SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection
- October 5, 2023
- AQURIA Co., Ltd.
- 46h median play time
Get on SteamBased on Sword Art Online’s War of Underworld anime arc, a new story unfolds with tough challenges that await our beloved hero, Kirito, and his new friends. Players will unmask the Dark Knight and find out if Kirito and the crew will survive the relentless battling against the forces of the Dark Territory! It’s the perfect game to introduce during SAO’s 10th Anniversary, when everyone can reminis…
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Windows
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Reviews
- The game features improved graphics and smoother performance compared to its predecessor, Alicization Lycoris.
- Combat is faster and more engaging, allowing for a more enjoyable gameplay experience.
- The storyline is well-written and emotionally impactful, providing a satisfying conclusion to the SAO game series.
- The game lacks significant content and feels more like a DLC than a full sequel, with many features from previous titles removed.
- Enemies have excessive health, leading to tedious and prolonged battles that detract from the overall enjoyment.
- The linear design restricts exploration, and the absence of a dating system and character customization options disappoints many fans.
- story125 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of the latest Sword Art Online game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its emotional depth and character development, while others criticize it for being predictable and filled with filler content. Many fans appreciate the improvements in storytelling and presentation compared to previous titles, but feel that the gameplay mechanics detract from the overall experience, particularly due to excessive grinding and tanky bosses. Overall, while the narrative has its highs, it often feels rushed or lacking in substance, leaving some players disappointed.
“The writing is amazing and the story itself is fun, exciting, and heartfelt.”
“The story actually feels heavily thought out and executed with care.”
“Last Recollection is a solid title in the SAO game series, and a solid send-off to the storyline that was able to be built over the years.”
“The storyline is boring, nothing that draws you into the plot.”
“I feel it was a mistake to put so much faith in this disappointing last chapter, even pre-ordering it in anticipation of finally closing the story of this separated arc of SAO.”
“This game is lacking in both story and gameplay.”
- gameplay46 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it initially enjoyable but ultimately repetitive and lacking depth. Many criticized the excessive cutscenes that detract from the gameplay experience, while others noted that the mechanics and combat systems could benefit from more variety and challenge. Overall, while some aspects of the gameplay are praised, such as graphics and character movement, many feel it falls short compared to previous entries in the series.
“The gameplay is solid and fun, the characters are all full of life, and I feel with future updates (which will most likely add new dungeons at higher levels, new weapons, and maybe free character events like in Lycoris) this game will prove to be one of the most solid entries from the game-verse.”
“Gameplay is good, movement feels great, and the character combos are amazing.”
“The gameplay might actually be the best in the whole series, rivaling that of Hollow Realization.”
“Very annoying gameplay experience.”
“The cutscenes are so boring - but that's not the main issue; it's the amount of time those cutscenes take compared to the actual gameplay itself.”
“Waste of money, 10-year-old graphics, gameplay is way too slow and not satisfying, story is mediocre.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the improved visuals and animations, particularly in unison and finish arts, while others criticize them as outdated and lacking depth. Although there are moments of beauty, particularly in cutscenes, many players feel the overall graphical quality does not meet modern standards, with comparisons to older games and even Roblox. Overall, while some appreciate the enhancements over previous titles, others find the graphics disappointing and a significant drawback.
“The animation and visuals of the unison arts and finish arts are beautiful.”
“Loved the graphics, open world, monster drops, crafting, dating, huge dungeons, fishing and so on.”
“Great graphics, gameplay, RPG core, story...”
“Waste of money, 10 years old graphic gameplay way too slow and not satisfying, story is heh.”
“The graphics (and animations) at first look pretty good if you look at the pictures on the Steam store, but then you get into the game and you realize how cropped these pictures are or that some of these pictures are taken from either a finisher or a story cutscene.”
“Graphics look like a Roblox game at max settings.”
- grinding19 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 74 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game, noting that while some players appreciate the absence of excessive material grinding, others find the affinity grinding tedious and unrewarding. The game offers a significant amount of playtime due to grinding, with some players reporting over 100 hours spent, but the overall sentiment suggests that the balance between grinding and enjoyment is not well achieved, leading to frustration for many. Ultimately, while the game attempts to streamline the experience, it may alienate fans who expect the traditional grinding elements of the Sword Art Online series.
“Some may think 'no grinding for materials? I can just enjoy the game', well... no... it's not, and the reason is simple: no grinding is just as boring as excessive grinding.”
“Having that in the game is a staple, and they just got rid of it, but it's not as if they just got rid of the affection system; it's still there.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This game has not even a third of the amount of content Lycoris offered, yet can still bring you into 100+ hours from grinding alone.”
“Affinity grinding caused me to go from 40 hours to 120 hours.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with significant improvements over its predecessor, "Alicization Lycoris." Players appreciate the fluid combat, smooth performance, and the ability to run at unlimited fps, contributing to a more enjoyable experience. However, some concerns about excessive grinding and high enemy HP may detract from the overall enjoyment for certain players.
“The performance is wonderful, they really knocked it out of the park.”
“Wow, the main issue here is how much better optimized the game is than its predecessor, Alicization Lycoris.”
“This game stands out as the most optimized and smooth Sword Art Online (SAO) game I've ever played.”
“Fluid combat, the conclusion to the Sword Art Online 'gameverse' story, as well as a solid performance on PC (thanks, Unreal Engine!) may attract SAO fans - but too much grinding, combined with enemies with too much HP, will push most of them away.”
“- Aberrant optimization and graphics.”
“Even the performance was improved a lot (again compared to Lycoris), the game feels way faster and much smoother.”
- music11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it as one of the best soundtracks in the series, highlighting the area themes, boss music, and cutscene scores. However, others found it forgettable, lacking memorable tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its quality and customization options, with some players appreciating the return of classic tracks from previous titles.
“The area themes, the boss music, the cutscene OSTs, the music in this game is absolutely amazing and possibly one of the best out of all the SAO games.”
“The soundtrack is the absolute best we've gotten since Lost Song or Millennium Twilight.”
“The game runs smooth, looks great, and the soundtrack is wonderful as always.”
“The combat is fine, feels more like a baby's first hack and slash combined with Lost Song combat, honestly.”
“Awful OST; there is not a single memorable track, so much so that at some point I forgot the game had music.”
“Bringing back old OST from past games (Ultimate Bundle only).”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features exceptional writing and a fun, exciting, and heartfelt story, with an ending that resonates emotionally, leaving a lasting impact on players.
“The writing is amazing, and the story itself is fun, exciting, and heartfelt.”
“The ending was more emotional than the story, but the game was still good.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game's stability has improved, with smoother combat flow and fewer bugs compared to its predecessor at launch. However, some still experience notable bugs that detract from the overall experience.
“The game is very buggy.”
“Combat flow is smooth and significantly less buggy than at launch.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is heavily criticized, with players expressing a preference for watching ads over continuing to play, indicating a frustrating experience with in-game purchases or ad placements.
“I would honestly have more fun watching YouTube ads than playing this game any further.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative and ruins the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted through characters like Kainan, whose relatable motives and actions add a comedic touch to the experience, making him a standout favorite among players.
“You meet a merchant named Kainan, who is personally one of my favorite characters because his motives are understandable, and his actions sometimes bring humor.”
“The game's witty dialogue and quirky characters had me laughing out loud at unexpected moments.”
“I love how the humor is woven into the gameplay, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
