Mirror's Edge (2008) proved first-person parkour could work. Titanfall 2 (2016) made wall-running and the grappling hook famous in a shooter. Synthopolis comes from the same family, with three differences.
Two grappling hooks instead of one
The first, the swing, lets you chain curves without losing speed. The second, the launch, throws you from one point to another. Add sliding, jumping, and shooting and betrayal items.
An objective to hold
Everything revolves around the Elyr, a source of energy you have to snatch and then keep. Whoever carries it becomes everyone else's target, and the match flips every time it changes hands. A round of Final Pulse lasts five minutes; in Core Charge, you have to hold the Elyr for three minutes in total.
A city painted in watercolour
No photorealistic scenery: Synthopolis is a brutalist megacity in 2084, in watercolour washes and ink lines. It reads at a glance, even at full speed.
Good to know
Synthopolis is free on Steam, played online with two to four players, and runs on modest PCs. It is quick to pick up, with a very high skill ceiling. Every mode is described on the game page.
Titanfall and Mirror's Edge are trademarks of Electronic Arts. Synthopolis is not affiliated with them.
