Bandai Namco released Echoes of Aincrad today, an action RPG that lets players start in the Aincrad arc of Sword Art Online with a custom protagonist.
The game focuses on the early story where players become trapped in a deadly virtual reality world. Producer Yosuke Futami said the team aimed to recreate the tension from the first episode, where the log out option vanishes and death in the game means real death.
Unlike prior titles centered on Kirito, Echoes of Aincrad features a player-created character who forms a new party. The title places Sword Art Online at the end to emphasize the fresh story. Futami noted this shift could extend to other arcs in future games.
The game includes the opening track Live to Survive by Aimer and marks the first Sword Art Online title with a full English dub. Voice actor Bryce Papenbrook returns as Kirito, drawing from personal experiences for the role.
Echoes of Aincrad is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.