Sovereign Syndicate — House of Atticus
Preview
Sovereign Syndicate is openly influenced by Disco Elysium, but instead of a postwar urban fantasy universe, it’s set in a fantasy steampunk version of London. There is a touch of Arcanum to this setting, with some traditional fantasy races, but it leans towards a more contemporary fantasy style. The influence of Planescape: Torment is equally obvious, and probably the biggest influence on Disco Elysium. I love the whole idea of this game, but I wonder whether it sticks a bit too close to the formula.
This is the debut title by Crimson Herring Studios, a new indie studio based in Edmonton, Canada, which is also where BioWare developed Baldur’s Gate I-II. Sovereign Syndicate might not turn out as popular and influential, but I find it has a spark of that CRPG spirit from the Infinity Engine era. I previewed the demo during the Steam Next Fest, and it stayed in the back of my mind.
Down and Out in London
You play as a Minotaur, Atticus Daley, who wakes up on the curbside after one too many. Out of the revelry, a masked individual appears, and Atticus does not seem to like him one bit. Then you get to walk around the streets and back alleys in this fantastical London, interact with several points of interest and talk with some characters. Finally, you meet again with the masked man at the other end of the map.
There is no combat gameplay, no elaborate strategy systems; only talking to characters and trying out dialogue options to see what happens. Some actions in dialogue include aggressive attacks, but it’s not combat exactly. There is a skill system for the dialogue, and it’s rather humble. What is particularly interesting are the skill checks based on Tarot cards, different from Disco Elysium’s dice roll checks system.
Minotaur Masquerade
The game opens with a quote from Oscar Wilde: “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” RPGs are a way to wear such masks so we can find the truth about ourselves. Are we heroes, villains? Laughing stocks? Or something else altogether? That is the allure of choice and creativity in RPGs that makes the gaming medium stand out from other media.
The UI design in Sovereign Syndicate is virtually identical to Disco Elysium: dialogue text on a column on the right, with the rest of the screen freed up for the visual focus of the dialogue, usually an NPC. The writing so far can be pretty sharp, and it uses a lot of in-game argot, with popups to elucidate the meaning if the player needs it. There are some spots where it feels whimsical, but overall, the writing is strong.
Borgesian Monsters
I look forward to the release of Sovereign Syndicate, though I’m not completely sold on the game as a whole. I want to see where the tale of Atticus Daley will lead and whether this fictional universe has the potential to captivate in the long-term. As mentioned earlier, the strict resemblance with Disco Elysium might hurt its chances of success, even if ZA/UM is now creatively bankrupt.
There is a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, “The House of Asterion,” based on the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Sovereign Syndicate is not an adaptation of this story, but I see some resemblance in how Borges subverted the expectations of the hero-monster monomyth and gave the monster a voice. I hope the developers can give Atticus Daley a voice and inner life that will sustain the overarching narrative.
Disclosure: Sovereign Syndicate was previewed on PC with the Steam public demo. The release date is currently set for January 14, 2024. More information is available on the official developer website.