Syndicate computer games Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The Syndicate series was a series of violent top-down science fiction computer games created by Bullfrog Productions. There were two main titles in the series: Syndicate (1993/1994) and Syndicate Wars (1996), with an expansion pack for the former, Syndicate: American Revolt.Syndicate and its expansion pack were released for the Amiga and PC, while the sequel was a PC and Playstation title. Bullfrog used a heavily modified version of the Syndicate Wars engine in Dungeon Keeper.
The series was critically acclaimed, but reached the peak of its popularity before mass adoption of the internet, hence a relatively small online community compared to later less influential games.
Both games put you in charge of the totalitarian syndicate Eurocorp. The core game-mechanic involved ordering a team of cyborg agents around gritty cyberpunk-themed cities, in pursuit of mission goals such as assassinating executives of a rival syndicate, rescuing captured allies, "persuading" civilians and scientists to join your company, demolishing buildings, or simply killing all enemy agents. You were also required to collect the funds to finance the R&D of new weaponry and cyborg upgrades, by means of taxing conquered territories in the original game, or robbing banks in Syndicate Wars.
The Syndicate series, particularly Syndicate Wars, was noted for its attention to detail and the intricacy of its narrative. Notable features of the latter game were its use of context-sensitive background music which changed to suit the mood of the on-screen action, and a high degree of interactivity, insofar as almost every object in the game world could be destroyed. The visual aesthetic of both games borrows heavily from films such as Akira and Blade Runner.