Explanation about single player content

[Kyubox]

I noticed that there's a lot of confusion and misinformation so I thought it would be helpful to break it down, so people know what to expect. This is, unfortunately, one of those situations where its VERY clear what's going on in Japan because they get more marketing and dev interviews than we do, while we just gotta figure it out for ourselves.

So anyway.

According my research, the game has always been labeled as a PvPvE extraction shooter since its original announcement in September 2022. People like to speculate that this was originally going to be single player only but as far as I can tell, there's nothing to actually back that up other than wishful thinking.

I did find some verified information about single player straight from dev interviews however. They did a couple of Japanese only interviews explaining what the game is and why they're making it the way they are.

They say that they the online aspect of this game is the big selling point and the main game. However, they added a single player mode so that, even if the game fails and the servers shut down, players still have a game they can play. They stress that the multiplayer aspects are the main point though. You can't even start the single player stuff until you make enough progress in multiplayer (although obviously they'd change that if the servers die)

https://www.famitsu.com/article/202412/27096
https://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/202412120001/

The devs insist heavily that they really want the game to be online and the single player stuff is a "future proofing" element in case the servers shut down. It's clear that the main point of the game is multiplayer PvPvE extraction gameplay.

The single player content is going to be focused on exploring what the hell happened to the old city of Amasia and explore the world of Synduality a little more. For those that don't know, Synduality is a multi media project by Bandai Namco. They made an anime first (it got two seasons), a manga, and a light novel, with another light novel coming out soon. And of course, this game.

For those of you that dislike the whole PvP extraction part of the game, the devs have confirmed that you can't lose your items or cradle when you die in single player. It just stops becoming a PvP extraction game and becomes a mecha game, in my opinion. It's also been confirmed that single player will not give you any additional gear for the multiplayer part of the game, so you're not going to run into people who rushed to the final boss and are swinging around Super God Killer Blade or whatever. Items and gear you get in single player is exclusively for single player.

In single player, you select missions rather than roam the map freely like in PvP. You are also given pre-selected Coffins so you don't need to grind in PvP to get better gear or anything. That being said, you can pick up better gear while playing. Again, this is just for use in single player. You're expected to scavenge for better gear as well as spare ammo and supplies. Single player is almost a separate game within the online PvPvE extraction main game. It even has its own separate maps.

I should note that the single player content is added seasonally and the devs are considering adding more single player content once the Old Amasia storyline is finished. Half of the Old Amasia stuff will be available at launch, and the second half will be added later.

The game is clearly intending to have lots of references to the anime (it has the same music, the pre-order bonus is the same Coffin the protagonist Kanata uses, one of the deluxe version bonuses is to get a Magus like Noir who is the magus Kanata uses in the anime, etc etc etc). The game serves as an expansion of the world for fans who are already into the Synduality series as well as an entry point for people to get introduced to Synduality. The devs explicitly state that while you'd enjoy the game more if you're familiar with the anime (Synduality Noir) its accessible and enjoyable for people completely new to the franchise. The game is set 20 years after the anime so there's some links and callbacks, but the game is distinct enough that you won't lose anything if you haven't seen the anime or decide to watch it later.

Anyway, hope that helps clear things up for everyone!

[vinnie]

Originally posted by Kyubox:

Originally posted by 獅電 (vinnie):

now we gotta wait a ages after its DOA to even get a decent game out of it.

no free roam? missions w/ pre selected coffins only? absolute garbage as usual from BAMCO w/ anime properties

It sounds like you don't want to play this game at all. Like it sounds like you just want to play Armored Core 6 but you don't want to admit it. Because its too mainstream or something?

Like, people are forgetting this is a game based off an anime series. If you like Synduality the game makes sense and it'll be fine. You're basically playing the latest Sword Art Online game (also published by Bandai) and going "MAN WHY DO I HAVE TO PLAY AS KIRITO?"

That’s a lot of excuse and assumptions for a game that’ll be dead and we’re stuck playing a watered down version of it cause the dev was too lame to make it PvE (or at least a not lame option of one based on you reported)

Also Armored Core’s great, just not my type of mech design. Lots of anime based games even SAO ones that you don’t play as Kirito so idk what you’re yapping about. This game doesn’t even have you play as a main character.

I like the anime, I wanted it to be more successful than it was. The idea that this game is worth upwards of $200 for the Japanese special edition and $100 on steam is cope and this’ll die like the rest of the shovelware anime slop they produce that’s live service.

I already know I’m burning money getting it. The least I’m gonna do is tell the devs how stupid they are for openly keeping course off the cliff.

[PersonaWolf]

Originally posted by Lestrad:

With its heavily westernized art style, I'm not surprised. Big, clunky, lumbering heaps of iron, not the sleek, fast, agile, gorgeous mechs you'd find in Gundam or any other "niche" title with a more Japanese/Anime aesthetic.

Have you seen the actual variety of design AC has? You can run your sleek fast designs along with your clunky (Shockingly fast) tank.

Also AC is a Japanese game through and through. Calling its art design "Westernized" because its not gundam is hell of a take.

[BBL Drizzy]

Are you nerds seriously complaining that you dont want to play Armored Core 6 or any of the other 5 mecha games that just released? JFC can this discussion board be for people who actually want to play this game? Instead yall constantly cry that PvP players are gonna steal your waifu.

[sixart]

Originally posted by 獅電 (vinnie):

I already know I’m burning money getting it. The least I’m gonna do is tell the devs how stupid they are for openly keeping course off the cliff.

cheer up and enjoy their hard labor for your pleasure

[Kyubox]

I mean, if it makes people feel any better... The other Sword Art Online games, which are also multiplayer games based off an anime property published by Bandai, still have servers up despite being years old. Fatal Bullet is still playable online despite the game coming out in 2018 and several other SAO games coming out since then to replace it.

Now granted, on one hand Sword Art Online is a much bigger property than Synduality. Many people straight up haven't even heard of it before the game (it looks to be one of those things that's more popular in Japan?). On the other hand though, if Bandai's willing to keep the servers running for 6 years then I feel like Echos of Ada has a pretty good shot of lasting quite a while too.

[vinnie]

Originally posted by Kyubox:

I mean, if it makes people feel any better... The other Sword Art Online games, which are also multiplayer games based off an anime property published by Bandai, still have servers up despite being years old. Fatal Bullet is still playable online despite the game coming out in 2018 and several other SAO games coming out since then to replace it.

Now granted, on one hand Sword Art Online is a much bigger property than Synduality. Many people straight up haven't even heard of it before the game (it looks to be one of those things that's more popular in Japan?). On the other hand though, if Bandai's willing to keep the servers running for 6 years then I feel like Echos of Ada has a pretty good shot of lasting quite a while too.

I wish i shared your enthusiasm but a lot of the core issues in the divide of PVP/PVE is that we have a lifespan to begin with. I want to play this game if it turns out fruitful decades from now. Bandai is doing this all over the place, even with the new SD G Gen Gundam game thats now a gacha mobile title.

I already have this games special edition w/ Mystere figure preordered for PS5 but I wish it was future proofed at least on PC all around and not watered down.

[Sév3rin]

Thank you for the post. The game looks great, but I plan to wait at least three months before buying it(I don't trust PVP games, they die with it). I enjoy the anime of this game and hope they will also emphasize the story and PVE mode.

[Hexo Mia]

they are making this game so unnecessarily complicated, the fact that they are already foreseen the game failing, just say miles of it, they aren't even sure if this game is gonna be successful.

second, is a global release for a franchise only japan knows jack about, great start, that always work, wait it doesn't.

and tird, live services are not going to work bother, plently of failer there unless you are a gatcha chinese game.

I wish for once these devs just make a nice solid single player experience instead of this collage of concepts that doesnt fit together at all, and hope it works, just disappointment.

[KomdivCCCP]

This game is DoA, paid "live service" game in 2025

[BBL Drizzy]

Can we get this post pinned so we can stop with the constant threads lying saying this game was falsely advertised as a PvE solo campaign only game? You are allowed to dislike a game but it is annoying seeing blatant misinformation being the only topic of conversation.

[AndrejDelaney]

Thanks for the heads up! This game isn't for me then. I had hoped for a nice, rich singleplayer game, to me it clearly looked like one - at least when it first showed up on Steam.

"The devs insist heavily that they really want the game to be online and the single player stuff is a "future proofing" element in case the servers shut down. It's clear that the main point of the game is multiplayer PvPvE extraction gameplay."

They should have made "future proofing" a priority and not a backup plan. Shame.

[Kaezeribato]

Originally posted by Hexo Mia:

they are making this game so unnecessarily complicated, the fact that they are already foreseen the game failing, just say miles of it, they aren't even sure if this game is gonna be successful.

second, is a global release for a franchise only japan knows jack about, great start, that always work, wait it doesn't.

and tird, live services are not going to work bother, plently of failer there unless you are a gatcha chinese game.

I wish for once these devs just make a nice solid single player experience instead of this collage of concepts that doesnt fit together at all, and hope it works, just disappointment.

No one can be sure their game will be a success. The only way to be have get highter chance of success is to do a cyberpunk and spend so much money on marketing that you could make a dozen of good game and then just spreading the most lie you can in said marketing.
Many really mediocre or extremely bad game were massive success and many great game were massive flop. The fact that they made a Online only game and decided to think about the failure should be a good things...

How can anyone say that a publisher deciding to let you access a game in case the server were removed is bad?

Also, there are dozens of solo games released each week you can go play any of these. Why complain when a game in a genre that only work with pvp is pvp? It's not like this is a RTS or RPG where PVP only dont make sense, it's an extraction shooter, and no one would play an extraction shooter without the PVP.

[Taris]

Sounds like this game soon become dirt cheap after a few months of PvP chaos. I would rather save my money on that. Paying full price on a PvP oriented game is a literal stupidity.

[SoftpilLoW]

Making an offline mode is good, but it shows that the game director still doesn't have confidence in their game's survival.

From what I've tried during the beta test, Performance is suck, Low number of players, not free game, MTX, I think it will be closed within a year.

I'll wait to buy it when it's on sale to play offline mode.

[motaku96]

I'm interested in the story but it's a bummer that single player is just secondary for them. How much single player will be in it? 3 - 5 hour story mode? Who knows.