Bandai Namco has released the first screenshots and some early details for its latest Sword Art Online title, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet. The game takes a different style to combat, focusing on third-person shooting as opposed to the melee combat of previous titles.

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet takes place in the fictional VRMMORPG Gun Gale Online, though as the games take place in a different continuity to the light novel and anime series, Fatal Bullet will have a different story to the other media. Gun Gale Online is set in a future version of Earth after civilisation is destroyed. Humanity has returned to Earth after abandoning it on ark ships and its players investigate the wastelands looking for lost technology and fighting against monsters (and potentially other players).

There are various different weapons available, including handguns, missile launchers, gatling guns, and shotguns. Combat also feature special actions such as firing wires for quick 3D movement, and shooting while evading or sliding. Confirmed characters in the game are Kirito and Sinon along with Asuna and Leafa, the latter two not appearing in Gun Gale Online in the novel and anime series.

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is being created by DIMPS, a different studio than those who made prior games in the series. The game is planned for release worldwide in early 2018 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

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