An MMORPG for all “SAO” fans, and it’s on Steam. This dream is now becoming a reality – even if there are a few stumbling blocks.
For years, it has been a dream for anime fans and gamers alike. An MMORPG set in the world of “Sword Art Online”. Although the “Full Dive” technology mentioned in the series seems to be a few years away, an MMORPG as a transitional solution would be sufficient. So far, there have mostly been single-player adventures in the SAO universe for PC, aimed more at story and JRPG fans.
But now a “Sword Art Online” MMORPG is coming to Steam – but there’s a catch.
What is the catch? Sword Art Online: Integral Factor has existed since 2017 – as a mobile game. For many hardcore MMO fans, this is likely to be a red flag. It is still unclear how good the implementation on PC will be and how extensive the adaptation for the interface will be, which has only been available in the mobile version so far.
It will require some work to satisfy PC users, even though the first screenshots already look good.
Sword Art Online: Integral Factor – What kind of game is this?
If you haven’t angrily closed the article yet because it’s just another “mobile thing”, you might actually be pleasantly surprised by Integral Factor.
The game tells an alternative story of the first SAO season. This means you fight alongside Kirito and Asuna in Aincrad and try to escape the game. You are one of the heroes yourself, a former beta tester, and thus have an advantage over many other characters.
The core idea of the game remains intact. To escape the game, you must defeat the final boss on level 100 – only then is a “logout” from the game world possible.
Alongside the story with many dialogues, the game features battles in the best anime style with large special effects and plenty of pop-up numbers as you plow through hordes of enemies.
You can also team up into guilds to tackle the toughest bosses and get the best gear. However, the game is expected to rely heavily on grind, especially in the higher levels. If you don’t show stamina here – or throw real money at the problem – you will be kept busy in a whole world.
When will the PC implementation come? There is still no release date, but it shouldn’t take much longer. The Steam page for the game is already online.
At least: The story of “Sword Art Online: Integral Factor” is praised and is said to convey the feeling of the series very well and tell an interesting “What if” variant of the story.
In the worst case, you are looking at a solid SAO story as a mobile game port. In the best case, a full-fledged, albeit slightly outdated MMORPG in the SAO universe.
Will you check out Sword Art Online: Integral Factor? Or do you rule out a look right away?
