'Sword Art Online' Announces New Game

Soon you'll once again be able to enter the world of Sword Art Online in a brand new mobile game.

The new game is titled Sword Art Online: Integral Factor, and mimics it's namesake with online RPG mechanics in a free to play environment. There will be item based microtransactions, and the game is being developed for both iOS and Android (via Anime Mojo).

Early footage of the game shows your character running across the world, battling monsters solo or alongside other players. Special skills will be available, with one flashing Kirito's portrait on the screen as you activate it.

No other skills have been revealed, or how they are acquired. Do you learn them from the heroes themselves, or just pick them up over time?

The movement joystick is over to the left of the screen, while most of your other buttons (including the attack command) are located in the lower right-hand corner. Nothing too crazy, and the graphics are thus far looking the same way. Bright colors help distinguish the 3D characters and textures, but it's far from cell shaded.

As for the game's premise, the title has you playing a Sword Art Online beta tester. You find yourself stuck in the game, an unfortunate predicament if not for the helpfulness of Koharu, who teaches you how to fight and helps lead you through the game.

Integral Factor takes place in the year 2022, specifically during the series' first Aincrad arc. While you won't be playing as them, the art for the game does feature series protagonists Kirito and Asuna, so odds are you will be interacting with them outside of combat throughout the game as well.

You can pre-register for the game here, and the trailer can be found in the video above. The game currently has no release date in Japan and has not been announced for the United States.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Sword Art Online is one of many virtual reality worlds accessible on the Nerve Gear, a gaming helmet that access all five senses. Players are eager to try the game out, but soon learn that they are all trapped inside, and the only way out is to conquer 100 floors of a steel castle, battling enemies along the way.