Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream has recently been released, and while there are many problems with the game, it is the best SAO game ever made. Now, that is not a high bar in the slightest, but it’s definitely an improvement. But why is that? And what holds this game back? That’s what we’ll be discussing in this review.
What It Did Right
I’ll start by discussing what Fractured Daydream did well. The story isn’t that terrible. Sure, it’s not anything spectacular, but it has an interesting premise and doesn’t have overly terrible dialogue, which is a step up compared to the rest of the series. Again, it’s not a fantastic story, but it is serviceable.
The story mode also has a decent amount of content. Not only is there the main story but also side quests that fill in the gaps. The story mode maps are also quite big and contain secrets for players. Players have to go out of their way to find secrets, such as the named enemies, in order to collect outfits and items, giving players more to do besides playing online.
I like the variety of the online modes. Players can choose from three different modes: Co-op Quests, Boss Raids, and Free Roam. Each of these modes feels distinct from the other, and in the case of Boss Raids and Co-op Quests, players can choose from multiple maps and bosses. Each of these maps and bosses is quite different, offering more variety in the gameplay.
Personally, I think Co-op Quests are the best of the three modes. Free Roam is fine, but gets boring quickly. I’m personally not a big fan of Boss Raids, but Co-op Quests are phenomenal. It’s essentially a rogue-lite, with players only carrying over their gear between matches, which, for the most part, levels the playing field. This makes the gameplay loop extremely fun and honestly quite addictive, but I’ll circle back to that point later.
Each character is unique and feels quite different to play. This doesn’t sound like an accomplishment for how few characters there are in the game. They all play so radically different, however, that it makes the game feel different with each character you play. This gives a nice plethora of variety in movesets and skills, making it fun to try out different characters. Having this variety of characters keeps the game fresh and fun to play.
I think that the battlepass was handled well. Now, I would’ve preferred that it not be in the game at all, but if it has to be here, I’m glad it was handled the way it was. The battlepass, or trial, is completely free, which is rare in live service games. There isn’t even a way to buy levels in the trial, which sounds like a downside, but I’m glad the option isn’t there. It also doesn’t really matter as it is very easy to level up in the trial. You get 50 points for every Co-op Quest and Boss Raid that you do. Not only that, but there are also daily and weekly quests that give anywhere from 50 to 700 points. They do take some time to clear, but it makes leveling up in the trial easy and mostly pain-free.
One of the big things I like about this game is the crossplay at launch. It makes finding a match so much easier and overall makes getting into a game a much less painful process. This also means that, in the future, it shouldn’t be as difficult to find a match, which has been the very thing that has killed many other games, including other Bandai games, such as Dragon Ball: The Breakers. Hopefully, developers will continue to implement crossplay at launch and let their online communities thrive.
The biggest point in Fractured Daydream’s favor, however, is its gameplay. The gameplay loop in Fractured Daydream is phenomenal. It’s fun and addictive. Trying to get MVP, land the last attack, and deal the most damage are all fun objectives to compete for and give me a nice dose of dopamine. There are some gripes, and it is definitely grindy, but it is still a lot of fun. The diversity of characters’ moves and skills helps make this game an overall fun time.
Extras
There are a few extras that I thought were neat. First, the ability to buy memories and scenarios from the other SAO games is a really nice touch. It helps players get caught up on the other games and allows them to see scenes that they may have missed. It’s nice to see all of the scenes here. Also, unlocking the scenes buffs character stats, which I think is a nice incentive for players to unlock these scenes.
There’s also the extras that come with the Fractured Daydream’s premium edition. Besides the DLC and costumes, the premium edition also comes with the art book, soundtrack, and an extra minigame. The art book is underwhelming, I wish they had more concept art of the characters included. The soundtrack is fine, though it is disappointing that it’s stuck in its separate software. The minigame, however, is pretty neat. The minigame, Kirito the Hero, is a simple Vampire Survivors clone. It doesn’t have too much depth to it, but for a little extra included with the art book, it’s a nice edition.
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Minor Critiques
While there are several things I like about Fractured Daydream, there are several underlying flaws that really hold it back. For starters, the online sucks. The matchmaking system is pretty decent, but nothing spectacular, especially since getting a full lobby is quite rare. There are aid requests, that help to remedy this issue, and I think they are done fairly well, but overall it still isn’t great. The amount of connection issues is irritating. The worst part is that this applies to the single player, so if you’re in the middle of a quest and a communication error occurs, you’re screwed. The only remedy to this is to play in offline mode, which feels like a bit of a hack.
The music is quite repetitive. Once you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times, and you will hear it thousands of times. I wish the music was a little more interesting, but it’s honestly not a big deal. It acts as decent background noise and not much else.
The drop rate for rare rewards could be better. It’s borderline impossible to get those drops, which is unfortunate because several outfits are locked behind it. You can play ten or twenty times and still not get one of the rare drops. Thankfully, you can’t double up on the rare drops, but it would still be nice if they increased the rates a little.
The controls could also be improved. They aren’t terrible, but I’ve found myself too many times trying to hold a button for a charged attack, only to realize that I’ve been standing still for several seconds. If they make the inputs more responsive, this issue should be alleviated, and it would help the game control better overall.
For as much as I praised the gameplay, it has one glaring flaw: the lock-on system. The lock-on system is terrible, plain and simple. You’ll be trying to attack the monster in front of you, then it will lock on to one across the field. This often leads to the player attacking the air, and can even lead the player to miss specials and ultimates. Improving the lock-on would make the game much less frustrating, and in turn much more fun to play.
Major Problems
The previous points are just some minor issues with Fractured Daydream. The following points are the major problems in the game. Firstly, this game’s cast is way too small. For being an anniversary title, the cast is quite pathetic. I know that each character has to be distinct, so trying to make a large cast would be difficult, but this game should have had at least 30 characters at launch.
The biggest issue with Fractured Daydream, however, is the monetization. The game costs $60, which is an absolute crime. This game is fun, but nothing in the game could warrant that price tag. If the story mode was a little more robust and if the game had more characters, I could maybe see the worth. As it stands, though, it just isn’t worth the price. The Deluxe and Premium editions are also worse, giving you very little for what you’re paying for them. If this game was $30, then it would be an easy recommendation. But right now, this game just costs far too much.
On top of that, the game still has microtransactions, which is a big slap in the face. Thankfully, it’s just for cosmetics, and there are ways of getting these outfits for free, but still. After what they charged for the game, this is a step too far. The game should have been cheaper and should have dropped the microtransactions. This has become a common issue for Bandai in recent years, as seen in games like Dragon Ball: The Breakers, and even in the previous SAO game, Last Recollection. I hope that Bandai starts to reconsider this strategy, there are so many games of theirs that have had great potential but are ruined by their monetization.
Conclusion
Overall, I’m pretty conflicted about this game. On the one hand, it has terrible monetization and definitely isn’t worth your money. The pricing becomes even more egregious when you look at the deluxe and premium editions of the game. On the other hand, this is genuinely some of the most fun I’ve had with video games in a while. I’ve found myself getting addicted to this game. With the variety in the characters’ movement and skills and the top-notch gameplay loop, it’s just been a blast playing Fractured Daydream.
Ultimately, I can’t completely recommend this game in good faith. The monetization is horrendous and to be frank, the game isn’t worth your money. However, if the game looks fun to you, you don’t care about the monetization, or if you find a good deal on the game, I’d say it’s worth checking out. It has its flaws, but what it does right more than makes up for it.