July's Most Exciting AAA RPG Drops Free Taster On Steam, PS5, And Xbox

July is set to deliver several highly anticipated titles including the likes of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced on 9 July, Splatoon Raiders on 23 July, and Halo: Campaign Evolved on 28 July.

Those who enjoy RPGs will want to mark 10 July on their calendars too as that’s when Echoes of Aincrad arrives.

Developed by Game Studio Inc and published by Bandai Namco, Echoes of Aincrad is set within the Sword Art Online universe but can be treated completely as a standalone experience.

Bandai Namco

For the first time in Sword Art Online’s history, players will be able to create their own character here instead of stepping into the shoes of a predetermined hero.

“Step into the floating castle of Aincrad, a world of breathtaking beauty and danger where every battle could be your last,” the synopsis reads.

“Enter a mysterious, vibrant world and shape your fate. Create your hero, choose your gear, and master combat through your special skills and reflexes.

“Build synergy with the partner of your choice, level up, and unlock powerful abilities as your horizon expands with every victory.

“Will you rise and claim your destiny or fall to foes stronger than you imagined?”

As with all good RPGs, Echoes of Aincrad allows you to hone your skills and level up as you battle your way across an engaging open-world packed with quests, treasure hunts, challenges, and more.

You don’t have to wait until next month to get your hands on Echoes of Aincrad as a free demo has actually launched across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S already.

Simply search the game’s title on the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or Steam and you should have no problem unearthing this free taster.

Experience The Game’s First Five Missions For Free

The demo allows players to experience Echoes of Aincrad’s first five missions in their entirety and yes, all save data carries over should you pick up the full release, so you’re getting a great head start.

You’ll also be able to sample every type of weapon too.

The only caveat is that save data won’t carry over if you plan on playing Echoes of Aincrad via the Death Game mode which is the game’s answer to permadeath. You’ll have to start from scratch on release day.

There are, of course, some other limitations. Player levels are capped at level 15 here and weapon proficiency is capped at level three.

It’s noted that you can continue playing beyond these caps but you’ll stop gaining experience within the demo.

Also note that save data can only be carried over on the same platform. You can’t play the PlayStation 5 demo and then carry on with the full game on PC.

The demo appears to be off to a prosperous start. At the time of writing, for example, it boasts a score of 4.23 stars on PS5 with 75% of players awarding a perfect score of five.

Just a few more weeks and gamers will be able to see whether Echoes of Aincrad’s critical consensus aligns.

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