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Sword Art Online is the definition of "potential", an initial storyline that started off comfortably but left a slight bitter taste in my mouth as I progressed. Although the flaws within the anime are clearly visible, it didn't stop me from enjoying it.
<<I'll try to make this a non-bias review>>

Story 6/10
First Arc (SAO Episode 1-14):
The plot of the story was initially breathtaking. The story that if you died in the game, you would die in real life was breathtaking. The story that the characters within SAO had to clear 100 floors to log out was breathtaking. However, what I received from the anime seemed to ... stray away from the story where we are introduced to multiple other characters and followed their journey within the world of SAO. Except that what they achieved had nothing to do with the clearing of floors, but were just random scenes in the anime which seemed rather unnecessary. It took a few episodes before the characters finally got back on track and started following the road of clearing floors and "escaping the world they are stuck in". The concept of the story had massive potential but the anime seemed lackluster from around episode 4-7. The other episodes were thoroughly enjoyable however, where we get to see several floors being cleared and also development of romance between Kirito and Asuna. One massive selling point in the anime to me was the plot-twist towards the end, where it was surprisingly unexpected to me when I first watched SAO. It made the story take a massive turning point where Kirito had a choice/opportunity to clear all the floors once and for all in a single battle. "Epic" could probably be used to describe the last few episodes in this arc.

Second Arc (ALO Episode 15-25):
The second arc was rather disappointing. Fairies just didn't seem to suit the concept of the anime. After watching the first arc, I was expecting a plot similar to the first, but I was left with my head shaking and I never received the enjoyment that I experienced in the SAO world. One of the main drawbacks in the second arc was the removal of "dying in the game = dying in real life", which means that once a character died in the game they would respawn, meaning that there are no fears of dying. The objective of ALO was not very appealing too, how Kirito had to save Asuna from Sugou. I stuck through with it however, and I still ended up enjoying the action scenes and how Kirito progressed through the unknown world in which he was thrown into, or forced himself to be thrown into.

Art + Animations 8/10
The art in SAO is not in any means unique from other anime, but it excelled in setting an atmosphere for each scene in the anime. You get bright, vivid colors in cheerful scenes, you get dark, gloomy colors in times of despair. Animations are fluid, making each swing of a sword feel impactful and causing severe damage to the receiving end. Sword skills seem powerful and doesn't seem "forced". There were a few scenes where sword skills seemed "idle" and just the background moved, but its only noticeable in a frame by frame pause. Budget Art Online

Sound 9/10
The sound in SAO was amazing, as expected from Yuki Kajiura. The sounds from the anime were enough to cause shivers and goosebumps at intense moments, while feeling contented and happy during the lively, romantic interactions between Kirito and Asuna. Only downside was the transitions of the soundtrack between scenes, which seemed unnatural and didn't flow well.
OPs and EDs were decent in both arcs, with OPs having a more "hyped" tone to them and EDs having a calm one, which suits what an OP and ED should achieve with the audience.

Characters 7/10
The only two characters I felt attached to were Kirito and Asuna as they had the most development between them. I felt like the other side characters were thrown around and appeared randomly, then discarded, then reappear again. Aside from the side characters, it was intriguing by how Kirito and Asuna slowly developed feelings for each other as they worked together in the VRMMO world, and it was clear that there was a transition of the initial hatred from Asuna to Kirito, then slowly accepting him, and finally being together as they realize how much they care for each other. Yui as a character was.... okay, I didn't seem bothered by a computer AI being an adopted daughter of the two main leads. She was cute at times and she did do well in strengthening the bond between Kirito and Asuna. I have mixed feelings when she says "Daddy" however.... a mix of cute and cringe, but I let it slide.
One of my biggest dislikes for characters within SAO was how the image of Asuna transitioned from SAO to ALO, being a strong, dependable lady to being a damsel in distress and being completely helpless in the arc of ALO, which set a sour mood for the entire second half of the anime as I enjoyed Asuna as a character from the first arc.

Enjoyment 9/10
SAO was an anime I enjoyed throughout, although there were some obvious flaws in it that I had to force myself to ignore. Action scenes felt intense and impactful. Romance and progression of the relationship between Kirito and Asuna was well made and I adored every interaction between the two of them. Soundtracks were catchy and really managed to set a direct mood as I watched. Pace of the anime was fitting for the number of episodes and seemed to flow well from episode to episode, leaving appropriate cliffhangers to make me keep craving for more. I would recommend SAO for those who love action and romance in particular, with slight drama.

Overall 7/10