This ‘Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization’ Trailer Debuts The Game That Doesn’t Want Players

You know, after you’ve dived into an MMORPG where players who die in the game die for real and survived, I would think one time would be enough. That’s obviously not the case for Kirito, Asuna, and the rest of the cast from Sword Art Online, because the gang is returning to the origins of the game that started it all in Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization.

The latest trailer gives us a glimpse of what to expect from the next game to bring the popular anime to life. As a much faster sequel to Sword Art Online, Hollow Fragment, (which we reviewed back when it was released in 2014,) the simulated MMORPG game play that was featured in that game is making its return, this time with up to three CPU partners who tag along during your quests. From the footage shown, the game is looking like it’s streamlining many of the nagging issues the original game had, including much faster combat, expanded dating sim features and larger battles. Most importantly, the game will feature 8-player combat by combining four player online multiplayer with your CPU party. With everyone from the anime’s cast, to Hollow Fragment‘s debuting character, Philia, to the mysterious NPC, Premiere, who makes her debut as a character who learns from the players she interacts with, we’ll have plenty of party members to choose from once we start exploring the world.

But not all is well in what’s now known as Sword Art: Origin, a game that doesn’t want players. Set to release for the PS4 and Vita later this year, it won’t be long until we can see Kirito’s latest adventure unfold.