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Sword Art Online entered the Isekai genre in a different way than the one we’re used to. Instead of your fantasy world with fairies and adventuring guilds, you have the same thing. But wait, there’s a twist: everyone’s inside a video game. This approach to the genre is the main reason why the series has become so popular, on top of its excellent cast of characters and life-threatening situations. Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream brings another life-or-death situation inside a seemingly inoffensive game. With a plot as entangled as the outfits of some of the girls in the show but such excellent gameplay, SAO: Fractured Daydream is one of the most contrasting games of the series—in a good way.
Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream occurs after many events that transpired in ALO, GGO, Alicization, and other video games. That’s right, this time we have the Avengers: Endgame of SAO. In this nostalgia-packed adventure, we can relive iconic scenes and run into many of our favorite and not-so-favorite characters. However, every Sword Art Online story needs a digital problem to solve, or else we’d just have a bunch of teenagers playing a game without a life-threatening risk. And let’s face it: where’s the fun in that?
Here We Go Again
It seems impossible for Kirito and his companions to have a peaceful online session to grind artifacts without a hitch. This is not a spoiler because as soon as you start playing Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream, you’ll notice that many things are out of place.
Initially, Kirito is hanging out with his friends in the ALO lobby for farming while helping his “new friend” integrate into their group and adapt to the game. I was shocked that this “friend” was Quinella herself, the Administrator and main enemy in the Alicization arc. In truth, Quinella has no reason to be in ALO and even less to be “nice” to everyone. Plus, she’s supposed to be a student who just transferred to the SAO survivor school in the real world when she’s not even “real.” So it’s even stranger that there’s a scene where Kirito leads Quinella to his school.
When I was more confused, Quinella jumped out to attack Kirito with her sword, reverting to her original personality. Even though she is attacking, Quinella mentions that Kirito must recover his memories and that there is something strange in the world. Kirito thinks about it momentarily while continuing his fight in the middle of the city until he remembers who the Administrator is. Here, they break the “illusion” and return to ALO. Quinella is aware of her complicated relationship with Kirito and that she should not be in that world, but neither understands what is happening.
Fortunately, this is when Kirito’s new harem girls step in: Fuuka, an independent tester who is investigating the Galaxia update, and Neige, a Yui-like AI specialized in testing. Together with Quinella and Kirito, they deduce that all the problems are due to a bug in the Galaxia update. Although the testers mention that there may be bugs, this one is so serious that it could be due to someone else intervening. The major problem is that the Galaxia update seems to be breaking several natural laws because it can “recreate events from the past within the game.” So this digital update mess summons players and “characters” that should not be there or exist.
Without spoiling, the story is neither particularly good nor bad, but the pacing is odd. Besides, once you gather enough companions to move forward and see why all the games are mixed up, the reasoning is overly far-fetched. Even though SAO has some visual fantasy overtones, the fact that it replicates past events or the reality of each person to the extent of messing up their brains doesn’t seem believable to me. I am not convinced that video games from this universe transcend reality that deeply. Or the fact that they have to work with the craziest enemies or even criminals like Death Gun.
Show Your Class
What I enjoyed most about the gameplay is that the characters have different classes and skills, such as Fighter, Tank, Rouge, Ranger, Mage, and Support. All characters have a Unique Skill and three Advanced Skills, such as Burst, Normal, and Charged Attacks. However, each skill set is unique. Kirito has his Dual Wielding and his Admin Mode. Some of the characters, like Leafa, Quinella, and Silica, can fly. The GGO players have their own mechanics and different controls as they use the triggers to aim and shoot. So, it’s better to use them from a distance. Also, the Charged Attack of these characters is a melee strike.
For the combat in Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream, you can choose up to 4 characters and switch between them. You can choose characters that do area damage, like the Mages, Supports for healing, and others can do Elemental Damage. This becomes a Pokemon-like experience where you must discover each foe’s weakness.
However, the best is when you fight bosses, as it not only captures the essence of the anime, like the attack combinations. You can be playing with Kirito, and against a boss, you can activate the Switch option to make a “Burst” with Asuna. It’s similar to the Showtime Attacks in Persona 5.
Assembling a Dream Team
For the co-op fans, Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream brings the best cooperative experience since Granblue Fantasy: Relink. In these game modes, you can join up to 20 players; in Co-Op Quest, everyone will be divided into different teams and must complete specific missions before facing the Final Boss. In the Boss Raid, you will go directly to fight the Boss while defeating smaller enemies that spawn around you.
It is also essential to do the Story Quest and Co-Op because this way, you get equipment and even clothes for your characters. In addition, of course, raise your Player Rank and the Rank of each Character, which will make you stronger on the battlefield. For Weapons, Rings, and Necklaces, you should not only look at the level but there are also items with stats upgrades that could be more useful. For example, you could have several Excalibur swords, but one of a lower level can improve Elemental Damage or CRIT.
However, if you don’t like to calculate the effects of your build, SAO allows you to equip the best items for each character quickly. As someone who usually struggles to keep track of builds in every game I play, I found the quick equip feature perfect. While some players might want to tailor their builds in the most precise way possible, you can join any fight with a quick build and avoid spending hours trying to find the right combination of items for your hero.
Despite the many great things about combat, there are a few jarring things that usually give me a headache during my matches. For example, enemy targeting is tricky. Sometimes, it leaves you stuck to the same enemy or direction, and changing it is difficult—the camera isn’t too smooth for a game that focuses on fast-paced action. This also happens with flying enemies. Sometimes, it is hard to hit them, even with aerial attacks.
Also, sometimes the camera, especially when fighting, moves so that you no longer see the combat or objects block your view, leaving you somewhat vulnerable. In the Switch Attacks against a Boss or trying to use your Burst, it sometimes didn’t detect the buttons I needed to activate my Abilities. However, I must emphasize that I never experienced a Frame Drop or visual glitch, which was great, especially in a match with 20 players running around and throwing spells at enemies.
Just Succumb to the Narrative Pact
Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream is SAO being SAO, with a video game-related story and a problem that often is overdone. As with many anime arcs, you must accept it and not ask too many questions. Also, this game is full of fanservice because of the many anime characters on screen, the recurring use of iconic scenes, and to justify adding more girls to Kirito’s waifu harem. Furthermore, Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream gives players a sense of immersion as if they were actually in ALO or GGO.
I always wanted to experience what SAO survivors felt when fighting the bosses on each floor in Aincrad. The feeling of epic fights accompanied by dozens of other guild members and getting my Switch Attack as Kirito or Asuna did a combo attack together. Despite its technical issues, convoluted story, and clunky camera work, Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream is one of the most enjoyable and addictive co-op experiences I’ve played and a love letter to the SAO universe.
Review copy provided by Publisher.
Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream Review (PC Reviewed)
Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream is the next chapter in Kirito's story. Instead of presenting a new adventure, it seeks to revive the past once more and bring back old friends to solve another problem in the digital world. Despite the convoluted plot, it offers superb co-op gameplay.
Pros
- Amazing Co-op mode
- Great combat and unique skills
- Excellent replica of the anime style and feeling
Cons
- Sloppy camera control
- Messy story
