Influenced by the fictitious
world, virtual and physical realities are merged in a saga known as .hack.
.hack//G.U., the second series to come from the concept of a single-player MMO
that’s played entirely offline, has been more mature than the first. Darker
environments, ruthless villains, and more graphic anime and CG sequences made
the series more appealing to the crowd of gamers that began their RPG obsession
with the first PlayStation. Noticing that trilogies often conclude with the
darkest chapter, .hack//G.U. Vol. 3: Redemption will close with the series’ most
grim developments. 

  

Start. Watch. Anticipate. 

Volume 3 begins with two videos
for your viewing pleasure: an episode of .hack//Roots and a lengthy intro with
gorgeous CG and real-time footage. The episode (labeled “number 2,” but it
doesn’t specify from which season) is merely a taunt to those who have not kept
up with the anime. It starts out slow, builds to something exciting and, hoping
you’ll tune in next time, jumps right to the credits! I was tempted to drop
everything and search for the next episode online, but that urge was overturned
by the game, which had an exciting premise of its own to unearth. 

Beyond the basic story info
that was previously released, it’s best that you know as little as possible
about the plot of Volume 3. You won’t have to wait much longer to find out what
happens – the game ships in a few weeks. Thus, I will refrain from going into
specifics about the story at this time. 

 

Same Great Taste – More
Filling! 

You won’t immediately find
differences in the way that Redemption plays. The game is still very much a
get-in-there-and-slash kind of RPG, with multiple combos, weapons, and the
ability to easily lock-on to any opponent. Haseo’s teammates will be there to
lend a helping hand, and when three allies join together, an Avatar Awakenings
attack will follow. These deadly attacks will deal severe damage to all
surrounding enemies. The damage is preceded by a thrilling sequence of Haseo
jumping into the air, he whips out another weapon, and pounds his opponents.
Every aspect of his Awakening is akin to the summon spells of Final Fantasy –
it’s a big, fantastical display of beauty. 

The other graphical features
are as impressive as before but don’t appear to have been tweaked much since
Volume 2. You will, however, spot never-before-seen visuals in the form of new
cards in the Crimson VS mini-game. The card game is still on auto-pilot (here’s
hoping that changes in the next .hack series), but if you like collectibles,
this is a quick and easy diversion from the main quest. 

 

Musically Masterful 

When it comes to music, one of
the defining moments in gaming – for myself, at least – was Parasite Eve. As
frustrating as the game was at times, I couldn’t stop playing. The music was
incredible, and I was determined to hear every song (multiple times, in most
cases). 

I don’t want to say that hack//G.U.
Vol. 3 is going to be the next Parasite Eve, but its dark and chaotic sounds are
spectacular. Listening to this soundtrack is like listening to a masterpiece
from 10 years ago. While the music was written very recently, it’s clear that
numerous classic RPGs (including Parasite Eve and Final Fantasy X) served as
inspiration. 

Then, out of nowhere, the game
throws in a quirky, upbeat track. Prior to this point, everything was dark and
moody, even the menu screen music. (Which, by the way, caused me to put the
controller down for a couple minutes just to focus on what was playing. Yeah,
it’s that good.) It’s a strange inclusion, for certain. But if there are
any players out there that feel the story is too much, this will help relieve
some of its intensity. 

 

Hacking its way into gamers’
homes on September 10, .hack//G.U. Vol. 3 is an exciting and relentless
action/RPG with a great story, spellbinding music, and high-end graphics.
GameZone will bring you more on . hack//G.U.’s conclusion in the coming weeks,
so stay tuned.