The Sword Art Online series has had several entries over the years, but Echoes of Aincrad tries to do something different by focusing on a brand new RPG with a player-created protagonist. Instead of playing as Kirito, the main character is a custom protagonist created by the player.
The story’s prologue takes place during a beta test for the Sword Art Online MMO, with the tutorial serving as the introduction to the game. Although this is a spin-off story, Kirito still makes an appearance, but his role is limited to that of a supporting character rather than a central figure. The story follows the new MMO and its creator, Kayaba, who traps thousands of players inside the game, forcing them to fight their way through the 100 floors of the floating castle of Aincrad. While the main objective is to escape Aincrad, a new twist soon emerges as the player discovers there is more to this world, including a threat that could bring about an apocalyptic end to it.
One of the weaker aspects of the story is its main protagonist. As a custom character, they lack much of a personality, while Kirito ends up feeling far more charismatic despite only serving as a supporting character. He often overshadows the rest of the cast. Another issue is how long it takes for the game to open up. The pacing can be slow and, at times, feel like a slog. The opening prologue is the clearest example, as it takes quite a while before the game properly gets going.
The gameplay is one of Echoes of Aincrad’s strongest points. It features an action RPG combat system set within a fictional MMO world. Players have access to standard light and heavy attacks, along with parry and dodge mechanics. Combat is further expanded through supporting party members, who can team up with the player to unleash powerful skills and combo attacks. I also liked the range of difficulty options, including Story, Normal, and several harder settings. In my opinion, Normal felt a little too easy for anyone already familiar with action RPGs.
For most of the game, players can bring one companion along on missions, although additional companions join the party at certain points depending on the story. It is possible to give commands to these AI companions, but they also fight independently. Some skills require a companion to perform, while others can be activated through user-assigned shortcuts. There are six weapon types to choose from, each offering its own attack style and stat advantages in combat. The game also features a levelling system that rewards skill points, which can be used to improve your stats. There is plenty of gear to collect from enemies and dungeons, but managing your equipment is limited to the hubs and inns, which can feel a bit cumbersome.
Echoes of Aincrad is not an open-world game, nor does it let players freely travel anywhere they want. Instead, it is made up of semi-open areas, with quests unlocking new dungeons as you progress. Exploration feels somewhat restricted because of area boundaries and invisible walls that keep players within set limits. Combat is enjoyable thanks to its mix of light and heavy attacks, a forgiving parry and dodge system, and companion abilities that add more variety to battles and encourage experimentation when taking on enemies.
Enemy variety is sadly limited, with the same enemies appearing over and over again, so fighting them quickly becomes repetitive. On top of that, some enemy types are simply reused with minor changes, such as giving them a different weapon or shield, which makes them feel like simple reskins. Boss fights are not particularly memorable either, with several bosses returning later with only slight variations to their design. That was disappointing to see. It feels as though the game’s budget was not large enough to support a wider range of enemy types or environments, with the latter being stretched across multiple dungeons.
As for the PC version, which is what I played, it feels fairly barebones. There are no modern features such as DLSS or other upscaling options. The graphics settings are also quite basic, with simple presets for Performance, Balanced, and Quality depending on your hardware. Even with everything maxed out, the game runs reasonably well, although I noticed occasional shader stutters even on a high-end PC.
Overall, Echoes of Aincrad feels like a lower-budget Sword Art Online game. While it looks visually appealing and has an enjoyable combat system, the story, enemy variety, and pacing are not strong enough to deliver a truly memorable experience, especially for fans of the Sword Art Online series.
Echoes of Aincrad Game Information
- Price: $59.99
- Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
- Developer: Game Studio Inc.
- Platform: PC (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
