Sword Art Online Hollow Realization How to Get to Wildergosche Dustlands

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Sword Art Online is a curious franchise, to say the to the lowest degree.

Originally based on a light novel, the anime accommodation is hands 1 of the about polarizing shows — peculiarly among the anime community outside Japan — that I've seen. For the most part, fans either really love information technology or consider it absolutely overrated. I fifty-fifty know people who got into anime because they liked SAO, but to turn against it afterwards on.

Personally, I'1000 i of the rare brood of anime watchers whose stance on the franchise is correct smack the middle. I don't think it'south the greatest anime ever merely I also don't think it'south as horrible as some of its detractors brand information technology sound similar. Granted, subsequent entries don't quite match the commencement season just I as well appreciate how the series fabricated a lot of newcomers interested in anime. The bigger the tent, the meliorate, I say, regardless what the online echo bedroom might retrieve about the quality of certain shows and what's cool to hate or like these days.

In Nihon, it's quite obvious that the franchise has a loyal post-obit given its many multimedia offerings, which include video games. The latest to make its way stateside is "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization," an alternate story of sorts that tries to replicate the feel of the SAO globe. That means an MMO-style structure, minus the threat of permadeath for the game'south players.

Visually, the game looks surprisingly solid. Character models have a nice anime quality to them and some locales feature nice visual touches. Granted, certain textures and areas too look spotty, so graphics aren't quite consistent beyond the lath. For an anime-inspired game, however, it'southward not as well bad.

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The game kicks off by giving you what appears to be the prospect of selection by letting yous design and proper noun your own character, including your pick of gender. While this is much appreciated for someone who prefers using female avatars for this type of game, "Hollow Realization" doesn't quite follow through with this concept in its campaign every bit the story is withal centered on Kirito regardless of what you decide to do with your character. This means story characters will continue to care for you like Kirito, which, I guess, makes sense every bit far as exposition goes but also seems odd if you lot decide to roll a unlike character. As such, I only ended up compromising and creating an effeminate version of Kirito, which also happens to be an homage to SAO'southward Gun Gale Online arc. It's enough to brand me rub my hands like a James Bond villain.

The story, meanwhile, has y'all reuniting with a familiar cast of characters as function of the beta for a new game called "Sword Fine art: Origin." Origin features a near-perfect replica of the original death game's earth of Aincrad, which is at present called Ainground. The large difference is that areas that were once found in the original game's tower are now spread out on country, thus the name Ainground. Characters as well no longer face the prospect of death, removing a big source of dread and urgency from the original show.

As you play the game, however, the prospect of death rises once once more, albeit in a different mode. Expounding on this further would be a spoiler but, needless to say, information technology engenders serious conversation amidst the cast once again, even though it doesn't directly affect them.

Personally, I think the story is a stiff bespeak for the game. In addition to enough material to fill an entire anime season, it also features enough of voice acting, which gives it the feel of the anime shows. I especially liked the portrayal of new original character Premiere, who starts out every bit a blank slate but slowly develops her own character. I actually was surprised at how fastened I got to the character.

At the same fourth dimension, the fleshed out story could also be a downside for some players. I reason is the lack of an English dub, which turns information technology into more of a long reading practice. Personally, I can sympathize Japanese so it fabricated the story better for me as there are certainly creative licenses taken in the translation. The length of the story also ways that information technology takes yous away from enjoying the more action-oriented parts of the game, which might annoy folks who simply want to get out in the field and do stuff.

Speaking of gameplay, Hollow Realization totally focuses on replicating the experience you lot go from MMOs. This means hub areas populated past make-believe players every bit well as different fields for you to adventure with your team. Also regular monsters and bosses, you also have raid simulations that have y'all joining up with other teams — a part that is fulfilled by the AI in the entrada.

The battle system itself is interesting and features various weapon specialities, mixed in with various arts for y'all to activate and master. You can even unlock Kirito's famed dual-wielding ability by leveling up your sword skills. Combat is also highly dependent on you linking up with your teammates and performing sustained combos while dodging, parrying, staggering and countering enemy attacks.

It's an interesting gainsay organization that's knocked down a peg past your reliance on AI. Despite the ability to encourage your teammates to influence the kinds of moves they do often, in that location'southward a large element of randomness to their deportment. This tin can be abrasive for folks who put a premium on having control during boxing. The deficiencies of the AI are specially obvious in raids, where y'all tin find AI-controlled teams biting the dust often, requiring you to pretty much have down the raid boss with just your own squad. That tin can exist quite frustrating, as well, especially if you make the effort to revive fallen allies or ensure they heal, but for them to fall once more. Fortunately, yous can go online and seek help from homo players with the game'southward tougher missions, though the viability of that option too depends on the health of its online players. Otherwise, you tin just power level, but that isn't quite as fun.

Questing, meanwhile, is plentiful, thanks to a robust selection of side quests you tin can embark on. You can even build relationships with other AI players in town in improver to the members of your SAO party. Ane downside, though, is the grindy nature of the game. I guess Hollow Realization deserves credit for replicating that function of MMOs likewise but it can make the game experience sometime and repetitive really quick. That grindy nature extends to the relationship aspects of the game. It also doesn't exercise a lot of hand-holding and then I recommend checking the in-game archives to make certain yous don't miss anything or to make sense of the more complicated parts of the game. I wish the gear system was better, too.

That existence said, if you're itching to play an SAO game, this is one of the amend titles in the franchise.

Terminal THOUGHTS

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization feels similar a game that'southward on the cusp of something great but is held back by a few hiccups. The story is interesting and quite fleshed out, and the base combat has potential. The inconsistent pacing, sketchy AI and grindy nature of the game, however, arrive feel like a slog after a while. If y'all're a fan of SAO, though, this is worth checking out just to re-feel Aincrad's rebirth one time once again.

Rating: iii.25 out of 5

Cost: $49.99: PS4 (reviewed), Vita

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Source: https://www.rgj.com/story/life/2017/01/04/sword-art-online-hollow-realization-review-technobubble/96129596/

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