Sovereign Syndicate

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 333: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆☆ (5/10) So, this is a weird one. I dropped the game last year after finishing Chapter 8 (I played it offline mode) and decided to give it a try. But I still didn't click with it. Maybe it's my fault for buying into the "steampunk [i] Disco Elysium[/i]" angle, but [i] Sovereign Syndicate[/i] is definitely not that. It's not even an CRPG, I would argue, more like a visual novel. Which is fine, but markedly different than an RPG. It boasts of tarot cards instead of dice rolls, a steampunk London setting, three unusual protagonists—all good and all, but the more you play, the more it feels like the skeleton of a better game that never got the muscle it needed. It borrows the surface elements of titles like [i]Disco Elysium, Roadwarden[/i], and[i] The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante, [/i]without capturing any of the games' writing, depth, or player choice. As a result, it's rather ...

I wanted to cautiously rate Sovereign Syndicate as positive, but, as I started writing this, I kept coming up with more reasons to wave people away than beckon them towards. Sovereign Syndicate tells the story of three, eventually four, protagonists, as they each try to pick up their lives from the gutter. It is not a story of their triumphs per se. It is most certainly the story of how the crown takes advantage of their predicaments and emotional vulnerabilities to manipulate them into doing dirty work like good little pawns. This is told with solid writing and some decent story lines, so where did things go wrong? The first is the characters. There is no main character per se. Instead, it seems like you play multiple main characters throughout the game, each one gets a chapter before the story shifts. I say seems like because where things start with Atticus, it seemed like Clara got the majority of attention, while Teddy was an afterthought. Then at the very end, Atticus is gi...

Sovereign Syndicate is one of those rare games that just nails it. The setting pulls you in right away moody, layered, with that thick atmosphere that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into another world. It doesn’t just give you a backdrop, it breathes, it lives, it feels dangerous and alive all at once. The writing and choices feel sharp, like every decision has weight behind it. The characters stick with you, not because they’re flawless, but because they’ve got grit and depth. The story doesn’t hold your hand, and that’s what makes it sing you’re not just playing through, you’re carving your own path in a world that pushes back. Gameplay fits the tone perfectly. It’s not about button-mashing or hollow grind; it’s about immersion, pacing, and letting the story wrap around you. When a game respects your time and intelligence, it shows, and Sovereign Syndicate is a great example of that. And then there’s the bonus that makes it even sweeter it runs on L...

A serviceable 7/10 Disco clone in a fantasy steampunk universe, with OK story and choice reactivity. The random chances of succeeding dialog checks is my main issue with the game - it's often tedious and unfun, and can be downright enraging when failing a check with 93% chances of success fails a quest outright. The game autosaves before a conversation, so you can save-scum your way around this, which is better than nothing and allowed me to enjoy the game.

Most of the negative reviews are baffling. Most obviously didn’t read the store page or play the demo. I tried the demo when I was in a bad mood but after playing it, I couldn’t wait for its release. Clear your head of previous titles in the genre because this is not trying to be any of those. The store page and the demo has almost everything you need to know about the setting, mechanics, writing, etc. Try the demo and you will know if you will like this game.

I really cant deal with a minotaur wearing a top hat and I accept that's a problem with me and not with the game but here we are. Im A sOvErEiGn SyNdIcAte

Ween?!?!