Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris Reviews
Fun combat and decent characters aren't enough to save a convoluted story, terrible pacing, and tons of performance problems.
Truthfully, the only kind of person I can recommend this game to is a diehard Sword Art Online superfan who has never played a JRPG (or honestly, any other video game) in their life and therefore has no basis to compare the trainwreck that is Alicization Lycoris to anything else that has substance. Otherwise, just watch the anime. Or play a different game.
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris takes forever to get moving. By the time the training wheels come off, players will likely have switched off in frustration. Pacing is a big issue for the first half of the game, with hours spent in unskippable cutscenes or repetitive tutorials before the best features become available. There is a decent game locked away behind the multiple missteps and technical issues, and if you've got the requisite patience and high regard for the source material, there are things to like - most notably the smooth, engaging combat. The problem is that getting to it feels like work rather than play.
An enjoyable RPG with some pacing issues, Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is a lot of fun once you get to grips with its combat and leveling systems. The decision to lock multiplayer behind 10 hours of content is baffling, but once you unlock it you'll have a good time exploring the MMO-like world with friends.
Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris attempts to revamp the franchise and breathe new life into it, with very polarizing results.
Ultimately SWORD ART ONLINE: Alicization Lycoris takes too long to get to the point both in its combat and story, leaving the player disinterested before it even really begins. There is a good game here if you do commit to it, with some great character and world design, enjoyable combat, and interesting game systems, but it's just not worth the slog to reach it.
Not ever did I think the game was downright bad or poorly made, but rarely was I taken or impressed by anything going on from a story or gameplay perspective.
A lot of problems for an RPG made and enjoyable only for Sword Art Online fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review
People have been waiting for years to finally get what could be considered a really good Sword Art Online game, but the fourth time is certainly not the charm for developer Aquria with probably the most disappointing attempt yet due to the overall squandered potential in Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris.
Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris features many compelling ideas, but its technical foundation needs more work.
At its launch, Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris suffered from a lot of game bugs that certainly put off players, especially given its high price tag.
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is a mediocre game, ambitious but incapable of realizing its vision, plagued by an inadequate and lazy realization. Only for the most dedicated fans of Sword Art Online.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A broken mess in almost every way. Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris doesn't deliver on it's promised product. With so many technical issues it's hard to imagine anyone with the patience to get through the game. Alicization Lycoris should have been the crowning achievement in a beloved franchise but instead, it ends up being the worst title in the Sword Art Online franchise.
Sword Art Online: Alicizaton Lycoris is plagued by performance issues, a poorly paced story, and combat mechanics that aren't explained well.
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris will certainly be a welcome addition to the gaming series as it’s the only one to follow a portion of the original story.
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is a more "exclusive" game for fans of the saga, although of course, everyone can enjoy it in the same way; but he should have the minimum knowledge of the characters and the plot. Unlike previous installments, in this one it does not "refresh your memory" and omit the different important events that have been happening until we reach where we are today.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is not the title we were promised. Torn apart by a recurring dualism that contrasts originality with loyalty, the simplified management of the party with the excessive woodiness of the combat system, and so on, Bandai Namco's new proposal is constantly looking for its own dimension.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris boasts one of the most fun combat systems I’ve seen in a SAO game to date, replete with a nice selection of weapon types and playstyles to boot. It’s just unfortunate how that fun combat is gated behind an unevenly paced narrative that tends to overstay its welcome at times — and I’m a proponent for more storytelling in games. The game won’t be for everyone. Folks who are willing to break through its wall of text, however, will find some great action hidden behind all that exposition.
Aside from fans of the series, there aren’t many this game could be recommended to unless they’re looking for a flawed and boring ordeal.
Between the elongated dull story, the boring and monotonous gameplay, and frequent and in your face technical issues there is little to redeem Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris. Fans of the franchise will want to avoid it, and those interested in a bad game won't even be able to get a laugh out of it.