Sword Art Online Re: Hollow Fragment

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 30
  3. Negative: 1 out of 30
  1. RPGamer
    Oct 16, 2015
    30
    At the end of the day, Re: Hollow Fragment is lazy in every sense of the word, and just isn't worth the dollars that Bandai Namco is asking for.

Awards & Rankings

55
#55 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 92 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 92
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 92
  3. Negative: 15 out of 92
  1. GhoXen
    Sep 16, 2015
    10
    This review is going to be a bit different. In short... this game is not everyone's cup of tea. Please select the most appropriate reviewThis review is going to be a bit different. In short... this game is not everyone's cup of tea. Please select the most appropriate review based on how much of a SAO fan you are.

    TL;DR: Only SAO fans will enjoy this game, but the enjoyment is absolutely immense if you are a huge fan.

    1. SAO Uberfan (10/10)
    If for whatever reason you are an uberfan of the SAO series. Watched all the anime multiple times, read all the LNs up to Aliciazation, read all the side stories, supporting materials, etc. and think of all the what-ifs. And on top of that if you always have fond memories of the Aincrad arc and can't wait for Progressive series to be animated? The short answer is simply that this game is an absolute must-play for you. You will end up having an absolute blast over hundreds of hours simply because this is more of that stuff you wanted to smoke.

    2. SAO General Fan (8/10)
    If you watched the anime, or perhaps read a few LNs, and consider SAO one of the more enjoyable series out there, you should still be able to reap some fun from this game, especially considering its value. You will find Aincrad a fascinating place, and certainly appreciate all the opportunities to see how the good ol' Aincrad characters can develop in an alternative timeline. However, you may end up finding the grind and gameplay somewhat dreary, so don't expect the game to break any new grounds for your experience.

    3. JRPG fan watched anime (6/10)
    If you enjoy JRPGs in general and have at least watched the original SAO anime series or read the first few LNs, then this game is still a fair option on PS4. Let's be frank, there aren't that many exclusives out there at the moment. There are some interesting gameplay mechanics, but SAO is probably what you'd expect in a fairly traditional JRPG with a fair bit of grind, somewhat typical storyline, and generic environments. Nothing will stand out to you at the start, but you may end up appreciating the series if you find the characters, setting or story interesting.

    4. JRPG fan (4/10)
    If you are not familiar with the original series at all, this game will confuse the hell out of you. It will just be a bunch of random characters talking about random topics you don't understand, and the story itself may seem non-sensual to you. Coupled with the fact that the gameplay, graphics, performance, etc. are not stellar, it's highly unlikely that you will like this game.

    5. Not a fan of JRPG (1/10)
    If you don't even like JRPG and also never heard of SAO, then this game is not for you. Even for an entry title into the JRPG genre this game is not your best bet. Perhaps you can still give it a try if someone gifts it to you. Maybe you'll start liking anime or something.    … Full Review »
  2. Elenoire
    Aug 9, 2015
    8
    For those unaware, this game has been ported essentially 2 times now. From Infinity Moment (PSP) > Hollow Fragment (Vita) > Re: HollowFor those unaware, this game has been ported essentially 2 times now. From Infinity Moment (PSP) > Hollow Fragment (Vita) > Re: Hollow Fragment (PS4).

    This game is certainly not for everyone, it does not have "mainstream appeal" so naturally it won't review well.

    The game is a huge improvement over the Vita version of the game. Those who haven't played it will likely not appreciate them at all and just take them at face value. That said, the game does have its fair share of problems.

    Let's get the Negatives out of the way first. The game STILL has massive framerate drops in towns. You'd think they'd have fixed this since the problem was so prominent in the Vita version. There are bugs also present that crash the game in certain areas, some trophies are glitched and unobtainable, the game's tutorials are still pretty lackluster, and the button prompts were not fixed entirely.

    -Framerate issues
    This version of the game runs at 60fps while the Vita version ran at 30fps. However, the framerate drops present in this game go below even the Vita's since for some reason they though it was a good idea to add more NPCs to the town.

    -Bugs/Glitches
    Carrying over from the Vita version, in certain areas your game will constantly crash. Also, with the added online multiplayer component, some people are even losing data. Two trophies are currently glitched and unobtainable at the moment, something not present in the Vita version.

    -Other
    The game has you figure out mostly everything on your own since the tutorials don't explain much. Whether you think this as a negative or positive is subjective but not even explaining some crucial basics is bad design.

    Now for the good stuff.

    The game is great for Sword Art Online fans. It's recommended you have watched up to episode 14 of the anime before playing this as it continues from that point. Otherwise you'll be spoiled of those events.

    **said spoilers ahead

    The game continues from the ending of Sword Art Online, where Kirito defeats Heathcliff and the game "ends". However, here the game does not end and you have to clear the remaining 25 floors of Aincrad to escape.

    Going through the floors of Aincrad is pretty fun, they're all unique and have great level design. The boss fights can get pretty challenging as well with having to manage your group so no one dies-- because they stay dead forever, you know.

    The other part of the game is the Hollow Area. Here, you go through a different place separate from Aincrad with a new character named Phillia. The enemies are tougher, the maps are more complex, and the story here is completely new.

    The combat of the game plays like an MMO. You can guard, dodge, attack, but most importantly- use skills. Skills are divided between Sword Skills and Buffs. The amount of skills you can get in this game is astounding. With numerous weapon types to choose from as well, the combat always feels fresh.
    You can even bring partner characters and fight together with them. The combat gets even deeper with Original Sword Skills (OSS), this allows you to create your own skill combos and deal massive damage.

    New to this version of the game is online multiplayer.
    You can now complete hollow missions with friends online. It's similar to something you'd see in monster hunter or phantasy star online. You're in a lobby and are able to select a mission to do. However, the instructions are quite unclear. There is a tutorial but it's hidden in an NPCs menu options that people don't seem to find. So when going online, there are people that have no idea what they're doing and can cause some frustration. However, when playing with people who are knowledgeable, multiplayer is quite fun. You can even trade with other people in the lobby, chat with each other among other things.

    A redone translation.
    The translation for the Vita version of the game was horrible, it had grammatical errors all over. This time it's been redone and it's perfect.

    Remastered
    Although this is a Vita port, it doesn't mean they didn't touch the game up a bit. The game does have new character models, environments, textures, enemy models (bosses especially) and higher quality 2D artwork.
    Running out of space so I can't go into detail about everything, but in the end, the game is a good JRPG. It just doesn't hold your hand through it like most of the casual audience wants it to.

    Other features the game has that I won't go into detail about:
    -Character Creation
    -Romance
    -Events
    -Crafting
    -Extra content (Level cap raised, New side stories, more gears, etc.)    … Full Review »
  3. SwitSwat
    Aug 10, 2015
    9
    I passed on the Vita version when I learned about this version. (Pre-purchased Lost Song and got this for free. I couldn't let this offerI passed on the Vita version when I learned about this version. (Pre-purchased Lost Song and got this for free. I couldn't let this offer slide). But it wasn't just for the offer. This version has improved visuals, extra content, and most importantly, a better translation that the infamous Vita translation. It plays very much like an MMORPG, very similar to FF XIV, and while the main story is a single-player experience, it is worth noting that the PS4 version includes an online multiplayer mode. One of the game's biggest drawbacks is the amount of useless dialogue it includes. As a fan of the anime myself, it was pretty interesting to read various character interactions, but eventually, it does get a bit tedious. That aside though, the game offers a solid combat system, tons of sidequests, and a very lengthy campaign that is sure to keep any SAO fan playing for 100+ hours.… Full Review »
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