REVIEW: ‘Sovereign Syndicate’ Explores A Dismal But Beautiful London (PC)

Crimson Herring Studios’ Sovereign Syndicate is generally impressive, but it is all the more so as the studio’s first outing. At its core, it is a narrative-focused RPG set in a fantastical steampunk London that uses tarot decks in lieu of dice rolls. On top of those bones, it layers in strong writing, intricate worldbuilding, and a dense web of choices and consequences.

Sovereign Syndicate follows the stories of three distinct characters, each with their own goals, troubles, traits, and backstories. The eighteen chapters each give players control of one character during a step of their journey. However, each of their stories reveals themselves to be intertwined and tangled with one another. Players will first take control of Atticus Daley, a drunkard minotaur in way over his head with debt. Suddenly, a mysterious masked man approaches him regarding the mother he thought was dead for years.

The second story follows Claire Reed, a courtesan who longs to run away from London and all of its problems. Then there is the pair of Theodore Redgrave, the Dwarven monster hunter, and Otto, his homemade automaton. Theodore works to make a living while Otto explores burgeoning self-awareness after receiving a revolutionary upgrade. The narrative also wraps each character up in the hunt for a prolific serial killer known as the Courtesan Killer, taking the player and cast throughout London’s unique districts.

Before controlling each character for the first time players get to choose between four archetypes. These determine their starting characteristics and personality. These aspects determine what dialogue options are available for you to pick as well as acting as skill levels for particular options that require a check to attempt. As you pick dialogue choices pertaining to certain characteristics your characters level them up, allowing you to develop their personalities throughout your playthrough.

This is where the meat of Sovereign Syndicate lies. It is a game that fully embraces roleplaying these characters similar to games like Disco Elysium. Gameplay focuses on walking through London’s streets, dialogue with NPCs, and skill checks. Even if you get into what would constitute a combat encounter in other games here it is only a skill check followed by a text description. Rather than using dice rolls like most RPGs, this game uses tarot decks. Each skill has its own deck with a range of numbers, one card for an automatic success, and one for an automatic failure. In effect, this system doesn’t feel much different from dice since it is essentially a randomizer with a different skin. But, it does help add some fun flavor.

Such a heavy emphasis on text puts a lot of pressure on the writing. It all comes down to how strong the game’s story is and how well it tells it. Sovereign Syndicate‘s visual direction helps, but it would not matter if its walls of text did not hold up. That is why it is so great just how strong the writing here is. Every character that you run into throughout the game has loads of personality. Each of the playable characters boasts a layered and interesting personality to watch develop. And the city of London itself makes all the time spent exploring it completely fulfilling.

One part of the game’s writing that really stands out is how alive London feels. Sovereign Syndicate‘s map is much smaller than most modern RPGs, but it is able to turn that into a strength through details. As you return to particular areas you will see side stories play out even without actually pursuing a quest. The shifting state of the city ties all of the chapters together even when the playable characters are not interacting with one another.

The developers’ attention to detail is also evident elsewhere in ways that are very appreciated. To immerse players, certain words are highlighted, allowing you to hover over them and get a quick definition. There is meticulous attention paid to almost every decision the player makes to reward multiple playthroughs. And the world’s history is a fascinating blend of the real world with its fantastical elements. This helps it feel grounded and familiar while still providing a peek into a deep new world ripe for exploration.

It is fair to say that Sovereign Syndicate is a slow game that won’t be for everyone. However, it utilizes its pacing to gradually pull the curtain back on a world filled to the brim with character and detail. It allows its story to be delicately planned and comes together brilliantly while setting up possible sequels. I for one, will be extremely excited to return to the world of Sovereign Syndicate if any of those sequels come to fruition.

Sovereign Syndicate releases on January 15 for PC.