Developer Flow Fire Games finally brings its well received PC roguelike shooter, SYNTHETIK: Ultimate, to consoles. SYNTHETIK: Ultimate is fast-paced, difficult, and fun for fans of both top-down shooters and roguelikes. There are a few flaws and performance issues that SYNTHETIK: Ultimate currently has on Nintendo Switch, but not enough to ruin an otherwise terrific experience, though it does hinder the game somewhat.

Unlike more recent roguelike games like Hades, SYNTHETIK: Ultimate doesn't really have much of a story. Players are initially told that they need to fight their way through an army of machines and make it to the robotic leaders who are trying to take control of the world. Other than this small tidbit of explanation players are really just turned loose to shoot and blow up everything in their path, and SYNTHETIK: Ultimate is all the better for it. The gameplay is so much fun that players don't need a story getting in their way.

Related: History of the Roguelike, from Rogue to Hades

Before players begin a run in SYNTHETIK: Ultimate they are able to choose between eight different classes. Each one comes with different stats, core abilities, and even alternate beginning weapons. The Engineer, for example, can be used to craft drones that will fight enemies without the player having to even fire off a round. The Demolisher on the other hand is able to carry heavy weapons and eliminate several enemies simultaneously. All of the classes feel radically different from each other and allow the player to choose exactly how they want to play.

Synthetik Enemies

The gameplay of SYNTHETIK: Ultimate at first seems like pretty standard fare for roguelike shooters. Players will spawn in one corner of a rectangular level full of dozens of enemies, and they will need to shoot their way through each of these mechanic soldiers to make it to the exit. Throughout each of these levels players are also pick up different weapons or items that can in turn be used to defeat enemies. Everything from level design, enemy placement, and weapon drops are completely randomized, so players will experience a new game each run.

There are several gameplay mechanics that set SYNTHETIK: Ultimate apart from similar shooter games, however. One of the more interesting mechanics is its reloading weapon mechanic, because it forces players to constantly keep an eye on their ammo. When a gun runs empty the player must manually eject their magazine and then hit another button to insert the next. This means that reloading can take up a little bit of time, and it can cause issues if ammo runs out in the middle of a firefight. On top of this if the player panics and double taps the reload button they can actually eject the full magazine that was just loaded in. Those who don't take the time to get good at reloading will find themselves dying a lot more often, and it contributes to the pressure of SYNTHETIK's flow.

Synthetik Nemesis Weapon

While there isn't a whole lot of variety in the level and enemy design, the AI for enemies is very advanced. Enemies almost always seem to know what the player is going to do next, and they employ a wide array of different tactical methods of attacking. Some of the enemies will group up and attack the player simultaneously whereas others will try to flank the player while they aren't paying attention. The only way to make it through each level of SYNTHETIK: Ultimate is to understand exactly how to combat this tactical AI.

There are a few issues with the Nintendo Switch port of SYNTHETIK: Ultimate that prevent it from reaching its full potential. For one, the Joy-Con control sticks aren't super precise, which makes lining up shots pretty difficult. This is an even bigger issue with the long-ranged classes as its nearly impossible to shoot anything far away. There are also a few optimization issues, as the frame rate would occasionally drop considerably if too many enemies or projectiles were onscreen at once - not enough to completely tank a run, but enough to make it unproductively stressful or frustrating, to be sure.

Synthetik First Boss

SYNTHETIK: Ultimate is most definitely not for the faint of heart or those who don't like brutally difficult tactical roguelikes, but that plays to its strengths. Players who are willing to put in the work will find a deeply rewarding (if maybe a little unpolished) roguelike experience that sets itself enough apart to feel distinct from the slew of competitors released over the years. SYNTHETIK: Ultimate is an excellent pickup for anyone looking for a challenge, but on Switch specifically, its optimization leaves enough to be desired that it's worth considering other platforms depending on what a player wants out of their experience.

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SYNTHETIK: Ultimate releases for Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on December 16th, 2020, with a PlayStation 4 version to come later. A Nintendo Switch code was provided for the purposes of this review.