A New Take on Extraction Shooters: Discovering Synduality Echo of ADA

Okay, if I’m being honest, the last extraction-style game I fully invested in was The Division. And if I want to be more honest, I didn’t actually know Synduality Echo of ADA was an extraction shooter when I first jumped into the Closed Beta Test. I’ve seen the trailers and mechs and thought it looked cool, but outside of the surface-level press releases about the game, I’ve largely been in the dark about where in development this game is. So once I figured out precisely what Synduality Echo of ADA was, I played it for nearly an entire weekend and had a pretty good time.

The World of 2222: Exploring the Lore and Setting of Synduality Echo of ADA

By design, extraction shooters carry a similar level of frustration as roguelike games. You can go into a game and find some rare materials and items, but you will lose them all moments before returning to base. Synduality is no different, but it also takes it easy on the player by offering a base loadout that will keep you playing while you discover how harsh the in-game world can be. I likely did myself a disservice early on by taking the skills I’ve gained from Armored Core VI into this game, but although they are both mech games, the controls are night and day.

Building Bonds with Magus: The Heart of Synduality Echo of ADA’s Gameplay

Synduality Echo of ADA seamlessly blends the thrill of extraction shooters with a captivating narrative, offering a fresh perspective on the genre.

Before I get too far ahead, Synduality Echo of ADA is an extraction shooter set in 2222. A poisonous rain has forced humanity underground, but they’ve created a means to explore the outside world using mechs. Players assume the role of a Drifter who must head out into the world to collect AO Crystals, essentially a currency.

With the help of their AI Magus, players can scout the environments and collect materials along with AO Crystals to bring back to their base to improve their chances of survival. This all includes purchasing new equipment and upgrading sections of the base. There are missions to take on, but the added base upgrades ensure that you’ll always have something you want to bring back outside of the mission objectives. Some upgrades require a time limit to complete, so I’m interested to see how long those time limits get for future upgrades.

Venturing into the Unknown: The Gameplay Loop of Synduality Echo of ADA

Okay, so let’s talk gameloop. First, you get to make your Magus waifu, which has way more customization options than I initially expected. Interestingly, the game emphasizes the importance of this Magus partner. It’s almost impossible not to care about the characters when they bring so many benefits to the game. If you don’t believe me, try dying out in the field and not bailing out.

The unique bond between player and Magus in Synduality Echo of ADA introduces a deeply personal element to the gameplay, enriching the overall experience.

If this happens, your Magus will be lost for a bit, and if you head out without her, you’ll discover that your radar and any other helpful system have been completely removed from your HUD. Then, the Magus will return to the base in a chaotic state. It’s pretty unique, and the relationship builds even more as you spend time with the character, upgrading the base, cleaning up, or maybe just taking a second to enjoy the calm music as your Magus dances; it is just an overly relaxing experience to a tense game.

Facing the Future: Upgrades and Customization in Synduality Echo of ADA

But let’s unpack what that means. As you head out, you’ll appear at an elevator in a large open world. Two elevators are shown on your map that leads back home, but it’s also possible to join up with others and use their elevators. Anyway, now you explore. Radar can be used to detect AO Crystals, which range in size, but I’ve found that the larger ones also have a lot of enemies surrounding them, so that’s something to keep in mind. However, there are also garages, warehouses, and caves to explore and look for more materials.

Thankfully, your Magus alerts you when there’s a mission item nearby or a treasure chest, but sometimes you’ll have to search for stuff. There is a timer based on the size of your mech battery, so be aware of that while you explore. Further, rain may appear, which is poisonous, so you’ll want to avoid it. The world is pretty extensive and detailed. I found plenty of places with well-crafted set pieces that highlight the advancement of technology and the destruction that has plagued the surface. Looking back at my gameplay, I realize that Synduality is a beautiful game. However, too many framerate issues can also be attributed to lousy connection speed in the Closed Beta server.

A Beautiful Yet Harsh World: Visuals and Technical Performance in the Closed Beta

With its expansive open world and intricate base upgrades, Synduality Echo of ADA promises a level of depth and replayability that’s rare in the extraction shooter genre.

One thing I did notice is the lack of enemy variety. This isn’t a bad thing, but after about 6 hours, I mastered how to take down all of the enemies I ran to effectively. However, it’s the other players that I was primarily worried about. The game does well to highlight whether there is a good guy or a bad guy, and they even point out on the map when a bad player is dispatched along with a large bounty on their head, so it’s up to you how you want to play.

I ended up working with several strangers and having a good time, but the frustration of getting killed by another player as you’re drilling for crystals never gets easier. I hope there’s a better way to tell when a player is close to you. Sometimes, the Magus will say, “I hear some movement,” or something like that, but I’d just like more of a warning in the final game, or at least more ways to signal to please not kill me. On that note, I should just say that the gunplay, from locking on to shooting down enemies, was pretty disjointed and laggy. I’m not sure what was happening, but you’re constantly fighting back against the server lag and the aiming.

Closing Thoughts: The Potential and Promise of Synduality Echo of ADA

Synduality Echo of ADA took me by surprise. While everything I said might be surface-level stuff for extraction games, maybe it took anime girls and mechs to make me a fan of the genre. I enjoyed the quest types, base upgrades, and the interesting relationship between the player and Magus. There’s an interesting narrative building here that you won’t see if you only plan to play for an hour and move on. This is a game that demands investment, but that is something that doesn’t seem to go unrewarded…unless you keep dying before you bring back anything, then your screwed. Apart from that, collect some materials, but stay out of the rain.

Synduality Echo of ADA is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam.