Thanks Wizzard. Another one to try out when I have the time.
I'm speeding along the streets of Stillwater at the moment (Saints Row 2) as an alternative to GTA 4; .....I've lost the disc (misplaced it somewhere, lol)..... and also battling it out in the just released game Ton Clancy's End War (to be released tomorrow in the UK, but I got an early copy. :)
but I am looking forwards to trying this one out soon. :)
addendum:
From the description it seems a little like Syndicate 'somewhat', which I'd noticed was a recommended download via abandonia (if you like Deadline). I remember being facinated by Syndicate when it was first released. The effects were cutting edge; with the ability to control four agents and call in air strikes that dropped napalm (At least I think it was napalm) or rockets. I think there was artillery as well. Some of the weapons, such as the flamethrower were awesome; (it could be this that I'm mixing up with napalm, lol) I can't remember Deadline from this period in time though and I was playing buying games at the time, but not to the same extent that I do now. One of the things thats spoils Syndicate is the sound effects; then again, most DOS games had rubbish sound effects back in the 80's and early 90's. 'Thank Odin' for the likes of Creatives Sound Blaster series and the brilliant sound chips of today.
I thought I'd posted Syndicate early in the project, but no; it was one I meant to post but didn't get around to doing so due to the unbelievable number of free games available. It should be a fitting accompaniment to today’s free game:
Here's the abandonia's take on Syndicate:
Syndicate is one of the most violent games of its time. Actually, this is how it got most of its appeal back when it was published. The game is set in the future, and not a very bright one. Basically, you are in control of a Syndicate, and your job is to CONQUER THE WORLD! (Evil laugh).
You will do it with the help of androids which you will equip with various big guns. Your arsenal consists of pistols, machine guns, rocket launchers all the way to flamethrowers and similar things that usually cause pain or death. I did say this game was brutal, didn't I?
But there is more to this game than big guns and a bunch of androids. You will also have to research new modifications for your androids and equipment. The modes will allow your androids to move faster, be more precise and have stronger bodies. As for equipment research, it is categorized into heavy, assault and automatic weapons, and miscellaneous stuff.
The game perspective is isometric. From that position, the view of the city and your androids is very good and clear. This will ensure easy navigation and orientation throughout the level map. Missions briefings will usually tell you to kill soldiers, assassinate leaders, persuade people to do stuff, kidnap someone and similar. They can get pretty repetitive and tedious. After all, the world is a big place, and there are lots of missions.
The navigation is simple and straightforward. Left click for movement around the map, right click for shooting a gun (or using whatever you are holding in your hand at that moment). The cities and landscapes are very well done. There will be people walking around, cars passing by on roads (be careful not to get run over), trains etc. It all adds to a very good overall atmosphere.
Graphics are great for the time of release, and sounds are very convincing to say the least. Background music is just fine, and doesn't get in the way of gameplay.
Overall, this game is a definitive must for any DOS gamer! However, I will have to deduct one mark because of its repetitiveness. A 4 mark then!
Get Syndicate HERE
Video:
Watch Syndicate video HERE
Watch Syndicate video HERE
Watch Syndicate video HERE
Images:
See Syndicate images HERE
You can also get Syndicate Wars the sequel to Syndicate. The graphics are improved as is the sound effects, otherwise you're getting more of the same.
So far the only site I've found that has the download now that Home of the Underdogs<?em> is no more is a French site. look out for telecharger which means download, and if the download doesn't seem to be happening click on the hyperlink that says "veuillez cliquer ici" The download is very large for an old game at over 300Mb. Also the sites downlod speeds are slow, so it will take some time to download, but it's worth it.
Here's Abandonias take on Syndicate Wars:
In Syndicate you played as one of many Syndicates who wished to control the world. Since then, one Syndicate has risen to that position - Eurocorp. Through their UTOPIA chips they control the population, or at least most of it. A rival group, The Church of the New Epoch, has risen up to destroy UTOPIA and overthrow Eurocorp. You will take on one of two roles, an exectutive for Eurocorp or a disciple for The Church of the New Epoch. It's time for Syndicate Wars.
The game is played in a similar manner to the original game. You control a team of four cyborgs, and with them, you will take on various missions for your organisation in a number of locations around the world. But as in Syndicate, it is not just the missions that you need to think about. You need a strong team, so it is important to buy improved parts for your cyborg characters. Also, the better weapons they have, the stronger they will be. At the start you have limited knowledge of technology so you must assign funds to research and also pick up any new technologies you find out in the field and send them to your research team. You start with a limited amount of money and the early missions won't generate any real income for you, so be careful with the cash at the start.
This game is darker and even more violent than Syndicate, but falls short of its predecessor in two crucial places. The graphics in Syndicate were excellent for 1993. but you would expect the graphics in Syndicate Wars to be better. Unfortunately, in the quest for more detailed textures, a lot of the surfaces end up looking pretty poor in my opinion. The game has a very similar interface to Syndicate, though naturally darker, but I found it extremely difficult to use at first. Of course that may just be because I had no manual!
Syndicate Wars has a detailed plot and a lot of gameplay so it will involve you for quite a while. If you've played Syndicate and loved it or if you just like games with dark, world-dominating plots and extreme levels of violence, you will enjoy this game. While excellent fun, the game still falls way short of Syndicate graphically and in my opinion that is unforgivable so I'll have to give a very average 3. If you intend to run this in DosBox, you will need an extremely fast computer else you will be condemned to the even poorer 320x200 resolution!
Get Syndicate Wars HERE
Video:
Watch Syndicate Wars video HERE
Watch Syndicate Wars video HERE
Watch Syndicate Wars video HERE
