Sword Art Online is a recent series, but already very complex. In the West, the topic has begun to be talked about, enjoying considerable success, thanks to the dissemination of anime, which began in 2012; but following the common thread, between video games, anime and secondary products, is not as simple as one might think. Suffice it to say that, in addition to the main narrative line of the animated series, there is now a completely parallel thread, linked to the Underworld and also explored through the medium of video games at least starting with Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris.
In fact, SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection is not a title you should start with, at least from a narrative point of view: because it is the official sequel to Alicization Lycoris and the story begins from there. It is a product designed for loyal fans who already have a good command of the world of Sword Art Online, in all its complexity, and who, therefore, can enjoy more both the nuances linked to the evolution of the characters and those linked to the gameplay. (This is also the last one, in fact, it has changed compared to the previous chapter).
So let's get into the details - and also get into the world of virtual and simulated reality - with the SWORD ART ONLINE Review Last Memory.
Plot: Avoid the underworld war.
La plot by SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection begins exactly where Lycoris left off. Despite the recent battles, key revelations (including the discovery of a specially designed weapon of mass destruction against humanity in the alternate SAO universe) and the encounter with a large number of supporting characters and warriors, the large-scale clash with the Dark Territory now seems inevitable. This would involve a large-scale intervention by the Integrity Knights and all human armies, which would naturally result in the deaths of thousands of soldiers and civilians.
Kirito alone cannot hope to stop such a conflict. So luckily, he's not really alone. An unexpected ally arrives from enemy territory. Dorothy, a Dark Knight with a mysterious past and accompanied by an equally mysterious girl, manages to overcome the East Gate, that is, the border crossing between humans and the inhabitants of the Dark Territory. He comes to Kirito with hope for a peace agreement- In fact, it seems that not all ten enemy lords are interested in the conflict; some would like to avoid it and would even be willing to negotiate. To trust or not to trust? Considering the number of lives that could be saved on both sides, Kirito, Asuna, Eugeo and everyone else, duly accompanied by Dorothy as ambassador, decide to cross the Gate and enter unexplored, dangerous and hostile territories.
SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection's main adventure lasts twenty to thirty hours to complete, depending on the level of difficulty chosen (there are three, and all of them sufficiently accessible) and the time you choose to dedicate to exploration and secondary missions (the latter being especially forgettable). Along the way you will find yourself repeatedly performing two actions: exploring small portions of territory and fighting hordes of enemies. Whether you manage to convince the bosses of the Dark Territory and avoid conflict will depend only on you. Meanwhile, some characters, especially Dorothy, will begin to become known much better and experience a notable evolution of character.
Smoother gameplay, but still a bare world
Basically, the playful formula of SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection does not differ in the slightest from that of the previous titles: we are still facing a Roleplay Japanese style heavily focused on versatility in combat, which visually resemble those of MMOs. However, compared to Lycoris, it is undeniable that the combat system has been revised and refined to ensure greater fluidity, more customization possibilities and, where possible, reduced downtime. This last aspect has only been partially addressed: it is true that compared to the past, organizing the party (which includes a maximum of four warriors) is more intuitive and satisfying. On the other hand, it is not clear why each monster in SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection has an incomprehensibly high life bar, which implies a considerable loss of time to conclude even the secondary battles. For this reason, the temptation to avoid useless battles is very strong from the beginning, and this is a clear problem in a JRPG where leveling up and improving them is the key to progress.
Among the strong points, theintroduction of tactical arts, which avoid having to manually intervene, during battles, on each individual member of the party (to heal them, activate objects, perform specific actions). In fact, Tactical Arts allow you to establish certain actions before entering battle: for example, you will be able to order the healing of a certain ally if the latter's health falls below a precise percentage; and it's just an example, because you can make it much more complex with a little practice and study. Even the execution of combos and finishing moves has become more satisfying, thanks to a series of secondary skills that can be customized and recalled at any time during battles, thanks to contextual menus. Kirito's character alone has a large number of offensive combinations based on the use of double swords: and considering that SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection offers a dozen different offensive tools, including swords, swords, pikes, etc., imagine the combination possibilities...
The deeply disappointing aspect of the production, however, is the world to explore. The Underworld in general, and the Dark Territory in particular, could have given a lot more in terms of artistic interpretation: the environments, on the other hand, are bare, if not completely desolate, aspects and also quite cramped, which certainly do not encourage exploration and almost never satisfy the general view. Even replayability, apart from post-game related activities, is practically absent: the present repetitive and boring side quests can be completely ignored. They often seem downright absurd: why would a warrior of Kirito's caliber waste time finding worthless items lost by identical characters and then returning them to their rightful owners? Luckily the main story is, to say the least, interesting and deep.
Conclusions
Tested version PlayStation 5 digital delivery Steam, playstation store, Xbox Store Price 59,99 € Holygamerz.com 7.0 Readers (4) 7.5 your voteSWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection is currently the final chapter of the SAO adventures, at least as far as the Underworld saga is concerned. All players of the previous chapter should necessarily give it a chance, if only to conclude the narrative arc in question. However, it remains a valid title even only for lovers of the genre who have never considered the story of the characters particularly relevant: the improvements in the combat system are evident and the possibilities to customize the battles guarantee an advantage over the past. The surrounding defects persist: the naked world, the technical sector anchored in the latest generation and a location that is not always brilliant. After all, Sword Art Online is an alternate reality. Choose whether or not you prefer it to the real world.
PRO
- Interesting story and well developed characters.
- Faithful to the anime (despite its alternative line)
- Improved combat system
AGAINST
- Obsolete technical section
- Naked game world
- Fights last a long time, even with weak enemies.
