Synduality Echo of Ada is an innovative sci-fi third-person shooter by Bandai Namco that’s PvEvP.
The game plunges players into the world of Amasia where humans and artificial intelligence, called Magus, live and interact in deep, impactful ways.
As Drifters, players explore the Synduality universe, making a living by harvesting a rare resource known as AO Crystals. To survive their dangerous missions, they rely on CRADLECOFFINS — combat-ready vehicles built to navigate treacherous terrain and provide crucial mobility during high-stakes expeditions.
The main goal is to safely deliver AO Crystals back to the home base, where survival depends on careful planning and precise execution. To do so, you’ll need to overcome enemies and other players who get in your way.
This PvEvP element is what makes the game unique. To find out more about how the concept came about, ONE Esports spoke to Yosuke Futami in a media roundtable.
The story behind Synduality Echo of Ada’s unique PvEvP
Futami is most well-known for being an Associate Producer for the original Sword Art Online animated series. He went on to become a Producer for subsequent seasons, the movie Ordinal Scale, Sword Art Online Alicization, and most recently Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online.
Futami worked on another sci-fi anime series, Synduality Noir, released in 2023. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has been forced underground after a devastating event. Noir follows Kanata, a young man who dreams of becoming a Drifter, a pilot who operates powerful mechs called Cradles.
Synduality Echo of Ada is set in the same world as Synduality Noir, so it’s almost no surprise that Futami has been chosen to lend his wealth of sci-fi expertise to the game as its Producer.
“I think what I brought was an understanding of what is essential to the creation of a good science fiction story. When I worked on Sword Art Online, in particular, I learned by working alongside the creator of the original works why it is that some sci-fi works have such power to move people deeply,” Futami told ONE Esports.
Sword Art Online allowed him to understand “both the joy and the difficulty of making something like this from scratch.” Even though the team had concerns on whether audiences would enjoy the post-apocalyptic world they created, they “swore never to take the easy option.”
One of the most interesting options in the game is its PvEvP nature. The original inspiration for this mechanic came from roguelike RPG Shiren the Wanderer, Futami shared.
A series of roguelike video games developed by Spike Chunsoft, Shiren the Wanderer is part of the larger Mystery Dungeon series, but features unique characters and settings.
“It’s an online game where you could lose items, you could be aided or attacked. Or sometimes, players would just come and say hello,” said Futami. “In this title, you are by yourself, but never alone. You are on a one-of-a-kind adventure, accompanied only by your loyal Magus. This is what we wanted to be the focus of the game.”
The game development team’s primary focus was achieving a balanced gameplay experience that prioritized PvE content. They aimed for a 60-70% PvE emphasis, with PvP comprising the remaining 30-40%. This reflects the game’s core focus on PvE adventures for players and their Magus partners.
The Bounty Target system was implemented to introduce a unique PvP element. It seamlessly integrates PvP players into the PvE experience by presenting them as formidable NPCs. This system enriches the core gameplay loop while maintaining the primary focus on the player’s PvE journey, said Futami.
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