After connecting with the game’s community through Early Access to improve and enhance the game, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – First Assault Online, a.k.a. First Assault, is in open beta.

Players in supported regions can now experience the free-to-play online squad-based FPS on Windows PC via Steam or the Nexon Global Platform.

Neople has also revealed a new update for First Assault titled Up Close and Personal; Hand of Destiny, which features a prototype of the upcoming Ghost Assault Mode. In a match of cyborgs versus Ghosts, where the latter is hackable by either team when killed, players must leverage cyberskills including Hyper Sprint and Therm-optic Camo in the battle to survive.

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This latest update also brings a new operative named Kuro. He hails from the Japanese self-defense forces, where he quickly racked up commendations for his combat skills. His career was nearly cut short by catastrophic injury, but he elected to undergo full-body prosthesis in order to remain combat-ready. A specialist in electronic warfare to rival even Ishikawa, Kuro can shut his enemies down with EMP devices. It was for this talent that Chief Aramaki, also a JSDF veteran, brought him into Public Security.

“Our team are dedicated fans of The Ghost in the Shell franchise, and it’s important to us to bring this engaging world to life as an exciting sci-fi FPS in a way that will appeal to both established fans and newcomers to the IP,” said Jung Eik Choi, lead director of First Assault at Neople. “Maintaining open communication with our community in the Early Access phase allowed us to improve many aspects of First Assault, including game experience, maps, modes, controls and more. We are so appreciative of the players who have been part of the journey so far, and are looking forward to sharing this truly collaborative effort with a wider audience in open beta.”

Here’s brief summary of the improvements Neople made to the game since it’s Early Access launch in December 2015:

  • Rebalances of Operative skills and weapons for better competitive play
  • Introduction of two in-progress prototype maps for player feedback
  • Three new official maps based on locations seen in the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime
  • Addition of a new Operative, Maven, original to the game
  • Improved UI for menus

Based on the feedback of the game’s community, Neople will continue to add new content throughout the open beta phase.