Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris Battle System, Multiplayer Coop Explained in New Trailer [UPDATED]

Iyane Agossah February 10, 2020 2:52 PM EST

Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris newest battle trailer explains how the Technical Recording System and online multiplayer works.

Bandai Namco published a battle system trailer for Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris. The trailer is narrated by Kirito, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka. Only a Japanese version of the trailer is available, so here’s a summary of what Kirito says.

The battle system of Alicization Lycoris lets players switch to controlling any character at any time, but you can also give out orders to the whole party, and orders to one specific character. This system is called the Technical Recording System in Japanese, and Tactic Emulating AI System in English. It allows you to control the AI’s behavior in battle with various conditions.

There are many different orders you can set in the game’s menu. It works like a behavior tree, which each order depending on the previous one. Each order can be customized in great detail. For example, you can configure at which distance in meters to the enemy the character should place themselves, and from which position (front, left, right, behind) compared to the enemy the order should be executed from. Using this AI system alongside Skills and Sacred Arts allows you to coordinate with the other characters and do some pretty cool combos.

Alicization Lycoris also has an online coop multiplayer mode, where four players + four AI-controlled NPCs partners can go on quests together. You can pick your partner NPC among the various SAO characters in the game. You’ve got character creation too.

The trailer is right below. If you’ve read our previous coverage on SAO, mine in particular and my so-called Unneeded Opinions, you might have already heard how Alicization is by far my least favorite arc in the SAO light novel. Alicization Lycoris looks really interesting so far though and I’m looking forward to it. Our pal Azario Lopez mentioned in his preview the game is promising as well.

You can read more on Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris with our previous coverage: We’ve seen the Alice and Asuna first meeting cutscene, we’ve got the previous trailer, some Asuna battle gameplay and the winning entries of the costume designing contest, a story trailer, more gameplay with new original character Medina, and more on how the battle system works. SAOAL also keeps the traditional bed scenes of the previous games, and we’ve seen bits of one with Asuna and one with Alice.

Last but not least, Bandai Namco announced SAOAL‘s opening theme song will be revealed during a Dengeki Online stream on February 12. The opening theme song of the second cour of the SAO Alicization War of Underworld anime, will be revealed too. We’ll be covering that so stay tuned.

Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris and its bed scenes will be available starting May 22, on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If you’re into SAO and wish to support DualShockers, you can preorder Alicization Lycoris via Amazon.

Update: the English version of the trailer is now available, to give you an extensive look at the AI customization and online multiplayer.

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