If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the consumption of popular media, it’s that sooner or later the machines will get up and beat us up. For those who haven’t picked up on that message yet, here’s another chance: Synchronized (opens in new tab)an upcoming third-person roguelite looter-shooter entering open beta testing in December.
Synced is set in humanity’s near future, after an event called the Collapse, where the nanomachines we had come to rely on for the day-to-day running of our civilization decided they could do better as a solo act. So they started proliferating themselves by consuming humans – not really sure how that would work, but this is a video game, not a science lesson – eventually turning into deadly creatures known as Nanos. Now it’s up to you and your friends to face them like runners: fortune seekers who run through the dangerous area known as the meridian in search of a substance called “nanoenergy”.
While it’s not the most original (or cohesive) excuse for blasting killer robots I’ve ever come across, it does promise a unique gameplay trick: Players can “sync” with Nanos, turning them from enemy to ally (and also gives the title for the game). Developer Next Studios said the combination of different Nano classes – Crusher, Seer, Guardian and Suppressor – and individual player loadouts and abilities “allows for a wide range of combinations and tactical approaches”.
Many new games hold big promises, but the good news about Synced is that an open beta starts on December 10, so you can join in and see what all the fuss is about. It won’t be complete, of course, but it will contain both PvP and PvE content and will be free for everyone. New content will be released during the beta and players participating in the beta will earn a reward in the full game, but as Synced is still in development, progress will not carry over: this is, as the saying goes, a one-way journey.
Here’s what you need to play. I assume these are not final system requirements, just a baseline for the beta.
Minimum:
- Operating system: Windows 7.1/8/10
- processor: Intel i5 2.4GHz
- Memory: 16GB working memory
- Pictures: GeForce GTX 660
- Network: Broadband internet connection
- Storage: 35 GB available space
Recommended:
- Operating system: Windows 7.1/8/10
- processor: Intel i7 3.4GHz
- Memory: 16GB working memory
- Pictures: GeForce RTX 2060 or higher
- Network: Broadband internet connection
- Storage: 35 GB available space
The synced beta will be available through Steam and a standalone launcher available at syncedthegame.com (opens in new tab). Of course there is also one Discord server (opens in new tab) you can hang out while you wait for the beta to start.
