Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Syndicate Plus builds on the real-time tactical roots of the original Syndicate and its American Revolt expansion, delivering a tight isometric command experience. Players take control of a four-agent squad, each equipped with a wide range of cybernetic enhancements, customizable weapons, and special abilities. From stealthy infiltration missions to all-out urban warfare, chaining together choke points and choke-holds feels intuitive once you familiarize yourself with the game’s intuitive point-and-click mechanics.

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The balance between action and strategy is one of Syndicate Plus’s strongest selling points. Mapping out syringe shots to hack enemy cyborgs or coordinating grenade barrages against fortified positions forces you to think several steps ahead. Squad AI is generally reliable, following orders to suppress, flank, or hold position. The enhanced AI tweaks in American Revolt give adversaries a sharper reaction time, pushing you to adapt on the fly, whether you’re navigating crowded city grids or dodging automated defense turrets.

Additionally, resource management adds an extra layer of tension. Credits accrued from mission bonuses can be reinvested into agent upgrades, making for meaningful progression between levels. Deciding whether to maximize a turret hack for area control or bolster your agents’ speed modules becomes a tough but rewarding gamble. In combination, the base missions of Syndicate and the high-stakes operations in American Revolt complement each other, providing more than a dozen hours of varied tactical engagements.

Graphics

Although Syndicate Plus wears its late-’90s pedigree on its sleeve, the refined pixel art still holds up, especially when contrast is dialed up on modern displays. Environments span neon-lit cityscapes, grimy industrial zones, and high-security compounds, each detailed with animated elements like glowing billboards, moving vehicles, and patrolling drones. The expansion’s new maps in American Revolt often lean into hotter, arid palettes, creating a visual distinction between the base game’s cooler metropolis aesthetics.

Character and enemy sprites feature fluid animations for aiming, reloading, and executing special abilities, which feel surprisingly contemporary thanks to the remastered frame rates in the Plus edition. Weapon effects—energy blasts, stun rounds, and ricocheting bullets—pop against the isometric backgrounds, while explosions are given extra flair through layered sprite work. Subtle touches, like blinking HUD icons and dynamic lighting around EMP blasts, reinforce the game’s cyberpunk atmosphere.

Performance is rock-solid across modern Windows systems, free from the input lag or display tearing that plagued early PC ports. Syndicate Plus even introduces optional widescreen support, eliminating black bars on ultrawide monitors. While it doesn’t overhaul the original low-res textures, the upscaling options and configurable filters make it easy to appreciate each level’s design without squinting or resorting to pixel-perfect modes.

Story

The narrative arc of Syndicate Plus pits corporate mercenaries against rival syndicates in a ruthless quest for global dominance. The base game sets the stage with an engaging introduction to EuroCorp’s morally ambiguous CEO and the underhanded tactics used to subjugate entire city blocks. Mission briefings are sketched out with dry humor and cold pragmatism, immersing players in the cutthroat world of corporate warfare.

American Revolt expands the storyline by having your team defect from EuroCorp to the insurgent American Resistance. The twist injects fresh energy into the campaign: motivations change from profit-driven conquest to a fight for freedom, complete with sabotage, rescue operations, and destabilization of oppressive systems. These seventeen additional missions add meaningful context to your agents’ loyalties, and the new cutscenes help bridge the tonal shift between corporate greed and revolutionary fervor.

Throughout both campaigns, dialogue remains terse but effective, supported by mission logs that flesh out the dystopian future. The world-building is concise—each objective serves to highlight the sociopolitical themes at play, from privatized policing drones to experimental biotech weapons. Although the writing never aims for Shakespearean depth, it hits the right notes for a cyberpunk thriller: cynical, punchy, and unafraid to let violence speak volumes.

Overall Experience

Syndicate Plus feels like a best-of collection for fans of classic tactical shooters, offering everything from its seminal 1993 missions to the adrenaline-fueled expansion content. The result is a cohesive package that runs flawlessly on modern machines, complete with quality-of-life improvements and widescreen support. Whether you’re revisiting old favorites or discovering the series for the first time, there’s a wealth of content to enjoy.

Replayability is high thanks to branching strategies within each mission. You can opt for a stealthy, low-profile approach or deploy full-scale assault tactics. The inclusion of both the original campaign and American Revolt ensures a diverse array of scenarios—urban infiltration, hostage rescues, and large-scale riots—keeping the experience fresh across multiple playthroughs. Achievement hunters will find additional challenges in mastering upgrade pathways and hidden mission objectives.

For anyone seeking a bridge between ’90s tactical gameplay and modern polish, Syndicate Plus delivers. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it refines and packages two cornerstone titles in a way that feels both nostalgic and relevant. Whether you’re drawn in by the cyberpunk setting, the strategic depth, or the pure nostalgic rush, Syndicate Plus is a must-have for strategy aficionados and retro enthusiasts alike.

Retro Replay Score

7.8/10