Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,348 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Game Cover
With it being the first SAO game set outside the anime, it does a good job of creating a new story, even if it takes some time to get going.
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"Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization" is a Fantasy RPG that offers a single-player and co-op multiplayer experience in an open-world setting, Ainground. The game features a new battle system, online multiplayer mode, and original characters from the SAO series, with stunning visuals and music. However, it has some issues with optimization, grinding, and bugs. The collector's edition includes figurines, steelbook case, soundtrack, bonus disc, mini-posters, decal sheets, art book, and a copy of the game.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,348 reviews
story145 positive mentions
grinding95 negative mentions
  • Engaging combat system with a variety of skills and weapon types.
  • Rich and immersive world that captures the essence of the SAO universe.
  • Extensive character customization options and a compelling story for fans of the series.
  • Poor keyboard and mouse controls, making gameplay cumbersome without a controller.
  • Excessive dialogue and cutscenes can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
  • Frequent bugs and glitches, including issues with character movement and AI behavior.
  • story538 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its connection to the Sword Art Online universe and the presence of familiar characters, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth. The narrative is often delivered through lengthy visual novel-style cutscenes, which some find tedious, leading to a disconnect between gameplay and storytelling. Overall, while fans of the series may enjoy the story and its side quests, newcomers might find it confusing and less engaging.

    • “The game also has a compelling story, staying true to the Sword Art Online universe and featuring familiar characters from the anime.”
    • “The main reason I'd suggest this game aside from the almost perfect transitions between the story and explaining the events of ALO and SAO is that the storyline is pretty fantastic with a lot of unexpected turns and constant anticipation.”
    • “Hollow Realization takes place after the main story arcs of the Sword Art Online anime series, and sees its many likable characters return to a virtual world that’s in many ways reminiscent of Aincrad, where they were once horrifically trapped.”
    • “The overall story is pretty mediocre and really started to become boring 12-15 hours in before I just decided to uninstall.”
    • “The biggest downside is simply that when playing through the main story quests, the cut scenes and dialogue halted the smooth gameplay and left me waiting for their random party banter to end.”
    • “The story is so bad I want to replay Breath of Fire 2 for the plot.”
  • gameplay215 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth combat mechanics and depth, while others criticize its repetitive nature and convoluted systems, such as the relationship mechanics that restrict equipment upgrades. Many players find the integration of visual novel elements into the gameplay to be disruptive, particularly due to lengthy cutscenes that interrupt the flow of action. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable combat and a variety of mechanics, it suffers from technical issues and a lack of clarity in its systems, leading to a somewhat frustrating experience for many players.

    • “The gameplay is great, and I would honestly buy an SAO game with no story and it's just an MMORPG.”
    • “This game is amazing, the gameplay is extremely fun and I don't feel you would ever get bored of the combat; the combat is smooth and the sword skills are very fun.”
    • “Once you figure out the mechanics of the game, it's a lot of fun.”
    • “Not being able to equip your party with different gear unless you get their relationship status up is a very poor mechanic.”
    • “The short of it is this game is a poorly made PS Vita port with repetitive and horrible gameplay, lackluster story, and terrible level/world design.”
    • “Anything outside this very repetitive loop is either pointless or boring as hell, which isn't very good when the base gameplay loop is already boring.”
  • graphics117 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the stunning visuals and character designs, while others criticize them as outdated, likening them to titles from a decade ago. Many players note issues with optimization and performance, leading to poor frame rates even on high-end systems. Overall, while the aesthetics and art style are appreciated by fans, the technical execution leaves much to be desired, especially compared to more recent titles.

    • “Features stunning graphics and smooth gameplay, immersing players in the familiar and beloved world of the anime.”
    • “The graphics are incredible and the game system is almost flawless.”
    • “Amazing graphics, great gameplay.”
    • “I'd say the graphics date themselves to 2010, but even back then I played better-looking games.”
    • “Clearly this has to be a very badly ported game or just poorly optimized; it's crazy I play games with much better graphics but this one lags to hell and back.”
    • “Graphics look as if they came from 10 years ago, but the gameplay is not bad.”
  • grinding97 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the late game and with DLC content. While some players appreciate the depth and variety it offers, others find it overwhelming and uninteresting, leading to a mixed reception overall. Those who enjoy grinding in RPGs may find it rewarding, but it can be a major turn-off for players seeking a more streamlined experience.

    • “I genuinely like this, as it provides something to do when you're not grinding your butt off.”
    • “And that was with no grinding done at all.”
    • “Way too tedious and painful to actually be worth playing.”
    • “Gameplay is too good but grinding in late game (100 hours+) is so boring.”
    • “The game itself just feels slow... at least while you're grinding or are in dungeons.”
  • music49 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many players praising its quality and atmospheric presence, particularly during battles and key scenes. However, some users noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive, leading to a desire to mute it in favor of personal playlists. Overall, while the music is generally considered good and enhances the gaming experience, its limited variety has drawn some criticism.

    • “Beat this game on Vita, currently own 3 copies of the game, it has amazing gameplay and one of the best soundtracks I've heard.”
    • “It has awesome music and you can get immersed in the world of SAO.”
    • “The world and music are just fantastic as well, some reused assets but overall very pleasing.”
    • “Boring music”
    • “The graphics are alright and the music is repetitive.”
    • “Repeating enemy design and boring music.”
  • optimization35 mentions

    The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users citing severe performance issues such as stuttering, crashes, and poor control responsiveness, particularly on PC. Despite some players experiencing stable performance on high-end systems, the consensus is that the game feels like a poorly executed console port lacking necessary updates and optimizations for PC. Overall, players recommend using a controller for a better experience, but many express frustration over the game's inadequate optimization and the need for manual adjustments to settings.

    • “Other than that, this game runs smoothly and can distract you for hours at a time.”
    • “Very well optimized!”
    • “Great performance for a console port, recommend for people who like anime.”
    • “Horrible optimization; since this was originally a console game, the PC port is very lazy. Therefore, this version has many issues even on a high-end PC like mine, including freezes, FPS drops, and tons of crashes.”
    • “Clearly, this has to be a very poorly ported game or just poorly optimized. It's crazy; I play games with much better graphics, but this one lags to hell and back.”
    • “The game is a poorly optimized port with no real quality control behind it, or desire from the developers to attempt to fix what doesn't work in it.”
  • stability33 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of freezes, crashes, and various bugs that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users experience issues such as the game becoming unresponsive when alt-tabbing or encountering glitches that require restarting the game or even the computer. While some players find the game playable despite these problems, the overall consensus is that the stability issues make it a frustrating experience.

    • “This game runs great, has decent character interactions, and smooth combat.”
    • “Game runs great.”
    • “Freezes on my Steam Deck immediately after the tutorial combat every time.”
    • “- Horrible optimization; since this was originally a console game, the PC port is very lazy. Therefore, this version has many issues even on a high-end PC like mine: freezes, FPS drops, and tons of crashes.”
    • “Sometimes the game doesn't open up and glitches, making you have to reset your whole computer just to try again and hope it works.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of low-key jokes, sexual innuendos, and amusing interactions among characters, often leading to laugh-out-loud moments. Players appreciate the comedic elements in cutscenes and side quests, particularly the banter between familiar characters, which adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience. While some conversations may feel tedious, the humor consistently shines through, making it one of the funnier entries in the series.

    • “The combat is satisfying and the story, although a bit long-winded at times, is good and will put a smile on your face with its low-key humor.”
    • “It's funny though, as field bosses take a lot longer to kill (depending on what you're fighting) than the actual area boss, which makes no sense in my eyes.”
    • “They can be hilarious, like the conversation with Philia, Klein, and Agil in the café lol.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the depth in mechanics and party-building, others criticize the lack of meaningful character growth and connection to the main story. Many feel that character development is primarily relegated to cutscenes, with the actual gameplay focusing on repetitive fetch and kill quests, leaving little room for genuine character interaction or evolution. Overall, the experience of character development varies significantly among players, with some finding it rich and others feeling it is superficial.

    • “From what I see so far, the game has a lot of depth in its mechanics and party-building/character development.”
    • “It is an MMO world, with great, nuanced quests and lengthy character development.”
    • “So there is no character development and it doesn't connect to the main story in any way.”
    • “The storyline can be accurately summed up in a couple of sentences and there's next to no actual character development even with the new characters.”
    • “And the lengthy character development?”
  • atmosphere3 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Hollow Realization" effectively simulates an MMORPG experience, enhanced by a well-crafted soundtrack and immersive storytelling elements, making it enjoyable even for single players.

    • “While 'Hollow Realization' is essentially a single-player game, it creates an atmosphere of an MMORPG that can be enjoyed by a group of players through a variety of elements.”
    • “Well-made, atmospheric soundtrack.”
    • “The setting and story: the game does a good job of simulating an MMO atmosphere.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through various builds and party setups, appealing especially to fans of the Sword Art Online anime. While it features numerous levels and items that encourage exploration, the MMO-like structure limits some events to a single playthrough, which may affect overall replay value for certain players.

    • “The game has replay value if you want to try different builds and party setups.”
    • “This is definitely not a game that you can speed run and be done with; it has a lot of replayability and is definitely worth the money.”
    • “It's an MMO-like: there's only one save, and most events aren't replayable (some of them are).”
    • “Has replay value if you want to try different builds and party setups.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through its combination of engaging gameplay and a narrative that resonates with players, particularly in its exploration of relationships and character depth. Users appreciate the balance between action and emotional storytelling, making for a compelling experience.

    • “But SAO: Hollow Realization is a great way to combine controller action with JRPG strategy and keep up with the emotional ride that SAO offers.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as a blatant cash grab, particularly targeting nostalgic fans of the franchise, which has led to criticism regarding the quality of the port and overall content.

    • “It's an obvious cash grab for the weirdos like you and I who unironically enjoyed SAO back in 2013 or so.”
    • “I feel like this was a cash grab resulting in a bad port of a content-rich game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

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Play time

28hMedian play time
64hAverage play time
10-104hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 21 analyzed playthroughs

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