Gaming

SYNDUALITY: Echo of Ada looks promising and demanding

Survival of humanity through AI

Published

October 1, 2024

Gab Orlina

A world set in the future can mean two things. Either the world is about to achieve some level of utopia or is trying to survive a dystopia. With technological advancements coming in droves, humanity stands at the literal crossroad as survival is of utmost importance. Several games have tackled this concept in the past. They involved a little bit of artificial intelligence here and there.

One such addition to the plentiful list of games is SYNDUALITY Echo of Ada. It’s a techno-RPG set in a future Earth now overrun by a violent environment. Humans have been forced to retreat underground, and the only way to survive is by scavenging resources on dangerous surfaces. All of this would need to be achieved with a little help of technological advancements to combat the surroundings.

I got a chance to see what the game was about during its Closed Network Test. Safe to say, it’s a promising game with a lot of unique features that makes it stand out from other post-apocalyptic sci-fi RPGs out there.

An AI that has your back

As soon as the CNT started, you are greeted by the tutorial that introduces the Magus and your own CRADLECOFFIN. Admittedly, I was confused at first as to what they wanted you to do when it was just to look at three specific screens. After about 20 minutes, you’re off to explore the wonders of the world with your own Magus guiding you through.

Similar to any RPG, customization is the forefront of every early game task list. Luckily, SYNDUALITY: Echo of Ada has a ton of that going around. The obvious one primarily revolves around your Magus. It can be and look any way you like — just not too offensive. For your own CRADLECOFFIN, I pretty much glossed over changing anything since the default design was all good.

Your Magus comes with its own set of skills. These are quite essential as you go through your excursions. Unfortunately, I only ever got to utilize the one that was unlocked at the start of the test. So, my experience with the rest is limited. However, these skills aid you when you’re in a pinch so you can’t go wrong with them.

The harshest environment on the planet

Part of the first few missions in the CNT was excavating the most important mineral for humanity’s survival: the AO Crystals. These are crucial in rebuilding and improving the settlement you’re residing in for the whole game. They are scattered all over the surface world. Fortunately, they’re pretty easy to spot through your Magus and extracted in a short amount of time. The only problem though is that, well, you got company up there

The first wave of enemies you’ll encounter are violent creatures known as Enders, and they’re everywhere and in every form. Once an Ender detects where you are, the fight is on as you will need your arsenal of weapons to stop them. Once you get past them, you will potentially need to deal with other players in the server that can beat you if you’re not prepared.

However, the biggest obstacle you have to face throughout your excursions is the rain. At several points in the day, much like in real life, it will rain and deal chip damage to your CRADLECOFFIN — which you can’t allow to happen. Good thing your Magus also gives you weather updates, but it effectively stops your progress too.

Every second counts when you’re out there

Remember the CRADLECOFFIN you’re in? Now, as it turns out, for every excursion you have, you only get about thirty minutes as indicated by the COFFIN’s battery life. This, in turn, makes every adventure into a time-based stage wherein you need to accomplish your tasks and make it to the exit point unscathed.

It is rather different compared to other survival RPGs in the sense that every move contributes to achieving your goals. Also, every resource is valuable. During the first few excursions, it’s not as demanding yet. You only really need the bare minimum resources. However, I have a feeling that the latter stages and tasks will require you to maximize the full 30-minute timer.

What I found that was great was that the only thing derailing you in each adventure is the rain, especially when excavating AO Crystals. You can start the process of the excavation and stop halfway through to deal with Enders or other players, and still come back to finish the job. It does make those tasks a lot easier and more manageable. However, they need to be accomplished before your battery runs out.

Survival of humanity has demanding stakes

SYNDUALITY: Echo of Ada, however way you slice it, is simple in the beginning but demands a lot the longer you play. In a survival-type of an RPG, managing your time, resources, and ammunition is crucial in getting through all your tasks. With the environment not being in your favor in some cases, it can feel like a race against time.

In the limited time I got to play it within the CNT, however, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring and battling enemies. Knowing that the tasks can be quite easy to accomplish, it doesn’t feel that big of an ask to deal with the obstacles right then and there. I know that’s only a taste of the full game, but there is a good reason to be excited!

Related Topics:Bandai Namco SYNDUALITY: Echo of Ada

Gaming

HoYoverse’s first life sim, Petit Planet, opens Stardrift Test sign-ups

Closed beta begins April 21st, introduces more features

Published

April 10, 2026

GadgetMatch

HoYoverse is expanding to the life sim genre with Petit Planet, and sign-ups for their Stardrift Test are now open.

This new round of closed beta testing is available on PC, iOS, and Android. It will start on April 21, and will introduce new Neighbors, enhanced Starsea Voyage experiences, and additional Galactic Bazaar activities.

The title blends the joy of creation, companionship, and community-driven experiences, transforming the universe into a canvas of infinite possibilities. To sign up, simply visit the website here.

HoYoverse has also dropped Petit Planet’s latest trailer:

In the game, players take on the role of Planet Tender, stepping into the vast Starsea with a planet to call their own.

As planets connect to form galaxies, new stories begin to unfold. Here, you can live however you like. There’s farming, fishing, beachcombing, cooking, and more activities.

You can spend relaxed and fulfilling days on your planet alongside fuzzy Neighbors, and let your imagination run wild by decorating your home and shaping your landscapes.

Moreover, you can explore the Starsea to forge connections with people and things at the Galactic Bazaar.

Each bond formed weaves into an ever-growing web of connections that keeps the universe flourishing. Luca, the vitality that flows through all things, also shapes new landscapes and brings wondrous changes to the world as the bonds deepen and the planets thrive.

In the new closed beta, new Neighbors make their debut. Players can hop on their vehicles at the Starsea Map and set off to explore a variety of vibrant Islets.

Beyond the exploration remains a lively social hub where players can gather for coffee, relax by the bonfire, or even try fortune-telling or dancing with friends.

Gaming

Forza Horizon 6 already hits the mark

And it’s only just the preview build in the Tokyo area

Published

April 9, 2026

Gab Orlina

Up next on the Forza Horizon World Tour is a place filled with rich history. And an even richer cultural background. Tradition blends exceptionally well with the modern worldview, whether it’s the environment or the cars available on the terrain. For the first timers, it sounds like a riveting experience. For the returning players, it feels like a trip down a familiar path even if they’ve never been to the place at all.

When Playground Games announced Forza Horizon 6, I just knew that I needed to play it for a variety of reasons. From the trailer alone, there are things to be excited about, especially with how they will carry over the Horizon system of gameplay to a more car-centric cultural location in Tokyo. The driving, the cars, the sights, and even a preview of the Horizon events — all these are gearing up for a grand release on May 19.

And the special preview from Xbox alone has already surpassed initial expectations in my book!

Hot like rising sun

Right off the bat, the game wows you with the breathtaking scenery and the equally cool-looking cars to match. Even as someone who has never been to Japan in this life, I felt that they perfectly captured the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. Including highly visited tourist spots. The developers wanted to reflect a more realistic feel of the city. And I appreciate that a lot.

As you immediately jump into action, the familiar mechanics start kicking in. Simply put, Forza Horizon 6 didn’t change too much in terms of how you play — from the controls in races to the customization. If anything, they mostly applied clarifications to previous descriptions of existing mechanics. Furthermore, real-world feel for the cars still exists especially when you take cars only meant for city driving off-road and into harsh areas.

Of course, the Forza Horizon experience wouldn’t be complete without the free-driving across an entirely vast area, exploring nooks and crannies and engaging in all the quests. Similar to previous releases, the Horizon events were tailored referencing car culture in the country they roll in, which they nailed even in this preview. Also, they added even more breakable elements to collect and work towards potentially earning more cars, spendable credits, or other cosmetics.

Exploring Tokyo with ease

Even with keeping things roughly the same in game feel, Forza Horizon 6 felt substantially different, catering to both new and returning players. For starters, they divided the entire map of Tokyo into their own regions, each with a designated checklist. Instead of aimlessly wandering about the roads, you actually get an idea of what you should be looking for this time.

Second, remember ANNA, your guide to Horizon? Well, she got several significant upgrades that help out content creators immensely. One of which is adding in a Drone Mode. This allows exploration without driving and can help with video recordings on Xbox. The other is having a dedicated Auto Drive Mode. It takes inspiration from Waymo and Tesla in driving routes for you. Though, I still think that they need to work on the automatic driving just a bit. Sometimes the cars would just take the weirdest routes to get to your destination.

Finally, though there wasn’t access to the Buy and Sell market in the preview, you could get other cars in the overworld called Aftermarket Cars. These basically replaced Forza Horizon 5‘s car barn-hunting by basically just showing you the car, and it’s sold at a much lower rate. I love that some of these cars truly represent some of the more famous brands in Japan, both for casual travel and intense races. Hopefully they add a lot more in the final build, especially vintage Japanese car models!

A furious Tokyo drift over the horizon

So far, Forza Horizon 6 promises to be another exhilarating edition of a franchise that prides itself in celebrating car culture to the fullest. Playground Games kept everything mostly intact for overall gameplay yet fully poured in the effort to perfect the environments and activities well. It’s obvious that they did justice to Tokyo as a whole, to the point that even someone who hasn’t been there will enjoy the experience very much.

Hopefully, they continue to work on some of the wonky mechanics like Auto Drive and apply a deeper integration of the four seasons into accessible events. Also, it would help out immensely if players get better rewards for clearing all the hazards – similar to what was present in previous games. Overall, there are a ton of things to be excited about with Forza Horizon 6 when it finally gets released on May 19 for the Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and as a Day One Release for Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

So, time to dust off those racing wheels and, maybe, hold off on booking that flight to Tokyo for now!

Gaming

PlayStation can now scan you and put you inside a game

The limited feature will be available for Gran Turismo 7 for now.

Published

April 8, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

A staple of sports simulation games like the NBA 2K series, one of the most interesting developments in gaming today is the ability to scan faces and import them into an avatar. The feature lets players fully live out the fantasy of being inside their favorite sport. It has since made its way to more genres, such as in Where Winds Meet. Now, PlayStation wants to add its own native face- and body-scanning technology — called The Playerbase — into its repertoire.

Announced today, The Playerbase will bring PlayStation’s dedicated fans into cyberspace. It’s more than just uploading a face into a game’s files, too. PlayStation will fully scan a fan and import their entire body into a game.

Being more rigorous than just a facial scan, The Playerbase’s uses are still very limited today. PlayStation will start by importing a selected fan into the world of Gran Turismo 7.

Interested fans from selected markets all over the globe can sign up starting today for a chance to be featured inside the racing game. Once selected, the lucky fan will participate in video interviews before being scanned into the game in Los Angeles.

The player’s avatar will be available in a limited-time basis, but their livery, which they will design, will be a permanent fixture in the game going forward.

Afterwards, PlayStation will look to add more of its studios into the initiative tailored for their specific worlds. As of now, it’s meant as a special thank you for its dedicated fans, rather than an easily available feature for all of their games.