Sword Art Online skyrocketed the "isekai in a virtual world" anime subgenre to full blast, showing a game where players tin't log out and where decease happens both most and physically. Thanks to the efforts of swordsman Kirito and his friends, survivors of the horrific "Sword Art Online" got back to the real world safely, and Kirito became the go-to guy for whatsoever weird incidents related to various virtual games thereafter.

However, before Sword Fine art Online fans have a deep dive into Kirito's adventures in "Alfheim Online," "Gun Gale Online," and even "Underworld," dedicated fans tin look at the original "Sword Art Online" MMO from the context of an bodily game. Unfortunately, deep-diving into the mechanics of the original "Sword Art Online" MMO does unravel some things that merely don't make sense - perhaps fifty-fifty ruining the viewing experience.

8 Inconsistent VR Sensations Emphasize Fanservice, Not Immersion

A person eating food in SAO

With NerveGear built to replicate sensations as accurately as possible, the visual immersion in the fantasy realm of "Sword Fine art Online" seems second to none. Sadly, the inconsistent arroyo to VR sensations hurt the worldbuilding of the series. For case, the plot declares that while players tin't feel the pain of combat, they nonetheless feel fatigue and hunger. Plot-wise, this cements the "thrill" of combat without effect, combined with the fearfulness of being able to die exterior battle.

However, why even remove the sensation of pain? Farthermost fatigue in "SAO" is most likely felt in combat - so it doesn't make sense for the game not to aid players feel tired and "in pain" to betoken they're on the verge of death. This inconsistent take on sensations doesn't marshal with the story's aim of recreating the horrific fear of death. Additionally, the fact that there's an selection to remove visual censorship with "heightened tactile sensations" aligns with the hypothesis that the sensation simulation in "SAO" focuses more on plot and fanservice, non necessarily for the game itself.

No logout button in SAO

Fans of "Sword Fine art Online" tin can argue that some things in the MMO don't make sense every bit it's non meant to be treated every bit a tap-target MMO. The lack of UI, for instance, is compensated by the fact that players can see what's happening in real-time and wouldn't demand status symbols to tell them what's happening in their environment. Notwithstanding, for a fast-paced action MMO, it nevertheless doesn't make sense for the chief menu to accept such a dragging UI.

"Sword Fine art Online" uses a motion-based menu arrangement that lets players access things ranging from their stats, equipment, weapons, and even items. Sub-menus lead to a list of items that players need to scroll through to get their desired object. While such a system compartmentalizes the menu, this can prove fatal in high-stress situations similar combat.

6 Lack Of Hotkeys Ruin Accessibility

The UI in SAO

Considering how multiple sub-menus and scrolling make information technology burdensome for players to get to a much-needed potion or detail, information technology should brand better sense to but have an allocated hotkey system to make these features like shooting fish in a barrel to access. Moreover, even if others debate that they can just strap potions and other items to belts, "SAO" has a tap-based employ mechanic that can compromise accessibility.

Of grade, there's that loophole of "where" hotkeys would be placed, since adding hotkeys into the main menu volition brand the solution redundant. As such, a ameliorate culling here is to introduce gesture-based hotkeying. After all, if Sword Skills and the main card get activated with pre-programmed motions, then it shouldn't be hard to implement a mechanic where sure hand or finger gestures could access certain items.

five The Stats System Is Cluttered Across Players, Equipment, And Weapons

Kirito testing a weapon in SAO

As with any MMO, "Sword Art Online" has its own accept on player progression. It'due south revealed that players who level upwards can raise either their STR (Force) or AGI (Agility) attribute. This makes sense, given how the strength of blows and the motion of one's trunk can determine the success of hit or not getting hit. Notwithstanding, the stats organisation starts falling autonomously when other items are taken into consideration.

For instance, Weapons have attributes like Sharpness, Quickness, Accuracy, Heaviness, and Durability that play into their functioning. However, Equipment don't seem to have this kind of stats-based arrangement, despite players having more than 10 Equipment Slots available. Furthermore, at that place'south no mention of how STR and AGI play into a Weapon's stats in combat, how Equipment protects players from damage, and how players even raise their HP in the first place.

four Party Combat Ruins The Point Of Raids

A soldier attacking a boss

Given the decease penalty of "Sword Art Online," it definitely makes sense to engage in any form of combat through parties. Sheer numbers alone give anyone a improve chance of survival in the game. Withal, the MMO's take on party gainsay makes information technology quite unreliable to engage in whatever grade of big-party combat.

For case, only ane player tin can engage a monster at any given time. Thanks to Switching, players can "merchandise" aggro and lead the set on against monsters. Against bosses, this allows players to trade places and recuperate while others take the lead. Nevertheless, this mechanic seems quite imbalanced against players. For instance, it's very likely for monster numbers to overwhelm players. A role player may exist able to appoint multiple foes at once, just non all players are every bit skilled as Kirito. Moreover, wide-area attacks from large monsters can nevertheless hitting multiple players anyway.

3 Sword Skill Acquisition Remains Unclear To Go Reliable

Kirito attacking a boss

Alike to special moves in a fighting game, Sword Skills are system-assisted combat moves that players automatically perform in one case they "principal" them. This serves as a nifty way for players to perform stunts without having the need to physically practice them all the time, every bit the game takes over control for them.

Information technology'south also common knowledge that all weapons have Sword Skills, and each Sword Skill can go stronger with levels. However, information technology's never mentioned how Sword Skills are acquired in the first place. For example, does using a weapon frequently eventually unlock its Sword Skills? Do players unlock specific Sword Skills in the same style, or are there prerequisite weather?

Moreover, if a Pre-Motility prompts the arrangement to use a Sword Skill, tin can a player accidentally perform a Sword Skill they don't know with an accidental Pre-Motion? These questions on skill consistency can break the enjoyment Sword Skills bring to the game.

Kirito fighting Heathcliff, both with Unique Sword Skills

Given the lack of magic in melee-focused "Sword Fine art Online," it makes sense for the game to try and compensate with flashy Sword Skills. And it's said that the game can bequeath Unique Sword Skills to certain players, where they're the just ones to always receive them. Kirito receives this McGuffin in the form of the Dual Blades, while Heathcliff has the Holy Sword.

Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing how oftentimes the game bestows Unique Sword Skills to players. Aside from Heathcliff who essentially "modded" the Sword Skill to himself, Kirito is by far the just regular actor to have one. If Kirito'southward affidavit is truthful that anyone can become a random Unique Skill, and the game tin can provide a almost-unlimited number of them, then the procedural generation of Unique Skills gives a higher chance for players to have a useless Unique Skill. Moreover, what if a player who doesn't want to fight receives Kirito'due south Dual Blades Skill?

i Crystals Are Too Fragile To Be Worth The While

Crystals in Sword Art Online

Anyone who'due south watched Sword Art Online will likely loathe the MMO'due south Crystal organization courtesy of Sachi. While there's no magic in the game, the MMO does accept Crystals that grant certain effects - from healing, to recording messages, to even teleporting people out of certain areas. These serve as a nifty mode to heal status furnishings or even cure in the eye of combat.

Still, the game does penalize the Crystal system through a number of factors. First, Crystals tend to be extremely expensive on the showtime. Secondly, certain levels - such as dungeon traps and boss levels - disable the usage of Crystals entirely, completely ruining their betoken. Considering how sure Food and Potions can help heal players anyhow, at that place doesn't seem to be much incentive getting Crystals that "may or may non" piece of work.

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