Frozen Synapse

Frozen Synapse brings a new meaning to the phrase turn based game. This game can have turns as little as a minute to a couple days. Developed and published by Mode 7, this game brings a lot to the table with using  very little. It is not the most detailed game but, however it is very strategic. With a whole single player campaign as well as five different multiplayer modes. With all these ways you can enjoy this self acclaimed "simultaneous turn-based strategy" you will hardly be disappointed.

As for how the story plays out, there really is not so much one to speak of. But there are several missions where you go around just doing these simple tasks (mainly being kill the other team). With one shot kills, things can get heated pretty quickly. Then there are the turns where you can lose three soldiers before you even know what happened. So the seemingly complex look of the game is very noticeable within watching the trailer for the game. However this is not quite how the game is played. The game unravels in five second chunks, one chunk being one turn. So two people plan out what they want to do in their five seconds then lock in the submission. There is the option of seeing what will play out in that time as well in order for you to get an idea of what might happen to your men and your opponents. So once both people have turned in there chunks the game will then play out the outcome. This is where people die in the game and the "action" takes place. So it then gets resolved to a last man standing. There are also other multplayer game types such as "Secure" and "Hostage Rescue" these use a new bidding based mode.

Overall there is really not a whole lot to this game but that does not keep it from being fun and appealing. With the ability to take your turn when you want to it keeps you from feeling like you should rush your turn. That is when mistakes get made and the game can get a little frustrating. The game overall will not last more then about 60 seconds on average but the planning phase is what causes the most time. Some matches can take longer depending on what type of units you have and the game type you choose. The simulation feature can sometimes be off because of the way it assumes your opponent will move and can take some getting used to. The weakest feature is the match making, this game really has the trial by fire approach where the tutorial helps you play the game but not really learn any strategies. This is where you need to find your own strats and how to deal with each type of unit.

So I would rate this game at about a 8/10. The game is fun but has some issues that can keep it from reaching its full potential. I like this game but it does not feature too much that makes me want to come back for more. I can play a couple games but as for sitting there and playing constantly, it does feel a little dry. The game does come with an extra copy if you buy it on Steam for $25 which is cool in order to get some friends in there and play with you. This could become the PC gaming equivalent to word with friends except it might also ruin a couple good friends over frustration. So if you can find out some good strategies and come in prepared this will be a great buy and will be worth the money. If you are only playing by yourself against strangers then you might want to just get a shooter.