Synduality: Echo of Ada resembles a fusion between Gundam and Genshin Impact.
Synduality: Echo of Ada merges elements of mechs and anime, offering an innovative perspective in the third-person shooter genre.
Recently, Bandai Namco has launched a new multimedia project titled Synduality, which combines narratives from different formats. This project includes an anime called Synduality: Noir and a spin-off novel known as Synduality: Kaleido, in addition to a video game titled Synduality: Echo of Ada. The latter is an online survival adventure game that allows players to explore a post-apocalyptic desert alongside a charming anime-style companion.
During a preview event, attendees had the opportunity to play three hours of Synduality: Echo of Ada and talk with producer Yosuke Futami about the inspirations behind the game and its surprising influences from Fallout. The narrative is set in the year 2222, where humanity tries to rebuild its society after a cataclysm known as Tears of the New Moon, which devastated 90% of the population due to toxic rain. People sought refuge in an underground environment, creating the city of Amasia, which eventually collapsed for unknown reasons. Players will assume the role of expert pilots called Drifters, tasked with venturing to the surface in search of AO crystals and other resources while battling the Enders, a hostile species.
The game features a rich narrative with context and backstory, presented entertainingly in the style of public service announcements reminiscent of 60s cartoons, an aesthetic seen in other titles like BioShock and Helldivers 2. Futami mentions that the Drifters' journeys to the outside world are akin to leaving a vault in Fallout, aiming for the adventure to be perceived as a more accessible challenge.
Players control a mech called Cradlecoffin and have an AI companion named Magus. Interestingly, the player character is not modified; instead, the Magus can be customized, adjusting aspects such as gender, clothing, and body features. This design mechanic is aimed at capturing the attention of anime character fans, especially those who are fans of Genshin Impact.
Regarding gameplay, the structure is similar to Escape from Tarkov, where resource gathering and time management are crucial. Players must return before their Cradlecoffin's battery runs out, risking the loss of everything they collect if they fail to return on time, adding a level of tension to the game. While team formation and drops are not possible, players can encounter each other in the field, leading to emergent gameplay experiences.
Distinguishing itself from titles like Escape from Tarkov, Synduality: Echo of Ada also offers a single-player campaign, and story missions, which resemble those of Armored Core, allow players to delve deeper into the fall of Amasia and the origins of the Drifters. Customization in multiplayer focuses on specializations, but in narrative missions, these are determined automatically. Futami notes that the campaign and multiplayer are two separate experiences, designed this way to prevent cheating, although progression in the single-player campaign will be needed to unlock certain items in multiplayer.
Synduality: Echo of Ada is set to launch on January 23, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, generating expectations about how online gameplay will evolve and how the intriguing narratives of its world will deepen.
