Frozen Synapse Review

Tactics

Your careful planning must also take into account the type of unit and any effects to which it lies, things that can significantly alter the way things play out. Once you have decided on your choices, you can try them out. Frozen Synapse even lets you map how you think the enemy might move to see how your tactics stack up. Eventually, though, you’ll have to prepare for a breakthrough and watch your resolved decisions in real time.

The results are often devastating. Despite all the thought, attention and tactical know-how, you will no doubt miss an obvious move from your enemy. Due to the narrow confines of the play area and the limited number of units, any mistake is often catastrophic. However, these mistakes don’t seem unfair. Rather, they act as lessons to be learned.

Presentation

Thankfully, things never get too confusing thanks to a clever visual appearance. Not only do the graphics fit well with the theme and setting, but they also provide a clean and efficient way to lay out the battlefield. Having too many visual elements or different textures could have been confusing. This style allows the player to fully focus on the gameplay while still maintaining a good look.

Especially in terms of presentation there is the soundtrack. This beautiful score is worth listening to outside of the game. It’s relaxing and suspenseful all at once.

Outside of these positives, there are some technical problems. The game can crash quite often and you notice more frequent problems than you would expect. In my opinion, these aren’t big enough problems to detract from the overall experience.

Final verdict

Ultimately, Frozen Synapse is a game that rewards you for investing time in it. After suffering numerous setbacks and making tactical mistakes, you begin to be able to plan ahead more effectively. Like chess, this game requires you to think about general strategy and short-term tactics.

Once you get to that level, it becomes a much more satisfying experience as you pit your wits against others. There are few titles that place so much emphasis on this type of thoughtful gameplay. The fact that Frozen Synapse is successful makes it even more rewarding.