My brother and I always have humorous conversations as we sometimes discuss the worst worlds to live in, based on the movies and video games we watch. My brother always says he hates watching the original Planet of the Apes movie because he'd rather die than live in that world. He never wants to live in a future where humans are mute and ugly apes rule the world!
The only reason I am bringing this up is that the characters of Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincradare kind of in the same position. They have to live and survive inside the VRMMORPG that they are playing. If they do not complete the game, they will die both virtually and in real life!
At the start of the game, Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad seems like a normal MMORPG for the in-game characters. They're playing a beta where they can meet up with other players, kill monsters, and complete quests. If players die in the beta, they simply log off and return to the real world unarmed.
It's not until the full release of the game that the stakes are raised. For some evil reason, the game master has trapped all 10,000 players inside the game and warns them that they will die if they don't finish the game. Not only that, but they cannot log out until they finish. Not to mention, death inside the game means death in real life, too!
I have never played a Sword Art Online video game before, so the narrative caught me off guard. That said, the story of the game got me hooked immediately because the in-game characters are truly in danger every time they go out on a quest. Death in the game is permanent, and they cannot revive their comrades if they die.
Despite the in-game characters playing a living and breathing VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad is actually a single-player JRPG for us in the real world. Unlike real-life MMOs, there is no online mode in this game, as every comrade you meet is AI-controlled instead. You cannot even ask other players for help like in Elden Ring or games like that.
Before I talk about the game's mechanics, I will say the graphics of Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincradare okay at best on Xbox Series X. The game runs at 4K and at 60fps, but the in-game world is ruined by invisible walls, non-interactive NPCs, and a bland colour scheme. The anime-style graphics don't pop as they do in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero and games of that nature.
In terms of game mechanics, some gamers will be happy to know that Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad is not turn-based. Instead, the game mimics a real-life MMORPG because all of the action takes place in real time.
At the start of the game, your own character is armed with a sword and shield. You can do normal quick strikes using the right bumper, and then do special heavy attacks by pressing the right trigger. Holding down the left bumper allows you to block.
You can jump by pressing A on the Xbox controller and dodge roll using the B button. Stamina is infinite when you are roaming around the overworld, but stamina decreases every time you initiate combat with an enemy. The stamina bar decreases when you attack or dodge roll enemies.
Thankfully, you are never alone in this game because at least one or more AI-controlled buddies tag alongside you in most quests. By holding down the left trigger, you can initiate special skills with your partner.
For example, my favourite comrade in the game is Iori because she has two special skills. One is a healing circle that replenishes your health whenever it's running too low. The other skill she has is a cool tag-team attack that can do a lot of damage during boss fights!
As you progress further into the game, other types of weapons become available to you. Some of the other weapons in the game include daggers, rapiers, axes, hammers, two-handed swords, and more.
The more you play the game, the more you can increase the stats of your own character, equipment, or weapons. I'm a player who loves to attack, so I prioritised strength and weapon power.
However, one of the things I do not like about Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad is that it takes ages to level up! For some reason, you have to earn thousands of points every time you level up, and you need to kill lots and lots of enemies to achieve this.
Not to mention, you may need to replay quests or do lots of side quests in order to stay competitive against the story-based missions. This is because the level requirements increase a lot every time you finish a main mission.
I remember I was only level 15 playing a level 15 recommended main mission, and I thought I was doing well. By the end of the level 15 mission, I managed to level up to a respectable level 19. However, my hopes of progressing were dashed because the very next main mission required me to be at least level 30 or above!
Another thing that might upset some gamers is that most of the quests in the game feel the same and repetitive. You are usually inside a dungeon, needing to kill lots of enemies before you end the mission with a boss fight. There is no variety or fun things to do in this game, like the funny side quests that are available in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
While I enjoyed the combat and interesting story, too many flaws, such as level gating and repetitive combat, hold down Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad from being an enjoyable experience. This game is probably only worth playing if it's on sale.