Synced: A Co-op Shooter Waiting to Shine

Remember, Synced (formerly “Synced Off Planet”) is a cooperative shooter that has been waiting in Tencent’s wallet since 2019, when it was presented at Gamescom… Since all this time, the Chinese giant has reviewed its copy, with notably a “rogue-lite” aspect that now sits at the center of the experience. In PvE (player versus environment) mode, where a team of three players must traverse an area infested with killer robots, the bonus randomly generated are clearly the sinews of war… As usual with the genre, it is thanks to them that you will become more and more strong to beat the various boss. Upon its release, Synced will offer five Dead Sectors of the genre and five Master Ops (revised versions of the PvE levels in more robust) without forgetting the PvP and two other secondary modes. For the moment, the TPS is still planned for the summer of 2023 in free-to-play on PC, PS5, Xbox Series! Gamescom 2023 will tell us more.

A PvE first experience

With this second take, it seems obvious to us that Synced has a good chance of shining thanks to its PvE mode. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to try PvP for long, the rules of which seem to us less promising than the other during the experience. In player against player, you have to collect the most “nanos” possible with the help of random bonuses mentioned above (but which are not quite the same as those of PvE). You can fight solo or in teams of three. Waiting to play the complete version, let’s go back to the PvE mode.

With this new preview, we got to try out two new Dead Sectors, set in enclosed environments. First observation, Synced’s formula seems less comfortable there… During our first try, we made the main with an open area, where we had to choose our next destination carefully. Rather loot and find temporary bonuses or go directly face the boss? Because as time passes, the influx gauge fills up, increasing the difficulty of enemies. Between four walls, your path will be mapped out (or almost). It is kind of a shame. Second point: indoors, enemy robots quickly merge with your Nano, a kind of mecha that you can either keep on your arm – to take advantage of various bonuses – or send to combat. Not great for readability, knowing that each player can call on their metal buddy.

Margin of progression in the top

That being said, Synced offers quite correct shooting sensations and above all personalization options that are frankly worth a look! In addition to the temporary improvements of the PvE mode, the TPS (third-person shooter) also counts on permanent bonuses that you will unlock game after game. We are talking, for example, about additional damage after a critical hit, bullets from the secondary weapon which can separate into several projectiles, a grenade release if your magazine is dry… Each hero benefits from four permanent slots, and therefore a nice range of possibilities. At the end of the day, the goal will obviously be to make your “team” additional. In addition to these slots, each Synced character (which will be six at launch) benefits from unique abilities. You will also be able to modify your Nano, as well as your main weapon and secondary.