As Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree continues to dominate both the Steam charts and the general conversation, publisher Bandai Namco confirms a launch date for another RPG set in a beloved – albeit very different – world. Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream takes us on an alternate-reality tour of the in-universe MMORPG where characters have been thrown out of time and must work together to survive.
Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream takes place in a distorted version of the long-established anime series based on the novels of the same name. In this co-op action RPG, you’ll be faced with Galaxia – a system designed to allow players of the in-world MMO Alfheim Online to relive events from the past.
When the system malfunctions, players are displaced across time and space, forcing protagonist Kirito to work with old friends and foes alike in order to restore the timeline. As such, you’ll be able to choose from 21 different characters taken from across various arcs of the series, with support for up to 20-player multiplayer across five parties of four players each.
The result is something that resembles the grand-scale fights of God Eater 3, or a massively multiplayer spin on tie-in game Attack on Titan 2. Your group explores the world together fighting enemies, securing objectives, and ultimately taking on giant boss fights in raid-style encounters. It’s a nice way to capture the MMO stylings of the source material in a more approachable package that you can get into without the grand commitments of that genre.
Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream launches on PC via Steam Friday October 4, 2024, priced at £49.99 / $59.99. Advanced access is available from Monday September 30 for players who buy the deluxe ($84.99 / £69.99) or premium ($99.99 / £84.99) editions. You’ll also get an in-game Demon King costume if you choose to pre-order. Head over to the Steam store page to learn more or wishlist it if you want to stay up to date ahead of release.
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