Synergy is an exciting new addition to the realm of colony simulation games. Set on an alien planet, this game offers an environmental twist that sets it apart from its genre counterparts. Recently, it made its debut in the early access stage. In this article, we will be taking an in-depth look at what the game currently offers and what we can expect as it journeys towards its full release. So, without further ado, let’s delve into this early access game.
Story
Synergy follows the narrative arc common to many other games in this genre, presenting a basic and non-intrusive storyline. The narrative begins with the evacuation from your previous home, leading you to a new location where you must build your new colony from scratch. Simultaneously, you will need to decipher the environmental factors of the planet you’ve landed on. Unique to Synergy are the exploration missions and the stories that accompany them. These missions come in the form of choose-your-own-adventure encounters, with varying outcomes based on your choices. These encounters heavily influence the game world’s storyline, adding depth and richness. Given that Synergy is an early access game, the story aspect is already showing great promise, offering a unique narrative experience that enhances both the gameplay and the alien planet’s lore.
Gameplay
Synergy showcases robust colony sim/city builder mechanics that gamers have come to know and love. The game has various resource collection activities for different building, research, and food resources. Different production buildings allow for the creation of various items or meals. There is a whole range of well-being, social, and culture buildings, with each house having different scores for each. As you are on an unknown planet, you initially have no idea what resources you’re collecting. However, building a field lab and analyzing the planet’s different trees, plants, rocks, and so on will give you an idea of what resources each will provide.
The game’s research aspect is in-depth, combining field lab studies with tech and culture research, opening up a variety of different buildings you can unlock. Exploring the world around you can sometimes result in finding a tablet full of ancient knowledge that you can research to unlock more buildings or upgrades. While the gameplay is slow-paced at the moment, there’s definitely room for growth, and we are eager to see how the content for the game develops.
Design
Synergy stands out with its unique design, distinct from anything else in its genre. The game adopts a more serious cartoon style, creating a cool alien vibe. Coupled with a pleasant soundtrack and sound effects, the game feels well-polished in terms of design. The illustration of the encounters and individual elements enhances the gaming experience, and we can’t wait to see how the design evolves as the game is further developed and more content is added.
Roadmap and Upcoming Features
While a roadmap for Synergy is not currently available, we can definitely expect more content and improvements for existing features. If you’re interested in the game but still undecided, we recommend adding it to your wishlist to stay updated with any future updates.
The Final Brew
Synergy is a solid colony sim game with a unique art style and interesting spins on typical colony sim mechanics. The game pace is slow, making it a good fit for those seeking a more laid-back city builder game. It is priced higher than typical for a game of its size at this stage, so it might be worth waiting for more content to be added before purchasing. However, it has a great foundation for future development and provides an enjoyable experience, even at this relatively early stage of development.
You can purchase Synergy on Steam here: https://bit.ly/3OvOGuD
Have you played Synergy yet? Let me know what you think.
Until next time, stay caffeinated!