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.hack (video game series)
Encyclopedia
.hack is a series of single-player action role-playing game
s for the , developed by CyberConnect2
and published by Bandai
. The four games are titled .hack//Infection, .hack//Mutation, .hack//Outbreak, and .hack//Quarantine. The series features a "game within a game
", a fictional massively multiplayer online role-playing game
(MMORPG) called The World, without requiring the player to connect to the Internet. Players may transfer their characters and save data from one game in the series to the next. Each game comes with an extra DVD
containing an episode from the accompanying original video animation
series .hack//Liminality
, which details fictional events that occur concurrently with the games.
The games are part of a multimedia franchise called Project .hack which explores the mysterious origins of The World. Set after the events of the anime series, .hack//Sign
, the games focus on a player named Kite and his quest to discover why some players have fallen into coma
s as a result of The World. The search evolves into a deeper investigation of The World itself and its effects on the stability of the Internet.
The series has received mixed reviews. It was praised for its unique setting and the lengths it goes to preserve suspension of disbelief
, as well as the character designs. However, it was criticized for uneven pacing and a lack of improvement between games. The commercial success of the franchise led to .hack//frägment, a remake of the series with online capabilities, and .hack//G.U., another video game trilogy.
; players assume the role of a participant in a fictional game called The World. While in The World, the player controls the on-screen player character
, Kite, from a third-person person perspective (with optional first-person mode). The player also manually controls the camera using the game controller's R1 and L1 shoulder buttons and right analog stick
. Within the fictional game, players explore monster-infested fields and dungeons as well as "Root Towns" that are free of combat. They also can "log-off
" from the game and return to a computer desktop
interface which includes in-game e-mail
, news, and message boards
, as well as desktop and background music customization options. The player may save the game to a memory card
both from the desktop and within The World at a Save Shop. After the player completes the game, a Data Flag appears on the save file, which allows the transfer of all aspects of the player character and party members to the next game in the series.
Typical of action role-playing game
s, players attack monsters in real time. However, the action pauses whenever the menu is opened in order to select magic to cast, items to use, or skills to perform. The player only directly controls Kite, while the other characters are controlled by artificial intelligence. The player may either provide guidelines ("attack", "first aid", "magic", etc.) or issue direct commands (for example, to cast a particular magic at a particular enemy) to the computer-controlled characters. Most monsters are contained in "magic portals" and combat will not begin until the player character approaches the portal and releases the monsters inside. Kite possesses a unique ability called "Data Drain" which allows him to transform monsters into rare items. Many boss monsters are known as "Data Bugs"—monsters with corrupted data such that their stamina
is infinite. Data Drain is used to repair this damaged monster data and render them vulnerable. However, this power also increases the level of infection of Kite's player character, randomly causing harmful side effects. The infection can be cured by defeating monsters normally.
Root Towns are non-combat areas in The World. The player may restock on items, buy equipment, or chat and trade with other "players" of The World. In many towns, the player may also raise a Grunty, a pig-like sentient creature who can be ridden in fields and, in later games, raced for prizes. A key feature of all towns is the Chaos Gate. This blue portal is used to travel between towns (called "servers") as well as access the fields and dungeons where battles take place. A password system
controls the characteristics of each area. Depending on the characteristics of each word in the three word phrase, the resulting area may have different attributes such as prevalence of monsters or items, among other features. Certain plot-related areas are restricted from access, but the player character has another ability called "Gate Hacking" which allows him to access these areas using "Virus Cores" obtained through Data Drain.
in the year 2010. After a computer virus
called "Pluto's Kiss" crashes nearly every computer in the world, the Internet is shut down to the general public to address security concerns. After two years lacking both Internet and online games, The World, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game is released to coincide with the reopening of the Internet. It becomes the most popular online game of all time, with over 20 million subscribers. Shortly before the events of the games, a number of users fall into coma
s as a result of playing The World. However, the developers blame their condition on cyberterrorism.
The World was originally developed by a German programmer named Harald Hoerwick. The Worlds backstory is based on the Epitaph of Twilight, an epic poem by Emma Wielant, whose death inspired Hoerwick to create the game. However, elements of the poem are also coded into the game's programming itself. The hidden purpose of Hoerwick's game is to develop the ultimate artificial intelligence
(AI
), capable of making decisions for itself. To this end, Hoerwick inserted functions into the system which monitor and extract behavioral data from the game's millions of players to aid in the AI's learning process. After Hoerwick's death, these pieces of code became black box
es to the current developers, unable to fathom their purpose yet critical to the proper functioning of the game.
to The World who also has a loved one in a coma; Balmung, a legendary player who seeks to eliminate sources of corruption in his beloved game; and Wiseman, an information broker who becomes a key strategist for Kite's team. Helba, a professional hacker
, and Lios, a reluctant system administrator, also aid in Kite's efforts to rescue the coma victims. Two non-human characters play important roles in the story: Aura seeks to complete her growth into the ultimate AI, while Morganna, an AI who rebels against her task of nurturing Aura, acts as the unseen primary antagonist.
following the attack and resolves to discover why. Meeting BlackRose at the Chaos Gate, they go to a cathedral area where they are attacked by a powerful monster. The legendary player Balmung appears and defeats it but it revives as a Data Bug. The Book of Twilight, the item that the girl gave to Orca, activates and gives Kite the Twilight Bracelet. The Bracelet uses Data Drain on the monster, allowing Balmung to kill it. However, Balmung accuses Kite of causing the viral infection spreading through the game and leaves. Kite and BlackRose decide to team up to help the coma victims. After investigating a number of leads, Kite and BlackRose track down the monster that put Orca into a coma. They defeat the monster, Skeith, but it transforms into a larger enemy called Cubia which they escape from.
In .hack//Mutation, the two encounter Lios, a system administrator, who declares Kite's Bracelet to be an illegal power. He attempts to delete Kite's character data but fails because of a mysterious encryption. The hacker Helba intervenes and convinces Lios to observe for the time being. Lios directs them to an area where they find Innis, a monster with the same powers as Skeith. Upon defeating Innis, Kite receives an e-mail from the girl in white, who is actually an AI called Aura. They travel to an area to meet her but are confronted by Cubia, whom they repel with difficulty. Short on leads, they contact an information broker named Wiseman who is intrigued by Kite's Bracelet. He suggests that Skeith and Innis are based on the Cursed Wave, an antagonistic force featured in the Epitaph of Twilight, an epic poem that forms the basis of The World. He helps grant them access to Net Slum, a place known as paradise for hackers and wandering AIs. Upon arrival, they are attacked by Magus, another Cursed Wave monster. They manage to defeat it, but when they return to the Root Town, they discover that the extensive corruption has spread to The Worlds main servers and the real world.
Balmung finally decides to join Kite in .hack//Outbreak, after realizing that he cannot halt the infection on his own. BlackRose reveals to Kite that her brother fell into a coma under similar circumstances as Orca, which renews both their determination. Wiseman formulates a plan to combat the Cursed Wave, enlisting the help of Helba. Their teamwork destroys Fidchell but the aftermath causes networks to malfunction in the real world. Aura contacts Kite again, but their meeting is cut short by the reappearance of Cubia. Lios, observing Cubia's power, agrees to join Kite, Helba, and the others to combat the Cursed Wave. Operation Breakwater begins as the team pool their resources to defeat Gorre, with no repercussions in the real world.
Server instability aborts a planning meeting at the start of .hack//Quarantine. Helba replaces the server with a copy of Net Slum to bypass this problem. At the bottom of a dungeon, Kite encounters Mia, a member of his party with a feline avatar. However, Mia is revealed to be Macha, a member of the Cursed Wave, whom he defeats with reluctance. Cubia assaults Kite's team once again, even more powerful than before. They fend him off but are unsure if they will fare so well the next time, based on its rate of growth. Operation Orca, on the other hand, is a success as they destroy the next Wave, Tarvos. Kite seeks the advice of Harald Hoerwick, the creator of the game, who survives beyond death through his AI incarnations. Aura appears and advises that Cubia is the shadow of Kite's Bracelet. Cubia ambushes them and destroys the AI Harald. In their final battle, Kite recalls Aura's advice and has BlackRose destroy the Bracelet, causing Cubia to fade away. Lacking the Bracelet, the final Wave member, Corbenik, attacks the party in Net Slum Root Town. With the aid of the spirits of the coma victims, Kite succeeds in penetrating Corbenik's barrier. Aura sacrifices herself to end the battle, restoring the network to normal and reviving all the coma victims.
, Ultima Online
, and Final Fantasy XI
for inspiration. The concept also drew influence from the prior works of character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
(Neon Genesis Evangelion
) and scenario writer Kazunori Itō
(Ghost in the Shell
). Itō noted that casting the player into the role of a subscriber of The World creates a unique story-telling situation which draws the player deeper into the plot.
.hack was envisioned as a four-part series from the beginning of development, said to mirror the four-volume story arcs found in manga
. Matsuyama theorized that the act of transferring save data across the four volumes would help to create a sense of the human drama embodied by the games' story and invest the player into the narrative. The games were developed simultaneously alongside other elements of Project .hack such as .hack//Sign
in order to emphasize the multimedia aspect of the franchise. However, the three-month gap between each game's release allowed the developers to make minor changes in response to criticisms. The games were packaged with DVDs featuring a episodes of .hack//Liminality
, an original video animation
(OVA) series that depicts events that occur concurrently with the games. The OVA series was meant to give perspective on fictional events happening in the "real world" outside the game. Players in Japan who purchased all four games were rewarded with .hack//Gift, an OVA parodying the .hack series. Following the completion of the series, the development team produced .hack//frägment using the same game engine
as the .hack games with an added online multiplayer component. Their goal in creating the game was to observe player interactions in an online environment and gauge interest in an online .hack game.
praised the unique concept of playing an "offline" MMORPG
and the lengths gone to preserve the illusion. He also lauded the character designs and the decision to include the Japanese voice track. However, he criticized the completely manually controlled camera and the generic environments of the majority of levels. In his review of the second game, Dunham was impressed by the performance of the English dub
cast. In Outbreak, Dunham noted a great improvement in ally characters' artificial intelligence, as well as enemies'. He also described Outbreak and Quarantine as much more compelling story-wise than the first two. Ultimately, IGN named .hack//Mutation PlayStation 2 Game of the Month for May 2003. Greg Kasavin of GameSpot
found the .hack series to be a very standard action role-playing game, scenario aside, and called it a sub-par version of Kingdom Hearts. He described the soundtrack as a mix of appropriate music with some obnoxious themes. He also criticized the repetitive gameplay which showed little improvement across the series and the short length of each game. Gary Steinman of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine declared that ".hack is not a good game", but the "mind-bending" story allowed the reviewer to overlook its obvious flaws and look forward to future games in the series. GameNOW
commented on the strategy aspect of gameplay, appreciating the depth and variety of battles. Japanese magazine Famitsu Weekly
gave the .hack games scores in the 29 to 30 out of 40 range, indicating average reviews. However, the Japanese Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association
(CESA) honored the series for its combination of different fictional media including games, anime, radio, and manga into a compelling whole at the 2002-2003 CESA Awards
.
, a TV anime
series that establishes the games' setting, The World. As part of a larger multimedia franchise, the games have inspired a variety of subsequent games, novels, manga
, and anime series. .hack//Another Birth is a series of novels that retell the story of the games from BlackRose's perspective. .hack//XXXX serves as a manga adaptation of the game's story with various changes, such as Cubia acting as a player character. The first official "sequel" to the games is .hack//Legend of the Twilight
, which began serializing on July 30, 2002. This manga and anime series tells the story of Shugo and Rena, regular players who win avatars
of Kite and BlackRose in a contest, and their exploration of The World and its secrets. .hack//G.U., a video game series also released in multiple parts, forms the centerpiece of .hack Conglomerate, a new project set seven years after Project .hack with a new version of The World.
.hack//Game Music Perfect Collection
.hack//Game Music Best Collection
based on the fictional MMORPG, The World. It was released only in Japan on November 23, 2005 and online service ended on January 18, 2007, after being extended two months due to popularity. Famitsu Weekly
gave .hack//fragment a 29/40, much like its reviews of the main series. Designer Hiroshi Matsuyama described the game as a way to see how players would react to online play. The game uses the same game engine
as the .hack video game series and thus, its gameplay is identical, with the exception of online mode. Players explore areas and fight monsters in real time. A major difference is that during online play, the action does not pause when the menu is opened. Players may still use the skill "Data Drain" to weaken monsters and collect rare items. The user interface and control scheme are otherwise unchanged.
Players may create their characters based on a number of preset body shapes and color schemes and may freely choose a class
(such as Wavemaster, Twin Blade, etc.) and character name. There are two main modes of play: online and offline. In online mode, players may enter a lobby and search for up to two other players to join them on an adventure. The game includes an expanded communication interface that allows players to chat, send e-mail, post to an in-game Bulletin Board System
, and receive server news updates. It is possible to establish ad-hoc chat rooms, separate from the public-access ones. Guilds are permanent, exclusive chat rooms for its members. A guild may establish a guild shop for both members and non-members, with full control over prices.
In offline mode, players may level up, obtain items, and learn new skills as one of their online mode characters, without the need for an Internet connection. Instead of having other players as party members, the player may invite characters from the .hack games, .hack//Sign
, and .hack//Legend of the Twilight
into the party. The "story mode" of .hack//frägment is identical to the .hack games, with the player's created character replacing Kite. Also while offline, players can use a PC utility called "HackServer" to create their own areas and dungeons and make them available online. The creators of the most popular areas are given the ability to add stronger monsters for players to defeat.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
s for the , developed by CyberConnect2
CyberConnect2
is a video game development studio mostly known for its work on the .hack series, along with a series of fighting games based on the Naruto franchise....
and published by Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
. The four games are titled .hack//Infection, .hack//Mutation, .hack//Outbreak, and .hack//Quarantine. The series features a "game within a game
Story within a story
A story within a story, also rendered story-within-a-story, is a literary device in which one narrative is presented during the action of another narrative. Mise en abyme is the French term for a similar literary device...
", a fictional massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
(MMORPG) called The World, without requiring the player to connect to the Internet. Players may transfer their characters and save data from one game in the series to the next. Each game comes with an extra DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
containing an episode from the accompanying original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
series .hack//Liminality
.hack//Liminality
.hack//Liminality is the OVA series directly related to the .hack video game series for the PlayStation 2, with the perspective of Liminality focused on the real world as opposed to the games' MMORPG The World. Liminality was separated into four volumes; each volume was released with its...
, which details fictional events that occur concurrently with the games.
The games are part of a multimedia franchise called Project .hack which explores the mysterious origins of The World. Set after the events of the anime series, .hack//Sign
.hack//SIGN
.hack//Sign is an anime television series directed by Kōichi Mashimo and produced by studio Bee Train and Bandai Visual, that makes up one of the four original storylines of the .hack franchise...
, the games focus on a player named Kite and his quest to discover why some players have fallen into coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
s as a result of The World. The search evolves into a deeper investigation of The World itself and its effects on the stability of the Internet.
The series has received mixed reviews. It was praised for its unique setting and the lengths it goes to preserve suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief
Suspension of disbelief or "willing suspension of disbelief" is a formula for justifying the use of fantastic or non-realistic elements in literary works of fiction...
, as well as the character designs. However, it was criticized for uneven pacing and a lack of improvement between games. The commercial success of the franchise led to .hack//frägment, a remake of the series with online capabilities, and .hack//G.U., another video game trilogy.
Gameplay
.hack simulates a massively multiplayer online role-playing gameMassively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
; players assume the role of a participant in a fictional game called The World. While in The World, the player controls the on-screen player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
, Kite, from a third-person person perspective (with optional first-person mode). The player also manually controls the camera using the game controller's R1 and L1 shoulder buttons and right analog stick
Analog stick
An analog stick, sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joystick, consisting of a protrusion from the controller; input is based on the position of this protrusion in relation...
. Within the fictional game, players explore monster-infested fields and dungeons as well as "Root Towns" that are free of combat. They also can "log-off
Login
Login is the method whereby a user obtains access to a computer system.Login may also refer to:*Magazines:** LOGiN, published by Enterbrain** ;login:, published by USENIX* Login, Carmarthenshire, an hamlet in Carmarthenshire...
" from the game and return to a computer desktop
Desktop environment
In graphical computing, a desktop environment commonly refers to a style of graphical user interface derived from the desktop metaphor that is seen on most modern personal computers. These GUIs help the user in easily accessing, configuring, and modifying many important and frequently accessed...
interface which includes in-game e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
, news, and message boards
Internet forum
An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms in that messages are at least temporarily archived...
, as well as desktop and background music customization options. The player may save the game to a memory card
Memory card
A memory card or flash card is an electronic flash memory data storage device used for storing digital information. They are commonly used in many electronic devices, including digital cameras, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, and video game consoles...
both from the desktop and within The World at a Save Shop. After the player completes the game, a Data Flag appears on the save file, which allows the transfer of all aspects of the player character and party members to the next game in the series.
Typical of action role-playing game
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
s, players attack monsters in real time. However, the action pauses whenever the menu is opened in order to select magic to cast, items to use, or skills to perform. The player only directly controls Kite, while the other characters are controlled by artificial intelligence. The player may either provide guidelines ("attack", "first aid", "magic", etc.) or issue direct commands (for example, to cast a particular magic at a particular enemy) to the computer-controlled characters. Most monsters are contained in "magic portals" and combat will not begin until the player character approaches the portal and releases the monsters inside. Kite possesses a unique ability called "Data Drain" which allows him to transform monsters into rare items. Many boss monsters are known as "Data Bugs"—monsters with corrupted data such that their stamina
Health (gaming)
Health is a game mechanic used in role-playing, computer and video games to give value to characters, enemies, NPCs, and related objects. This value can either be numerical, semi-numerical as in hit/health points, or arbitrary as in a life bar....
is infinite. Data Drain is used to repair this damaged monster data and render them vulnerable. However, this power also increases the level of infection of Kite's player character, randomly causing harmful side effects. The infection can be cured by defeating monsters normally.
Root Towns are non-combat areas in The World. The player may restock on items, buy equipment, or chat and trade with other "players" of The World. In many towns, the player may also raise a Grunty, a pig-like sentient creature who can be ridden in fields and, in later games, raced for prizes. A key feature of all towns is the Chaos Gate. This blue portal is used to travel between towns (called "servers") as well as access the fields and dungeons where battles take place. A password system
Password (video games)
In many video games of the 8-bit and, to a lesser extent, 16-bit eras , after a level was beaten and/or when all continues were used, the game would display a password, that when entered in the game would allow the player to return to this part in the game...
controls the characteristics of each area. Depending on the characteristics of each word in the three word phrase, the resulting area may have different attributes such as prevalence of monsters or items, among other features. Certain plot-related areas are restricted from access, but the player character has another ability called "Gate Hacking" which allows him to access these areas using "Virus Cores" obtained through Data Drain.
Setting
.hack takes place in an alternate version of EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
in the year 2010. After a computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
called "Pluto's Kiss" crashes nearly every computer in the world, the Internet is shut down to the general public to address security concerns. After two years lacking both Internet and online games, The World, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game is released to coincide with the reopening of the Internet. It becomes the most popular online game of all time, with over 20 million subscribers. Shortly before the events of the games, a number of users fall into coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
s as a result of playing The World. However, the developers blame their condition on cyberterrorism.
The World was originally developed by a German programmer named Harald Hoerwick. The Worlds backstory is based on the Epitaph of Twilight, an epic poem by Emma Wielant, whose death inspired Hoerwick to create the game. However, elements of the poem are also coded into the game's programming itself. The hidden purpose of Hoerwick's game is to develop the ultimate artificial intelligence
Strong AI
Strong AI is artificial intelligence that matches or exceeds human intelligence — the intelligence of a machine that can successfully perform any intellectual task that a human being can. It is a primary goal of artificial intelligence research and an important topic for science fiction writers and...
(AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
), capable of making decisions for itself. To this end, Hoerwick inserted functions into the system which monitor and extract behavioral data from the game's millions of players to aid in the AI's learning process. After Hoerwick's death, these pieces of code became black box
Black box
A black box is a device, object, or system whose inner workings are unknown; only the input, transfer, and output are known characteristics.The term black box can also refer to:-In science and technology:*Black box theory, a philosophical theory...
es to the current developers, unable to fathom their purpose yet critical to the proper functioning of the game.
Characters
The main playable character of .hack is Kite, an average player of The World whose friend Orca fell into a coma due to mysterious circumstances. Kite is joined by nearly twenty other players in his quest to uncover the mystery of the coma victims. The players with the greatest impact on the success of Kite's mission are BlackRose, a fellow newbieNewbie
Newbie or noob is a slang term for a novice or newcomer, or somebody inexperienced in any profession or activity. Contemporary use can particularly refer to a beginner or new user of computers, often concerning Internet activity, such as online gaming or Linux use...
to The World who also has a loved one in a coma; Balmung, a legendary player who seeks to eliminate sources of corruption in his beloved game; and Wiseman, an information broker who becomes a key strategist for Kite's team. Helba, a professional hacker
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
, and Lios, a reluctant system administrator, also aid in Kite's efforts to rescue the coma victims. Two non-human characters play important roles in the story: Aura seeks to complete her growth into the ultimate AI, while Morganna, an AI who rebels against her task of nurturing Aura, acts as the unseen primary antagonist.
Story
At the beginning of .hack//Infection, Kite's friend Orca invites him to play The World. In the first dungeon they visit, they encounter a girl in white being chased by a monster with a red wand. The girl attempts to entrust an item to Orca but the monster attacks him and The Worlds servers crash. Kite discovers that Orca has fallen into a comaComa
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
following the attack and resolves to discover why. Meeting BlackRose at the Chaos Gate, they go to a cathedral area where they are attacked by a powerful monster. The legendary player Balmung appears and defeats it but it revives as a Data Bug. The Book of Twilight, the item that the girl gave to Orca, activates and gives Kite the Twilight Bracelet. The Bracelet uses Data Drain on the monster, allowing Balmung to kill it. However, Balmung accuses Kite of causing the viral infection spreading through the game and leaves. Kite and BlackRose decide to team up to help the coma victims. After investigating a number of leads, Kite and BlackRose track down the monster that put Orca into a coma. They defeat the monster, Skeith, but it transforms into a larger enemy called Cubia which they escape from.
In .hack//Mutation, the two encounter Lios, a system administrator, who declares Kite's Bracelet to be an illegal power. He attempts to delete Kite's character data but fails because of a mysterious encryption. The hacker Helba intervenes and convinces Lios to observe for the time being. Lios directs them to an area where they find Innis, a monster with the same powers as Skeith. Upon defeating Innis, Kite receives an e-mail from the girl in white, who is actually an AI called Aura. They travel to an area to meet her but are confronted by Cubia, whom they repel with difficulty. Short on leads, they contact an information broker named Wiseman who is intrigued by Kite's Bracelet. He suggests that Skeith and Innis are based on the Cursed Wave, an antagonistic force featured in the Epitaph of Twilight, an epic poem that forms the basis of The World. He helps grant them access to Net Slum, a place known as paradise for hackers and wandering AIs. Upon arrival, they are attacked by Magus, another Cursed Wave monster. They manage to defeat it, but when they return to the Root Town, they discover that the extensive corruption has spread to The Worlds main servers and the real world.
Balmung finally decides to join Kite in .hack//Outbreak, after realizing that he cannot halt the infection on his own. BlackRose reveals to Kite that her brother fell into a coma under similar circumstances as Orca, which renews both their determination. Wiseman formulates a plan to combat the Cursed Wave, enlisting the help of Helba. Their teamwork destroys Fidchell but the aftermath causes networks to malfunction in the real world. Aura contacts Kite again, but their meeting is cut short by the reappearance of Cubia. Lios, observing Cubia's power, agrees to join Kite, Helba, and the others to combat the Cursed Wave. Operation Breakwater begins as the team pool their resources to defeat Gorre, with no repercussions in the real world.
Server instability aborts a planning meeting at the start of .hack//Quarantine. Helba replaces the server with a copy of Net Slum to bypass this problem. At the bottom of a dungeon, Kite encounters Mia, a member of his party with a feline avatar. However, Mia is revealed to be Macha, a member of the Cursed Wave, whom he defeats with reluctance. Cubia assaults Kite's team once again, even more powerful than before. They fend him off but are unsure if they will fare so well the next time, based on its rate of growth. Operation Orca, on the other hand, is a success as they destroy the next Wave, Tarvos. Kite seeks the advice of Harald Hoerwick, the creator of the game, who survives beyond death through his AI incarnations. Aura appears and advises that Cubia is the shadow of Kite's Bracelet. Cubia ambushes them and destroys the AI Harald. In their final battle, Kite recalls Aura's advice and has BlackRose destroy the Bracelet, causing Cubia to fade away. Lacking the Bracelet, the final Wave member, Corbenik, attacks the party in Net Slum Root Town. With the aid of the spirits of the coma victims, Kite succeeds in penetrating Corbenik's barrier. Aura sacrifices herself to end the battle, restoring the network to normal and reviving all the coma victims.
Development
Development for .hack began in early 2000 with the goal of shocking and surprising the player, creating a distinctive product that "could not be ignored". CyberConnect2's president Hiroshi Matsuyama played a key role in developing the concept for the series. A number of core ideas were explored including "slaying dragons or being a thief in London", but they were dropped in favor of an "offline/online game". Matsuyama felt that this would give young gamers an opportunity to experience online play without monthly fees or powerful Internet connections. The developers looked to a number of MMORPGs such as Phantasy Star OnlinePhantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Online is an online multiplayer action RPG title, originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000, bundled with a demo of Sonic Adventure 2. Another edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for Dreamcast the following year...
, Ultima Online
Ultima Online
Ultima Online is a graphical massively multiplayer online role-playing game , released on September 24, 1997, by Origin Systems. It was instrumental to the development of the genre, and is still running today...
, and Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI
, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
for inspiration. The concept also drew influence from the prior works of character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
is a Japanese character designer, manga artist, and one of the founding members of the Gainax anime studio. Before the studio was founded under the official name , he served as animator on the second animated project, the Daicon IV opening animation...
(Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
) and scenario writer Kazunori Itō
Kazunori Ito
is a Japanese anime screenwriter and artist who is well known for his work in the .hack Franchise and his writing for the Ghost in the Shell movie. Itō also provided the art for .hack//Another Birth. He is a member of the artist group known as Headgear....
(Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell
is a Japanese multimedia franchise composed of manga, animated films, anime series, video games and novels. It focuses on the activities of the counter-terrorist organization Public Security Section 9 in a futuristic, cyberpunk Japan ....
). Itō noted that casting the player into the role of a subscriber of The World creates a unique story-telling situation which draws the player deeper into the plot.
.hack was envisioned as a four-part series from the beginning of development, said to mirror the four-volume story arcs found in manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
. Matsuyama theorized that the act of transferring save data across the four volumes would help to create a sense of the human drama embodied by the games' story and invest the player into the narrative. The games were developed simultaneously alongside other elements of Project .hack such as .hack//Sign
.hack//SIGN
.hack//Sign is an anime television series directed by Kōichi Mashimo and produced by studio Bee Train and Bandai Visual, that makes up one of the four original storylines of the .hack franchise...
in order to emphasize the multimedia aspect of the franchise. However, the three-month gap between each game's release allowed the developers to make minor changes in response to criticisms. The games were packaged with DVDs featuring a episodes of .hack//Liminality
.hack//Liminality
.hack//Liminality is the OVA series directly related to the .hack video game series for the PlayStation 2, with the perspective of Liminality focused on the real world as opposed to the games' MMORPG The World. Liminality was separated into four volumes; each volume was released with its...
, an original video animation
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
(OVA) series that depicts events that occur concurrently with the games. The OVA series was meant to give perspective on fictional events happening in the "real world" outside the game. Players in Japan who purchased all four games were rewarded with .hack//Gift, an OVA parodying the .hack series. Following the completion of the series, the development team produced .hack//frägment using the same game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
as the .hack games with an added online multiplayer component. Their goal in creating the game was to observe player interactions in an online environment and gauge interest in an online .hack game.
Reception
The series has received mixed reviews, but positive sales figures. As of March 2004, sales of the .hack games exceeded 1.73 million, with 780,000 copies sold in Japan. Jeremy Dunham of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised the unique concept of playing an "offline" MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
and the lengths gone to preserve the illusion. He also lauded the character designs and the decision to include the Japanese voice track. However, he criticized the completely manually controlled camera and the generic environments of the majority of levels. In his review of the second game, Dunham was impressed by the performance of the English dub
Dub localization
Dub localization, also often simply referred to as localization, which is a form of a voice-over. It is the practice of voice-over translation altering a foreign language film, art film or television series by voice actors to further adapt the material for a "local" audience.Dub localization is a...
cast. In Outbreak, Dunham noted a great improvement in ally characters' artificial intelligence, as well as enemies'. He also described Outbreak and Quarantine as much more compelling story-wise than the first two. Ultimately, IGN named .hack//Mutation PlayStation 2 Game of the Month for May 2003. Greg Kasavin of GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
found the .hack series to be a very standard action role-playing game, scenario aside, and called it a sub-par version of Kingdom Hearts. He described the soundtrack as a mix of appropriate music with some obnoxious themes. He also criticized the repetitive gameplay which showed little improvement across the series and the short length of each game. Gary Steinman of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine declared that ".hack is not a good game", but the "mind-bending" story allowed the reviewer to overlook its obvious flaws and look forward to future games in the series. GameNOW
GameNOW
GameNOW was a United States-based video game magazine that was published by Ziff-Davis from November 2001 to January 2004. There are 27 issues of GameNOW in total. In addition to video game consoles like PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, and Game Boy Advance, GameNOW also covered games for...
commented on the strategy aspect of gameplay, appreciating the depth and variety of battles. Japanese magazine Famitsu Weekly
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
gave the .hack games scores in the 29 to 30 out of 40 range, indicating average reviews. However, the Japanese Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association
Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association
Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association is a Japanese organization that was established in 1996 to "promote the computer entertainment industry [...] with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of Japanese industry as well as to the further enrichment of people's lifestyles." It...
(CESA) honored the series for its combination of different fictional media including games, anime, radio, and manga into a compelling whole at the 2002-2003 CESA Awards
Japan Game Awards
Japan Game Awards is the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's awards ceremony for the Japanese video game industry created in 1996 as CESA Awards ....
.
Related media and legacy
The .hack games are set after .hack//Sign.hack//SIGN
.hack//Sign is an anime television series directed by Kōichi Mashimo and produced by studio Bee Train and Bandai Visual, that makes up one of the four original storylines of the .hack franchise...
, a TV anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series that establishes the games' setting, The World. As part of a larger multimedia franchise, the games have inspired a variety of subsequent games, novels, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, and anime series. .hack//Another Birth is a series of novels that retell the story of the games from BlackRose's perspective. .hack//XXXX serves as a manga adaptation of the game's story with various changes, such as Cubia acting as a player character. The first official "sequel" to the games is .hack//Legend of the Twilight
.hack//Legend of the Twilight
is a science fiction manga series written by Tatsuya Hamazaki and drawn by Rei Izumi. The twenty-two chapters of .hack//Legend of the Twilight appeared as a serial in the Japanese magazine Comptiq, and published in three tankōbon by Kadokawa Shoten from July 2002 to April 2004...
, which began serializing on July 30, 2002. This manga and anime series tells the story of Shugo and Rena, regular players who win avatars
Avatar (computing)
In computing, an avatar is the graphical representation of the user or the user's alter ego or character. It may take either a three-dimensional form, as in games or virtual worlds, or a two-dimensional form as an icon in Internet forums and other online communities. It can also refer to a text...
of Kite and BlackRose in a contest, and their exploration of The World and its secrets. .hack//G.U., a video game series also released in multiple parts, forms the centerpiece of .hack Conglomerate, a new project set seven years after Project .hack with a new version of The World.
Music
.hack//Game Music Perfect Collection was released in Japan on April 23, 2003. It features 68 compositions by Chikayo Fukuda, Seizo Nakata, and Norikatsu Fukuda, across two discs. A special edition of this soundtrack includes a third disc featuring sound effects and clips used in the games. The album was released in North America as .hack//Game Music Best Collection, with fewer tracks. Patrick Gann of RPGFan found that the second disc, which contains music for cutscenes and special events, was overall stronger than the generic town and battle themes of the first disc. He called the soundtrack "techno meets opera" and singled out the volume intro tracks for particular praise. Gann noted that the North American release functions as a "Best of" album, but it omitted some of his favorite pieces. Other reviewers were less enthusiastic; Paul Koehler of RPGamer derided the music as "particularly bland" and IGN's Dunham complained that the later volumes did not introduce many new pieces..hack//Game Music Perfect Collection
.hack//Game Music Best Collection
.hack//fragment
.hack//fragment is a multiplayer online gameMultiplayer online game
A Multiplayer Online Game is a multiplayer video game which can be played via a game server over the internet, with other players around the world...
based on the fictional MMORPG, The World. It was released only in Japan on November 23, 2005 and online service ended on January 18, 2007, after being extended two months due to popularity. Famitsu Weekly
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
gave .hack//fragment a 29/40, much like its reviews of the main series. Designer Hiroshi Matsuyama described the game as a way to see how players would react to online play. The game uses the same game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
as the .hack video game series and thus, its gameplay is identical, with the exception of online mode. Players explore areas and fight monsters in real time. A major difference is that during online play, the action does not pause when the menu is opened. Players may still use the skill "Data Drain" to weaken monsters and collect rare items. The user interface and control scheme are otherwise unchanged.
Players may create their characters based on a number of preset body shapes and color schemes and may freely choose a class
Character class
In role-playing games, a common method of arbitrating the capabilities of different game characters is to assign each one to a character class. A character class aggregates several abilities and aptitudes, and may also sometimes detail aspects of background and social standing or impose behaviour...
(such as Wavemaster, Twin Blade, etc.) and character name. There are two main modes of play: online and offline. In online mode, players may enter a lobby and search for up to two other players to join them on an adventure. The game includes an expanded communication interface that allows players to chat, send e-mail, post to an in-game Bulletin Board System
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
, and receive server news updates. It is possible to establish ad-hoc chat rooms, separate from the public-access ones. Guilds are permanent, exclusive chat rooms for its members. A guild may establish a guild shop for both members and non-members, with full control over prices.
In offline mode, players may level up, obtain items, and learn new skills as one of their online mode characters, without the need for an Internet connection. Instead of having other players as party members, the player may invite characters from the .hack games, .hack//Sign
.hack//SIGN
.hack//Sign is an anime television series directed by Kōichi Mashimo and produced by studio Bee Train and Bandai Visual, that makes up one of the four original storylines of the .hack franchise...
, and .hack//Legend of the Twilight
.hack//Legend of the Twilight
is a science fiction manga series written by Tatsuya Hamazaki and drawn by Rei Izumi. The twenty-two chapters of .hack//Legend of the Twilight appeared as a serial in the Japanese magazine Comptiq, and published in three tankōbon by Kadokawa Shoten from July 2002 to April 2004...
into the party. The "story mode" of .hack//frägment is identical to the .hack games, with the player's created character replacing Kite. Also while offline, players can use a PC utility called "HackServer" to create their own areas and dungeons and make them available online. The creators of the most popular areas are given the ability to add stronger monsters for players to defeat.