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They should have just cut it into two anime. I mean, a big part of what people liked about SAO was that the world of SAO was explored and detailed, it felt like it could have been a real world and it made the viewer wish SAO was real. While I didn't like the second half of the SAO arc as much of the first (episode 6 - end of SAO arc), I still think it worked better than ALO.
Alfheim was way too rushed, though. Characters and plot points didn't have time for development, we really didn't learn much about ALO, and because the stakes this time around were so much lower, without the former items the adventure didn't really stick. I mean, I've heard that Fairy Dance, the ALO Light Novel, wasn't as good as SAO, but it devoted two whole books to the development of ALO. I even considered not watching ALO at all, and I almost didn't finish it...can't really say that I'm happy that I did.
I am looking forward to GGO, though. The series was in need of a new protag and it won't be as rushed. Plus, less Asuna X Kirito, which is fine with me.