Dot Hack is back!
The PlayStation 2 classic series is making its return to PS4 over a decade later with the anticipated release of .Hack // G.U. “Last Recode”, which includes the first 3 games, as well as a brand new 4th chapter to the story. The PS2 created many of my favorite titles ever, so as a newcomer to the .Hack series I was excited to test this game out and thought it was awesome that the first 3 games were re-mastered and included on the disc. Let’s jump in to Bandai Namco and CyberConnect2’s Japanese role-playing game series: .hack
Since I wasn’t yet familiar with .hack, I decided to begin with chapter 1 Rebirth. Keeping in mind that this game is from the early 2000’s, my first impression of the re-master was how good the game looked. From the background scenery and environment of city structures to the character’s appearance, this game looked far better than anything I remembered from PS2. The depth and detail of the graphics was very impressive, especially knowing this will improve in the new edition of chapter 4 “Last Recode”.
So, if you’re new to the .hack series like me, here’s a brief summary of what .hack is. Pronounced “dot hack”, the series was created in the early 2000’s. In a time when MMO’s (massively multiplayer online game) were still working out the kinks, .hack created a setting called “the World” and was one of the most popular. The series is paired with an anime TV show, which is very unique and focuses more on the conversation and intellectual thinking than it does action packed fight scenes. The main characters in .hack are Kite, his friend Orca, BlackRose, Wiseman, Helba, and many more. The games have received mostly positive reactions and definitely have a massive niche following.
Check out the trailer below for .hack // G.U. “Last Recode” and see what you think!
After spending some time on previous chapters, I was familiar enough to play the 4th chapter, “Last Recode”. As you can see from the trailer, the graphics on this game were greatly improved and looked fantastic in my opinion. For me, .hack took me back to the days of collecting Pokemon cards and watching cartoons. The fighting in .hack wasn’t anything spectacular, but the game functioned well and was easy and fun to play. At times, some scenes in the game got a little repetitive, but that also made the game feel easier to play and understand, especially as a newcomer to the series.
After 15 years since .hack began, with the number of followers this series still has, this game was begging for a re-master. With an all new 4th chapter, the developers of .hack really did us one better, and included 4 games in one. This game has sparked an interest in anime that I didn’t know I had. I would highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoyed the PS2 game, as well as anyone who wants to check out a series that has withstood the test of time.
.hack//G.U. Last Recode is out now and available on PS4 and PC platforms
