Does Synduality: Echo of Ada Feature Solo Missions?

The promotional materials for Synduality: Echo of Ada suggested that it would be a narrative-driven experience, but that’s not entirely accurate. Although this game is primarily a solo experience, it takes place in a world populated by other players. You’ll spend time gathering resources rather than focusing on the storyline, and there isn’t a fixed endpoint in Synduality.

That said, there is a single-player component, but you must unlock it first. This requires a fair amount of effort before it becomes available, yet it provides a welcome change of pace with significantly less risk compared to regular outings. Here’s how you can unlock it.

How to Unlock Single-Player Missions

When you start Synduality, your only option will be to sortie in the Northern Zone, and this will continue for a significant time. To unlock the single-player missions, you need to connect with the Amasia Collapse Investigation Committee, often shortened to the CIC.

There’s no guaranteed timeline for when you’ll hear from them, nor is there a specific action needed on your part. After you’ve completed a sufficient number of requests from different organizations, the CIC will reach out to you. This usually happens before you gain access to the Southern Zone and is an unavoidable part of the game. Just keep completing requests, and the single-player missions will eventually be available.

Once the CIC contacts you, a new tab will emerge in the Requests section below the other organizations. This is where you can find all the CIC’s missions, which are exclusively for single-player play.

How Do Single-Player Missions Work?

The single-player missions provided by the CIC differ significantly from the typical sorties in the Northern and Southern Zones. For starters, you’ll receive pre-set equipment: a Bowierabbit Cradlecoffin along with two weapons—one using energy and the other utilizing live ammunition. You can keep your Magus, but their capabilities will be adjusted to match the mission.

Unlike the usual zones, these missions take place in custom-designed areas that are more straightforward and linear. You are the sole human player in these zones, so you will always know the kinds of threats you’ll face.

Additionally, you don’t lose any gear upon dying, since nothing you use during these missions belongs to you. This allows you to be more daring or use the missions as a training opportunity. However, expect enemies like bandit Cradlecoffins and Enders to hit hard.

The main goal of the CIC missions is to recover surveillance logs that were lost during the collapse of Amasia. The number of logs you need to gather varies from mission to mission, but it’s usually around five. This is where you’ll find the bulk of historical items in Synduality. Each mission will have at least one required log to collect, but you can replay any mission to gather missed logs later.

The format of the missions remains generally the same, though there is considerable variety in environments and some unique challenges to take on.

Do You Keep Your Rewards From Single-Player Missions?

One advantage of the CIC missions is that dying doesn’t carry the same harsh penalties as it does in regular play. You can experiment, learn from your mistakes, and ultimately succeed. The downside? You won’t keep any items you collect during these missions. All weapons and ammo used are returned to the CIC upon completing the mission, including the provided Cradlecoffin.

No rewards are offered other than the surveillance logs, so there are no AO crystals or materials to gather here. Ultimately, these missions are beneficial primarily for practice without the fear of permanent loss or if you’re especially interested in the lore of Synduality.