The fourth and newest installment of the Sword Art Online main console series was revealed recently, and producer Yosuke Futami and other key developers shared the latest on Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization in an interview in this week’s Dengeki PlayStation. [Thanks, Hachima.]
According to Futami, the concept began with the idea of wanting to make a game where you start out with Kirito at level 1. The current concept of the game is still something along those lines.
The idea is to have you play in a world that is like the earlier days of Sword Art Online, and as you advance, it’ll make you think “hey, something is different here…”
While it may feel like the earlierSword Art Online’s Aincrad, the game actually takes place in a different world. This world isn’t split into multiple layers, but an adjoined and fully connected world.
As far as its action compared to Lost Song, Hollow Realization will have a battle system that uses a skill palette, raid fights, and plenty of elements that involve giving orders to party members. The action and element of management will be the biggest highlights.
Unlikewith Hollow Fragment, you’ll have three additional allies. So you can do things like have the first member start the combo, the second one use a sword skill, then the third member bind the enemy, followed by a finishing hit from Kirito.
Futami also revealed that the new heroine is about 14-years-old. She’s an AI character and will travel with Kirito and friends on their journey while her AI continues to grow.
Other things that were mentioned in the interview:
- The battles won’t have auto-attacks
- There’s jumping
- The Vita version will let you use the touch functions for using the skill palettes.
- Plans for online multiplayer
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization will release in Japan in 2016 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita.
