Success in Frozen Synapse depends on careful tactical planning (and, sometimes, a nearly supernatural sense of intuition), but it is also very easy to learn and play. First off, there are just five unit types. The roles of the machine gunner, shotgunner, and sniper are pretty self-explanatory; the grenadier lobs grenades and can angle them off obstacles; the rocket launcher blows up walls, which turns anything nearby into a fine red mist. You control each unit's basic movements by right clicking to set waypoints on the map, and it's equally easy to add more detailed instructions. For instance, you can direct a soldier to aim in a specific direction as he moves, order him to wait a couple of seconds before moving out, make him crouch, have him engage any enemies he bumps into, or, alternatively, tell him to ignore enemies to expedite a mad dash for cover. At the same time that you plan your own moves, you can also plot out possible moves for visible enemies and watch how these encounters play out in real time. This ingenious feature puts all of the next turn's possible permutations at your fingertips. Once you're happy with how things look, it's time to end your turn and tensely wait to see the results of your decisions. Only when you and your opponent have both submitted your orders do you find out whether your shotgunner flanked the enemy sniper, your machine gunner had adequate cover, or if the enemy anticipated your every move and has picked off your forces one by one.
Multiplayer is where Frozen Synapse really shines, thanks to the natural tension that comes from matching wits with a human being. There are five diverse game types, each of which can be played with or without a fog of war. Extermination, which is basically a deathmatch, is by far the most popular mode, due to the simple fun of hunting down and destroying your enemy. However, there are four other modes that, while less popular, are still worth checking out. In Secure, opposing players bid to defend swaths of the map, and if you bid to defend the larger area then you must keep your opponent from getting a unit into that zone. Charge also uses a bid system where you pick how far toward the enemy's side of the map you can advance while surviving through the end of the match. Disputed is like Extermination but with the addition of glowing red boxes. There must be something important in them because the score is based on who can escape the map with the most boxes. If box collection isn't your thing, you could just kill off the other team, which also counts as a victory. Finally, there is a Hostage Rescue mode.
Regardless of the mode you pick, the map, your starting units, and their positions are randomly generated, with the exception of a couple of modes that let you determine where your forces start. This randomness can lead to some frustration, especially when coupled with a matchmaking system that nonchalantly pits total newbies against battle-hardened veterans. On the whole, however, it keeps the game lively, and you can always challenge a specific person or go into the advanced setup to create a scenario more to your liking. Technically, Frozen Synapse is a play-by-email game, but you receive notifications in the multiplayer menu whenever you need to take a turn in a game, so the only time you'll receive any clutter in your inbox is when you're actually logged out of the game.
Frozen Synapse's long single-player campaign serves as an excellent trainer for multiplayer, as well as an explanation for why the little green men have to kill the little red men. Most of the missions have objectives similar to the multiplayer modes: You escort VIPs, pick up keys, defend areas from enemy infiltrators, storm enemy strongholds, or just wipe out every enemy on the map. The difficulty in the campaign comes from the fact that you are often significantly outnumbered. As for the plot, it is fairly standard cyberpunk fare: A corporation has taken over all aspects of life, and its CEO is the land's biggest celebrity, as well as its head of government. Unfortunately for him, a group of radicals take issue with his rule and launch a rebellion. Your mission is to command little green rebels against the vicious red stooges who serve this wisecracking despot. Every so often, you get a chance to read dossiers about the world and its factions or talk with some of your compatriots (it's a one-way conversation as they just pour their hearts out to you). The writing is occasionally clever, which is an added bonus.
0 коммент.:
Post a Comment