.hack // GU Last Recode Review - Great opportunity to step into The World

nehashetty (58)in #gaming • 7 years ago (edited)

The .hack series may not ring a bell with everyone, since it's been a long time ago. Moreover, this series was probably a little bit covered up under all the JRPG violence on the PlayStation 2. hack // GU was also added to the repertoire. With a little computer skills it was of course easy to play these games as European. For me this was in any case a nostalgic trip to experience "The World" once again.

Quick catch up

If you are not familiar with the .hack series, the story can be summarized briefly. The original series is about an MMORPG called "The World" that appears after there has been no internet in the world for two years. This game is of course immensely popular. The story line of .hack // GU is about seven years after the events of the original .hack. After the first version of The World seems to have been largely lost, the developer named CC Corp launches a new version, The World R: 2. However, there is one major problem with this version: the players can kill each other for no reason, which causes many people to do so for fun.

Being a sequel to the .hack // Roots anime series, we assume Haseo's role in revenge after his girlfriend Shino landed in a coma thanks to another player in The World called Tri-Edge. After Tri-Edge removes the forces of Haseo by using a forbidden skill, Haseo must again take the road to the top to take revenge for Shino. Besides trying to beat Tri-Edge, he also tries to find his old guild master, Ovan, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the story of .hack // Roots.

Well, if the above two paragraphs are not entirely clear to you, that is not entirely incomprehensible. There are many stories in the .hack universe in the form of games, series and even a few mangoes. Should the series sound interesting to you now, then we strongly advise you to first read into the material. This is because it is so extensive and complex that you would otherwise jump a little in the deep without knowing what you are about.

The times they are a-changin

We will not be surprised that in the setting of .hack you will soon have to think of the more popular Sword Art Online. Nevertheless, hack has been around a bit longer and it can be called a pioneer. You can also see this in a different way, because we had to swallow when we started the first chapter of the .hack // GU saga. It is clearly a PlayStation 2 title and so not fun to watch, but luckily this is compensated in many ways.

In the time that .hack came out, it was a pretty average JRPG with a very original setting and not much has changed. How well thought through the world of .hack you notice after the first few hours you spend in it. How the villages are designed and the dialogues that "other" players go with you are very recognizable if you have ever played an MMORPG and the different types of characters you encounter are mostly a nod to well-known MMOs from the past, such as EverQuest.

In addition, the story including accompanying side stories is very interesting to follow. Clearly a lot of time and attention has been put into the story. Moreover, the characters do well what they have to do. Sympathy for the hero, envy for the enemy, good and sometimes very funny dialogues, trouble is put everywhere in the paperwork. It makes the whole a very big beautiful story. In this package you will find all three volumes, but even the original story has been further expanded.

The lost episode

Yes, to this collection a fourth volume has been added under the title 'Reconnect'. Here are some loose endings from the original three storylines linked together and we step once more in the shoes of Haseo. This fourth story also looks graphic as a PS2 game, which is perhaps good considering that this story is also many times shorter than the original three. It now seems more like a kind of lost story that they have never been able to release for the PS2, but which has now found its way to the players.

A collection like this is actually worth your money. You get three games that you are happy with for quite a few hours. You even get a new (albeit mini) game and a good look at the world of .hack. The PS2 graphics during the gameplay you have to take for granted, the beautiful cut scenes have now happily become even more beautiful in HD. The gameplay is actually timeless, so if you have never had the chance to check this series, this is a great opportunity to step into The World. We think it will not disappoint the average JRPG enthusiast.

Thanks for reading.