The Open Network Test (ONT) in September 2024 wasn’t a short glimpse; it was a dramatic limit test of both the servers and the players, thus it became the teaser for one of the most daring SAO titles ever.
ONT experience was nothing like any other demo. ONT was an invitation to players from PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC to compete simultaneously in the same event. What would be even better is the confirmation of the loot transfer. All the first-time accessories and weapons that were acquired during the ONT could, therefore, be moved to the finished game, thus allowing the prologue players to have a considerable advantage. For the fans who delight themselves in the frenzy of gear chasing, that was a huge attraction.
The story of Fractured Daydream is not the feat of one single character. It is a title of massive, co-op chaos. The ONT was holding 20-player raids where teams battled the likes of The Skull Reaper and Sword Golem, two of the most legendary bosses. At first, players were in five groups of four, each with its own set of objectives, before merging for the grand finale.
In the first stage, the teams faced off against each other to rack up points by completing objectives, killing enemies, and gathering loot. Then, everyone combined forces for a single massive co-op battle, which could be the attack or defense of siege-towered objectives or the fight against a giant boss. In the game, the player who dealt the killing blow to the boss was allowed to be in a special place in the spotlight, thereby offering an extra motivation to players.
One of the largest hooks in this game is its character selection. The ONT provided nine of the final 21, each playing classic RPG roles such as Fighter, Tank, Rogue, Mage, Ranger, and Support. Kirito and Asuna served equal DPS duty, Agil stood in as a Tank, and Argo and LLENN provided agility and quickness as Rogues. Oberon excelled at magic disruption, Sinon and Fukaziroh provided terrifying long-range firepower, and Leafa kept them all alive with heals and buffs.
The diversity didn’t just stop at looks; every character had unique mechanics that shifted how you fought fights.
No SAO game would be complete without a gear grind, and the ONT did not disappoint. Players could use mods that increased stats such as damage, critical chance, or health. Mods were available in various rarities, and the gold-tier mods provided the most benefit. The twist? You only carried one, so each pickup was a tactical choice.
Bosses and more formidable enemies dropped the most desirable loot, with legendary equipment providing significant performance increases. All the loot from the ONT was transferred to the regular game if players maintained their save data.
Bandai Namco and Dimps went out of their way to make it obvious they were going big. Fractured Daydream was the ultimate SAO crossover, bringing characters, worlds, and timelines together in ways that no fan ever thought possible. It wasn’t about the flash of the cameo appearances; there were solid story points, enemies turned allies, characters brought back from the dead, and special conversations between unlikely partners.
The game has just kept on evolving since the ONT. Besides the new DLC adding characters like M and Pitohui from Gun Gale Online, it has also introduced more missions, costumes, and guns. There are even more new game modes, and a Nintendo Switch demo has given a chance to more players to experience 20-player raids and co-op challenges.
Every update keeps the player base engaged as they look forward to more massive battles, new characters, and further interaction across different worlds.
SWORD ART ONLINE Fractured Daydream’s ONT was more than a tech test; it was an intent statement. This is a game designed for fans who wish to see their beloved heroes and villains come together, face insurmountable odds, and possibly walk away with the best loot in the digital world.