Echoes of Aincrad is the newly-announced RPG from Bandai Namco, set within the Sword Art Online universe. Following the announcement, many fans have begun discussing the preview online and sharing thoughts about what they may like to see in the game. Keeping other SAO titles and RPGS in general, in mind, here are 5 things that fans want to see in Echoes of Aincrad.
All 100 Floors
Unfortunately, we already know that we won’t have all 100 floors accessible from launch. What has been confirmed so far is that the first two floors will be available to explore, with a DLC coming later in December 2026, potentially including more floors. However, for an SAO game to truly be remembered as one of the best RPGs in recent years, including all 100 floors is somewhat crucial.
There’s no co-op, so that means exploration will need to be engaging as a solo player. One of the best ways to keep people locked in to progression and exploration would be by adding all 100 floors and notable bosses from the SAO story – even if this is in small groups via DLC releases. As of right now, there is concern about the amount of content that can be included in just 2 floors, and also things such as a level cap, late-game skills. etc.
In-Depth Character Customization
One of the biggest positive of this game is that you get to design your very own character when entering Aincrad. Some previous SAO titles have had character customization, to a degree, but Echoed of Aincrad has a chance to really ramp this up a bit.
What we’ve seen so far looks like a great start, but it would be very nice to have a strong variety of base options such as facial markings, eye shape, hairstyle, tattoos, skin tones, scars, and more. In addition to this, it would be really great if you can unlock additional outfits, hairstyles, and other customization items as you progress through the game.
An Engaging Narrative
As a solo-player RPG rather than an MMO (especially because SAO is so focused on MMO aspects and players working together), Echoes of Aincrad will need to have an engaging narrative to keep fans hooked. Echoed of Aincrad will apparently tell a new story with some new characters, but be set in the Aincrad many all know and love, even featuring key characters such as Kiriko and Asuna.
However, as this isn’t a 1-for-1 from the show/manga, this original story and characters will have to be interesting enough to capture attention from fans of the franchise. If there is only going to be two floors total, the execution of those floors and the narrative that encourages players to explore them will need to be well-written.
Partner Variety
In Echoes of Aincrad, players create their character and then explore the world and progress further alongside their AI-controlled partner. From how it sounds, different partners will have different playstyles, weapons, and combat approaches.
“Customize your appearance, gear, and combat style through variety of weapons and skills. Build synergy with your AI partner, adapt their tactics, and their equipment to create a team dynamic that turns every battle into a triumph.”
This means that the variety of partners available will be an important factor. There is going to need to be enough options to cover each class/primary weapon type, and enough differences between each pick that you can genuinely see a change in battle.
Being able to customize your companion’s weapons and playstyle, along with your own, seems like it could be a possibility, and this would certainly make the partner system more interactive. However, including a strong variety of characters will be important for a variety of reasons – more interesting characters to seek out, both familiar faces and new designs, perhaps different quests/content involving them, and a customizable impact on your combat approach.
Balanced Class/Equipment Selection & Progression
AI Companions aside, Echoes of Aincrad is an RPG that utilizes real-time combat. In order for combat to feel satisfying, keeping it rather balanced across each class/weapon build will be important. After all, what good is it to give the player the freedom to customize their character and stats if the game just ends up being ‘play with X weapon or suffer’?
According to the Echoes of Aincrad game description, players will have the ability to customize their playstyle through stats and Sword Skills. However, just how much flexibility and freedom this actually puts into their hands is yet to be confirmed.
“Level up, master powerful Sword Skills, and tailor your stats to match your unique playstyle. Whether you favor speed, strength, or endurance, your growth reflects your choices.”
If done correctly, though, Echoed of Aincrad could result in a very fun progression system that involves not just stat points, but a collection of your equipment and weapons, stats, Sword Skills, and your personal preferences/approach to real-time combat. Additionally, being able to customize your Partner in some way to synergize with your choices would be a nice feature, too, rather than having to pick one that best matches your build.
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