Echoes of Aincrad: Sword Art Online will see the long-standing franchise return to PS5 this summer, and based on what we saw at a recent Bandai Namco press event, it’s set to be a fairly fresh take on the property.
In a nutshell, Echoes of Aincrad embraces the darker side of Sword Art Online; it’s about battling your way through the original death game, where being killed in the virtual reality MMO means dying in real life.
And no, you don’t play as Kirito this time around. Instead, you get to create your own character from the ground up, deciding on their looks and fighting style. The latter can be refined as the game progresses, through the unlocking of perks and skills as you level up.
Indeed, this is an action RPG with what seems to be a heavy emphasis on counterattacks. Not one, not two, but three different reversal techniques were shown off, with the idea being that you react to your opponent’s tells.
When you see the gameplay for yourself, you’ll be tempted to say that this is a Soulslike — that dreaded word — but the way it’s being described, we’re more inclined to call it a slower, more methodical take on the kind of combat that Sword Art Online games have been pedalling for years.
We only got to see relatively early sword and shield gameplay, but we’ve been told that, depending on your weapon type, your approach to battle can change quite dramatically.
Another aspect of combat that you’re encouraged to tweak is the partner system. You certainly don’t have to fight alone, with the game providing over ten NPC companions, each with their own unique ability.
We got the impression that this is a core part of the action; allies will unleash powerful blows when you pull off a successful parry, for example, and you can command them to act defensively or press the attack.
If you’re wondering whether this means you can team up with other players, there’s been no mention of co-op. All we know right now is that Echoes of Aincrad offers what Bandai Namco calls a “single-player campaign”.
In any case, we’re hoping that the partner system is worth experimenting with, because it could help Echoes of Aincrad stand out in what is, admittedly, a rather saturated genre.
And then there’s the exploration. The adventure takes place across open world-style environments, filled with map markers and the like.
It’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but it looks as though you’ll have to uncover the map itself; finding all-important ‘safe areas’ reveals your surroundings, and you’ll apparently need to acquire specific items in order to remove environmental obstacles.
Numerous optional bosses and the promise of rare loot should tempt players into taking a look around, too. The gameplay we saw was full of fights against stronger foes who were just wandering around certain areas.
That loot, by the way, seems plentiful. Boss beasties drop loads of shiny items upon defeat, and if you’re not rewarded with a sick new sword right off the bat, you’ll scoop some materials that can be used to upgrade existing armaments.
We didn’t get to see how deep these elements go, but if we’ve learned anything from past Sword Art Online titles, the crafting and upgrading systems should encourage a healthy amount of grinding.
First impressions are solid, then. Echoes of Aincrad is, arguably, what the Sword Art Online games need — a bigger budget, back-to-basics adaptation with an emphasis on engaging combat and the tense exploration of an intriguing world.
Echoes of Aincrad: Sword Art Online is targeting a 10th July release date on PS5, but are you interested? Remember to level up in the comments section below.
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