Sword Art Online: Last Recollection

While some fans may not be a fan of its linear design, Sword Art Online Last Recollection delivers on making a fun action-RPG MMO hybrid adventure.

Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is the culmination of all the Sword Art Online games and it feels a bit disappointing. The combat feels much smoother and the character models are of higher quality, but it doesn't feel like a full experience.

Last Recollection is a game that expands the world of SAO, taking us to the Dark Territory in a story focused on achieving peace in the midst of war. Despite introducing new gameplay mechanics, such as skill awakening, the removal of cherished features from previous games could disappoint fans.

Sword Art Online: Last Recollection, has a good track record and an interesting, little communicated and evocative context in game design. In the end I ended up with a single player and a multiplayer, with a non-recurring effect in the Alcun mode of living with one another, presenting a mess that is not particularly effective. The bottom line is that it is only possible to distinguish between the two, but it is only subtle.

While Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris was bitter, Sword Art Online Last Recollection turns out to be rather sweet.

Sword Art Online: Last Recollection is one of the better games in the franchise’s history. The combat mechanics are solid and questing can be fun, plus it’s good fan service. It’s a bit of a shame every other aspect drags the game down, but that won’t stop you from enjoying Last Recollection especially if you’re looking for a simple, single-player MMO-style experience.

As fan of the anime, Last Recollection leaves me with a very bittersweet taste in my mouth. If on the one hand I let myself be carried away by yet another adventure by Kirito and company, the various negative aspects made this experience somewhat boring. Overall, I enjoyed mostly because I like the genre of the game itself. An experience that I think fans of the series will appreciate despite everything, but that could otherwise leave the casual player disinterested after a few hours.

Sword Art Online Last Recollection is something that I feel a bit biased about. I do love the game for its grind and what it’s trying to do despite its shortcomings. However, if I try to look at it objectively, the game itself is terrible. The game’s combat system is a slugfest of mashing buttons mixed with boredom. Not to mention across all its different weapon types, they all feel and play the same.

For long-time fans who really want to devour all the spin-offs of the franchise, "Last Recollection" is certainly worth a look. However, due to the mixed technical condition and the untapped potential, we cannot give the action RPG an unqualified recommendation for all genre fans.

SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection is the most polished game in the series, with by far the best combat loop. However, I found everything else, from the RPG mechanics to the linear world structure, to be a clear downgrade from Alicization Lycoris. And I can understand the why: focus on what you can do well. But I feel like the ambition of previous titles was something the niche fans of these games had already accepted, and not continuing with that for the franchises’ (supposed) last title is doing it a disservice.