Synduality is like Armored Core as an extraction shooter, with a closed beta later this month
Its gameplay trailer has me exhausted already
As a man in my thirties, the idea of going to a club is exhausting to think about nowadays, let alone do. I was thinking about this as I watched the new trailer for Synduality: Echo of Ada, a mech extraction shooter I would probably gladly play instead of going out - but is nevertheless very exhausting to watch itself, at least in this glimpse. You and I will be able to give its open beta a go while avoiding any social engagements later this month.
Synduality is part Armored Core 6: Fires Of Rubicon - in that it has big ol’ mechs in that can zip around like they’re on rollerskates - and part extraction shooter a la The Division, Hunt: Showdown or whatever particular flavour of PvPvE multiplayer takes your fancy.
In what will become clear as the game’s love of nonsense jargon terms to establish its dystopian sci-fi world (if calling itself "Synduality" hadn't already made that obvious), your Drifter (pilot) is hunting around for AO crystals, while avoiding Enders (monsters) using your Magus (an AI companion that looks like a ghostly anime child) to help pilot your Cradle Coffin (robot), which you’ll need to clamber inside to explore the surface of the Earth turned deadly by The Tears of the New Moon (uh, a sort of poisonous rain that also mutates people). As well as the crystals, you’ll also be on the lookout for information on exactly what happened up above, no doubt involving yet more jargon.
In typical mech fashion, you’ll be able to customise both your Cradle Coffin and your Magus to equip you for battle against Enders and rival Drifters, using ranged weapons and melee attacks to wipe out threats to your haul. You’ll also be able to team up with less hostile players from the looks of things, waving a white flag at them instead of blasting their mech into scrap.
It sounds and looks fairly fun, although I found watching its latest EDM-laden trailer genuinely exhausting despite the promising snippets of what looks like a fast-moving, robotted-up take on the multiplayer extraction shooter formula between the flashing blue screens of death throwing up those jargon words.
Originally announced back in 2022 for a release last year, Synduality is now presumably aiming for a release later this year, though officially it’s “TBD” for now. You’ll be able to give it a go in a closed beta test kicking off on March 28th and running until April 1st via Steam.