Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment --- more details on the battle system [video]

With only two days until Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment is released in Japan, Dengeki Online has released a batch of screenshots and gameplay footage to boost the hype.

Hollow Fragment puts you in the shoes of Kirito, who must clear the last 25 floors of Aincrad. Additonally, there is a new, untreaded region called the Hollow Area, where Kirito is attacked by a mysterious girl named Filia.

In their review, Dengeki Online has listed several differences from the previous game, Infinite Moment for the PSP. Among the more subtle changes, the field map in the top corner of the screen has been upgraded to show the geography, instead of just treasure chests and enemies. Also, all of the heroines from the first game will be available from the start.

“This time it’s your fault, daddy! Mommy has been staying home and crying every day, even though she wanted to go out and search for you!”

Hollow Fragment also introduces the Burst Gauge, which lets you execute a series of attacks, dodge, or do other actions. When you do a Burst Attack, however, your risk level will rise, increasing the recovery time between your attacks. In this case, you can use the Switch action, which will recover your Burst Gauge and reset your risk level, but to do a Switch, your SP gauge can’t be empty.

At times, your partner will ask you to do a sword skill, stun, or switch, and you will both combine forces to unleash a powerful attack. As a bonus, your friendship level with your partner will increase.

When you teleport to the base in the Hollow Area, you can take on various missions, such as defeating monsters or traveling to the grave in the very center without being detected by monsters. Since the Hollow Area is separate from Aincrad, you can challenge it from the beginning of the game. Kirito starts at level 100 and the heroines are at least 95 (Great!), while the monsters in the Hollow Area are levels 110 and up (Oh).

As reported earlier, clearing missions in the Hollow Area will let you unlock more sword skills and abilities, which will help if you get stuck in Aincrad.

Of course, as you’ve seen earlier, you can walk up to the heroines and hold their hands or do princess carries. You can also carry them to your bed, but what happens then?

From top to bottom: “Character information”, “Talk about battle”, “Hold hands”, “Princess carry”, “Never mind”. 

Find out when Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment comes to the PS Vita on April 24.

Also coming soon is the Asian version with English and Chinese subtitles, available for pre-order at Play-Asia.

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Source: Dengeki

Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment --- more details on the battle system [video]