Echoes of Aincrad preview: a wondrous fantasy world with just one catch
A deadly game is afoot: new JRPG Echoes of Aincrad follows the Sword Art Online storyline. It offers action-packed gameplay set in a beautiful world – with the option of a merciless permadeath mode.
Thanks to Echoes of Aincrad, I can finally log into the world of Sword Art Online and prove that I can make it out of the deadly game (remember: logging out means death). Instead of controlling Kirito, Asuna and the gang, I created my own avatar for the VRMMO.
The built-in character editor is as minimalist as it is comprehensive. Unfortunately, the wide variety of eyebrow shapes doesn’t quite make up for the rather limited number of hairstyles. Mind you, I played a preview version only: the editor in the final game may well be more feature-rich. If you don’t feel like spending forever tweaking a character, you can also use a randomly generated one.
Almost as dangerous as in the anime
Fortunately, Echoes of Aincrad is less deadly off-screen than its source material. I was, of course, able to log out while playing and log back in after a failed battle to try again.
If you want a more extreme experience, you can choose a game mode that completely resets your progress after a game over. That’s pretty close to the anime it’s based on.
During development, the game’s original survival aspect was significantly toned down. The developers had planned on players constantly having to manage stamina, energy and other resources in order to survive. But since this didn’t gel with the action-packed gameplay, the idea was eventually scrapped. There are even varying difficulty levels now, offering the right challenge for everyone.
I started the demo on normal difficulty, and I can already tell you this much: Echoes of Aincrad certainly isn’t going to be a walk in the park. Regularly adjusting your equipment and team feels essential.
Vast, open landscapes and beautiful cities
While we’re on the subject: Echoes of Aincrad feels huge, and the individual areas come together as a semi-open world. There are some incredible views, and the rich colours and light reflections make everything look like something out of a dream. I can’t wait to climb the next hill, take a shortcut and head straight for my destination marker.
Unfortunately, that plan fell apart pretty quickly, since areas only look open. The game guides you with mountains that act like invisible walls. As a result, levels are quite linear, even though they don’t seem that way at first glance. That said, based on just these two short sections, I can’t yet make a definitive judgment about the world design of Echoes of Aincrad.
I actually like Bandai Namco’s role-playing games. I enjoyed Ni No Kuni, Scarlett Nexus has the best enemy designs I’ve ever seen and the Tales of games have a special place in my heart. One thing that bothers me about most (J)RPGs is the endless parade of towns and villages that feel completely empty. Bustling alleys, a weekly market teeming with visitors and children playing in the village square – these details are what make a game world feel real to me.
As a result, I was pleasantly surprised by the design of my first city in Echoes of Aincrad. The varied textures, the way sunlight plays across the narrow alleys, diverse characters going about their daily lives and the wealth of details are truly impressive. In the PC demo, a few elements did pop up in the background, but this only slightly detracted from my immersion.
Source: Bandai Namco
Attack tactics, just like in the anime
The combat system is based on the anime. You don’t play this single-player game alone, but always with other (AI) characters. As the story unfolds, you’ll meet a number of heroes, each with their own specific abilities and motivations. Before starting a quest, you can pick your party from the character roster.
This changes the dynamics of real-time combat, since characters wielding a sword and shield act differently to those swinging a two-handed axe. During battles, you can choose between two action modes: take turns, or use Switch Mode to perform attacks that build on and complement each other – just like in the anime.
As the story progresses, more and more areas become accessible and you can easily fast-travel to them. At rest stops, you can reveal more of the map, restock on potions and rethink your strategy. Larger enemies – or ones marked with a red icon – really had me sweating in the demo. I’m sure that in the final release, I’ll need to adjust my tactics on a regular basis. In cities, you can also choose equipment and weapons to suit your playstyle or the team’s strategy. During the demo – which ran to a good four hours – I only scratched the surface. Echoes of Aincrad will likely offer a wide range of combat and exploration options on release.
During my demo session, I accidentally accepted the wrong quest from the bulletin board and died seven times fighting an enemy my character was nowhere near strong enough to defeat. Although the world opens up bit by bit as the story progresses, it seems to me that the game offers a certain level of freedom when it comes to missions and exploration.
First impression: I’m hyped!
I really enjoyed my first few hours in Aincrad. Visually, the JRPG immediately captivated me, and the action-packed gameplay fits the lore well. I’ll have to spend some time getting the hang of the combat partner system, since switching between different partner modes didn’t feel very smooth. The only thing that bothered me slightly was the limited exploration options across the beautifully designed world. I’m curious to see if my first impression holds up once I’ve played through the full game.
Echoes of Aincrad will be released on 10 July 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. For this preview, I played the PC version, provided by Bandai Namco.
I didn’t have a Game Boy or a Super Nintendo as a child, and only joined the world of gaming at 15. I’ve been trying to make up for lost time ever since. But looking at the ever-growing number of game releases each year, it seems the entire industry is conspiring against me.
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