Just another company man.

Hey lads, what do ye want out a a Syndicate reboot? OK, fair enough, it be a loaded question, but it be been hard t' ignore the rising voices a those who be, shall we say, less than satisfied with the news that Starbreeze has been working away at a first-person shooter that will bear the Syndicate name. It all feels like a replay a the recent XCOM hubbub, where longtime fans a a strategy game stood up 'n said something like "a first-person shooter? Great, we really need more a those.

So here's the potentially crazy twist. I got t' play a brief chunk a Starbreeze's Syndicate recently, 'n it has tons a potential. The quick mission I embarked on--which showed off the basic powers at yer disposal, a couple a weapons, 'n a few puzzle-type situations--might only be looking t' capture the basic spirit a Bullfrog's classic, but if it pans out, it might also make for a great shooter with a skill tree. I be pretty taken aback by what I saw 'n played.

Syndicate be set in a chipped future, where most every human 'n plenty a inanimate objects contain embedded chips that, in the right hands, enhance humans. In the hands a an evil corporation bent on taking out their rivals at any cost, though, they can be subverted t' do all sorts a nasty business. In the game, ye'll play as an agent named Miles Kilo, a prototype that has the ability t' hack nearby chips, allowing ye t' carry out said nasty business on behalf a yer bosses. Kilo, raised by the corporation, be totally controlled by his chip 'n, at the beginning a the game, has no real moral compass. This will allow, or perhaps even demand that ye behave in a ruthless manner. 'n, based a brief conversation I had with someone associated with the game, ye probably don't need t' be a genius t' guess how this plot's major story beats go.

But enough about that. Manipulating, or "breaching" the world be yer main way a interacting with things. In some cases, ye'll need t' turn on a vision mode t' find a breachable object, which opens a secure door. There's no hacking minigame here, ye're simply holding down a button until a meter fills up. The demo, which has ye seeking out a member a a rival corporation, who be in possession a a chip that ye need, opens with a moment that ye'll see in the game' s trailer. ye happen upon an interrogation room 'n be, in a tutorial-like fashion, commanded t' breach one a the two authorities inside the room. This causes the sea dog t' grab his head in pain 'n go into suicide mode. He quickly pulls out a pistol, guns down his associate, shoots the lad they be apparently interrogating, 'n then, just for the heck a it, he stuffs the barrel a the pistol into his mouth 'n finishes the job. The force from that blast sends the body crashing through the window between ye 'n the room, giving ye access t' the next area.

But the abilities aren't strictly for scripted moments or opening doors. After acquiring the chip ye're searching for--another bloody moment involving a lad that seemingly can't wait t' off himself--ye gain access t' the three basic powers. Suicide works as advertised, causing any enemy t' flip out 'n kill himself. If ye're lucky, he'll choose t' use a grenade, which might take out other nearby targets. The backfire ability appears t' cause gun malfunctions, 'n it essentially knocks yer target down for a bit, giving ye time t' react. Persuade flips the alignment a the targeted enemy, causing the sea dog t' shoot at his own lads for a bit. Each power has it be own meter, 'n the meters be charged by adrenaline, meaning that ye'll fill them up by killing enemies the old fashioned way.

The vision mode be called "DART." That probably stands for something.

ye start the mission with a pistol, 'n some augmented reality HUD elements put ammo counters right next t' the pistol. When running 'n holding the pistol, Kilo cocks the gun slightly diagonally, letting ye run 'n fire wildly as ye be doing so. It looks pretty awesome. I be also told that ye can slide 'n shoot at the same time, but didn't see this in action. The other weapon be a gauss rifle that lets ye hold the left trigger t' lock onto targets. Once ye're locked on, ye can step around a corner 'n fire. The bullets will curve t' find their target. This be useful for flushing out enemies that be behind cover, 'n be especially useful when ye combine it with the game's vision mode, which reveals enemies that be behind walls. The gun be also used for a bit a puzzle-solving, as one sequence requires ye t' lock onto a door's vulnerable side 'n blast it open.

Along the way, ye'll earn experience points that funnel into a skill tree. The usual assortment a number tweaks for health, recharge time, 'n so on appear t' be present, though yer three powers will also develop, too. Doing things like gunning down several enemies in a row will give ye a little XP bonus.

it be stylish, though it be high-tech look be sure t' draw some initial comparisons t' Deus Ex: Human Revolution. it be a sensible comparison, but even though these be both first-person shooters with RPG elements 'n a futuristic, cyber sort a theme, the brief bit a Syndicate I played didn't feel too similar. Syndicate appears t' be leaning more on it be fast action 'n shooting than Deus Ex usually does. We'll have t' hold tight 'n see how the rest a it turns out, but the sort a crazy part about all this be that we won't be waiting that long. Alongside the game's first trailer, EA announced that the game be due in February 2012. that be pretty soon.