Sword Art Online video games are pretty hit-or-miss. You have the not-so-bad ones like Alicization Lycoris and then surprisingly good ones like Fatal Bullet. Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream doesn’t appear to be the greatest game in the series so far but it does offer the most variety out of any game yet from my recent preview at Anime Expo 2024.
I had a short 10-minute preview of the upcoming game where I was able to explore a vast desert region and complete a mission. Right off the bat, Fractured Daydream makes it clear how vast the roster of characters is. I started out as Llenn, the star of Gun Gale Online. But then I soon gained access to three other characters, including Kirito.
These characters don’t normally interact with each other across their respective series. As such, this game feels like a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-style collection with everyone being here. Perhaps the most fascinating part is how each character feels wildly different from one another.
Llenn plays like a light version of the gameplay from Fatal Bullet, where the player fires away with their guns from afar. The targeting system is messier than the previous shooter-style game in the series, which was annoying, but it got the job done. Then there is Kirito who plays much faster than Llenn with his impressive and powerful sword skills.
The unique gameplay styles didn’t stop there, either, as Leafa was also part of our squad. She played much more like her floaty and flight-based Alfheim Online variant. All three of them felt like they came from different games. This variety does mean some characters will probably be more valuable than others in combat, but I still appreciate the diversity.
Everyone has their basic attacks, plus a ton of skills to use. Some of these might involve dashing forward to attack foes or leaping into the air for a jump attack. Each one is quite flashy and fun to pull off. The main problem I had with the combat in this Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream preview was targeting.
There is a lock-on feature but it doesn’t work too well, especially with lots of enemies onscreen. I felt like the camera didn’t quite keep up with my character. I would be trying to launch a skill on the enemy I’m locked onto and the character would miss completely. This happened even when I started out the skill right in front of the enemy.
The preview culminated in a massive boss fight. It felt pretty easy in terms of difficulty, as I just mashed away with Kirito’s dual swords. Some characters, oddly enough, fared better than others. The scorpion boss resisted Llenn’s gun attacks, for instance. As such, I had to switch to others like Leafa, who had its weakness. While the fight itself was easy, again, the biggest challenge came from the awkward camera and targeting controls.
For the most part, this Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream preview focused on singleplayer. That said, the main purpose of this game is to bring together 21 playable characters for online multiplayer. Up to 20 players will be able to take on actual MMO-like raid battles for the first time.
Unfortunately, this preview didn’t offer any glimpse of that. Considering how singleplayer-focused this demo section was, I’m curious to see if there is a dedicated story mode for solo players. For now, though, we will have to wait and see. While I’m not sold on this being the best SAO video game yet, I at least appreciate its diversity in its roster and gameplay.
Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream will release for Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on October 4, 2024.
