SYNDICATE: New Images Insist Rivalry with Deus Ex

EA have released a bunch more gorgeous looking screenshots, as well as a video, from the upcoming Syndicate remake. They show the player shooting a variety of sleek looking weapons at a host of faceless baddies amidst a distinctly dystopian city environment which looks unavoidably similar to Deus Ex: Human Revolution. This is something we all expected, given that they€™ve transformed this new iteration of the franchise into a shooter. So how does it compare? A new Syndicate game is something many of us €“ myself included €“ have been looking forward to for a very long time. By all accounts, the images they€™ve released to us so far look like we€™re in for some pretty exciting, action-packed gameplay. And yet I€™m not terribly excited. Don€™t get me wrong €“ these images look great, really great. I think, however, this is a great example of how Deus Ex has really raised the bar in terms of production value, art direction and attention to mis-en-scene in videogames. You can€™t just get away with making it perpetual night-time, throwing in a bunch of skyscrapers and populating them with flashing neon signs in kanji and hanzi characters anymore. Human Revolution had its issues €“ frustrating boss fights, an arguably unsatisfying ending and some pretty stupid AI in parts €“ but it€™s tough to find a fault with the look of the game. What Eidos Montreal managed to achieve to such an impressive degree was not just an aesthetically pleasing game but one where the environment, character and costume design actually served the narrative. They approached all these elements with all the seriousness you would in a film production and, in my humble opinion, it paid off gloriously. The environments in Deus Ex actually made its future feel like it has a history, a rich one that is divergent and beautiful. When I look at Syndicate, I€™m not feeling that yet. The only reason I even find this a topic worth bringing up is that Syndicate Wars stands out for me as one of the most compelling and immersive videogames of my childhood; with the limited resources they had in the day, they really did a great job of creating a fleshed-out dystopia. Of course, that€™s just one element of the game (although one I would argue is increasingly crucial in today€™s market); it may play wonderfully and there€™s nothing yet to say that won€™t be the case. Does this affect anyone else, or is it just the pointless ramblings of one gaming enthusiast? What are you most looking forward to about the new Syndicate? We€™d love to hear. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE