Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization (ソードアート・オンライン -ホロウ・リアリゼーション-, Sōdo Āto Onrain - Horō Riarizēshon -) is a video game developed by Aquria and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Windows PC, based on the Japanese light novel series, Sword Art Online. It is the fourth video game in the series and the successor to Sword Art Online: Lost Song. Hollow Realization was released on October 27, 2016 in Japan,[1] and on November 8, 2016 for North American and European territories.[2][3] A Nintendo Switch version of the game was announced, with a release date due for Q3 2019[4]

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization
Developer(s)Aquria
Publisher(s)Bandai Namco Entertainment
SeriesSword Art Online
Platform(s)PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch
ReleasePlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
  • JP: October 27, 2016
  • WW: November 8, 2016
Microsoft Windows
  • WW: October 27, 2017
Nintendo Switch
  • JP: April 25, 2019
  • WW: May 24, 2019
Genre(s)Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Unlike in Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment and Lost Song, a party in Hollow Realization consists of four characters including the player, instead of three.[5][6] While HF is played like a role-playing game and LS like an action role-playing game, HR is based on HF's style, but with action elements integrated.[7] Characters can be customized through in-game character creation, with gender, height, figure, weapons, and physical appearance changeable.[8] Additionally, over 300 non-player characters appear in the game, with all of them being recruitable to join the player's party. Players can create special bonds with these characters by giving equipment to them. Strengthening the bond also increases the character's strength.[9]

A new battle system also features in Hollow Realization, where the four-person team of players fight monsters using sword skills in a similar fashion to the original Sword Art Online game. Players can also direct and receive guidance from party members in collaborating to perform team strategies and attacks.[2] Players perform chain attacks with party members using a "Switch" system for greater damage output against powerful monsters, including charged attacks and aerial combos.[2][10] This includes "Named Monsters", which are monsters with significant strength that appear without warning.[8] Set in a "wider world", Hollow Realization features monsters new to the series.[9] A healing system in the game allows defeated characters to rejoin the battle as long as teammates are still fighting.[10] The game features online multiplayer.[7]

Hollow Realization is approximately 30 to 40 hours in length; however, completely finishing the game such as leveling up to the highest level and completing all the quests will take the player approximately 70 to 100 hours.[11] The game has downloadable content, including the free expansion pack Fighters of the Blue Sky, featuring Sword Art Online: Lost Song characters Rain and Seven, a new PvP feature, and an additional story.[12] The paid expansion pack Shrine Maiden of the Abyss, adds an additional three chapters.[12]

Synopsis
[...] You’ve always had to start at not-level 1 in all of the previous games—you know how Kirito would be level 100 at the start of the previous games, because he’s already that level? I wanted to create a Sword Art Online game where players can start from level 1. That’s the gameplay experience I would like to provide players. [...] Now, the player can experience how Kirito adventures through the world of Sword Art: Origin from the base level.

Yosuke Futami, producer[11]

Hollow Realization takes place in Sword Art: Origin, a restoration of Aincrad titled Ainground,[11] with intentions of research and development[13] in the year 2026, three years after the original Sword Art Online event.[14] However, unlike in Sword Art Online, Ainground is one large floor, instead of multiple, while the castle itself was renamed to Aincrad,[7] where several monsters can be battled.[2]

The main character of the game is a 14-year old AI, known as Premiere,[15] that travels with Kirito.[6] Although she is part of the game's initial release, a later patch would tweak her "vocabulary and personality" in-game to a "specific character", based on keywords in Twitter tweets as part of a promotional campaign featuring the character.[16] These conversations with Twitter users would dictate her personality over time and ultimately decide if she would become a "good girl" or "bad girl" in-game.[17]

Other prominent characters from the franchise such as Asuna, Leafa, Sinon, Lisbeth and Silica also feature.[2]

Development

The game was teased at Tokyo Game Show 2015 in September[13] with the working title of SAO IV.[18] It was officially announced at Dengeki Bunko Fall Fest by Bandai Namco on October 3.[19] According to Bandai Namco Games producer Yosuke Futami, the game was devised with the idea of Kirito starting the game at level one.[6] A Western release date was later announced, with Hollow Realization releasing in Japan on October 27 and internationally on November 8.[20] The North American Vita release is digital-only.[12]

Players who pre-ordered Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization via the PlayStation Store in Japan gain a one-week early access into part of the game's main story.[12] The game will feature Japanese voices coupled with English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish subtitles.[21] The opening theme is "Windia" by Luna Haruna.[22] The ending theme is "Two of Us" by Haruka Tomatsu. An advertising campaign for the game, titled "Sword Art On-Nyaine", featured cats playing with toys but with Hollow Realization sounds dubbed over them.[23]

A DLC called Chapter 1: Explorer of Illusory Mists became available starting on May 16, 2017.[24] On July 21, 2017 the second expansion[25] was released with the title Chapter II: Tuner of Causality. The last post-release content was released on September 26, 2017 closing the Abyss of the Shrine Maiden saga and it was titled Chapter III: The One Who Opposes God released on September 26, 2017.[26][27]

Reception
Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
MetacriticPS4: 69/100[28]
VITA: 56/100[29]
NS: 68/100[30]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid7.5/10[31]
Famitsu32/40[32]
GameSpot5/10[33]
IGN6.7/10[34]

Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization received "mixed or average" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[28][29] Both PlayStation 4 and Vita versions received final scores of 32/40 by Famitsu, being awarded 9, 8, 7 and 8 by four individual reviewers.[32]

gollark: Oh, you mean the rebranded PotatOS Compute Network™ frontend.
gollark: Then Half-Life 360 and Half-Life One (not the same as 1).
gollark: They skip straight to Half-Life 6.
gollark: Oh, I see.
gollark: This is autobotrobot, not R. Danny.

References
  1. てけおん (April 25, 2016). "『SAO ホロウ・リアリゼーション』の発売日が10月27日に決定！". Dengeki Online. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  2. Paolo Togonon, Miguel. "'Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization' PS4 release date set on 2016 in North America; Bandai Namco stream new gameplay trailer, crossover with '.hack' anime". Yibada. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  3. Romano, Sal. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization coming west in 2016". Gematsu. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  4. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization and Fatal Bullet for Switch launch in spring and summer 2019". Gematsu. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  5. James, Thomas (October 4, 2014). "First Sword Art Online: Lost Song gameplay details". Gematsu. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  6. Romano, Sal (October 6, 2015). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization first details". Gematsu. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  7. Romano, Sal (October 14, 2015). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is set in Ainground". Gematsu. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  8. Romano, Sal (March 22, 2016). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization introduces character customization, marshland area, and Named Monsters". Gematsu. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  9. Aguda, Patrick (June 9, 2016). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, More Characters and Details". Operation Rainfall. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  10. Martinez, Phillip (April 8, 2016). "'Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization' Gameplay Footage Shows Monster Fighting And Combos". iDigitalTimes. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  11. Romano, Sal. "Interview: Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization producer Yosuke Futami at NYCC 2016". Gematsu. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  12. Romano, Sal. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization details Japanese early access version, first PS Vita gameplay". Gematsu. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  13. Romano, Sal (October 4, 2015). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization announced for PS4, PS Vita". Gematsu. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  14. Halestorm, Bradly (March 14, 2016). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Headed West This Year, Gameplay Shown". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  15. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Game's English-Subtitled Trailer Now Lists 2016 Date". Anime News Network. March 14, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  16. D'Anastasio, Cecilia. "Latest Sword Art Online Game Lets Twitter 'Raise' A Character". Kotaku. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  17. Dennison, Kara. "Help Train the Newest "Sword Art Online" NPC". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  18. てけおん (October 4, 2015). "ゲーム『SAO』第4弾は"ホロウ"の後継作！ MMOらしさとアクション性を両立させた作品に" (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  19. Storm, Bradly (October 3, 2015). "New Sword Art Online Game Scheduled for Release Next Year". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  20. MacGregor, Kyle (April 23, 2016). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization coming west this fall". Destructoid. Retrieved August 6, 2016.
  21. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Videos Showcase Battle Actions, Boss Battle". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  22. "Sword Art Online Hollow Realization PS4/PS Vita Game's 3rd Trailer Previews Luna Haruna's Theme Song (Update)". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  23. Dennison, Kara. ""Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization" Shares Cat Videos on YouTube". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  24. "BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America – More fun for everyone!". www.bandainamcoent.com. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  25. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization DLC 'Chapter II: Tuner of Causality' launches July 21 in the west - Gematsu". Gematsu. 2017-07-20. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  26. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization's Third And Last DLC Chapter Releases Today - Siliconera". Siliconera. 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  27. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization's Third Chapter DLC Gets New Trailer and Details". DualShockers. 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2018-02-24.
  28. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  29. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization for PlayStation Vita Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 12, 2018.
  30. "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization - Deluxe Edition for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  31. Tolentino, Josh (December 7, 2016). "Review: Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization". Destructoid. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  32. Romano, Sal (October 18, 2016). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1455". Gematsu. Retrieved October 18, 2016.
  33. Hawkins, Janine (December 12, 2016). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Review". GameSpot. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  34. Ingenito, Vince (November 16, 2016). "Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Review". IGN. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
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