Sony's most recent State of Play was packed full of new games, announcements, and plenty of updates on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but one of the more intriguing reveals was regarding nDreams' Synapse. The developer was finally able to unveil its upcoming immersive action game for PlayStation VR with an announcement trailer and some initial details about the next-gen title. With its color palette, unique environments, character abilities, and thorny psychological premise, Synapse definitely brings to mind some other sci-fi shooters as well.

A handful of other games were featured for Sony's new PlayStation VR2 as well, including Journey to Foundation, Green Hell VR, and Before Your Eyes, which is setting up the new VR platform as an exciting addition to Sony's library and a substantial step up from its PlayStation 4 predecessor. Synapse seems like a solid addition to that growing lineup, and fans of titles like Remedy Entertainment's action-adventure game Control, 2K Games' sci-fi classic BioShock, and the innovative VR game Superhot should keep an eye on nDreams' upcoming release.

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Introducing Synapse

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Synapse made an appearance during Sony's State of Play with a short trailer that highlighted the game's aesthetic and action sequences, serving as both a quick but impactful introduction to nDreams' next project and a stylistic reminder of previous popular games. With its abstract art style, fast-paced dual-wielding combat, and mind-bending landscapes, Synapse is aiming to be the next chapter in immersive VR experiences. By building on nDreams' other releases like Fracked’s run-and-cover gunplay and combining this with a new sensibility and slicker gameplay, Synapse will hopefully be a strong new phase for the studio and for VR games in general.

With the option of using weaponry in one hand and powerful telekinetic powers in the other, Synapse lets players approach combat encounters with refreshing fluidity. Gamers must dive into the bizarre world of Synapse's mainly monochromatic environments with crackling pops of color as they invade the subconscious of another, bringing in some surreal elements to its FPS action. Almost every inch of Synapse's setting is a hostile mindscape for players to explore, challenging them to overcome enemies and adapt their combat style.

Synapse's Sci-fi Influences

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Synapse certainly looks intriguing, and it's easy to see where players might be able to draw some parallels between nDreams' next release and a few other previous titles. One obvious comparison is with the independent FPS Superhot, which opened so many doors for creative VR combat. Any shooter on a VR platform might be compared to Superhot considering its influential status in the genre, but Synapse's color scheme and beautifully simplistic but high-concept settings are particularly reminiscent of Superhot Team's title. The energetic gun-based combat also feels like Superhot, but instead of time-focused movement mechanics, Synapse is making use of some other powerful abilities and environmental manipulation.

Exploring the troubling corners of a corrupted mind, Synapse fully embraces its surreal aspects and seems to draw inspiration from other sci-fi stalwarts like BioShock when it comes to featuring the unexpected. Instead of straightforward sci-fi action, both games add a psychological twist to keep things interesting, and the manipulation of objects and NPCs with telekinetic abilities also feels like a page straight out of Control's playbook. Synapse has smartly drawn together all these elements to create a new VR experience that will likely appeal to fans of genre-crossing hits like BioShock, Control, and Superhot, while still crafting its own original world.

Synapse is due to be released in 2023 for PlayStation VR2.

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