Synduality: Echo of Ada

If there is any market that is not short of titles, it is so-called extraction shooters. So if there is any point in trying to challenge the popular titles, something special is required. Let's give it a go, Bandai Namco thought. With mechs! And anime girls! Synduality: Echo of Ada is based on the anime and manga series Synduality.

In a future not too far away (2099 to be exact), a rainstorm has set in. A rain that wouldn't stop, and in just a few days, floods had taken the lives of 92 per cent of the entire world's population. As if this wasn't enough, this blue rain continued to fall irregularly thereafter and anyone who touched it died immediately. This caused people to flee underground and a large city called Amasia was subsequently built. But we are still close to 100 years away from the starting point of the game. As we enter the story, this city has collapsed after a mysterious accident. Luckily, the survivors managed to invent cradles (which are basically mechs with a different name) which allows people to go out and explore the world again.

Together with our AI assistant, we take the lift to the surface and see the world that was destroyed long ago. Here instead live monsters called Enders, an evolution of the animals that once roamed the Earth, but instead of dying from the rain became aggressive and bandits in their own cradles. And what better way to take care of these than in an armed machine? Machines that are fun to control. The game mechanics of this PvPvE are not at fault. Your cradle has two weapons (the weapon type is up to you. I preferred a sniper rifle to take care of enemies from a distance as well as something that could pepper foes with shots if I got into melee) and is equipped with a special attack based on how you design your Magus, that is, AI companion. They have good response whether it comes to jumping, shooting or using the jet pack to get the hell out of danger.

But an extraction shooter needs real players to really give a pulse to the game. On many missions I went on, I encountered at least one other player. It was always a tense moment to see if someone wanted to kill me or not. Usually it was a hello from each side with an emote and then go our separate ways. The vast majority didn't seem particularly keen to fight. But it happens. I saw another player in battle with the game's AI-controlled bandits and decided to help. Once they were defeated, I was going to leave, but instead I got shot in the back. And if you die, you lose all your materials, including your machine. So if you've used a part that came pre-booked, it's lost and anyone can pick it up off the ground. I'm not really a fan of this system although I can understand why it is included.

It should be said that I enjoy the gameplay loop given here, despite it quickly feeling very repetitive. I prepare my machine, decide on equipment, and take a look at various challenges that advance the game's story. Then I collect all the little knick-knacks I can find to use in building my base or to hand in on missions. Looking through the scope to shoot down some flying monster. Gliding around saying hello to another player. Drilling large AO crystals, which are a source of energy in the fictional world and the main income earner. And when I've collected what I need, the battery is running low (all machines have a battery, usually between 20 to 30 minutes, so you can't be out exploring longer than that), or I'm on the verge of death, I head to a lift and descend into the quiet base. It's an experience I think today's young people call "chill."

What I don't like, however, is how Bandai Namco has chosen to include mobile game-like things in a game that actually costs money. There are no loot boxes or gatcha, thankfully, but there are countdowns - and season passes. And you can buy a currency if you can't wait. These come as you upgrade your base, which in turn gives various benefits, or try to cook up medicine or ammo. 'Wait 18 minutes for your ammo or pay for it!' Not happy with how you created the look for your AI buddy? Too bad. Because you can't change it, except for clothes, without paying for it. All this is also part of the game's snail's pace. It takes a very long time to advance the game. I also don't think the enemy variety is very good, and they always show up in the same place on the map. There is no way to change the look of your cradle at all once you have selected the different parts. No colours, no patterns, you take what you are given. The game also suffers from various technical problems such as enemies suddenly disappearing into thin air to appear elsewhere, and guns not firing. They've also taken a misstep with co-op. You can play with others, but only by teaming up with people you meet in the game world. You can't go into the game with a bunch of friends all in the same group.

Synduality: Echo of Ada tries to break into a crowded market with new ideas, but it doesn't feel like it's been baking in the oven long enough. It doesn't take long before it starts to feel repetitive and the enemies feel mostly dull. Bandai Namco will need to update the live service game regularly to keep players interested. The foundation is there, with responsive and fun mecha action, but unfortunately it doesn't go all the way as problems quickly start to pile up.