Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 27
  2. Negative: 7 out of 27
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  1. Jul 10, 2020
    80
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris marks a new era of Sword Art Online games, both graphically and narratively. This is an adventure for fans and newcomers that truly builds upon this virtual world through new characters and hundreds of quests. The downside is that you may have to clear a lengthy first chapter to discover everything it has to offer, but luckily for those who do, there’s so much awaiting them. There’s still some quality-of-life work that needs to be done in terms of loading times and assist pop-ins, but as a fan of the previous SAO games, this entry simply blew me away.
  2. Jul 23, 2020
    79
    Alicization Lycoris is set in a new location, in which you like to spend time with your virtual friends and their stories. In terms of visuals and game structure there is room for improvement, though.
  3. Jul 31, 2020
    75
    Kirito's last adventure offers to live the adventures from the Alicization arc with an interesting gameplay and content that brings what was good from Hollow Realization to this entry with new features. However its technical issues keeps it from getting a high score.
  4. Jul 27, 2020
    70
    In the end, the story is interesting, the graphics are beautiful, and with the open-world concept with much to do, it’s definitely a great game for SAO fans and is definitely a step up from the previous titles.
  5. Jul 20, 2020
    70
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris feels like a run-of-the-mill JRPG, done in the style of SAO. Not ever did I think the game was downright bad or poorly made, but rarely was I taken or impressed by anything going on from a story or gameplay perspective. The game would have benefited greatly from leaning more into the online/MMO universe that it’s based on. However, fans of the anime and manga will surely still find some enjoyment with the latest adaptation of Sword Art Online.
  6. Jul 13, 2020
    70
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is a game that many will love, but many more will not. With some interest in the source material and a passion for the JRPG space, there’s probably 100 hours worth of content here for dedicated players. Unfortunately, glaringly obvious technical problems hinder what would otherwise be an amazing Sword Art Online game.
  7. Jul 10, 2020
    70
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is not particularly memorable but is also an enjoyable action JRPG for every SAO fan.
  8. Jul 16, 2020
    68
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is not for everyone: it's a game for fans who will be happy to retrace the events of the episodes of Alicization and who for this reason will be able to postpone major narrative problems in the second part and technical throughout the game.
  9. Jul 14, 2020
    67
    A lot of problems for an RPG made and enjoyable only for Sword Art Online fans.
  10. Jul 22, 2020
    65
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris had the potential to be a standout game with a dynamic battle system and good RPG mechanics. However, the pacing is agonizingly slow and has unforgivable technical issues. Sadly, it’s only recommended for fans of the series or players with maximum patience.
  11. Jul 20, 2020
    65
    An enjoyable RPG with some pacing issues, Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is a lot of fun once you get to grips with its combat and leveling systems. The decision to lock multiplayer behind 10 hours of content is baffling, but once you unlock it you'll have a good time exploring the MMO-like world with friends.
  12. Jul 14, 2020
    65
    Alicization Lycoris tries to evolve the series, and sometimes succeeds, but its technical issues make the battles, one of its main pillars, hard to enjoy.
  13. Aug 19, 2020
    60
    Ultimately SWORD ART ONLINE: Alicization Lycoris takes too long to get to the point both in its combat and story, leaving the player disinterested before it even really begins. There is a good game here if you do commit to it, with some great character and world design, enjoyable combat, and interesting game systems, but it’s just not worth the slog to reach it.
  14. Aug 11, 2020
    60
    Sword Art Online Alicization Lycoris attempts to revamp the franchise and breathe new life into it, with very polarizing results.
  15. Aug 7, 2020
    60
    SWORD ART ONLINE Alicization Lycoris has a great battle system that feels like a full-fledged fighting game. With some of the original characters being more fleshed out, there’s some good fan service here as well, but as a whole the game feels like a low-quality effort. There are just too many errors, bugs and so on that often make SWORD ART ONLINE Alicization Lycoris frustrating to play. The biggest problem is the game’s original story, which has none of the appeal of the work it is based on.
  16. Jul 31, 2020
    60
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is a pleasant return to the classic fantasy typical of the saga, but it is limping on the technical side and on the variety of experience, creating a questionable compromise between quantity and quality.
  17. Jul 13, 2020
    60
    Multiplayer is a really positive experience, and it becomes very easy to sink hours into just exploration and small side quests, with no attention being paid to the main story. Pick up and play is a feeling so rarely found in JRPG titles that it feels like a really positive step towards what should be seen as the new normal. What is baffling, then, is hiding such a great feature, along with all the other main parts of Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris behind 12+ hours of repetitive story. The honest truth is that players with a passing interest aren't going to put the hours in to get past the initial chapter, and in doing so, are going to miss out on an enjoyable experience with a lot to offer for both casual players and hardcore fans. Stick with it.
  18. Jul 21, 2020
    56
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is a mediocre game, ambitious but incapable of realizing its vision, plagued by an inadequate and lazy realization. Only for the most dedicated fans of Sword Art Online.
  19. Sep 5, 2020
    55
    The game is for SAO fans primarily, and everyone else not even secondary but way in the back. There is a huge amount of story and dialogue and some times, not enough clunky combat as it is.
  20. 50
    People have been waiting for years to finally get what could be considered a really good Sword Art Online game, but the fourth time is certainly not the charm for developer Aquria with probably the most disappointing attempt yet due to the overall squandered potential in Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris.
  21. Aug 10, 2020
    40
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is more of an Anime than a video game, and if you are interested in this type of entertainment, there are far better options available on the market.
  22. Jul 29, 2020
    40
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is, at best, a passable anime game. It has the bones of a decent action adventure title, and offers a decent retelling of its source material’s story, but it’s mechanically bogged down to the point of tedium and exhaustion. Aside from fans of the series, there aren’t many this game could be recommended to unless they’re looking for a flawed and boring ordeal.
  23. 40
    A broken mess in almost every way. Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris doesn't deliver on it's promised product. With so many technical issues it's hard to imagine anyone with the patience to get through the game. Alicization Lycoris should have been the crowning achievement in a beloved franchise but instead, it ends up being the worst title in the Sword Art Online franchise.
  24. Aug 21, 2020
    33
    I’m just judging Alicization Lycoris based on what’s present in the game, it’s hard to see it as much more than a glitchy, boring mess that doesn’t do anything that you can’t get from other, significantly better games.
  25. Aug 4, 2020
    30
    While Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is ambitious in scope it ends up being a largely unenjoyable title full of technical problems, bugs, and horrible pacing.
  26. Jul 13, 2020
    30
    Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris is simply not a good game. Almost all of its mechanics have been done better in other games, and the performance issues are a major problem that is difficult for even the series' biggest defenders to grapple with. The game feels like something that is still in early access on Steam, despite a sixty dollar price tag. and there is very little here that would excite even the most diehard fans of Sword Art Online.
  27. Jul 22, 2020
    10
    Truthfully, the only kind of person I can recommend this game to is a diehard Sword Art Online superfan who has never played a JRPG (or honestly, any other video game) in their life and therefore has no basis to compare the trainwreck that is Alicization Lycoris to anything else that has substance. Otherwise, just watch the anime. Or play a different game.
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 87 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 87
  2. Negative: 32 out of 87
  1. Jul 11, 2020
    0
    Blind fanboys give a 10..... its only a 7 after all, the fights are boring and slow and the world looks like 5y old. But why i give a 0? CuzBlind fanboys give a 10..... its only a 7 after all, the fights are boring and slow and the world looks like 5y old. But why i give a 0? Cuz of the terrible performance on ps4.... 30 fps max and it drops in the firts little village to 10.... unplayable.
    @Dont give a 10 for a patch that will come in the future, you have to rate the game in the current state.
    Full Review »
  2. Jul 11, 2020
    10
    Despite its technical mishaps which has been acknowledged and will receive a patch soon (FPS and input lag) this game is huge! And packed withDespite its technical mishaps which has been acknowledged and will receive a patch soon (FPS and input lag) this game is huge! And packed with content. Massive world. Deep customization of skills, arts, etc. combat is strategic. Not too fast and not too slow. Timing is key. The story so far is great. It follows the anime for the first chapter (prologue) and then branches into its own original story. After the first chapter the games opens way up. Graphics are great. Best SAO game to date and a solid JRPG on its own merits. Full Review »
  3. Jul 19, 2020
    0
    So bad, error crash, bord, terrible, trash,................................