Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 142 Ratings

  • Summary: Frozen Synapse is a thrilling PC strategy game that brings the simultaneous turn-based strategy genre bang up-to-date and lets you give detailed, accurate orders to your squad. Plan your moves, test them out, then hit the "Execute" button: both you and your enemy's turns are executed simultaneously. Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 27
  2. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Jun 29, 2011
    100
    I'm hardly a hardcore strategy nerd, so maybe it's the accessibility and surface-level depth I can get down with. I can't wait to dig deeper to see what else I'll enjoy about this topnotch turn-based masterpiece.
  2. Jun 10, 2011
    100
    Frozen Synapse is an amazing refinement of the tactical strategy genre. It's both approachable for those new to the genre and deep enough to keep you coming back.
  3. Aug 3, 2011
    85
    Frozen Synapse is a great turn-based game with stirring tactical multiplayer battles that reward clever thinking.
  4. Aug 14, 2011
    70
    Frozen Synapse is no rival to full-fledged tactical strategy games, but it's an ideal time-killer for a lunch break.

See all 27 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 50
  2. Negative: 8 out of 50
  1. 9
    It's a shame when people have only AAA games in their mind and ignore hidden gems such as Frozen Synapse. The game is not for anyone - that can be said about any game out there. But in this case what I mean is that unlike other games where you just rush and kill everything in sight, in Frozen Synapse you must take a slower and more tactical approach. You are in command of a squad of soldiers, each equipped with different weapons, from shotguns through sniper rifles all the way to rocket launchers. The game has a good tutorial which can make a person understand the basic and more advanced tactics - from the standard take cover tactics to the more advanced search and destroy where each member of the squad covers the blind spot of the other and thus advance in their search for the enemies. Afterwards people can chose whether they want to advance to the campaign, practice against the computer in skirmish matches or go online against other people around the world. This is a game which would be more suited to the gamers which favor brains and strategy over the standard gamers which know only how to react and rely on reflexes while gaming ... If you are of the first type - I recommend buying this, if you are from the latter one - prove us wrong, joins us and show us ! :) Expand
  2. 8
    Such a simple concept, yet so brilliantly executed. A superb comination between RTS and TBS, and one of few strategy games were strategy really matters (as opposed to say multi-tasking, or memorising building orders). Expand
  3. I'm absolutely astonished by this game. Agreed, the graphics are not much to look at, but the gameplay more than makes up for it. This is tactical excellence to the fullest.
    Basicly, you take full control of a squad of infiltrators, and have to eliminate the opposing force. Micromanagement is a must if you want to succeed in this game, and this makes the planning sequence of the game crucial to your success. Turns are in 5 second intervals that you have to plan out in advance, and not knowing what the enemy will do can have lethal consequences if you're sloppy in your planning.
    If you're impatient of nature, this is NOT a game for you, especially in multiplayer where waiting for the other player to finish the planning can be quite long.
    But if you like turn based strategy and tactics, the gameplay will keep you hooked for hours.
    Expand
  4. 3
    This is a game that could work well as a conceptual/research project for something bigger, but as it stands, becomes tiresome too quickly.

    Th
    e gameplay is innovative, but there is a steep learning curve to get the hang of it. Once you do master the gameplay, the game is put down by repetitiveness and bland level design. The minimalist glowing neon art style is interesting at first, but soon turns to boredom since levels all look pretty much the same. The amateurish looking UI tends to overlap the gameplay area, making it harder to see what's going on. This is made worse by the fact that you need to use the keyboard to scroll the area. The absence of a mini-map doesn't help things either. Overall, a bland, repetive game with a cumbersome interface. Put your money elsewhere. Expand

See all 50 User Reviews