Making virtual friends.
I have never touched a Sword Art Online game. I have never seen the anime. So if that upsets fans of the series, stop reading now. That being said I went in with enthusiasm as I have always thought the premise of these games was intriguing. Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is the latest in the long-running series. It marks the first time it has graced Microsoft’s Xbox One console. It also marks the first time the series has broken away from the fantasy setting for a more modern feel, complete with guns and shooting mechanics. My first foray into the series just also happened to be one of the biggest changes it has seen to date.
For those of you still with me, Sword Art Online focuses around players inside a gigantic MMO. The idea is that it is a single player affair that relies on the tropes of being a massively online experience. The tutorial in the game tries to mimic the feeling of jumping into a game like this with a buddy, as your online cohort shows you the ropes and engages in some seriously long dialogue.
MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $49.99
The first few hours of the game are littered with dialogue sequences – talking, talking, and more talking. For gamers looking to get directly into the action, Fatal Bullet is not for you.
Once I got my bearings though, I started to get into the groove. Everything is laid out fairly simplistic. Levels are gained, weapons and equipment are earned, and quests are aplenty. There is a ton of stuff to do in the game and it is all laid out like an MMO. Treasure quests, boss instances, and much more. I also interacted with other players in the world and engaged in PvP, all simulated of course, but it does a nice job of mimicking the idea of playing with other people.
It is extremely Japanese in origin though, so expect plenty of inappropriately dressed females and stereotypes. The core shooting feels loose at first. The targeting is nothing like a modern shooter, but it gets the job done. Players get a sidekick early on, which is a large part of the story. The AI companion is one of the rarest items in the game and every other player is envious that I got it instantly. This leads to plenty of battles with people wanting my companion.
Customization plays a big role for both the player and their AI companion. I can change outfits, weapon load outs, and even skills almost on-the-fly. My companion can also be customized in their composure. There is a lot to see and do in the game and it all works as intended.
While this is a third-person shooter, the combat never graduates past the run, shoot, dodge mechanics that I started off with. It is less about skill and more about grinding levels to power up my characters enough to take the damage enemies will dole out. If a boss was too overpowered there wasn’t a strategy to take them down, I just had to head back out for some grinding. In that sense it mimics the MMO mentality a little too accurately.
Sure there is a lot of grinding and talking in Sword Art Online, but when it hit, I really enjoyed it. The change for the series did it well, and being my first foray into the series I am interested in checking out previous versions and seeing where it goes in the future. Fatal Bullet isn’t going to light any charts on fire, but for those looking for a different take on the genre, it accomplishes what it sets out to do well.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
