After taking the anime world by storm, it’s no surprise that Sword Art Online’s video game adaptations have found a loyal and dedicated audience, Hollow Realization being no exception. Utilizing the dynamics between its fan-favorite characters as well as an intricate, fast-paced action-RPG combat system, it brings players further into the latest adventures of Kirito and his friends in a way that raises the bar for future installments. That said, the series is still fairly new and only has so many other titles tied to the property to play, leaving players with the question of what to move onto once the credits roll. Luckily, we’re here to help with a list of seven games to play if you’re looking for something similar.
Shining Resonance Refrain
Games Like Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization if You’re Looking for Something Similar
The most recent entry in the Shining Resonance series to make its way to the West, Shining Resonance Refrain drops players into the role of Yuma, a young boy who has been imprisoned and experimented on by the evil empire due to his body housing the soul of the legendary Shining Dragon. One day, he finds himself rescued by Sonia, the princess of Astoria, and sides with her faction of Dragoneers, a group of warriors who wield Shining Dragon-infused weapons known as Armonics. What follows is an action-packed adventure of friendship, overcoming the odds, and a hefty helping of other tried and true JRPG goodness.
Though this can cause the game to fall into some pitfalls – the overarching story can be generic and predictable, and some of the extraneous features feel flat – the gameplay is polished enough to keep players on from one battle to the next. Likewise, the interactions between the characters are well done and help make their relationships feel believable and earned, helping to make their journey that much more enticing to complete.
Tales of Berseria
Games Like Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization if You’re Looking for Something Similar
The latest entry in the renowned Tales series, Tales of Berseria has all the fixings of the previous titles presented in a darker, more dire package. Set in a world where a select few are given the ability to see dark and demonic creatures, the story follows Velvet, a woman whose village fell victim to daemons. She and her brother survived the ordeal only to be dragged into another years later at the hands of their brother-in-law Artorius, the true culprit of the attack. Furious and bestowed with a daemonic right arm by the second attack, Velvet swears revenge and sets about to end Artorius’ ambitions by any means necessary, forming a party of like-minded anti-heroes out to break the imperfect order of the world around them.
In addition to the series’ trademark combat system, the soundtrack, story and character moments of Berseria are all top notch. Each hour spent in pursuit of a chaotic revenge will melt away, whether its thanks to a well-timed exchange between Velvet and her friends or one of the many high-stakes battles between them and a fantastical monster. Just don’t go in expecting any overly happy endings.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Games Like Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization if You’re Looking for Something Similar
The nation of Dalmasca lies in an uneasy peace with the Archadian Empire, defeated in an earlier war that saw the Empire take control by force. This delicate balance begins to shift when Vaan, a young man eager to be free of their rule, finds himself drawn into the dealings of sky pirates and crosses the paths of revolutionaries eager to restore Ashe, the nation’s princess, to her throne. From there, these unlikely allies form a party and journey forth toward a new peace, not only for their home nation, but for all of the cultures and peoples within and outside of the empire.
Full of deception, sinister plots and intrigue, Final Fantasy XII was something special even in the heyday of JRPGs. It’s no surprise then that the honed and refined remaster, The Zodiac Age, is just as good if not better: Combat has received an overhaul, with quality of life features like fast forwarding through battles and a reworked character progression system allowing for better, faster options to combat. Likewise, the visuals have received a minor visual makeover to help the game stand alongside modern works and better illustrate the intellectual storytelling to its fullest. Though it may take some time to get into, it’ll be worth it to cross this under-appreciated classic off of your list.
God Eater Resurrection
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Originally a PlayStation Portable title released in 2010, the God Eater series has made leaps and bounds in terms of its gameplay and storytelling. Set in a world where an unknown mutation has triggered the rise of man-eating creatures called Aragami, players take the role of a wielder of a God Arc, weapons crafted from Aragami which can kill the beasts in turn. Together with other members of humankind’s dwindling resistance, their goal is to hunt down the fiercest and most deadly of the Aragami, figure out what led to their rise and end their sweeping carnage of the planet once and for all.
Though there have been several iterations in the series since its debut and just as many improvements, Resurrection offers all of this progress in one, remastered package. Boasting the original game’s story with refined visuals, cameos by characters from the anime adaptations and new gameplay mechanics, there’s plenty to hook you in for all of the game’s bleak and bonkers anime action.
Attack on Titan 2
Games Like Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization if You’re Looking for Something Similar
Few games have reproduced an anime’s potential like Attack on Titan 2 does, and fewer still have expanded on the universe in a way that feels natural and organic. Set during the events of the first two seasons, the story allows players to swing and slash their way across titan-infested battlefields as their own created character, working alongside the main cast to uncover the secret of where and how to free humanity from the man-eating creatures once and for all. Along the way players can also get to know each character and improve their bonds with them, unlocking bonuses and fleshing out their relationships for an added emotional punch whenever one is lost. If you’re looking for a great anime tie-in game, this is the one for you.
Be sure to mention some of your favorite games that remind you of Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization in the comments below, and be sure to check out some of our list of anime to watch if you’re a fan of the Sword Art Online anime.
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