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Starbreeze defends new Syndicate FPS

"Time has moved on."

Renowned developer Starbreeze (Darkness, Riddick) has defended its decision to make the new Syndicate game a first-person shooter.

Speaking to OXM, game director Neil McEwan said "time has moved on".

"It was always going to be an FPS," he revealed. "The original nub of the idea was to take that viewpoint from the original game and zoom into the Agent's head, and play that part. A closer experience - to become one of those Agents."

"[Our] game speaks for itself. We've been very lucky to work with a great, original world, and create another facet of it really. I would love [fans of the original] to like it. You're never going to please everyone.

"I don't want people to stop playing the old games," he added, "but time has moved on."

McEwan and team are "big fans" of the original, isometric, tactical 1993 Syndicate game - and are "definitely paying as much homage to it as we can". That homage will manifest through the "essence of the world" and your role as an Agent within it.

"That sounds wanky but it's true," remarked McEwan.

The long-rumoured Stabreeze Syndicate project was officially unveiled yesterday.