this game overwhelms you with a crazy variety of weapons, items, upgrades, penalties, boosts and bonuses, curses, ammo types, research, levels and prestige(?), daily modifications, log-in rewards, drop rate manipulation, luck mechanics, 'refer a friend' rewards, 'quests' that seem to inexplicably fail either due to some hidden condition or expire after a period of time without any apparent reason or letting you know, etc. Many would appreciate this variety, I'm sure, but I was very confused by the choice and all the stats involved.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
Character development in this game is minimal, as players prioritize fast-paced gameplay and action over intricate plots or character arcs. While there are elements like unlocking new gear and perks, the focus remains on shooting and explosive action rather than deep character exploration.
- “Character development, unlocking new gear and perks, getting levels, a lot of shooting and blowing things up.”
- “It's got all I want: the gun porn, the fast-paced gameplay, the interesting character design, and so much more.”
- “Do you want to just kill things without caring for complicated elements like 'plot' and 'character development'?”
- “Character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”