Earlier this week, Bandai Namco released a small teaser trailer for an upcoming game code-named Projekt1514. Now, the company has revealed just what the vaguely titled game actually is: Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet.
SAO: Fatal Bullet will be the first ever Sword Art Online game on Xbox One and PC
Developed by Dimps and launching worldwide in early 2018, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet will be the first SAO game to move into the series’ third arc location, Gun Gale Online. Dropping PSVita support and moving over to Unreal Engine 4, Fatal Bullet is a third-person shooter RPG with multiple characters and classes. The game’s Xbox One and PC support will also be a first for the series which has previously limited itself strictly to Sony systems.
The Amazon listing for the game claims that the game will feature an all-new story written by series creator Reki Kawahara and will feature co-op gameplay as well as 4 on 4 battles. The game’s trailer shows Fatal Bullet as a pretty standard class-based RPG, but with a focus on movement. Watching the trailer (placed below), you’ll see dodge rolls, grappling hooks and dashes all being used to avoid attacks and close the gap between enemies.
The game’s description reads: “Become the hero of Gun Gale Online in the latest game of the SAO franchise in Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, for PS4, Steam and XBOX One. Step into the versatile landscapes and environments of Gun Gale Online. Experience an original story supervised by series creator Reki Kawahara that unfolds and changes based on the players’ choices and interaction. Play as the protagonist, battle against opponents using new weapons and further customize gameplay by creating skills and abilities. Interact with characters from the Sword Art Online original novels, anime and previous games as you navigate a world that is vastly personalized and visually enhanced. As an action based RPG, gun battle plays a large role unlike previous games, with unique and realistic designs resembling something out of a sci-fi movie and numerous other weapons and fighting styles to choose from. Stunning visuals also accompany this game thanks to the power of the Unreal Engine 4, which lends realism to the textures and materials, further immersing the player into the dynamic world. Full dive into Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet.”
Coming from the previous game, Accel World vs Sword Art Online, the video game adaptation certainly needed some sprucing up. As I stated in my review of the last game, it was finally time to leave SAO’s second location, Alfheim Online, and move into Gun Gale. I’m happy I got my wish.
