Definitely one of the best SAO games out there, easily top 3 imo. Lacks a tiny bit of polish in terms of camera lock-on and combat, but is overall pretty smooth on that front. Story is hands down the best out of all the SAO games, and it's not even close. Going in, I had no clue what Accel World was, and if you're unfamiliar with it either (or unfamiliar with SAO for that matter), this game does a good job at explaining both. Thank you, "Say It, Miss Strea!" from the gallery. Apparently they're the same universe (not canon to either anime or any other game fsr), but if you're a fan of one franchise, you'll definitely like the other. I don't want to say that it's the same formula written by the same person, but it kinda is.
There are literally like 40 characters or something (once you unlock them all). Literally no shortage of variety. Each SAO character can use 3 different classes of weapons, so put Sinon on a spear if you're really feeling you want more base damage. Though the bow and it's range can definitely keep you alive sometimes. AW characters are a bit less fleshed out imo. I still haven't seen the show (thanks crunchyroll), but they have a couple incarnate skills and a few sup. incarnate skills or something--and they can't fly except for Silver Crow and Sky Raker. The Jump and the dash-to-enemy mechanics are decent substitutes, but I recommend Crow and at least one SAO healer for the ideal beginner's balance. Also, SAO characters' base run speed is DIABOLICALLY ATROCIOUS. WHAT IS THIS INCAPACITATED, OUT-OF-BREATH, RUNNING-IN-A-DREAM MOVEMENT? WHY IS LEAFA PICKIN' 'EM UP AND PUTTIN' 'EM DOWN LIKE THAT!? How did we go from making-me-dizzy from the speed in Lost Song to this crap?
Play on easy mode. Trust me. If you start new game plus, feel free to switch difficulty, but you're gonna wanna start on easy mode if you're new. If you've played Lost Song, it's a good warm-up, but there's still new and returning frustrations from that game in terms of mechanics. I recommend having an SAO character with Refresh skill (all allies healing) if you want to live period. AW characters CAN NOT heal themselves without items.
Silver Crow, I love you, but please stop bum-rushing enemies with 10% health. CPU teammates are actually so friggin' stupid. Commands mostly do nothing half the time. I spent the early part of this game trying to tell my bum teammates to retreat in the one dungeon with wraiths that will-or-almost-will one-shot you. Safe to say I just ran all the way to the end with two dead teammates. If I'm the one dead and forgot to switch characters right away, they sometimes just... keep fighting... and don't revive... and then we all end up dead...
USE HEAVY ATTACKS! This will keep you from being interrupted as often, and can give you an opportunity to run/recover hp, etc. They don't do much more damage than light attacks, so I didn't even bother using them at first. But regular attacks don't do damage anyway. Sword skills and skill connecting are how you put up numbers. Also, don't bother buying weapons or accessories from the shop. You'll get better ones from drops.
Combat is pretty good like I said earlier. Skill connecting is so satisfying and is something that wasn't in Lost Song. SAO magic skills use MP and AW incarnate skills use special move gauge (mp with extra steps). Special move gauge requires basic attacks to fill up, and mp regens naturally or with items. Stamina is for heavy attacks, guarding, or jumping/dodging/dash-to-enemy. There's a lot of combinations of movement-then-attacks to try out, and like I said, around 40 total characters including DLC. I didn't play with the optimal characters (kirito, yuuki, scarlet rain, etc.), I used my favorites. (Maybe that's why I had a bit of a hard time...)
Map, dungeon, hub, etc.: This takes Lost Song's Svart Alfheim and puts that cyberpunk coat of paint over it. Different music, vibes, and overall just a refreshing experience from LS's fairy/mythology theme. The fairy elements are still there in the returning enemies & bosses and the base landscape of the different maps, but the "transitioning" from AW's stages definitely gives it a new atmosphere. Dungeons are a mix of LS's and AW's themes, but a bit less interesting. Unlike Lost Song's dungeons, you can hover, and in the Infinite Transition/Mugen dungeon, you can fly like you can in the overworld, but there are terrible invisible wall borders that rightfully keep the player within the map, but feel so clunky when flying. Gotta give the point to LS's dungeons even without flight. Each map (Wellgunde, Flosshilde, etc.) expands on LS's exploration and uncaps the previous height limit. More dungeons, more treasures, more enemies that swarm you all at once. There's even new dungeons from AW that appear after defeating a roaming boss. The hub is still Ryne, but heavy on the cyberpunk. Dude, this music instantly went into the playlist, and it's such an upgrade from the yawn-fest that was LS's Ryne soundtrack. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the cozier vibes of traditional Svart Alfheim, but man once you hear Starlight Road, it's wraps. Agil gets his Dicey Café too, and it's got some nice music and vibes as well.
There is SO much to do in this game, it's a bit surprising that it was on the vita (or was it psp?). Tons and tons of friend quests (mainly from Hexe...), extra quests, and challenge quests. P.S.: Heroes of the fairy realm is NOT for the faint of heart.
There are friend events at the Fountain of Encounters that proc whenever you're using a character enough, and said character might be able to learn a special skill in the arena once they get that handshake icon in the summary view.
Unlike most other SAO games, this game doesn't have an affection/character story system, which is devastating. I think the expanded cast would've been the perfect opportunity for character stories, but maybe it's because there are so many characters that this feature wasn't present... I guess the fountain of encounters replaces it, but it's like filling a cavity in your teeth with john deer park spring water.
BKBrent. Just look up AW vs SAO bkbrent. That man has everything you need if you plan to play even a little more optimally than a casual playthrough. Shoutout to that guy.
100%'ing is a nightmare. Worse than Lost Song's 100%. This is masochism way worse than shiny hunting at 1/8192 odds. Max Enhance?? Just don't do it to yourself.
Overall? 10/10. Literally couldn't put it down. Which is crazy to think about because I first immediately gave up on this game during the tutorial fight vs Black Lotus. You have to press **2** buttons to **block**?? **TWO BUTTONS FOR SWORD SKILLS!?** But I also hadn't played Lost Song when I first tried this game, so that was kinda my fault. Eventually, I did sober up and beat Lost Song first. Play Lost Song first to avoid the disappointment of playing these games out of order. The story also piggybacks, but kinda doesn't, off of Lost Song's story. If you see someone you don't recognize, it's just useless women that get added Kirito's harem. Rain is only worth mentioning because of her OSS. Jesus Christ.
I still can't decide if this game or Hollow Realization is second place for best SAO games, but Fatal Bullet is first by a small margin. Either way, I'll never forget this game.
