.hack//Infection //Mutation //Outbreak //Quarantine (2002-03)

.hack//Infection, etc. (2002-03)

Genre: RPG  |  Players: 1  |  Developer: CyberConnect2

To clarify the confusing titling, there are four games in the series, each telling part of a lengthy story and each with the .hack// prefix. The games in order are: Vol 01 .hack//Infection | Vol 02 .hack//Mutation | Vol 03 .hack//Outbreak | Vol 04 .hack//Quarantine.

They're a traditional JRPG but resemble an MMORPG that remains one hundred percent offline. The story goes something like this: a popular MMORPG known as The World has caused a small number of players to fall into a coma. The game's creators attempt to hush the situation, but the scandal still breaks.

Despite the danger, a young boy named Kite selflessly enters the game to help his friend Orca, one of the coma victims. Kite believes the answer to the mystery lies within The World itself. He's a hero but doesn't know it yet; it's up to you to guide him to his destiny.

You'll be accompanied in the early stages by a female character named BlackRose, a sword wielder (Heavy Blade) who has her own reasons for playing the game but who also plays a crucial role in the drama that unfolds surrounding Kite. Together BlackRose and Kite (i.e., you, the player) hunt for a solution to the coma problem and make a few friends along the way. By the end of the adventure, you'll have many people to call upon to form your core party of three. You can swap party members in and out between missions… if they're available, that is.

The illusion of being online with thousands of other players from all over the real world is maintained by having each character display a message box above their head and attend to personal errands when not in your party. The illusion is only broken when you activate FMV sequences that advance the story, but it's a welcome intrusion.

When not involved in primary story missions, dungeon crawling, weapon hunting, inventory shuffling, etc, you can 'log out' of the game to a desktop that has simulated news updates, a message board that directs you to new areas, changeable wallpaper, and even a dedicated email client to receive mail from the players you meet in-game.

Character classes are typical of the RPG genre: swords, axes, magic users, etc, so choosing a party is a simple and logical process, provided you have some previous experience of the same.

You're able to transfer game data to each new title so you won’t lose your EXP or inventory, which will be extensive. Weapons aren't customisable, but there are many different kinds, each adding to or reducing your default stats and/or granting new abilities, all of which you'll need.

Happily, levelling-up isn't the endless grind it can be in similar titles. It's possible to gain levels very quickly if you dare to enter the more dangerous areas (but bring a dedicated healer!).

There's a LOT of gameplay herein for the JRPG fan. I logged over 130 hours, but I went to many places while hunting for trade items that weren't necessary to the main story.

At time of writing the four games are available for PS2 only. An HD update with all four games on one Blu-ray disc would make my year, but it's unlikely to ever happen. Each game box includes a DVD containing one unique episode of the .hack//Liminality series. Each episode takes place concurrently with events of the game, meaning what happens in the anime collides with story of the game at crucial moments. Exposure to both game and anime will lead to a deeper appreciation of the .hack// experience.

NOTE: If you plan to play any of the games, before you even begin I recommend recreating or printing 3 copies of the table on the left to log the level of each item in each character's inventory (open in a new tab - printable at A4 size); the additional box at the bottom is for any other notes you may wish to record (e.g., Grunty data, etc). I kept the design simple, but it'll make your life a lot easier when it comes to choosing which weapon and armour to equip, keep, store or sell.