The anticipated RPG announcement from Bandai Namco revealed the reimagining of the MMO isekai, Sword Art Online. Instead of following the story of Kirito, players will battle to stay alive for themselves. Echoes of Aincrad takes SAO back into the digital fantasy death game in the year 2022. Bandai Namco and their collaborators have showcased the gameplay along with a new mechanic to the RPG experience.
What is Echoes of Aincrad About?
In SAO: Hollow Realization, players created self-inserts to fight alongside Kirito and his allies. Now, in this spinoff, players are in the protagonist’s seat and explore the events of the Aincrad arc from the anime. The new virtual death game is described as being more brutal than its previous hostings. Adventurers will need to deal with aggressive monsters, weather conditions, and day-night cycles.
Luckily, they have AI companions to assist them on their journey. There’s Iori the healer, Wyzeman the warrior, and Argo the rogue. The Impulse Gamer has hinted Kirito will return in Echoes of Aincrad as a battle partner. It’s up to you to survive and escape Sword Art Online.
What Did Aincrad Improve?
Echoes of Aincrad shows that the developers have done their homework on past SAO titles, which could influence its gameplay. Bandai Namco recognized that the combat UI needed to feel less pretentious. The previous installment, Fractured Daydream, featured a multi-party HUD next to the special commands in the bottom-right corner. The player’s main party and status are located in the bottom-left corner. Above them are the targeted enemy’s health, member commentary, and mission scoring.
Bandai Namco borrows from the Gun Gale Online game, Fatal Bullet, for a more manageable and readable combat UI. It gave Echoes of Aincrad simplicity in its design. Player HUD is located in the top left instead of the bottom. Below is the AI companion’s condition. Enemy health will display over their heads. On the top right are the map and mission objectives, no longer taking space in the center view. And the action prompts are located in the bottom corners of the screen.
Menus received the same treatment with better visual organization. Echoes of Ainscrad’s equipment and partner selection replace the blandness of the previous SAO games with interactive icons. The models and environment look really clean despite the game still being in development.
As for battling monsters, SAO fans can relax from managing party members. Players can choose to be accompanied by an AI companion that can offer protection, healing, and supportive buffs. And it appears that Bandai Namco is adapting modern-day action combat. Parrying, dodging, and reversal slashing will activate a limited slowdown. Players will use this moment to react and defeat members.
IGN’s gameplay demonstration shows only one partner during exploration instead of three. Maybe when the full game is released, players could form a full party. On the bright side, they can still enjoy executing finishing moves.
An Adjustable Attribute Build
The newest feature in this SAO title is the adjustable avatar attributes. Echoes of Aincrad producer Yosuke Futami told IGN that players do not need to reset their game if they dislike their current build. There’s an additional menu to reset their ability scores to 0 without the need for a special item. Players will still get the chance to earn points and spend them to get stronger.
When is Echoes of Aincrad Releasing?
SAO fans won’t have to wait long for the game’s release. Echoes of Aincrad will be released this summer on Jul. 10, 2026. It’s available for pre-order in Standard, Deluxe, Ultimate, and Aincrad Edition. The Aincrad Edition will be a PS5 exclusive order with a physical game copy and provide decorative merchandise. To learn more about the game, visit the Bandai Namco page.
