The First Time I Lost My Mech
The first time I lost my mech in Synduality Echo of Ada was on my second sortie, and lot of things went wrong. I didn’t buy insurance beforehand and I took way too much stuff out with me because I hit the wrong button, and then I chose not to take a moment to repair right before I got into the encounter that killed me. I made a series of avoidable mistakes followed by a bad decision, and this mech-flavored extraction shooter made sure I lost everything I had for it – so it’s a good sign that, after I was done cursing Synduality and then myself, I was immediately excited to try and get it all back. I have much more to do and see before I am ready for a final review, but that trial by fire will certainly stick with me until the end.
The Premise of Synduality
Synduality has a pretty cool premise: In the far future, humanity has been nearly wiped out by a mysterious blue rain called the Tears of the New Moon. In addition to killing humans on contact, the blue rain also made animals and plants gigantic and aggressive. To survive, society has moved underground and adopted the use of enormous mechs called Cradlecoffins to explore the surface world and gather energy-producing AO Crystals to survive. You step into the role of a nameless, faceless Drifter — someone who pilots a Cradlecoffin. Your goal? Get up there, get the things you need to upgrade your base and make some cash, and get out before the locals turn your Cradlecoffin into a grave.
Unique Gameplay Mechanics
Cradlecoffins aren’t your traditional mechs. They’re slower than something you’d find in Armored Core – though similarly armed, as they’re still bipedal and wield weapons – but faster than the behemoths you’d see in MechWarrior. They’re a nice balance of being reasonably fast but still heavy and limited in terms of vertical mobility. Armored Core mechs can dunk like Jordan. Cradlecoffins got no ups.
Customizable Magus Companion
But you’re not alone. In addition to your mech, you’ve got a Magus — think a humanoid AI you can fully customize and play dress up with — helping to guide you when you’re out on the surface. You can customize the special abilities and focus of your Magus, tailoring it to assist you in the best way possible. The presence of the Magus adds a unique dynamic to the gameplay experience.
Interaction with Other Players
You’ll run into other players in Synduality’s world, but in my experience, most of them aren’t out there to kill you and take your things. Usually, encounters with other players result in cautious interactions, highlighting the tense atmosphere of the game where losing all your things is just a single insurance-less run away. The camaraderie among players sets the tone for the interactions, but the underlying danger remains.
Managing Missions and Making Choices
Managing each mission in Synduality involves making a lot of interesting choices. Your decisions on how far to venture from safety, what materials to collect, how much ammo to carry, and what kind of mech to use all impact your gameplay experience. Each choice matters and can have consequences in a world where everything wants to kill you.
Final Thoughts on Synduality
So far Synduality has offered an amusing loop of gameplay experiences. The game features base building and customization elements that add to the overall enjoyment. However, the presence of microtransactions and battle pass systems may impact the pace of progression for players. Despite these challenges, Synduality provides an enjoyable experience that keeps players engaged and striving to do more.