Yosuke Futami Talks Echoes of Aincrad’s World
[SPECIAL INTERVIEW] Final Stretch Before Launch With the Producer of Echoes of Aincrad
Only a few more days remain before everyone can journey into the brutal online game world of Echoes of Aincrad, which recreates the fantasy land from Sword Art Online so players can take the role of a character who has the chance to actually enter that world and must find a way to break through the dungeon of this death game.
Recently, This Is Game SEA had another opportunity from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment to interview Yosuke Futami, the producer of the game, as a final warm-up before playing the real game, with deeper behind-the-scenes details about development. What will there be? Let’s follow along.
Let’s Get to Know Echoes of Aincrad
QUESTION: Since Echoes of Aincrad lets players design their own character like this, we would like to know how the team handled the story so the content of the game still remains connected. Is this a parallel story?
ANSWER: This game still preserves the characters and histories of the characters from the original work as they are. However, the concept of the story is to ask the question, “What would happen if you were one of the players of Sword Art Online?”
Therefore, main characters from the original story such as Kirito will still appear in the game as usual. At the same time, there will also be stories of original characters that are connected into the main storyline of Aincrad. This allows players to experience new perspectives in the world of SAO even more.
QUESTION: Of course, Echoes of Aincrad is a game set in the world of Sword Art Online, but when talking about this story, it is natural to think of Kirito. How did the team present the content so that it remains interesting even without Kirito as the protagonist?
ANSWER: We see that the story of Kirito and the other characters in Last Recollection has already proceeded to completion.
After that, when we began looking for a new direction for console games, the idea emerged to let players become part of Aincrad, which is both the starting point of the series and one of the most popular settings of Sword Art Online.
The Design of Locations Within the Game
QUESTION: I think many players may see Echoes of Aincrad as a simulation of life in that kingdom in a way that is different from other Sword Art Online games. We would like to know how the team designed the game so that playing this game feels exciting and provides an immersive experience, as if we are truly a player?
ANSWER: The first and second floors of Aincrad are very large. Since we have recreated these areas in the game with a scale that is close to that, it became a great challenge to design it so that players must think and make a map of the area by themselves while exploring.
The story of Aincrad in Sword Art Online is a very grand story. We see this work as one story episode in the same manner as Sword Art Online the Movie: Progressive, with Kirito and the other original characters not being the main protagonists. This was also a challenge for us. If players respond well, we also hope to continue this story further.
QUESTION: What about the style of map design in the game? How will we be able to go up mountains and down valleys, or is it only flat terrain?
ANSWER: Since players must walk, explore, and open the map by themselves, at first some people may feel somewhat confused.
However, if you carefully observe the surrounding environment, you will find routes and various landmarks that help guide you correctly toward the destination. Once you become familiar with the system, you will not feel that it is too complicated.
As for differences in height levels, they are designed to function like walls. Therefore, there will be no Fall Damage, and there will be no game over when falling from a high place.
In addition, some items can be used to create shortcuts. However, for the most part, players will be able to reach the destination by going around through other routes that they discover.
QUESTION: Aside from the Town of Beginnings, are there any other areas that serve as a Hub Area for us?
ANSWER: A town from the original story, Tolbana, will also be a Hub for players.
Behind the Development That You May Not Know
QUESTION: The Companion characters also come in many different types, and they also have different weapons. What criteria did the team use in selecting their weapons and characteristics?
ANSWER: Of course, we place importance on the Companion group that will adventure through Aincrad together with the player.
While the original story focuses on Kirito and many characters become involved, for Echoes of Aincrad, we imagined what kind of characters would cooperate with the protagonist to conquer the game Sword Art Online together. We used that idea as the foundation for creating their backgrounds and the different characters.
QUESTION: Is there any area in Echoes of Aincrad that the team felt was the most fun to design?
ANSWER: We especially like the route that heads toward the Maze.
When the gigantic tower gradually appears into view, even when seen from far away, it gives a very exciting feeling.
QUESTION: What about the weapons? Are there any weapon types that the team would like to recommend players use, since Echoes of Aincrad has many different things to use?
ANSWER: For new players, we recommend the one-handed sword that the protagonist wears at the beginning of the game, because it is a weapon that is easy to use and balanced. It can also be equipped together with a shield, so it can handle many different situations well.
As for players with more experience, they may try using a dagger or a two-handed axe. The dagger stands out through fast continuous attacks and strong attack moves. The two-handed axe, even though it attacks slowly, has very powerful wide-range attacks and also opens opportunities for players to use more complex movement techniques.
The Death Game Mode That Will Make Everyone Feel the Fear
QUESTION: As we know, Echoes of Aincrad will have a mode called Death Game. Just hearing about it already sounds scary, but it becomes even scarier if the character that players spent many hours building has to die together with the save file. In this case, what concept did the team use to design the experience when losing so that it does not feel “bad” in the way people worry about, especially people who think, “Hey, is this too realistic?”
ANSWER: We see that the original charm of the Aincrad story in Sword Art Online is the feeling of being alive and the feeling of real death when a game over happens.
Therefore, we prepared Death Game Mode as a reward for those who clear the game, so that they can experience that feeling more deeply. However, if players purchase the Deluxe or Ultimate versions, they will receive the right to unlock this mode early.
However, Death Game was designed for fans who want to experience the same kind of tension that the characters in the original story once faced. Therefore, we are not especially worried about this mode. Whether to play it depends on each player, and it should provide an experience that is very different from a general RPG.
QUESTION: One of the highlights of Sword Art Online is that the characters in the story who are players must face pressure in the sense that they play for real, get hurt for real, and die for real. Death Game is the expression of that sense. We would like to know how the team made this mode have as much of its own identity as possible without becoming something frustrating.
ANSWER: Death Game is a system that is easy to understand. The fixed rule is already there: the save data will be deleted as soon as the player loses, and there are no retries or second chances.
We can say that this game is not in the Souls-like genre. Therefore, players can choose the difficulty level. On Story or Normal, the game has been balanced so it is not too difficult, and losing usually comes from carelessness. (laughs)
But in Death Game, you cannot allow yourself to be careless. Even though the difficulty level is equivalent to what we set, players must decide for themselves whether to play carefully or dare to take risks, because the most important thing is survival.
The team wants players to try experiencing it for themselves and find the playstyle that suits them.
Closing
QUESTION: Since Echoes of Aincrad is an offline game format like this, that means it is quite challenging to present the story of Sword Art Online, whose setting is an online game world. We would like to know how the team made the game still feel as though players are adventuring in an MMO world like in the anime.
ANSWER: You can notice that the game’s visuals are presented with a fantasy theme, but there are UI elements and various effects, such as enemies disappearing after being defeated, that give a digital feeling.
In addition, characters can communicate with each other through messages. This helps express the MMO atmosphere of Sword Art Online very well.
QUESTION: What method does the team use to make the story in the game still remain in the world of Sword Art Online without conflicting with it?
ANSWER: We tried to understand the world of Sword Art Online and create a story that still feels fresh even in today’s society, with support from Makino-sensei, who is responsible for the story, and Straightedge Inc., which manages the original copyright.
Elements such as streamers appearing in the story or recording footage through Holo Crystal all reflect the feeling of the modern era that has been blended into the game.
QUESTION: Is the story in Echoes of Aincrad considered part of the events that happen in the canon universe?
ANSWER: The story of this game presents the concept of what would happen if you were one of the players of Sword Art Online.
Therefore, characters from the original story, including Kirito, will also appear inside the game. All of this will still preserve the original characters and original story as they were.
About Echoes of Aincrad
This is an Action RPG game in a wide world where we create a character as one of the players of Sword Art Online, before discovering that we are trapped inside this game world together with a total of 10,000 players.
Players will be able to accept quests, set out, adventure, and search for a way to clear the game in order to return to the real world.
The game will launch on 9 July on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, as well as PC on 10 July.
Source: This Is Game Thailand
