For more than 15 years, Sword Art Online has been a key franchise that shaped and revolutionized anime to this day. Although Sword Art Online has spanned various VRMMO worlds, the franchise’s initial setting of Aincrad felt like it was neglected and forgotten in subsequent releases. While there were titles like Infinity Moment and Hollow Fragment, fans in the West had to wait a while before getting to play them. By that time, Lost Song had been released, along with additional titles focusing on Alfheim, Gun Gale Online, and Alicization. However, in 2026, Aincrad finally becomes the focus once more with Echoes of Aincrad.
Echoes of Aincrad is a brand-new action RPG that focuses on the early days of the Sword Art Online incident, with a fresh new cast of characters. They fight through the endless hardship of being forced into a frustrating situation alongside 10,000 other players. Thanks to Bandai Namco, Final Weapon got the chance to preview Echoes of Aincrad, experiencing this new rendition of Aincrad firsthand with a myriad of companions and weapons.
Experiencing the Sword Art Online Incident
On November 6th, 2022, ten thousand players were held hostage within the first VRMMO, Sword Art Online. This plot was orchestrated by the creator of the Nerve Gear, Kayaba Akihiko, who forced everyone into a life-and-death game. Among the many victims are beta testers who experienced Sword Art Online’s Closed Beta. Aside from Kirito, Asuna, and Argo, the cast of Echoes of Aincrad are also seasoned beta testers, including you! Instead of creating a virtual character, the character creator is largely the real-life scan through the Nerve Gear. The character creator is largely rudimentary, allowing for an in-depth personalized creation within its cell-shaded art style.
This new cast of survivors rendezvous in the nearest inn to plan how to survive with their knowledge of the game. Along the way, you’ll relive iconic events within Sword Art Online and attempt to survive the tower’s various floors. However, I feel concerned about getting too attached to this new cast of characters. Even though they have experience from the closed beta, these early months are a period of uncertainty. Many players, even beta testers, were not only slain by the many beasts, but also by player killers. On the other hand, this does make me excited to see the Laughing Coffin guild be presented terrifyingly, alongside the infamous beater Kirito.
Surviving in a Wild and Unknown World, Together
Unlike previous titles, Echoes of Aincrad focuses more on a Souls-like combat style. The right bumper and trigger handle both light and heavy attacks, with the signature feature being the available melee weapons. Sword Art Online was primarily a melee-focused VRMMO, and that fantasy is truly alive here. To be blunt: it’s brutal. Simply holding the right trigger deals a very strong attack that will destroy any weaker mob with ease. There are also special Off-Global Cooldown attacks on either the triggers or face buttons that deal even more damage to enemies.
Companions are a core mechanic of Echoes of Aincrad, featuring an original cast of characters and returning Sword Art Online characters. Each companion has their own specialized weapon and set of skills, such as Iori’s healing ward and Argo’s scanning abilities. These abilities are activated by holding the left trigger and pressing the face buttons, and they’re charged by dealing damage to enemies. There are also several ways to counter enemies, including parrying, dodging, and reversing attacks with the heavy attack. Companions also feature different dialogue conversations throughout the various quests, along with different comments when searching or attacking.
It can’t be an offline MMORPG without various mobs to fight against. In this demo, only Floors 1 and 2 were explorable, bringing their fair share of mobs. These mobs are recognizable to every Sword Art Online fan, as players will encounter Kobolds, Giant Boars, and more throughout this journey. They aren’t pushovers, either, and will defeat unsuspecting victims on different floors, especially in Normal Mode. The difficulty curve of Echoes of Aincrad is extremely high when surrounded by a large group of mobs. So it’s best to avoid getting overwhelmed and to pick fights carefully, as there’s not enough stamina to handle the tougher enemies.
Preparations are in Order for the Expeditions
Before setting forth on a quest, preparations are needed in the different safe towns. Each safe town provides different services, such as shops, inns, and a local blacksmith or two. Shops allow players to purchase various consumable potions or crystals that provide different stat boosts. Blacksmiths allow players to craft or upgrade different weapons with materials gathered on the different floors. Inns allow you to upgrade their equipment and stats, as well as their companions’ equipment.
Upon reaching the town square teleporter, quests are selectable, and players are immediately transported to the open zones of the floors. The zones are expansive, making it easy to get lost due to an incomplete map. The only way to fill in a map is to find and activate the various rest points at each point of interest. After activation, the rest points also serve as local teleportation devices that allow players to jump from one point to the next. Additionally, there are field gimmicks that open new areas and are unlocked by defeating the local boss or having an explosive crystal.
The World of Swords is Real
Stepping forth into Aincrad is like a dream come true, even though it isn’t under better circumstances. The threat level is very high as you try to survive within this life-and-death situation. Given that this is a prequel, the status of these characters can vary, and I’m hopeful that some will survive.
However, navigating the different zones is frustrating, especially when surrounded by various mobs. It’s rewarded with the combat and companion systems, as well as the variety of weapons to equip. It makes Aincrad feel more real, just as many imagined it in 2012.
Echoes of Aincrad releases on July 10, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.
