Nexon's Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex—First Assault Online, which for the sake of my fingers and sanity I will henceforth refer to as simply First Assault, is about to enter open beta. Beginning July 28, all players will be able to access the game at no charge as it heads into the final stretch before full launch.

First Assault a multiplayer FPS that sets players up as operatives of Section 9, “an elite force of cybernetically enhanced combat operatives tasked with protecting society and fighting terrorists on the bleak streets of a futuristic Japan.” It currently offers eight unique classes, three modes of play, and “several” different maps, but the move into open beta will also include an update adding a new operative, new systems and optimizations, and an “an innovative mode inspired by the classic The Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series that brings a new hacking element into the game.”

The game is free-to-play, but players have the option of purchasing different tiers of “crates,” which come with various sorts of character and weapon skins, unlocks, and other handy bits of stuff. First Assault is available from Steam, or through the Nexon Global Platform. More info is up at firstassault.nexon.net.