WHAT IS SYNDEMIC?
Syndemic is a randomly-generated action shooter that emphasizes upgrades, quick reflexes, and microbial puzzle-solving in a biological setting.
WHAT MAKES SYNDEMIC SPECIAL?
If you're anything like me, you're sick of swords and shields and bows and magic. I can't stomach one more lusty elf, drunken dwarf, or wise-cracking swashbuckler.
So this project represents two of my interests: biology and games. While I am passionate about science, Syndemic is not intended to be true-to-life. My aim is to exaggerate the weirdness and coolness (and action) of real microbial ecology, and hopefully inspire players to dig deeper into the actual research that's out there.
My presentation of biology will be less about mechanics and more about the big-picture themes and ideas. I want people to question everything in the game, and I want them to come to their own conclusions about the issues raised. Genetic engineering, herd immunity, antibiotic resistance, and biological altruism are some of the themes I want to explore.
SO WHAT KIND OF GAMEPLAY?
Syndemic represents a fusion of elements from two of my favourite genres: the 'roguelike' (Diablo, Torchlight, Borderlands), and the 'shoot-em-up' (Gradius, R-Type). There will also be aspects of cooperative puzzle-solving, like in Ico.
But unlike generic action RPGs, Syndemic does not wholly rely on statistics and numbers to determine your success in battle. Your reflexes and anticipation are just as important as the power of your weapons or the activation of your abilities. Likewise, unlike generic action shooters, mashing the fire button is not a guarantee of success – you must use the right tool for the right enemy, and adapt your style of play to the environment.
PLANNED FEATURES:
- Randomly-generated levels and environments filled with microscopic enemies, biological hazards, and challenging events
- More than 100 possible antibiotic weapon combinations, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, including rare 'designer drugs' capable of mowing down dozens of enemies in a single blast
- Enlist or exploit the immune system; use the body's cells as shields, tools to solve puzzles, or feed them your slain enemies to gain powerful allies
- Stylized, living backgrounds that simulate the interior of the human body... travel the bloodstream, survive the stomach, and wage war in the brain!
- Enemies range from tiny viruses to screen-sized amoeba, each with unique behaviour patterns and abilities. Beware of the Genetically-Modified Abominations that stalk the body...
- See how long you can survive in a special Resistance mode, where hordes of enemies adapt to your weapons and strategies
- To simulate the true fragility of the microbe world, try Hardcore mode, where one death means game over. And for the truly sadistic, try Super-Hardcore mode... where ONE HIT means game over!
STAY TUNED:
I will be releasing a gameplay trailer shortly that will show some action sequences and environments.
