History YMMV / SwordArtOnlineAlternativeGunGaleOnline

** The [=RPG-7=] rocket launcher, as well as similar rocket launchers to an extent, is considered this to the point that most players didn't actually think it'd be added to the game. Not only is it cheap, being a Russian firearm, but it isn't a single-use weapon like most rocket launchers in the game and possessed a simple reloading process, while having enough power to take out a tank and OneHitKill most players. It also had a wide variety of ammo it could, including normal ones, [[ArmourPiercingAttack HEAT one that are designed to pierce heavy armour]], and cannonball-esque ones designed for PvP.

* ItsTheSameSoItSucks: Some people were somewhat disappointed by Squad Jam 3, since, apart from the twist midway through, it's functionally the same as the first two- a team-based battle royale.

* LesYay:

* ArcFatigue: The big conflict in the story's first arc is mostly around Karen's poor self-image regarding her height issues. Once this gets resolved after she wins the first Squad Jam and befriends Team SHINC, the major goal of the story in every single arc afterward is for LLENN and SHINC to have a proper rematch to see who's the strongest. Ten volumes in, which is another 3 Squad Jams later (plus a "bonus" Test Play match), LLENN and SHINC ''still'' haven't had their second battle, as every time it seems like it might happen, circumstances beyond their control put a stop to it. [[spoiler: And while they do seem to settle it in [=SJ4=] after getting interrupted by Fire's alliance earlier, it's not through a large-scale battle like their first fight but through LLENN and Eva having a QuickDraw duel after everyone else in the mall is dead which, while an [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMoments Awesome Moment]] in it's own right, can be seen as rather anti-climatic in the grand scheme of things]]

** The show's general soundtrack itself is no slouch either, considering it was largely composed by trance artist Starving Trancer, who is known for his many contributions to the ''VideoGame/{{Beatmania}}'' and ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' soundtracks, and the trance/Eurobeat influence is ''strong'' throughout. Standout examples include [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF4l7Q0tv_8 "Assault"]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-qeIJdRAKo "Mission Execution"]], [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGU8LvXXvI0 "Home Run Comeback"]], and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--XeztkO5tM "All-Out Rush"]].

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: In Volume 6, Fuka makes up backstories for the team of AI soldiers opposing Team LPFM, and suggests that Hassan, who looks sad, is currently in the process of being divorced by his wife, who wants custody of their daughter ([[DaddysGirl despite said daughter being closer to Hassan]]). While it's played as Fuka being eccentric as always, it turns out that [[spoiler:Jake is actually a real person whose wife once threatened to divorce him if he went back into active duty]].

* AuthorsSavingThrow: One of the biggest contentions of the ''Phantom Bullet'' arc was the new game that was introduced, Gun Gale Online, was largely left unexplored, where instead the plot of Kirito and Death Gun took center stage. This series features heavy exploration of GGO as a whole, with its many mechanics and features that the main anime left untouched.

* CriticalResearchFailure: Although it's PlayedForLaughs, when Karen was converting accounts between games, her heart rate ended up hitting well over 200 bpm from the shock. Lots of people have pointed out with a heart rate ''that'' high, she should be heading to hospital.

* {{Squick}}: While the series already amped up the blood and gore compared to its parent show, it got taken UpToEleven in Episode 12 where LLENN [[spoiler:bites Pitohui's neck and ruptures her carotid artery, spewing a great deal of blood. Yes, LLENN literally has Pitohui's blood in her mouth that she drew with her teeth.]]

** Casting Faya Mata as Miyu is funny once you consider that she's an actual gamer and is known in various gaming circles.

** For some fans, the fact that Sinon never makes an appearance to interact with any of the spin-off cast, despite being a major GGO player still involved in the game. Given that she's largely absent from the Mother's Rosario arc she could have easily fit in a SpecialGuest appearance to better tie the series together. There are implications that the cast of the spinoff interacted with the canon cast, such as Pito trying to buy Sinon's Hecate, but its still unsatisfying.

** The anime adaptation coincidentally aired during the MMO battle royale shooter genre's meteoric rise in popularity, with titles like VideoGame/{{PUBG}} and ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}''. However, both Squad Jam and Bullet of Bullets have one key difference compared to actual games in the genre, in that said games gave everyone standardized equipment or nothing at all, effectively starting everyone on a level playing field, while SJ and [=BoB=] was "Run what you brung", meaning not every player started on a level player field. 2019 saw the introduction ''[[VideoGame/CallofDutyModernWarfare2019 Call of Duty: Warzone]]'', and while it too would start all players on a level playing field[[Note]]Everyone started with a Glock 21, or with the integration of ''Black Ops: Cold War'' and ''Vanguard'', an [=M1911=], as well as a few loaded magzines[[/note]] it introduced a "Run what you brung" aspect with loadouts, where players could create loadouts ahead of time with their preferred weapons, attachments, equipment, and perks, and then retrieve them for use during a match by calling in and securing loadout drops.

** During the dome battle in [=SJ2=], one spectator suggests that the guys who teamed up against LLENN are shooting at some invisible monster, only for another to question why monsters would spawn during a battle royale tournament. Come [=SJ4=], and monster spawns end up being that tournaments anti-camping measure.

* WhatAnIdiot: The Squad Jam tournaments are geared toward a more casual crowd than the Bullet of Bullets tournament, which is where the real hardcore players go, so it's not surprising we see a less skilled player base:
** ''Almost'' averted with [[SeriousBusiness Team Narrows]] in [=SJ1=]. As expected from seasoned JSDF regulars, they display near-perfect coordination and sound tactics, a dedicated sniper pair giving the rest of the squad cover while taking full advantage of real-world knowledge of FastRoping to swiftly exit from their previous positions. They kind of dropped the ball later on when they decided to take positions on an open street without the use of cover during their hunt for LLENN, and their sniper pair not being in a more advantageous position to cover the rest of the team.
** Most of the RedShirtArmy teams like Team ZEMAL apparently think it is perfectly sound to gather and advance closely in a group, without taking cover while completely disregarding the possibility of enemy snipers within range of their squad.
** Team Memento Mori during their hovercraft assault in [=SJ1=] completely wastes their vehicular and numbers advantage by approaching LLENN and M from a single direction and in a unified formation, essentially becoming a shooting gallery for [[FriendlySniper M]]. The light novel at least tries to explain that they were staying close to conserve their fuel to fight Team SHINC afterwards.
** During [=SJ2=], ''seven'' teams had decided to [[ZergRush gang up]] on Pitohui's squad. At least four of those teams were travelling together in a tight group with a few others scattered around to cover the massed platoon. At no point did their leaders bring up the strategy of thorough recon and had assumed that all of the enemy were in a single location.
** In Episode 10, the mercenaries from [=PM4=] make some pretty poor tactical decisions during the log cabin siege, to say the least. The heavy weapons man, despite having a machine gun, [[SuicideAttack straps on a dozen grenades onto himself and rushes at the enemies]]... but they gun him down before he can get close enough to hurt anyone. The shotgunner charges down the stairs and only fires one shot before he too is mowed down. The pistolier makes the best effort, throwing a chair down the stairs and laying down suppressive fire from the 2nd floor, but he is vastly outgunned and gets shredded when an enemy fires through the floor. They could have made a better showing had they fought as a team instead of [[MookChivalry going piecemeal.]]
** In Episode 11, this is an InvokedTrope: Team SHINC and Fukaziroh decide to abandon all strategy and charge straight at Team [=PM4=]'s compound like idiots, where they all predictably get sniped out by M and Pito. Only Fuka gets spared due to Pito [[CherryTapping intentionally keeping her alive]] after shooting off all her limbs. The whole point is to break LLENN out of her funk and spur her into action, while simultaneously guaranteeing that she would be the only one left [[spoiler: so she would deal the killing blow to Pito, which would be the only defeat Pito would accept without invoking a death game penalty on herself.]]
** In the third Squad Jam, Team RGB goes in armed with laser guns, which, despite having some advantages over live bullets, ''are not meant to be used against other players'', who have shields designed to protect against those guns. [[CurbStompBattle Team SHINC makes short work of them]].
** Team DOOM enters Squad Jam 4 with a build based around ''suicide-bombing'' their enemies. While it's surprisingly effective, it gives them no hope of winning the tournament, and LLENN is eventually able to singlehandedly take down most of the team with her speed and clever tactics.

* JerkassWoobie: Fire Nishiyamada. While largely pleasant and closer to ObliviouslyEvil than genuinely malicious, he's still a StalkerWithACrush who hopes to force Karen to marry him and [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain ban her from playing GGO due to personal distaste]]. However, it's stated that similarly to Karen, he suffered a good deal of isolation and maybe even bullying growing up due to his short and pudgy appearance, making it easy to feel bad for him to an extent.

** LLENN and Fukaziroh's friendship can sometimes be seen as something [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship a little more]], especially Fuka who appears to flirt with LLENN at times. However, this seems to be just an in-game thing with Fuka; Miyu in real life doesn't seem to swing that way at all; [[spoiler: she's all over Goushi the moment she sees him in person]], and even claims to want to make Cain, one of the AI enemies in Volume 6, her boyfriend.