Echoes of Aincrad

Movie simulator You jump into the game with no freedom of choice. All quests are instances of the overworld. Items and progress carry over between Beta and Launch (the games story line beta, not IRL beta) which isn't normal for any game. Runs just fine, enemy variety is OK at this point, but not impressive, movement of the legs looks funny. You cannot fall very far. Exploration is a joke. I wanted this game to play through Aincrad, not to be the personal ***** of some NPCs, would refund but fell asleep mid gaming.

🛑 VOR DEM KAUF: UNBEDINGT LESEN 🛑 TL;DR: Spielt zuerst die Demo. Sie ist kostenlos und zeigt euch buchstäblich den gesamten Spielablauf. Was ihr seht, ist genau das, was ihr bekommt – und das immer und immer wieder. Wenn du das Spiel startest und erwartest, dich durch eine riesige, schwebende Burg mit 100 Stockwerken hochzugrinden, mach dich auf eine massive Enttäuschung gefasst: Das vollständige Spiel umfasst nur die ersten beiden Stockwerke. Um den Mangel an Inhalt zu kaschieren, haben die Entwickler die Spielzeit stark aufgebläht. Mach dich bereit für 5-minütige Treppensteig-Simulatoren und das Grinden durch nicht-kanonische Füll-Handlungsstränge, die völlig deplatziert wirken. 💀 🏜️ Ein lebloses „MMO“-Erlebnis Der größte Reinfall hier ist das Fehlen von Online-Funktionen. Ältere SAO-Spiele haben die Welt durch andere Spieler und aktive NPCs tatsächlich lebendig wirken lassen. Da es sich hier um ein reines Einzelspieler-ARPG handelt, ist es eine Geisterstadt, sobald man die Hub-Stadt verlässt. Null soziale Interaktion. Man wandert einfach völlig alleine durch ein „riesiges VRMMO“. Zu dem schleppenden Tempo kommen noch die schmerzhaft holprigen Animationen hinzu. Ein Siegel brechen oder einen Miniboss besiegen? Mach dich darauf gefasst, 10 bis 15 Sekunden lang völlig still zu stehen, während das Spiel deinen Sieg registriert und langsam eine Freischaltanimation abspielt. Das verlangsamt das Tempo auf ein absolutes Schneckentempo. 🐌 ⚔️ Kampfablauf & lästige Beuteflut Waffen spielen zwar eine Rolle, aber die Kampfmechanik ist unglaublich einfach gehalten. Wer tiefgehende, schweißtreibende Kämpfe sucht, ist hier falsch. Dolche haben kein akrobatisches Flair, und Rapier-Kämpfer haben keinerlei Fechtstellungen. Jede Waffe fühlt sich funktional identisch an – mit Ausnahme einer Axt, die sich zufällig in eine Kreissäge verwandelt (???). Man kann nur eine bestimmte Anzahl von Gegnern zerhacken, bevor das Gehirn abstumpft. Die Parier- und Ausweichmechaniken sind ordentlich, und der Soundtrack geht richtig ab 🔥, aber das Beutesystem ruiniert die Stimmung komplett. Es ist reine Menüüberfrachtung im Diablo-Stil. Du machst einen 30-minütigen Lauf, sammelst über 70 Waffen ein und wirst dann zurück in die Schmiede einer Stadt gezwungen, um mühsam Seltenheiten und passive Fähigkeiten zu sortieren. Das verwandelt das, was eigentlich ein spaßiger Belohnungszyklus sein sollte, in eine riesige Plackerei. 🎒📉 🚫 Strenge, RNG-freie Erkundung Willst du Freiheit? Dann geh im echten Leben ins Gras, denn hier wirst du sie nicht finden. Das Spiel bestraft dich aktiv dafür, dass du auf Erkundung gehst. Die Sprungphysik ist so klobig, dass du, wenn du versuchst, Parkour zu machen, deine Zeit damit verbringst, unbeholfen Felsen hinunterzurutschen oder einen Blink-Talisman zu verbrennen, um eine einfache Lücke zu überqueren. Noch schlimmer ist das starre Kartendesign. Eine Mission abgeschlossen? Karte gesperrt. Willst du zurück? Dann musst du die gesamte Mission noch einmal spielen. Das Spiel versucht, dich zum Erkunden zu verleiten, indem es Truhen hinter Minibossen und versperrten Wegen versteckt, aber die Belohnung ist Müll. Du wirst riesige Hürden nehmen, ein Siegel freischalten, eine senkrechte Wand erklimmen … nur um eine Truhe zu öffnen und einen einfachen Heiltrank zu erhalten. 🤦‍♂️ Die Beute ist nicht zufällig, was bedeutet, dass das Erkunden ein riesiger Zeitverlust ist, es sei denn, du folgst strikt einem Leitfaden. 🗑️ Null Lebensqualität Sie haben die gesamte gemütliche MMO-Atmosphäre, die für Immersion sorgt, zunichte gemacht. Man kann weder angeln noch kochen, und das Handwerkssystem ist völlig nutzlos. Das Spiel überschüttet dich mit Zehntausenden von Materialien, aber Gegenstände sind mit der unendlichen Spielwährung so billig zu kaufen, dass du nie auch nur eine einzige Sache selbst herstellen musst. Man hat auch keinerlei Chance, tatsächlich eine Bindung zu den KI-Gruppenmitgliedern aufzubauen. Es gibt keine echte Verbundenheit – nur leblose „Geh und töte diesen Boss“-Hol-Quests. 💤 ⚖️ DAS URTEIL Ich liebe Spiele von Bandai Namco, aber als Gamer und Anime-Fan bricht mir dieses Spiel absolut das Herz 💔. Game Studio Inc. hat bei der Grafik und dem Soundtrack für die Kämpfe ganze Arbeit geleistet, aber in fast allen anderen Bereichen versagt. Es fällt schwer, ein Einzelspieler-Spiel zu genießen, das in einer MMO-Welt spielt, wenn es einen ständig daran erinnert, wie einsam man ist. Solange man nicht Iori oder einen anderen einzelnen NPC an seiner Seite hat, bekommt man nie das Gefühl, Teil eines kompletten Teams zu sein. Bei so viel aufgeblähtem Inhalt, der nur dazu dient, den AAA-Preis zu rechtfertigen, hat man das Gefühl, dass die Entwickler völlig vergessen haben, was das SAO-Setting eigentlich ausmacht. Ich hoffe, dass ein Patch das noch retten kann, aber im Moment ist es eine tragische Verschwendung von Mühe – sowohl für die Entwickler als auch für die Spieler. 📉

[h1] 発言良いか [/h1] このゲームはSAOファンなら買ってもよいと思う。 自分はデスゲームモードで遊んだことで、緊張感や達成感があり、ゲームを最後まで楽しむことができた。逆に通常モードだと戦闘に緊張感が薄く、ストレスの方が目立ってしまう印象でした。 戦闘については、ソードスキルの演出は非常にかっこよく、SAOらしさを感じられる。しかし、ヘビーアタックで敵を倒すたびに演出が入るため、雑魚敵相手でもテンポが悪く感じる場面が多くあった。 敵の種類も、見た目違いはあるものの、実際にはイノシシ・犬・人型・植物・虫・牛・熊など同系統が中心で、終盤になると戦う相手がマンネリ化してしまう。まだ1、2層なので仕方ない部分もあるとは思うが。 戦闘面は、カーディナルランクが上がるごとに敵も強化されるため、序盤は成長を実感できるが、後半はランクアップによる敵の強化の方が大きく感じられる。また、ボス戦はアルゴの攻撃力バフを使い、麻痺マインで動きを止めて殴る戦法が非常に強力で、攻略方法が単調になりがち。 あと、ソードスキル中のスーパーアーマーが問題で、多段ヒット攻撃を受けるとそのまま死ぬことが多く、この仕様は改善してほしい。 探索面では、移動速度アップのEX-MODや装備がないとマップ移動がかなり億劫。また、宝箱も設計図以外は魅力的な報酬が少なく、苦労して取りに行っても期待外れに感じることが多かった。 UI面では、アイテムのマイセット機能が欲しいと思った。ないのであれば、せめてアイテムポーチの整理や並び替えをもっとやりやすくしてほしい。 ストーリーは一層までは非常に面白く、原作を追体験している感覚を楽しめた。一方で二層以降は完全オリジナル展開となるため、この点は好みが分かれると思う。また、パーティメンバーも「先に行くね」と言って離脱し、基本的には自分で選んだパートナーとだけ行動する場面が多く、仲間全員で攻略している雰囲気はあまり感じられない。そのため、キャラクターにも愛着が湧きにくかった。新たに仲間になるキャラクターも、「怪しい人物だと思ったら実は良い人だった」という展開が何度か続き、少しワンパターンに感じた。 一方で、サブクエストは非常に良かった。原作やアニメに登場したキャラクターの掘り下げや補完が多く、SAOファンとして楽しめる内容になっていた。 まだまだ書きたいことはあるが言いたいことは一言。 このゲームは神ゲーになりえるゲームだと俺は思っていたんだがな…。

For full context, I have fully completed the game: the entire story, all side quests, all achievements, all "post-game" content [spoiler](yes I completed all the extra dungeons at their highest difficulty setting)[/spoiler]. I did all of this on Very Hard (the highest difficulty) and Perma-Death mode to fully immerse myself in the Sword Art Experience. This is my first SAO game and it will probably be my last. Here is my take on various aspects of the game. [h3]The Gameplay Systems[/h3] This is a story driven, action RPG with a barebones progression system. It has levels similar to souls-like games but every 5-10 levels you get a small buff or stat increase along with whatever benefits you would get from the level up. There is only combat in this game, it is not an SAO immersive experience with smithing, cooking, etc. It is not open world, you take on quests in specific zones with very limited range. Attempting to traverse outside of these zones will force you back in bounds, so if you see a treasure or shiny outside the quest zone, sorry you will have to start a different quest in order to explore that area. [h3]The World[/h3] Honestly, this is the best and worst part of the game. In the current state of the game there are two floors. They are also incredibly vast, more on that later. Whoever did the level design and created the environments is the MVP of this game. There are extremely nice vistas and views framed around every corner. You get this vibe they were trying to make it look like Elden Ring to some extent. The skybox has the Aincrad ceiling peering through it which is a nice touch. unfortunately, the developers did not fill this world with nearly enough content. There are entire swaths of emptiness. No loot, no lore, no interactables, no enemies. There are even sections of the map that you will never reach in the current version of the game, with roads that lead outside of any of the traversable quest areas. I know they are planning a content drop in the future so I imagine it will be traversable later, and perhaps those empty spaces will be filled with something. For now the world feels incomplete and empty, like it's in Beta (┬┬﹏┬┬) There aren't any other "players" running around the world like there would be in SAO, no npcs outside of town. The Town of Beginnings has a pretty small traversal area compared to the actual size of it, which is a bummer. [h3]Combat and Weapons[/h3] It's okay. Better than Enshrouded, worse than Elden Ring. It is very clunky to start until you master all the animation cancels with blocking/dodging/jumping. I highly recommend not using a shield on the higher difficulties as most attacks are un-blockable. One-handed weapons get extra attack speed and a better dodge if you ditch the shield. Some of the weapon skills feel good to use while others are genuinely awful. As for the weapons, I'll list in order my opinion best to worst for my experience in (Very Hard/Death Game mode): 1. Dagger - very fast, highest dps, [spoiler]Cosmic Orbit[/spoiler](a mid-tier weapon) does Two-Handed damage if you hit 50 AGI making it the strongest weapon in the game 2. Rapier - Dagger Light, lots of combos, the parry weapon skills are inconsistent so don't use them, decent weapon options 3. Sword - Balanced and quick, has some strong skills, good weapon options 4. Mace - A worse Sword and has bad skills but at least it has the quick dodge with no shield, decent weapon options 5. Greatsword - very hard to start early game, strong but too slow, the charge ups are not worth it, you can instantly die if you stand still too long, slow dodge animation, bad weapon pool 6. Axe - very hard to get the build going early, lots of AOE Crowd Control but makes you a sitting duck, you can instantly die if you stand still too long, slow dodge animation, terrible weapon pool All the weapons are viable at the lower difficulties but Very Hard just punishes slow move-sets and stationary sword skills extremely hard. Enemies have little to no "tell" of when they will attack. It's more like you just gotta "feel" that they are gonna do something. I will say that some of the weapon move-sets just feel unfun. The Sword, Mace, and Axe feel underwhelming compared to the combo trees the other weapons have. The weapon passives for some of these classes are also questionable at best. The status Blindness is on most high tier weapons and that affliction does not work on 99% of the elite/boss enemies. And inflicting blindness on the random mobs will never happen cause they die in 2-3 hits anyways. Most statuses in this game suck actually. They either need a buff or they could be bugged. If you were wondering, the best partner is [spoiler]Argo[/spoiler]. Trust me. Her support skill is just BIS. [h3]The Ugly[/h3] This game is riddled with UI bugs, animation bugs, trigger bugs, pathing bugs, AI bugs, etc etc. I have had to quit and exit my game multiple times to clear these up because even unloading and loading in areas will not clear some of these things. The story beats are pretty eeeehhhhhh. To be honest the best parts are the one's from the anime and there aren't that many. The pre-rendered cutscenes will drop to extremely low frames, you have no free will or choice in this game. There are no alternative endings, no decisions to be made, and really no stakes aside from death of your character (if you are playing perma-death mode). They have entire segments where it's obviously memories of your character but it's just the default character instead. There are only a handful of enemies in this game. They just get a reskin and new move-set as you progress. It gets really boring killing the same wolf over and over and over again. The localization team tried. A lot of the tutorials, skill descriptions, and tooltips make very little sense and it took me a while of playing to figure out what the heck the game was trying to tell me. [h3]Quests[/h3] The only content in the game and it's just go here kill elite/boss. It's honestly depressing. It doesn't feel like an MMO at all. [spoiler]There are only two quests in the game that don't have you fight a elite/boss at the end and it was kinda refreshing.[/spoiler] [h3]The Verdict[/h3] I played over 100 hours so you don't have to. I would only recommend this if you are an SAO fan and want to experience Aincrad from someone else's eyes that isn't named Kirito.

Absolutely disappointed with this game. I played the demo and bought the game based on potential, but the game didn't improve on the demo at all. Most frustrating was the boundries on the maps. You're limited to zones that they let you in for whatever segment of story you're in. You cant even leave the city unless you are doing a mission, and you have to teleport out and in. I really enjoyed the combat and weapons system (though i wish there was more options for weapons), but it wasn't enough to overcome my frustration with the inability to explore or do other things. That and the world was extremely underused. The framework was there to build something great, but then nothing was implemented to make the world feel like a real place.

Do not buy this game. Bandai Namco should be ashamed of themselves for releasing this mess. You fight the same mobs and bosses over and over again, the weapon scaling is nonsense, & the story honestly doesn’t make sense within the Sword Art Online universe. Save your money and stay away from this blatant cash grab!

[h3]Review by [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/33369540-Abrix]Abrix Gaming[/url] – 4K quality gameplay reviews and recommendations.[/h3] [b][url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1ZOvQERjGtRkl7ImTcDzdw?sub_confirmation=1]Subscribe To My Youtube[/url][/b] [b][url=https://discord.gg/uM94ehT7hv]Join My Discord[/url][/b] [h1]Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad – A Faithful and Emotional Return to the World That Started It All[/h1] [quote]You can check my gameplay videos of this game [b][url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSrEYQfl4y2k]here[/url][/b][/quote] [h3]A Nostalgic Journey Back to Aincrad[/h3] [i]Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad[/i] is a heartfelt celebration of one of anime's most iconic story arcs. Whether you're a longtime fan of the series or someone experiencing Aincrad for the first time, the game captures the excitement, danger, and emotional weight of surviving inside the floating castle better than ever before. Rather than simply retelling familiar events, the game expands upon them with modern gameplay systems, improved presentation, and deeper character interactions that make the adventure feel fresh while respecting its roots. From the very first floor, the sense of progression and discovery immediately draws you into the world. [h3]A Beautiful Recreation of Aincrad[/h3] One of the game's biggest strengths is its world design. Each floor of Aincrad feels unique, featuring diverse landscapes, memorable towns, dangerous dungeons, and beautifully designed boss arenas. The environments are filled with detail, encouraging players to explore every corner for hidden quests, valuable equipment, and optional encounters. On PC, the game shines with detailed character models, vibrant environments, improved lighting, and smooth performance, allowing the iconic floating castle to feel more alive than ever before. Every floor tells its own story while contributing to the larger journey toward the summit. [h3]Fast-Paced Combat That Feels Rewarding[/h3] Combat successfully captures the speed and intensity fans expect from Sword Art Online. Sword Skills chain together smoothly, dodges and counters feel responsive, and switching between party members creates dynamic encounters that remain engaging throughout the adventure. Boss battles require careful timing and understanding of attack patterns, making victories feel genuinely satisfying. Character progression offers plenty of flexibility, allowing players to experiment with different weapons, abilities, and party compositions to suit their preferred playstyle. Whether fighting solo or alongside familiar allies, combat remains consistently enjoyable. [h3]Beloved Characters Return in Great Form[/h3] One of the highlights of [i]Echoes of Aincrad[/i] is its cast. Kirito, Asuna, Klein, Agil, Lisbeth, Silica, Leafa, Sinon, and many other fan-favorite characters receive meaningful interactions that strengthen both the story and the emotional investment. Their conversations feel natural, and the relationships between them develop in ways that longtime fans will appreciate. Optional bonding events and side stories provide additional depth, making the characters feel like true companions throughout the journey. The game does an excellent job balancing action with quieter moments that allow its cast to shine. [h3]An Outstanding Audiovisual Experience[/h3] The presentation is excellent from start to finish. Beautiful environmental design, expressive animations, cinematic cutscenes, and polished visual effects combine to create a world that faithfully recreates the atmosphere of the anime. The soundtrack perfectly complements every major moment, ranging from emotional orchestral pieces during story sequences to energetic battle themes during intense boss encounters. Strong voice acting further enhances the experience, bringing familiar characters to life with convincing performances. [h3]Content That Rewards Exploration[/h3] Beyond the main story, there's plenty to keep players engaged. Side quests, optional bosses, equipment crafting, hidden collectibles, challenge missions, and character events provide meaningful reasons to revisit earlier floors and strengthen your party. The progression system consistently rewards exploration, ensuring that every new discovery feels worthwhile. Fans looking to spend dozens of hours inside Aincrad will find no shortage of content. [h3]A Love Letter to Sword Art Online Fans[/h3] What makes [i]Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad[/i] stand out is the respect it shows for the source material. Rather than relying solely on nostalgia, it builds upon the original story with refined gameplay, expanded character interactions, and modern presentation that feels worthy of the franchise's legacy. It captures the excitement of clearing each floor, the tension of difficult boss battles, and the emotional bonds formed between players fighting for survival. It's the kind of adaptation fans have been hoping for. [h3]Final Verdict[/h3] [i]Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad[/i] is a fantastic action RPG that faithfully recreates the magic of Aincrad while delivering engaging combat, memorable characters, rewarding exploration, and exceptional presentation. It successfully blends nostalgia with modern game design to create one of the strongest Sword Art Online experiences to date. A must-play for fans of action RPGs, anime adaptations, and the Sword Art Online universe — [i]Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad[/i] is exciting, emotional, beautifully crafted, and a worthy return to the legendary floating castle.

Juego terrible en varios aspectos, graficamente esta bien pero es raro pq los personajes tienen un aspecto anime, pero el mapa y el mundo en general es mas realista, creo q habria sido mejor hacer el mundo se parezca mas a un anime. Lo del mapa de este pacing de este juego me tiene dando volteretas, es un simulador de correr por prados/desiertos hasta pillar un checkpoint, para luego recorrer otro prado y con suerte una cueva (las cuevas son todas iguales, a veces cambian la iluminacion los cabrones para q no sea igual. Otro cosa q comentar son las misiones secundarias, practicamente todas son iguales, consiste en ir a un lugar matas un jabali o una avispa de mierda y completas la mision, con suerte a veces te piden q recogas un material despues de matar al jefe de esa mision, Los enemigos es una cosa loca, una cantidad pobre de enemigos para lo grande que es el mapa, sin contar q los jefes q hay los puedo contarlos con las manos y no son una cosa del otro mundo, practicamente son copias boosteadas de los enemigos normales. Los personajes q hay no me parecen la gran cosa, me parece que tienen un buen diseño, pero salvando unos pocos me parecen vacios y con una personalidad muy pobre, y a mi personalmente no soy muy fan de los juegos donde el prota es un personaje q te haces tu y tiene 0 lineas de dialogos y un desarrollo de personaje inexistente. Las pocas cosas q puedo salvar del juego capaz son la variedad de armas q hay, y las habilidades de cada arma y que el mapa por lo menos hay edificiones o construcciones para q no se vea tan feo, Si aun asi se van a comprar el juego no lo hagan por menos de 20 euritos y si se lo compra otra persona, pobre de esa ella por pagar 70 palos por esto. PD: Se me olvido comentar q la historia no me engancha en absoluto lo veo muy aburrido