Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization

Capsule ComputersTravis Bruno

8.5/10

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization starts a bit slow but once things start to pick up a refined combat system and fresh storyline await though many elements may look overly familiar for longtime fans.

DestructoidJosh Tolentino

7.5/10

I feel conflicted about Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, because while it’s never been more interesting to play as a game, the fact that its narrative is typical of latter-day Sword Art Online stories has actually become something of a liability. A bolder story, one that took more risk, established a better sense of stakes, or even did something other than tread water would definitely not be Sword Art Online-like, and would make it much easier to recommend to people outside the show’s fanbase. As it stands, though, Hollow Realization remains a Sword Art Online game, for better and worse.

COGConnectedMichael Chow

73/100

In Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, you’re not playing in Sword Art Online. Yup, this time, Kirito and friends start off in the beta of a game based on the Sword Art Online assets, known as Sword Art: Origin.

Gamers HeroesJohnny Hurricane

70/100

It is hard to recommend Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization to anyone who isn't already a Sword Art fan. The story just takes so long to get into and you can't skip the cut scenes. If you are a fan of Sword Art on the other hand, the combat and co-op is enough to make this game enjoyable.

Attack of the FanboyDean James

While the combat is well designed and the worlds feels more expansive and alive than ever, the pacing with the story and overabundance of dialogue prevent Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization from taking the series to the next level.

GameSpewBrandon Langrock

7/10

Faults aside, Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is an enjoyable and lengthy adventure. The main attraction here is undoubtedly the original story, which is sure to lure in fans of the series. Despite sloppy AI, combat is fast and satisfying, provided that you don’t get bogged down by the overwhelming amount of boring side quests. Hollow Realization is the strongest iteration of Sword Art Online to date, and an easy recommendation for fans of the anime and previous games. Provided that all goes smoothly, I’m optimistic for future titles in the series that Bandai Namco cranks out.

TheSixthAxisDominic L

7/10

The only real problem that Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization has is that it’s a little too steady and a little too laid-back. The premise is that this is Sword Art but without the death, and really without those stakes, and with its tepid narrative, you may begin to question why you’re grinding through so much of the game. That being said, this is the best digital rendition of Sword Art Online thus far, and goes a long way to capturing the essence of the show – warts and all.

Playstation LifestylePaulmichael Contreras

7/10

Read our Sword Art Online Hollow Realization review to see why this game is one for fans of the popular franchise, but lacks a certain something...

IGNVince Ingenito

6.7/10

A lot of effort was clearly put into Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, because almost every aspect of its gameplay has an underlying set of properties and nuances to come to grips with. While I usually love that kind of complexity, here it rarely felt meaningful or even coherent. Paired with a story that lacks the stakes and urgency of the source material, it leaves Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization feeling pretty tepid aside from its enjoyable combat.

WCCFtechDave Aubrey

6.4/10

Sword Art Online seems like the anime that was made specifically for video game adaptations – it’s literally an anime about playing VR MMOs, and you can’t get much more on the nose than that. Set in the world of the big new VR game, Sword Art: Origin, the cast from Sword Art Online take up their original avatars, in a familiar setting, to do MMO stuff – but to everyone’s shock, not everything is as it seems and Scooby-Doo style hijinks ensue.

MonsterVineSpencer Legacy

The sound is enjoyable, with some memorable tracks mixed in amongst the more atmospheric pieces in the soundtrack. The tracks that play in the inn and hub town are pleasant, and set a relaxing tone for the quieter parts of the game. The field themes suit their open fields and landscapes, and the battle themes are fast and sharp. Overall, the soundtrack is decent.

Impulse GamerTory Favro

Fans of anime will recognise characters from the Sword Art universe, but to be honest I did not. For those like myself who are not in the know, Sword Art