Since the plot of the light novel/anime series Accel World revolves around an MMO fighting game, one would think any games based on the series would fall into the fighting game genre. However, the first game of the franchise, Accel World: Awakening of the Silver Wings, mixes two completely different genres instead: traditional dating sims and JRPGs.
In the real-world parts of the game, it plays like most traditional Tokimeki Memorial-style dating sims. Each day you choose what to study, occasionally go on dates with the female cast member of your choice, and watch the overall story evolve through numerous event cutscenes.
However, once every day, the game allows you to go into the VR world for one round of the MMO fighting game, Brain Burst. Despite looking at first glance like your typical 3D fighter, this portion of the game is actually a turn-based RPG. On each turn, you choose your attack, watch it unfold, and then watch as the enemy does the same on his turn. What makes Awakening of the Silver Wings unique, however, is that each turn you fine tune your stats for the best results.
You have four stats you can alter each turn: attack, defense, evade, and accuracy. Attack and defense are paired so that if you increase one, you decrease the other. The same goes for evade and accuracy. Also, if your attack is higher than your opponents's defense, you will hit—unless of course his evade is higher than your accuracy. And just when you thought it was simple—aka the higher the number the better—if you manage to match your evade number to his accuracy number or your attack number to his defense number, you will give him a debuff to that stat for several turns.
Lastly, each action you take gains you a number of temporary stat points which you can use to give yourself a stat boost without decreasing the opposing stat. Combine this temporary buff with one of your special moves and you can turn defeat into victory.
Sounds complicated, right? Well, if you want to see exactly how it plays out, check out the video above to see Accel World: Awakening of the Silver Wings in action.
Accel World: Awakening of the Silver Wings was released in Japan on September 13, 2012, for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. Stay tuned to Kotaku East for the full import preview later this week.