Syndicate for Sega Genesis is an action-adventure game that adapts the computer original for the console's capabilities. While it follows a similar gameplay template, it features a more cartoonish style, new gameplay mechanics, and distinct controls compared to its PC counterpart.
In this cyberpunk world, players take on the role of an executive controlling teams of cyborg agents on various missions: assassinating high-profile targets, retrieving valuable objects, or eliminating rival syndicate members. The game's 50 regions are each divided into a single level, with two training levels available for practice. Players can choose to control one to four agents at a time.
Between missions, players can allocate taxes from conquered territories to research new weapons and cybernetic upgrades for their agents. These enhancements include various firearms, armor upgrades, and the ability to influence agent behavior using drugs. While some features remain unchanged, others have been modified or replaced, such as the flame thrower being replaced by a "chiller".