Sword Art Online Rehollow Fragment How to Raise Strength Distribution

Sword Art Online is one of the most pop anime shows currently running. Based on a low-cal novel series, the show'due south original premise explored online gaming culture in a about hereafter, where thousands of players of a virtual reality MMO find themselves trapped within the game. In that commencement arc, the show explored the idea of guilds, player killing, and dungeon diving in a world where doing those things would actually get you killed.

The story'southward focus is Kazuto Kirigaya, known simply as Kirito in the game, one of the early beta testers who uses his cognition to assist others as the Black Swordsman. The initial thought was enjoyable, simply Sword Art Online gradually moved away from handling the sociological and psychological aspects to focus on Kirito'due south growing harem and fanservice (of the sexual and non-sexual diverseness). I eventually stopped watching the anime and moved onto Log Horizon which has some of the same bug, but goes further into the original premise.

The anime devolved into this, but it works in the game.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment is partial sequel to Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment for PSP, upgrading the original game with an entirely new zone, improved visuals, and a new plot. Early Sword Art Online takes identify in Aincrad, a 100-floor mega dungeon with players living and fighting on diverse floors. Episode 14 of the anime ended on floor 75 with the defeat of the floor boss, Skull Reaper, and the game's operator Akihiko Kayaba. It'southward hither that Hollow Fragment picks up its story, tasking the player with fighting their way to floor 100. It'due south an alternating reality accept on what happened at the end of the original story arc.

Hollow Fragment plays similar the games of another "people trapped in an MMO" series, .Hack. Combat simulates play in an MMO; you control Kirito and one partner as they clear Aincrad's floors or the all-new six-level Hollow Expanse. This means a lot of repeated tactics and grinding, without the benefit of other players to actually talk to. All of your basic moves - attack, dodge, parry, and stun - employ a Burst bar, which prevents y'all from spamming a single move. Pressing L and R allows you lot to switch other skill menus. Early, I frequently forgot which skills I had equipped to certain menus, and then I'd bring up the wrong carte du jour again and again. Later a couple of levels yous'll find your groove.

Hollow Fragment doesn't teach you well-nigh the finer points of gainsay.

At that place'south a skilful bit of customization here; you outset as catechism Kirito, merely you tin can change up his proper noun, hairstyle, face, and voice. (On the topic of voices, there'due south no English dub here, and then y'all're stuck with Japanese voice interim but. This shouldn't be a trouble for Sword Fine art Online fans, but I felt it should exist mentioned.) You'll always exist the canon Kirito in cutscenes though, making the visual customization feel kind of useless at times. Beyond that, yous take your requisite equipment, featuring x different weapon styles, each with their own skill copse to unlock. The weapon types and skills are where you'll really get down and dirty, equipping dissimilar skills to fit your playstyle. Of form, Hollow Fragment will teach you cypher outside of the basics, so be prepared to research your fashion to proficiency.

Yous'll too have to manage your companions. (In true harem manner, nearly all the notable companions are women.) They'll mostly play on their ain, simply y'all tin can influence what moves they brand by cheering them on when they perform skills you like. You can time your own skill utilize to create damaging team combos. At that place's too the Hazard meter; as you apply your attacks, your run a risk increases, causing enemies to focus on you and lowering the damage you do. Kirito can switch to a companion to lower his Risk, making the Switch a regular function of combat.

Yous'll spend half of the game in town. Dating.

Hollow Fragment may seem overwhelming when you lot offset start playing, equally you lot'll have to juggle your bones attacks, weapon skills, dodges, buffs and debuffs, and the abilities of your electric current partner. In one case you wade through the skills system (largely on your own), combat begins to get rather straightforward and rote. In fact, outside of boss fights, most encounters shouldn't nowadays yous with whatsoever problem. Even in boss fights, judicious apply buffs and dodging will meet you through to the finish, as long as you remember to manage your companion. Combat is decent, but there are better action RPGs on the Vita.

The event art is tasteful at least.

The other one-half of Hollow Fragment takes place in the game'south lone boondocks, Arc Sofia. Hither, you tin can socially interact with the your companions and the remainder of the game'south supporting cast. (Exist prepared to hold down L to skip the lengthy dialogue.) For many Sword Art Online fans, this is where the meat of the game is; nigh of Arc Sofia'southward play is based around a dating sim with Kirito at the center. You tin can romance many of the companions, including characters who shouldn't exist in Sword Art Online's continuity at this point, like Sinon and Leafa, and the all-new addition, Philia. As you lot're improving your relationships with your companions, yous tin can also unlock different armors for them, pushing their focus into different directions - Attack, Defense, and Vitrify/Support - and providing them with a different expect. You get hand-drawn fine art, all the original voice actresses, and it all culminates in a special finishing event, with sexualized, merely mostly tasteful fine art.

Where you come downwards on the romances is dependent on how much of a dating sim or Sword Fine art Online fan you are. Virtually of the companions are characters that were all most Kirito in the bear witness, but you get the chance to pursue something other than the Kirito/Asuna canon relationship. I did detect some of the options questionable: Silica is merely xiii and Leafa is actually Suguha Kirigaya, Kirito's adoptive sis and cousin past claret. Where you lot fall on those options is up to you. Like its combat, Hollow Fragment'due south dating sim aspects are decent, just nothing especially deep or ground-breaking. Information technology'due south certainly non the best dating sim I've played. I do find information technology interesting the the harem attribute that pushed me away from the anime is really justified as a mechanic within the game.

It'south not all ladies though.

And that'due south pretty much how I can sum up Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment. It'due south decent. It's combat is serviceable, only not great. The game is mostly full of repetitive grind, with the occasional heady fight. It's dating sim is solid, but zip to brag about. And you'll be sinking 100+ hours into the game, so enjoying Sword Fine art Online (the light novels or show) helps a great bargain. In that location's improve action RPGs you tin get on Vita, leaving Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment as something specifically for Sword Art Online fans. If you've never seen the prove, I'd recommend waiting until the game falls in cost. If Sword Art Online is your jam, y'all'll probably enjoy this alternate have on the cease of the starting time story arc.

If you savour Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment, you'll be happy to know that non only did the Japanese version go a huge content update this calendar month, just a sequel has already been greenlit. No word on either one heading to Western shores nonetheless, but you can hope.

Visuals
The PSP-level graphics have been upgraded, just the stand up-out is the manus-drawn fine art.

Sound
Decent soundtrack, but I can't say I remember whatever particular rails.

Interface
Sometimes in the heat of combat, the interface tin make the vita's screen feel a bit cramped.

Lasting appeal
Hollow Fragment is a big game that you'll be playing for a long time if you lot jive with what the game offers.

Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment does its best to provide a comprehensive experience, featuring online-style combat and dating sim aspects. Unfortunately, while it does a decent job of presenting the Sword Art Online earth, the game itself is only proficient, not bang-up. Sword Fine art Online fans will probably take fun though.

iii/5

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Mike Williams

Reviews Editor

M.H. Williams is new to the journalism game, but he's been a gamer since the NES first graced American shores. Tertiary-person action-risk games are his personal poisonous substance: Uncharted, Infamous, and Assassin's Creed just to proper noun a few. If you run across him around a convention, he's non hard to spot: Blackness guy, glasses, and a tie.

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Source: https://www.usgamer.net/articles/sword-art-online-hollow-fragment-vita-review