Syndrome Reviews
"I usually judge games not based on some absurd absolute standard but rather, within reason, on whether they achieve what they’re trying to do and the extent to which they do this given the circumstances. It is because Syndrome is a passion project made by a very small team on a small budget that I don’t call it an outright disappointment, but rather a lackluster experience. If you’re looking for extreme thrills, high production values and a captivating story Syndrome is not the game for you. If you’re a fan of the general atmosphere of games like Alien: Isolation, System Shock or Dead Space then Syndrome might serve to tide you over. It’s not great, but it’s competently made. Not a revelation, but a welcome addition to not that saturated a genre. With these caveats out of the way, I can recommend it for space thriller fans. I just wish it could have been more."
Syndrome presents a challenging alternative to the glut of triple-A stealth releases that can be found in any corner of Steam’s vast expanse of games. It’s just a shame that the primary source of its difficulty comes from how broken it feels.
Syndrome is a game with a story that ends up being more of the same.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The first third of Syndrome is a picture perfect game, but a fall from grace follows shortly afterwards. Camel 101 have simply bitten off more than they could chew.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
When the Hobbit films hit cinemas at 48fps instead of the standard 28fps people complained that it ruined the immersion. They could suddenly tell that characters were wearing makeup, the illusion was gone. That’s sort of the feeling I get from Syndrome.
Syndrome looks the part, with quality visuals and an outstanding sound design. Unfortunately this is a case where the presentation belies a game that has loads of potential, but in the end winds up an average-at-best series of missed opportunities.
Syndrome for console is a game that should have mature a bit more. Lighting is off, sounds are off, but if you manage to turn the brightness up on your display of choice you are welcomed with a mostly empty horror-mystery game set in the space.
Review in Polish | Read full review
It's not hard to see the inspirations behind Syndrome's attempt at outer space horror, but the danger when inspiring reflection on the likes of the Dead Space series is that the comparison may leave your game coming up well short of the mark...
All in all, Syndrome is a buggy, frustrating mess that doesn't make the slightest effort to be original.
Players looking for a wholly original experience will not find it here. Syndrome doesn't do much to hide its influences. However, anyone that wants an excellent example of level design, some really scary enemies, and tension building, this should be a must-have. A few minor flaws aside, Syndrome is as much a love letter to the retro classics as it is to the modern ones. As for those modern titles, it can stand tall next to them as a survival horror juggernaut.
It is a legitimately scary game, but the bugs, bad design choices, bland story, and obnoxious enemies overshadow that. It is hard to tell how much is the game scaring you, and how much is just frustration.
Syndrome is a fun, frightening reminder that space is a scary place. Being trapped on a spaceship is terrifying and isolating. However, it could be quite frustrating at times. I couldn’t play for extended periods of time because I don’t enjoy repeating objectives or areas over and over. That said, it was atmospherically wonderful. The visual and sound design alone make it a great game for horror fans, especially those with a love for sci-fi.
Diehard fans will enjoy the atmosphere, but the rough gameplay and level design ultimately bring down Syndrome.
Where Syndrome should have been a love letter to classic sci-fi horror games, it instead feels like a drunken, rambling text sent at three in the morning.
You wake with no memory or weaponry in an evidently clear hostile environment, what now?
First off, this game is insanely overpriced for what it is. If it was a little cheaper, I'd say you could enjoy it the way you would enjoy a bad horror movie. It does have a spooky atmosphere due to the isolation aspect, but it's not enough. I think the developers need to learn to take inspiration from other sources but still using their own ideas.
Syndrome doesn't bring anything to the table as a survival horror. There are many better games in the genre.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Syndrome has a foundation in place to be a creepy horror story that focuses on the desolation of outer space and the madness it can bring, but the execution is a few light years behind. It might give players something more to try out for a Halloween-themed gaming binge, but players might also die of boredom long before they succumb to shock.
While not utterly broken, it doesn’t do anything to stand out from its peers so there isn’t much reason to pick it up.