A Preview of Frozen Synapse

There’s a big cyberpunk game looming on the digital horizon and I can’t wait for it to arrive.  No, it’s not that game, the one with the illustrious heritage – albeit I am anxiously awaiting it, too.  Rather, it is Mode 7’s Frozen Synapse, a game of simultaneous turn-based tactics that I believe is going to knock the socks off of a lot of gamers.  Here’s why….

Frozen Synapse’s gameplay harkens back to those great days when deep, turn-based tactical warfare titles, such as the classic Computer Ambush and X-COM, were rather commonplace.  Like its predecessors, Frozen Synapse core gameplay mechanic revolves around plotting detailed combat orders for each of your soldiers (or “vatforms” in Frozen Synapse cyber-lingo), and using them as a team to beat the opposition.  Because each of your units are armed with a specific weapon, such as a machine gun, sniper rifle, rocket launcher, bouncy grenade launcher or shotgun, the player needs to carefully consider the strengths and weaknesses of each of his men before committing to a plan.  For example, if your team has a lot of shotguns, you better plan on a CQ battle, while a lot of sniper rifles or rockets would suggest the opportunity to engage the foe from a greater range.   The player must also consider the terrain at hand.  In Frozen Synapse, maps, which are usually randomly generated and of varying size, have an office-like layout involving discreet ‘cubicles’ built from full or half walls.  If the map is densely populated with such structures, count on a game of cat and mouse as both sides take advantage of abundant cover to close with the enemy.  However, if the map is more open, then things become somewhat simpler with shots being exchanged from a longer range.  In such situations, situational awareness can be more valuable than stealthy maneuvering.  Regardless of the map type, though, the tactical picture will always be challenging and demand imagination from the player.

Fortunately, Frozen Synapse’s user interface is well designed to allow the player to craft his plan to his liking with a minimum of fuss.  With just a few clicks, the player can place waypoints that his unit will follow; this is the foundation for any plan.  However, tactical ingenuity comes into play when the player builds on this foundation by issuing a number of more refined commands to these waypoints, something that can swing the tide of battle.  For example, the player might want to issue a facing command that sets up a field of fire, something that will give an edge in acquiring a potential target.  Or he might want to change a unit’s stance, such as when sneaking past a half wall by crouching.  Other commands provide other options, such as focusing on a particular enemy, or delaying the execution of a particular command, such as telling a unit to halt for a few seconds so as to sneak past an enemy when he has his backed turned.  Because of Frozen Synapse’s well thought-out and slick UI, the player can craft remarkably detailed plans with a minimum of effort.  Best of all, Frozen Synapse even includes a preview option so that the player can test out his orders to make sure they are executed to his liking.

Now, one thing that separates Frozen Synapse from many older tactical games is that it is “simultaneous turn-based”, sometimes referred to as “WEGO”.  In other words, the player and his opponent, be it the clever AI or another human, do not alternate taking turns, but rather simultaneously plot orders and submit them.  The game then crunches the results and produces a remarkably tense and exciting five second movie that will have you howling with rage when your plan goes awry, or cheering when it all works out as planned.  Battles will often seesaw back and forth across multiple turns, with most resolving themselves in about six to eight turns, making for short but thrilling games.

Frozen Synapse, even in its beta stage, is already packed with so much content that it puts the DLC-ready offerings of the bigger studios to shame.  For example, right out of the box players will have a chance to play their way through a fifty-five mission – that’s 55! – cyberpunk-themed campaign that will involve a variety of mission types, including simple assaults, assassinations, heists and more.  These missions take place on maps that are semi-random in terrain, which should add greatly to replayability, as well as the challenge factor.  As you work through the campaign, an interesting narrative is unveiled about various splinter organizations trying to overthrow the cyber-overlords of the city of Markov Geist, something that makes the individual missions all the more meaningful and enjoyable – which is unusual for a turn-based game such as this.

But what if you are more of a multiplayer type of gamer?  Well, Frozen Synapse has you covered here.  Frozen Synapse features a remarkably robust set of multiplayer options and features that would seem to keep players busy for a long time.  Players can select from a wide assortment of mission types, from simple elimination games, to hostage rescue, securing territory and more, with “light” and “dark” variants available – these determine whether or not the player can always see the location of his opponent’s units (i.e., fog of war is in effect).  If you’re really adventurous, Frozen Synapse even offers a game editor that allows the player to set all sorts of options for a game, including map size, unit type, or even specify a “symmetrical” set-up.  

Perhaps the best part of Frozen Synapses multiplayer component is how it is all neatly contained on Mode 7’s “Grand Server”, something that takes all the hassles out of the normal multiplayer procedures for turn-based games, such as finding an opponent or manually exchanging files.  Mode 7’s server does all the work, from arranging games, to automatically processing submitted turns and notifying opponents when the results are available.  The server even tracks your ranking and allows for players to save replays of their favorite games, or share them with others on the server or via the handy and effortless YouTube exporter.  It is a testament to the power and functionality of Frozen Synapse’s multiplayer component that even during this pre-release beta stage, 64 players were online when last I checked!

Tying this whole package together is an artistically slick visual style well suited to a cyberpunk-themed game, and a musical soundtrack that strikes the right tone and sounds great.  Add in a well thought-out and easily navigated menu system, and Frozen Synapse is a remarkably polished game in its current beta build.

Last year, when I first heard about Frozen Synapse, I was very supportive.  The idea of old school tactical gaming married to WEGO gameplay was sufficiently exciting to get me to pry open my wallet and buy into the project – something I very rarely do.  You could say I was cautiously optimistic.   Since trying this late build beta, you could say my attitude has shifted:  I am no longer cautiously optimistic; rather, I am now…wildly enthusiastic!  This is a title that is packed with gameplay well in excess of its meager pre-release price of $25.99.  While the final jury decision must remain out until the finished product is available for review, I am finding it increasingly difficult to stifle my love for what Mode 7 has already accomplished.  Time will tell, but I suspect this is a game that will be shooting to the top of my playlist and remaining there for a very long time.