Satellite Reign hits Kickstarter as a spiritual successor to Syndicate

5 Lives Studios launched a Kickstarter campaign for Satellite Reign today, a spiritual successor to Bullfrog Productions’ Syndicate series of real-time strategy games.

In Satellite Reign, players will command a team of four as they battle for control of a cyberpunk-inspired city. If funded, the class-based strategy game will allow for multiple play styles, including brute force combat, stealthy infiltration, hacking and even propaganda tactics.

The developers are hoping to raise £350,000 (approximately $534,100) in the next 30 days. Pledge tiers begin at £6 (approximately $9.16) and include access to the backer-only forums. A pledge of £13 (approximately $19.84) or more will net backers a digital copy of the game on Windows, Mac or Linux at its estimated release in Dec. 2014.

According to the Satellite Reign Kickstarter page, the Australian development team at 5 Lives Studios includes Syndicate Wars lead Mike Diskett as well as veterans of L.A. Noire and the Grand Theft Auto and Darksiders series.

“Kickstarter is continually proving itself to be a utopia for creativity,” the Kickstarter page reads. “It gives developers like us the chance to get back to our roots, so we can make the games we want to play. We’re free to explore and implement ideas without publishers demanding that we reshape our vision for broad, generic appeal.”

The original Syndicate was an isometric real-time strategy game released in 1993. It was followed by several sequels and rebooted as a first-person shooter from Starbreeze Studios in 2012. You can watch 5 Lives Studios’ Kickstarter pitch for its spiritual successor above.