Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet Reviews

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is ranked in the 30th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
IGN
Top Critic
5.9 / 10.0
Mar 3, 2018

Fatal Bullet isn't a bad game, but it didn't hold my interest for very long. It's fun to be surrounded by familiar faces from the anime series, and I could see glimmers of depth in Fatal Bullet's combat and upgrade systems. However, the poor story pacing and the repetitive nature of exploration dragged it down. While it's a good change of pace for games based on SAO, it still lacks the polish needed to really stand out.

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7 / 10.0
Feb 25, 2018

Despite the rough edges, Dimps' work is easy to like if you're a Sword Art Online fan hungry for something new to advance the franchise with. Though ultimately held back by the jank, it's definitely worth checking out, if for nothing else than a welcome change of pace and setting.

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7 / 10
Mar 1, 2018

For fans of the anime, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is a great use of the license that brings some welcome changes to the series. There are still the recurring issues of pacing and a number of technical flaws that diminish the rest of the game's achievements, but this hopefully sets a new benchmark for the franchise going forward.

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7 / 10.0
Feb 27, 2018

Fatal Bullet is a conservative game that could have take more advantage from the Sword Art Online universe. However, it is a great game and is suitable for those who love the anime.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

6 / 10.0
Feb 23, 2018

Dimps Studios could have gone further with a brand like Sword Art Online. Fatal Bullet has a too classic design and, finally, the previous video games are more fun and original than this third person shooter-JRPG. Its main attraction is in the cooperative missions.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7.8 / 10.0
Feb 23, 2018

A good tie-in of the originale anime series, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is a solid JRPG, a bit repetitive and with the difficulty not well balanced.

Review in Italian | Read full review

5.5 / 10.0
Feb 23, 2018

A slow start to Fatal Bullet makes way for some great gunplay, but that peters out as derivative dungeon design and bullet sponge bosses take hold and throttle the life out of it.

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60 / 100
Mar 8, 2018

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, for somebody only remotely aware of the source material, is an enjoyable game with interesting tricks in design held back by an otherwise intrusive plot. Somebody who loves the source material will think the game deserves a higher score, and somebody who hates the source material will think the game deserves a lower score, but that's ultimately what holds the game back from being something successful; it wants to be the anime, not a game. And as a game about an anime about a game, it seems like a missed opportunity.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Mar 14, 2018

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.

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7 / 10.0
Mar 1, 2018

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet could have been an exceptional title in the franchise, with a little more work on its story and skills system, Its combat, exploration, and great boss battles, on the other hand, make Fatal Bullet the best Sword Art Online title to date.

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75 / 100
Mar 2, 2018

Particularly, the shooting and movement mechanics felt great…

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6 / 10
Feb 23, 2018

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is easily the most polished Sword Art Online game to date, but it's also one of the least imaginative. A strange union of third-person shooting and role-playing action, it offers up quite a unique mix of gameplay and a progression loop that's really quite addictive, but the overall package rarely thrills. By stepping away from Kirito and the gang, the story definitely benefits, but it's not enough to inject life into a game that often feels bland and monotonous. Fatal Bullet's still a solid anime-based title, but unless you love to grind, you'll likely lose interest.

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7.1 / 10.0
Feb 23, 2018

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is not a bad game per se, there are no real flaws or problems, but the overall experience is a little bland and generic. Things get a little (but just a little) better if you play with some friends, even in PvP. It's your typical product that will only please the hardcore fans of the original material, nothing more.

Review in Italian | Read full review

GameMAG
xtr
Top Critic
7 / 10
Feb 23, 2018

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is probably the best project in the series over the past few years. It features nice combat mechanics and an interesting system for collecting loot and exploring dungeons. On the other hand, it lacks a good story and proper explanation of important game elements. Sadly, our final impression was spoiled.

Review in Russian | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Apr 13, 2018

As someone who loves Monster Hunter, Phantasy Star Online and the Lost Planet spin-off E.X. Troopers on the 3DS, I found “Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet” to be surprisingly enjoyable. It still lacks polish in some areas and its anime-style look and story won’t be for everyone. If you’re looking for an MMO-inspired third-person shooter with old-school loot hunting and grinding plus online co-op, however, Fatal Bullet just might hit all the targets in your brain’s pleasure centers.

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6 / 10
Mar 13, 2018

Sword Art Online : Fatal Bullet has some flaws, but it can be a satisfying game if you're a fan of the anime.

Review in French | Read full review

Generación Xbox
J.M. Subirosky
Top Critic
7.3 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2018

An Action JRPG based on the famous anime series. Interesting third-person shootter mechanics and a plot that will be appreciated especially for fans of the series, because Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet its better a fanservice title than a role game. Recommended for Sword Art Online fans.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7.5 / 10.0
Feb 28, 2018

I enjoyed most of my time with Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet but I felt that it could have been a better experience with improved dungeon design and controls. Thankfully, this is a great new direction for the SAO series to be headed. Hopefully, the next video game installment will continue the trajectory of Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet and make this series the best it can be for fans.

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Mar 2, 2018

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet may be a good change of pace for fans, but it misses the mark in a few too many places to really recommend to new players.

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7 / 10.0
Feb 27, 2018

Excepting its online shortcomings, however, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is easily the best game using the license yet. Everything feels more polished, and though the game's setting sacrifices the bright colors and exciting worlds that have been the saving graces of past titles, the gameplay and structure more than make up for it. Fans will enjoy the unique story and major character appearances, and those new to the world of SAO will inevitably find themselves losing hours to the grind without realizing it before late-game fatigue finally begins to set in. In that regard, Fatal Bullet does something that no other title in the series has done—making a game about a show about a video game finally, inexplicably, a decent game after all.

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