Syndicate Wars is an isometric real-time tactical and strategic game, developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts. It is the second video game title in the Syndicate series, retaining the core gameplay and perspective of the original Syndicate, but with a setting 95 years further into the future.

The Story Behind Syndicate Wars

It is the second video game title in the Syndicate series, retaining the core gameplay and perspective of the original Syndicate, but with a setting 95 years further into the future. Syndicate Wars is an isometric real-time tactical and strategic game, developed by Bullfrog Productions and published by Electronic Arts. The AI was also enhanced so that enemies would work as a team, whereas in the original Syndicate each one would act as though unaware of the other members of their group.

The PlayStation version also features different graphics, only functioning in the lower-resolution setting from the PC version, but also featuring some graphical improvements, such as transparency. Mike Diskett (the game's producer and lead programmer) described the multiplayer mode as "a mixture of Quake and Command & Conquer, because you end up with the Quake aspect of just going out there to kill as many people as possible, but you also build bases up. A Sega Saturn version also began development; however, it was cancelled later in 1997, with Bullfrog's head of conversions, Steve Metcalf, explaining that the Saturn market was not large enough to cover development costs.

How Syndicate Wars Plays

Syndicate Wars instruction manual specifically addresses the player as a newly hired EuroCorp executive; however, they can choose to control agents from either EuroCorp or the Church of the New Epoch. New weapons can be acquired either by picking them up during missions, or by completing research (which is also used to upgrade agents' cybernetic components). Other items of equipment available include rocket launchers, gas grenades, explosives, armed drones, and equipment to direct orbital bombardment from satellites.

During missions, the health, shields and weapon energy (which functions in the place of specific ammunition) of the player's agents will recharge over time. This device is used to convert NPCs (both civilians and enemy characters) to follow and fight alongside the player's agents. Although the general mission structure remains consistent when playing as either EuroCorp or the Church, they are made distinctive by differences in the pre-mission briefings which are delivered to the player in the form of a fictional email system.

Why Players Still Load It Up

While he complained that the control interface is a pain to adjust to, he found the new weapons, completely interactive environments, and numerous missions make it worthwhile to do so. Some aspects of gameplay are also different between the two versions; for example, the ability to research specific items does not exist in the PlayStation version, with new items instead being made available in a fixed order, following mission completions. Corporate decisions are facilitated through a number of AI entities connected through a global communications network.

The same employee states that a Syndicate title on PlayStation 2 was under development for approximately one year; however, this title was also never released. A reviewer for Next Generation described Syndicate Wars as "even more dark and menacing than the original." He said that while the graphics suffer from chunkiness and ragged characters in the standard VGA mode, in SVGA mode they are stunning. This was followed by several further development efforts which did not progress.

Syndicate Wars — Frequently Asked Questions