Info about Sword Art Online: Integral Factor:

Official game description:
The popular smartphone game SWORD ART ONLINE: Integral Factor (SAOIF) will now be available on Steam!  
Play it with a controller or your keyboard with custom key configurations!  
See the world of Aincrad come to life on a large PC monitor!  
This time, the protagonist is...you!  
You appear in this online RPG as a member of an Assault Team, working with other imprisoned players to reach the 100th floor of Aincrad!  
What if you were trapped in a game of life or death?  
You can experience meeting familiar characters and connecting to the original SAO story from your own POV.  
Experience behind-the-scenes stories not seen in the original SAO, and completely different story developments! Live out a "what-if" story where you affect Aincrad!  
Battle System  
Fight through the sprawling fields of Aincrad with your partner Koharu, trapped together in a game of life and death!  
You'll need to cooperate with Assault Teams across the land and battle together to beat powerful monsters and tough quests! Forging stronger weapons, using skills with all kinds of effects, and preparing for each enemy's weak points and attack patterns are all key to your success!

Release date: 21 Aug, 2023

Categories: Action RPG, Cooperative Multiplayer, Real-time Combat, Exploration, Character Customization, Crafting, Linear Progression


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Strong SAO Franchise Integration (weight 0.78): The game is highly praised by fans of the Sword Art Online (SAO) franchise for its faithful adaptation of the anime/manga. It offers an immersive experience within the SAO world, featuring beloved characters and an engaging storyline that often provides new perspectives or alternative scenarios to the original narrative. The story is considered a major draw, keeping players hooked.
- Enjoyable & Engaging Gameplay (weight 0.58): Players consistently find the game enjoyable, especially when playing with friends or a guild. The cooperative multiplayer aspects are highlighted as a major strength, making the game addictive and a good way to pass time. The gameplay is described as engaging and easy to learn, with a satisfying grind for those who embrace it.
- Successful PC Port & Performance (weight 0.32): The game's transition from mobile to PC (Steam) is well-received, with many players appreciating the improved performance, higher frame rates, and better controls on PC. It's noted as a successful mobile port, and its compatibility with Steam Deck further enhances its accessibility and playability across different platforms.
- F2P Friendly & Generous Gacha (weight 0.25): The game is widely considered free-to-play friendly, with players able to progress without spending money. The gacha system is noted for being generous, frequently providing free pulls and premium currency through daily activities, events, and quests, which prevents a 'pay-to-win' feeling.
- Immersive Aincrad Exploration (weight 0.18): A significant aspect of the game is its faithful recreation of Aincrad, allowing players to explore and progress through all 100 floors. This floor-by-floor progression is highly satisfying for SAO fans, with each floor offering unique exploration, strategies, and story content.
- Intuitive & Responsive Controls (weight 0.09): The game features straightforward and well-implemented controls, including meticulous controller support and good keyboard mapping. The tutorial effectively teaches game mechanics, making it easy for new players to learn and understand the gameplay quickly.
- Satisfying Combat System (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the combat system, describing it as simple yet satisfying. The fluid animations and variety of weapons contribute to a positive fighting experience, with a rich damage scaling system.
- Consistent New Content & Events (weight 0.08): The game consistently provides new content, including regular updates, special events, and additional floors. This continuous stream of content, along with free rewards and in-game currency, helps maintain player interest and engagement over time.
- Extensive Character Customization (weight 0.08): The game offers extensive character customization options, allowing players to personalize their appearance, clothing, weapons, and skills. This freedom in character creation adds a personal touch to the gameplay experience.

Common complaints:
- Excessive Loading Screens (weight 0.96): A significant number of players reported excessive and long loading screens, often appearing after minimal actions like dialogue or moving short distances. This severely disrupts gameplay flow and contributes to a 'loading screen simulator' feeling, making the game feel tedious and unplayable for many.
- Poor PC Port & Outdated Graphics (weight 0.94): Many players found the game to be a poorly optimized mobile port for PC, leading to frequent crashes, glitches, and an overall unpolished experience. The graphics are consistently criticized as outdated and low-quality, resembling older mobile games rather than a modern PC title.
- Critical Technical Issues (weight 0.85): Players frequently encountered critical technical issues such as constant crashes, black screens on startup, and complete lack of in-game sound or choppy audio. These problems often render the game unplayable, preventing users from even accessing or enjoying the content.
- Repetitive & Excessive Grinding (weight 0.74): The game is heavily criticized for its repetitive and extensive grinding requirements for materials, leveling, and equipment. This grind often feels monotonous and is exacerbated by the game's balance, which seems to assume party play, making solo progression extremely time-consuming.
- Awkward Controls & Mechanics (weight 0.73): The game's controls, particularly for keyboard and mouse on PC, are widely described as uncomfortable, unintuitive, and 'anti-human.' This makes the gameplay experience awkward and difficult to adapt to, contributing to a general feeling of unpolished mechanics.
- Wasted Potential (weight 0.58): The game is perceived as a wasted opportunity, failing to deliver on its potential. Players noted a lack of immersive RPG elements, shallow character creation, and a general feeling that developers did not fully commit to the project.
- Lack of Language Localization (weight 0.53): Several players expressed frustration over the lack of language localization, specifically mentioning no support for Brazilian Portuguese and Italian. This significantly hinders accessibility and enjoyment for non-English speaking audiences.
- Unfair Gacha System (weight 0.37): The gacha system is a major point of contention, described as 'terrible' and 'pay-to-win' with extremely low drop rates for desirable items. Players reported spending significant money without guaranteed results, and difficulty acquiring in-game currency for pulls after the main story.
- Problematic Account Transfer (weight 0.11): The account transfer system is problematic, with players reporting loss of progress, especially all acquired gems, when attempting to switch platforms. The process is described as poorly translated and unintuitive, leading to significant frustration and data loss.

Gameplay feedback:
- F2P Mobile MMORPG with Gacha (weight 0.24): The game is a free-to-play mobile MMORPG with cross-platform support. It heavily features gacha mechanics for obtaining skills, passive abilities, and cosmetic items, which is a common monetization strategy in this genre.
- Grindy Gameplay Loop (weight 0.15): Players frequently mention that the game involves a significant amount of grinding, primarily through repeatedly killing monsters. While some find the grind average, others describe it as intensive or extreme.
- Custom Protagonist, Not Kirito (weight 0.11): Unlike the original Sword Art Online story, players create and control their own custom protagonist within the Aincrad setting, rather than playing as Kirito. This allows for a personalized experience within the established universe.
- Action MMORPG Combat (weight 0.1): The game is an action MMORPG with hack-and-slash combat, focusing on real-time battles, dungeon exploration, and player interaction. It includes typical online game features like party and guild systems.
- Easy to Learn, Hard to Master (weight 0.1): The game is generally considered easy to learn, with straightforward systems and controls that players can quickly grasp. However, mastering the gameplay and its nuances presents a greater challenge.
- Robust Social & Party Play (weight 0.1): The game supports various social features, including party play, guild formation, and cooperative activities like group dungeons. While not mandatory, teaming up with friends is highlighted as an enjoyable aspect.
- Restricted World Navigation (weight 0.06): Despite being an MMORPG, the game does not feature a truly open world. Instead, players are restricted to specific areas and cannot freely fly or jump, indicating a more structured progression through defined zones.
- Aincrad Floor Progression (weight 0.04): The core progression involves climbing through the floors of Aincrad, from the first to the 100th. Players engage in quests, dungeons, and events as they advance through each floor.
- Average Story Progression (weight 0.04): The game's story, while starting strong, tends to decline in quality around the midpoint. It offers its own unique developments within the SAO universe, deviating from the original anime plot.
- Craftable & Purchasable Gear (weight 0.04): Equipment, consisting of weapons and armor, can be acquired through crafting or purchasing. Materials for crafting are primarily obtained by defeating monsters.
- Customizable Partner Buffs (weight 0.04): Players can customize their in-game partners with various buffs, including healing, attack, and defense enhancements, allowing for strategic support in combat.
- Extensive Content & Playtime (weight 0.04): The game offers a vast amount of content, suggesting an almost infinite playtime. This implies a continuous stream of activities and progression opportunities for dedicated players.
- Accelerated Early Leveling (weight 0.03): Early game quests, particularly on Floor 1, provide significant experience points, allowing for rapid level progression. The main story's difficulty has been adjusted to facilitate smoother advancement up to Floor 100.

Performance notes:
- Good PC Performance (weight 0.13): The PC version generally offers better performance and stability compared to mobile, with many users reporting smooth 60 FPS gameplay on mid-range systems. Initial instability issues seem to have improved.
- Excessive Loading Screens (weight 0.09): Players are experiencing excessive and frequent loading screens, even on high-speed NVMe SSDs. This significantly disrupts gameplay flow and consumes a large portion of playtime.
- Dated Graphics Quality (weight 0.06): The game's graphics are generally considered dated, often compared to older console generations or mobile games. However, they are described as clean and allow for playability on less powerful hardware.
- Authentication Error Fix (weight 0.04): A common 'authenticating...(1)' error can be resolved by changing system region settings to United States, English (United States). This is a specific workaround for a critical login issue.
- Crashes Mostly Fixed (weight 0.04): Initial reports of game crashes appear to have been addressed and fixed, likely through recent maintenance or updates.
- Black Screen/Entry Fixes (weight 0.03): Some players encounter black screens or issues entering the game, which can often be fixed by restarting the game or disabling the Steam Overlay.
- No In-Game Sound (weight 0.02): Some players have reported a complete lack of in-game sound, suggesting a significant audio bug or configuration issue.
- BGM Interruption Fix (weight 0.02): An issue causing background music interruptions on PC can be resolved by verifying the integrity of game files through the platform launcher.
- No Bugs Experienced (weight 0.02): One reviewer reported not experiencing any bugs or errors, indicating that not all players are encountering the issues mentioned by others.
- Launch Day Stability Expected (weight 0.01): A general observation that even large MMORPGs often face stability issues on their launch day, providing context for initial PC version problems.

Recommendations:
- Mixed Recommendation (weight 0.38): Overall sentiment regarding the game's recommendation is mixed, with many players recommending it, especially for fans of the franchise or those seeking a casual experience, while others advise against it due to various issues.
- Technical Issues & PC Port (weight 0.22): Many players report significant technical issues, particularly with the PC port, including crashing, audio problems, and general instability. They recommend waiting for fixes or playing on mobile.
- For SAO Fans (weight 0.17): The game is highly recommended for fans of the Sword Art Online (SAO) anime and franchise, as it caters to their specific interests and provides an immersive experience within the SAO universe.
- Grindy Gameplay Loop (weight 0.08): The game involves significant grinding, which is a core gameplay loop. Players should be prepared for this aspect, with some recommending daily dungeons to optimize resource collection.
- Play on Mobile (weight 0.05): Several players suggest that the mobile version of the game offers a superior and more stable experience compared to the PC port.
- Gacha System Frustration (weight 0.02): A specific frustration point is receiving armor skills instead of weapon skills from the gacha system, leading to a recommendation to quit the game if this occurs.
- Better MMO Alternatives (weight 0.02): Players suggest considering other established MMOs like FF14 or Lost Ark, or waiting for upcoming titles like Blue Protocol, if seeking a more robust MMO experience.
- Wait for Stability (weight 0.02): Players are advised to be patient and wait for the game to stabilize, implying ongoing issues that need developer attention.
- Story-Only Players (weight 0.02): For players primarily interested in the story, it's suggested that watching videos of others playing might be a better option than playing the game themselves.
- Play with Friends (weight 0.02): For players who dislike playing alone, it's recommended to start the game with 2-3 friends to enhance the experience.
- Server Improvements Needed (weight 0.02): There's an expectation or desire for SA servers or new servers specifically for new players to improve the online experience.
- New Player Guidance (weight 0.02): New players are encouraged to seek out tips and guides to better understand and navigate the game.
- Casual Play Experience (weight 0.02): The game is described as suitable for casual, relaxed play, even suggesting multitasking during loading screens.

Other player notes:
- Mobile game port (weight 0.21): Many players noted that the game is a direct port of an older mobile game, originally released around 2017. This suggests a lack of significant PC-specific adaptations or optimizations.
- Appeals to SAO fans (weight 0.09): The game is primarily appealing to fans of the Sword Art Online series, especially those looking for a free PC version or an alternative to more expensive SAO titles.
- Long-term player base (weight 0.06): Several long-term players have been with the game for many years, often since its initial mobile release, indicating a dedicated existing player base.
- Cross-platform account linking (weight 0.04): The game allows progress to be saved and transferred between devices using Google or Apple accounts, enabling cross-platform play, potentially via emulators like Bluestacks.
- Suggests new game systems (weight 0.04): Players suggest adding new features like a PvP system for different floor levels and a player-to-player trade system to enhance gameplay and interaction.
- Overly simplistic gameplay (weight 0.03): Some players found the gameplay to be overly simplistic, suggesting it might lack depth or challenge for experienced gamers.
- Poor customer support (weight 0.02): A significant issue is the lack of accessible support channels to contact Bandai, which can be frustrating for players encountering problems.
- Non-canon story elements (weight 0.02): The game's story is noted as non-canon to the main SAO series but incorporates unique elements not found in the original books.
- Positive community (weight 0.02): The game's community is generally perceived as positive and supportive by players.
- PC preferred over mobile (weight 0.02): A specific reason for playing the PC port is the discomfort of playing games on a smartphone for extended periods.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.28): Players are primarily frustrated by a wide array of technical issues, including constant crashes, disconnections, excessive loading screens, and poor PC optimization. Additionally, issues with the gacha system, grind, and account transfer problems contribute significantly to this negative emotion.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.22): Players express satisfaction due to the game's appeal to Sword Art Online fans, its engaging story, and its free-to-play model. The ability to create custom avatars, enjoy cooperative play, and the game's overall quality, especially after PC improvements, also contribute to positive experiences.
- Disappointment (weight 0.22): Disappointment stems from the game's perceived poor quality, particularly its mobile game origins and dated graphics, which lead to a lack of immersion and depth on PC. Issues like repetitive grinding, poor PC optimization, and misleading cross-platform functionality also contribute to this sentiment.
- Joy (weight 0.05): Joy is experienced through the game's fun gameplay, engaging combat, and exploration. The availability of gamepad support on Steam, continuous updates with free rewards, and an improved PC experience compared to mobile also contribute to this positive emotion.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Players feel excitement from the game's engaging and addictive gameplay, the availability of new content not seen in the anime, and the overall quality and potential of the game, especially its presence on Steam and the ability to explore Aincrad as a custom character.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is primarily caused by critical technical issues such as game data deletion, failed account transfers, and unplayable states due to bugs and poor design. Perceived lack of care from the developers regarding release quality and aggressive monetization practices also fuel this emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Enjoyment is derived from cooperative play, the overall game experience once learned, and the game's appeal to Sword Art Online fans. Players find the grinding, story, and weapon systems enjoyable, contributing to a fun and accessible experience.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is triggered by replaying the game, especially for those who previously played on mobile or Memory Defrag. Familiar characters and the soundtrack also evoke fond memories from past experiences.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance arises from various design choices, including the chat feature, noisy NPCs, and the forced beginner quests with constant teleporting for dialogue. Mobile-like controls, low-resolution icons, and segment-by-segment loading also contribute to this feeling.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion is caused by unresolved technical issues, difficulty with game mechanics like exiting, and perplexing design choices such as gem loss during cross-platform transfers. Players also express confusion regarding the purpose of cross-play without currency transfer and the overall game type.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom is a result of repetitive and dry gameplay, particularly in the early game with excessive dialogue and hand-holding. The linear progression and monotony contribute to a lack of engagement for some players.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is expressed for future improvements, particularly for bug fixes, translation support, and the potential for the game to achieve its full potential. Players anticipate fixes for persistent crashing issues, indicating a desire for a better experience.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief is felt when significant technical issues, such as crash bugs, are resolved, allowing for a smoother gameplay experience. The free-to-play model and the ability to play at higher frame rates on PC compared to mobile also contribute to this positive feeling.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): Addiction is noted by players who continue to play the game despite acknowledging its flaws, indicating an engaging nature. The game's ability to captivate players and keep them invested contributes to this strong desire to continue playing.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.01): Mild frustration is caused by repetitive gameplay, the presence of microtransactions, and frequent loading screens. Excessive dialogue and the lack of certain features, along with occasional graphics issues and crashes, also contribute to this less severe form of frustration.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Players express a desire for specific new features, such as a PvP system, and for broader language support, particularly Spanish. These desires indicate areas where players feel the game could be improved to enhance their experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is shown for the game's unique story approach, attention to detail, and the depth of its card system. The development of side characters and the 'bonsai' nature of the game also contribute to this positive sentiment.
- Helpfulness (weight 0.01): Helpfulness is demonstrated by players who offer advice, detailed guides, and solutions for common technical issues like black screens. This indicates a community effort to assist others in overcoming game-related problems.
- Surprise (weight 0): Surprise is experienced when players discover the game is free, or when they find themselves playing for much longer than initially anticipated. This indicates that the game exceeded their initial expectations in a positive way.
- Sarcasm (weight 0): Sarcasm is used by players to express dissatisfaction with the game's quality, often by using ironic or mocking language, such as calling it 'Blackscreen Simulator'. This indicates a strong negative sentiment conveyed indirectly.}