New Bandai Namco Sword Art Online Action RPG Is “Not a Soulslike,” Dev Says, but It’s Still “Very Easy to Die,” Especially in Save-Deleting Mode

[wasabi]

Bandai Namco is leaning fully into Sword Art Online’s iconic high-stakes premise with Echoes of Aincrad. The standout feature is its “Death” game mode, which mirrors the anime’s deadly MMO hook: die once, and your entire save file is gone. It’s essentially permadeath—but narratively justified, since SAO is all about characters facing real-life consequences for in-game deaths.

The game lets you create your own character rather than playing as Kirito, and you’ll build a partner synergy to tackle enemies and bosses. While the combat involves dodge-rolling and parrying against huge dark fantasy creatures, the devs stress it’s “not a Soulslike”—despite its difficulty. First-time players are expected to get the most thrill, facing both shock and challenge from the variety of bosses.

It releases on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on July 10, giving SAO fans a chance to experience the tension of Aincrad in a way previous games largely avoided. This is as close as it gets to living the anime’s “death game” for real.