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.hack//G.U. Vol.3: Redemption - U.S. Release Date 9/10/07 (NSF56K)

OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
edited August 2010 in Games and Technology
With various gaming and game-store sites offering the release date for the game sometime around September 10-14, I thought it was about time to create the thread for the third and final game in the .hack//G.U. trilogy.

hack-GU-3.jpg

What's .hack all about??
The series, created by Bandai and CyberConnect2, is at it's heart a unique action-RPG. What separates it from others in the same field is that the game is set in a fictional MMORPG in 2010 called The World, with players controlling the main character's player-character within the MMORPG. To progress in .hack, players must both run around inside The World as well as 'logging out' to the main-character's desktop to check both e-mail and message boards for specific word-combinations to access story-involved fields within The World.

The original story itself (spread out in four parts; a novel, an anime, a 4-part game, and a manga) revolves around various players who are drawn (willingly or otherwise) into the growing problems within The World, ranging from unkillable monsters to various players actually falling within comas for no apparent reason. These problems stem back to the creator of the game, Harald Hoerwick...
...and how the game is actually a disguised A.I. creation program, using the data created by everyone interacting with The World to put together hopefully the Ultimate A.I.. This A.I., Aura, would be the daughter Harald never could have with poet Emma Wielant whom he was infatuated with. Unfortunately, the A.I.-system in charge of 'birthing' Aura, Morganna, decided to stop Aura from coming into power as she would cease to exist once that happened.

What's G.U. and do I have to know the original story to get it?
G.U. is a sequal to the original storyline and no, it's not really needed to have played, read or watched anything involved with the original storyline to enjoy it. Those who picked up the special version of Volume 1 here in the States however scored a special movie-disc which shows what occurred in the 4-part .hack game. G.U. itself takes place in 2017, about three years after the final section of the first story. In that gap, a fire in the building that houses The World's servers trash most of them and the data they held. Rather then rebuild, the game's owners decide to merge the salvageable programing with another game they were developing at the time to create The World R:2. This offered a fresh start for gamers in .hack's world and ours.

Who am I in G.U.?
In G.U., players take on the role of this guy, Haseo.
dotHackGU_8-b-1.jpg
Coming into the first G.U. game as a newb to R:2(and the events of his first months shown in G.U.'s connected anime, .hack//Roots), Haseo grows into a somewhat anti-social player who makes a reputation for himself as a PKK or Player-Killer-Killer (basically a player who kills players who kill other players in R:2). Having a personal vendetta against a PK named Tri-Edge, their first fight soon knocks Haseo from his powerful high levels all the way down to Lv1 thanks to a bizzare not-in-game attack. Forced to build himself up again, the rest of the first volume has him encountering not just other players who have the potential to use attacks just like Tri-Edge but foreign programs in R:2 as well who threaten the safety of both R:2 and it's players. The second volume continued from there by Haseo focusing more on said foreign programs as well as players that either become possessed by them or even worse, seem to somehow control them instead.

Who's Who In G.U.

The Guys At The Top Of Your Buddy List: The Other Members Of The 'Infinity Eight'
While they're not called this name within the game (at least not in the first two volumes), the rest of these player-characters all share something in common with Haseo.

hackgu009.jpg
Atoli (AKA The Frustrating Carebear): A Harvest Cleric (healing-based Wavemaster/White-Mage) who meets up with Haseo near the beginning of the first volume. A member of the anti-PK guild Moon Tree, she has no problem in lecturing others when it comes to not attacking your fellow players...and not attacking animals on the field...and on how great her guild is...and don't get her started on her squad leader Sakaki!
It comes as a big surprise then when she uses the power of her unlocked and possessed Avatar, Innis, to rage against Haseo in Vol.2 since her school and home life seems to be filled with nothing but grief. She seems to be a lot better now though. :)

hackgu007.jpg
Kuhn (AKA The Wannabe Online Pimp): A Steam Gunner (ranged-melee fighter) who's trying his best to put down the current threat to R:2 so that the game can once more be fun...and so he can get his groove on with all the pretty (and legal) gal players in peace.
What brings Kuhn to the fight besides the power of his Avatar, Magus? It's the motivation of being a coma victim from the crisis that occurred in the original version of The World.

hackgu003.jpg
Yata (AKA The Second Mysterious Guy With Glasses): A secretive Dance Macabre (melee fighter who uses dance-like moves to attack) who barely comes out of his special info-gathering room, perfering to send out Haseo and his friends to do the fighting for him...
...or at least for the PC Yata. The player behind the bald character however has no problems slipping into the shoes of other characters as he's been seen to do at least twice in G.U.'s story!

hackgu010.jpg
Sakubo (AKA The Troublesome Rugrats): A Shadow Warlock (attacking-based Wavemaster/Black Mage) who's actually controlled by a pair of twins known as Saku (pain-in-the-rear fangirl) and Bo (soft-spoken doormat). Forced to take the bad along with the good in Vol.2, they manage to provide some added magical butt-kicking to Haseo's parties...
...as well as bring up one big mystery as both twins somehow managed to control at the same time the Avatar connected to their PC, Gorre. While having multiple visors attached to the same character's viewpoint isn't new for the World, this as well as a sudden switch of Saku for Bo in a quest-run does seem to indicate there's more to the two then meets the eye.

hackgu005.jpg
Endrance (AKA The Required Bishōnen): A Blade Brandier (Blademaster/sword-using melee fighter) who butted heads with Haseo in the first volume and then joined up to help Haseo out in the second volume...as well as devote himself to Haseo...and send somewhat creepy E-Mails too if prompted...hmmm...
...can't blame the guy though, concidering he's the same player behind Elk, a needy PC from the original .hack game who lost his best friend permamentlly not just once but twice now.

hackgu006.jpg
Pi (AKA The Bossy Fan-Service): A Tribal Grappler (hand-to-hand melee fighter) who helps Yata out as the Major Kira to his Captain Picard. It's hard to tell what's been harder for her; fighting the foreign programs herself before Haseo and Yata came along or keeping her hands from Haseo's throat for calling her old.
Those who've been following the reports from the Vol.1 bonus disc, the Terminal Disc, have been probably been curious as well as how she's managed to run around with the PC bearing the Avarar Tarvos since the guy who wrote up the reports said he hid it away from anyone working for CC-Corp, like Pi's player..

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Ovan (AKA The First Mysterious Guy With Glasses): A Steam Gunner who saved Haseo from his first disastrous venture into R:2, who invited Haseo into his guild only to disappear for six months, who's been popping up mysteriously all over R:2 to prod Haseo to get stronger in order to beat Tri-Edge for putting their mutual friend Shino in a coma...
...and who turned out to BE Tri-Edge all along. Oh, and who seems to have ganked Haseo at the end of Vol.2 after he got killed off by Haseo final-boss-wise. Bummer.

The Guys At The Top Of Your Ignore List: G.U.'s Villains
It's easy to hate the following for one reason or the other as they give a level of griefing to players in R:2 that not even the GMs can handle.

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Sakaki: Head of one of the seven groups that make up the Moon Tree guild, Sakaki is probably the worst role-model in R:2 Atoli could have picked. He gets under Haseo's skin right away with arrogance-flavored sermons and follows it up with actually saving Haseo from a PK-incident! Of course, it's not like his fellow members in Moon Tree are immune to his attitude as he's been making waves when it comes to who oughta be leading the guild.
Good thing it turns out he's been controlling a good deal of the foreign-program attacks on players (thanks to Tri-Edge) as it gives Haseo a legit reason to kick his butt. However, it won't be easy to get rid of him as he somehow has powers from the programs in both R:2 AND the real world as his teacher, fellow students and a certain online reporter found out the hard way.

TheAzureKnights.png
Tri-Edge: A seemingly-unkillable PK who's PC looks a lot like a certain character from the original .hack storyline. First announcing his presence in R:2 by leaving triangular marks on the game's surface-graphics, Tri-Edge is guilty of attacking players and sending them into comas in the real world somehow as a result. Left incapacitated by the end of the first volume, he rested up while a pair of similar-looking friends (also looking like two characters from the original storyline) showed up to handle business...
...that business however being foreign-program-killing in R:2 and actually saving Haseo in the process one time to boot! With Ovan revealing himself to be Tri-Edge all along, one has to wonder who these three guys really are and who's side they're on.

325px-Aida1_161.jpg
AIDA: The foreign programs mentioned a lot in this OP. AIDA has been showing up since Haseo's time in Ovan's guild, The Twilight Brigade. Looking at first like single-cell amoeba, they've been taking on more and more pronounced animal-like shapes, especially those who take over the minds and bodies of innocent players online and off. Becoming strong enough to actually create their own virtual server at one time, one has to wonder what exactly these chaotic A.I. are after and why they have to use R:2 to achieve their goals.
One also has to wonder what ties them in so well to the Avatars as it seems more then half of the I-8 have ended up possessed by them at one time or the other. And do their actions truely begin at Sakaki and Tri-Edge or is there someone higher up the food-chain?

I played the first two G.U. games. Anything new in the last volume?

G.U. Ver 2.3 Patch Notes

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-New Root Town - Breg Epona: As to be expected, a new Root Town (AKA the safe hub for players on a server) will open up for players in Vol.3, allowing you to access fields who's monsters range from Lv100-150. A new town will also mean a new Quest Shop to start side-quests at and most likely a new home for Haseo's guild, Canard. There's rumors that there might be an extra Root Town out there however, one not officially endorsed by CC-Corp...

H3_data_drain.jpg
-New Awakening - Avatar Awakening: Vol.3's story will have players implementing once more the Data Drain skill on regular enemies as the original game once did. To break out this Avatar-used-only skill though, a new Awakening (group attack) will be added to allow Haseo to take what he needs inside of enemies' programming. If it'll have dire effects on him to do so repeatedly is unclear at this time. The results of this unusual game-hacking move however will lead to nice benifits for those who visit the Lost Ground (mysterious field that are mostly untouchable by CC-Corp's programmers), the Great Temple of Caerleon Medb...

s_Xth_Form_Gun_Blades.jpg
-New Form - Xth Form: For Haseo, it was thought the limits of his character's growth was reached once he unlocked all his weapons and abilities available to him as an Adept Rogue. As seen on Vol.3's cover though, Haseo will manage to transform once again and earn the right to sport these weapons alongside his others. While these guns (which sport blades) require ammo, they'll still come in handy as you can break out their skills on top of regular skills in a new gameplay mechanic called the Double Trigger. How much more they add to fights is unknown for now.

Other Updates And Changes(Subject To Change During Beta Testing):
-Haseo's buddy list will end up holding 22 players total by the end of the game.
-New field/dungeon locations to prowl around in.
-New ranks to the Books Of 1000, offering more bonuses to gameplay as well as new music, wallpaper and viewable movies on the Desktop.
-Special bonus dungeon known as the Forest Of Pain will open up by the end, a grueling multiple-floor run that hold more then one boss, taken straight from the G.U. anime, //Roots.
-Wedding bells will ring out for two of the PCs by the end of the game in a ceremony held within R:2. Who they are depends on you..
-More characters from the original .hack storyline will appear in new R:2 PC-bodies.
-While it's just a rumor at the moment, it seems as if a special //Roots episode will be created and included within the game-disc, an episode much like the //SIGN special, Unison.
-New episodes of the special Internet news-show, Online JACK.

For more on the third volume, including spoilerish screenshots, movies and art, check out this link right here..
http://www.rpgamer.com/games/hack/hackgu3/hackgu3.html

Owenashi on
«13

Posts

  • BartholamueBartholamue Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I'm so excited for this. It was a series I couldn't stop playing when the first two volumes came out. Online Jack is hilarious as well.

    Bartholamue on
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  • ClawshrimpyClawshrimpy Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I really hope the Avatar Awakening isn't the return of Virus Core Hunts. the arge Virus Core outing you have to do complete the last o quarantine got extremely rediculous. The Data seed thing is doable, because getting the stuff from AIDA's isn't that hard, but if they pull the, "LOOK FOR THESE SPECIFIC KINDS OF ENEMIES AND PRAY THEY DROP THE CORE YOU WANT." wil really hurt the game.

    I Don't know how I stayed sane trying to finish Quarantine off.

    Clawshrimpy on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I love how the big twist in this game can both be seen from a mile away and yet is too crazy to be believed.

    DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED (though you could have figured it out on your own sometime during Vol. 2)
    Hasseo is Sora. No, not the KH Sora, the twinblade ganker from SIGN. The one turned into Sora, whose experience was the basis of the project that brought about this whole crazy mess. Apparently when we woke up last time he had forgotten all that had happend. This kind of goes against UNISON, but whatever, it's still pretty cool.

    I hear tell that your party becomes HUUUGE after beating this game.

    Xenogears of Bore on
    3DS CODE: 3093-7068-3576
  • Glenn565Glenn565 Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I love how the big twist in this game can both be seen from a mile away and yet is too crazy to be believed.

    DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED (though you could have figured it out on your own sometime during Vol. 2)
    Hasseo is Sora. No, not the KH Sora, the twinblade ganker from SIGN. The one turned into Sora, whose experience was the basis of the project that brought about this whole crazy mess. Apparently when we woke up last time he had forgotten all that had happend. This kind of goes against UNISON, but whatever, it's still pretty cool.

    I hear tell that your party becomes HUUUGE after beating this game.

    It's not a twist in the game, since it was revealed in a Perfect Works style guide. Also more info about AIDA.

    Also, as it bears repeating, UNISON is non-cannon. Really, did you want the monkey dance to be cannon?

    Glenn565 on
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  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Glenn565 wrote: »
    I love how the big twist in this game can both be seen from a mile away and yet is too crazy to be believed.

    DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED (though you could have figured it out on your own sometime during Vol. 2)
    Hasseo is Sora. No, not the KH Sora, the twinblade ganker from SIGN. The one turned into Sora, whose experience was the basis of the project that brought about this whole crazy mess. Apparently when we woke up last time he had forgotten all that had happend. This kind of goes against UNISON, but whatever, it's still pretty cool.

    I hear tell that your party becomes HUUUGE after beating this game.

    It's not a twist in the game, since it was revealed in a Perfect Works style guide. Also more info about AIDA.

    Also, as it bears repeating, UNISON is non-cannon. Really, did you want the monkey dance to be cannon?

    Well, it is still a surprise that is neat to know.

    I love the monkey dance though.

    Xenogears of Bore on
    3DS CODE: 3093-7068-3576
  • RenzoRenzo Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I already have it preordered. I think my local EB got 2 copies of Vol 2, so I had to make sure I'd get a copy.

    Renzo on
  • Professor HydronProfessor Hydron Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Glenn565 wrote: »
    I love how the big twist in this game can both be seen from a mile away and yet is too crazy to be believed.

    DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED (though you could have figured it out on your own sometime during Vol. 2)
    Hasseo is Sora. No, not the KH Sora, the twinblade ganker from SIGN. The one turned into Sora, whose experience was the basis of the project that brought about this whole crazy mess. Apparently when we woke up last time he had forgotten all that had happend. This kind of goes against UNISON, but whatever, it's still pretty cool.

    I hear tell that your party becomes HUUUGE after beating this game.

    It's not a twist in the game, since it was revealed in a Perfect Works style guide. Also more info about AIDA.

    Also, as it bears repeating, UNISON is non-cannon. Really, did you want the monkey dance to be cannon?

    Well, it is still a surprise that is neat to know.

    I love the monkey dance though.

    Just finished Vol. 2, spoiled myself though. No more of that!
    That totally doesn't explain the fact that if you (a parent) had a child who went into a coma after playing an online game with a pretty memorable title, I find it unlikely you wouldn't have like, told him about it. Or forbade him from playing another game.

    Can anyone link to where it says (or tell me the Roots episode where this is referenced perhaps) Sora is Haseo, beyond Wikipedia? It just seems totally unlikely to me, his (Haseo's) personality is a far cry from Sora, and a couple years of growing up will do that to you, but c'mon. Sora ganked people daily and was a total and complete loner. Haseo is brash but shares nothing else in common besides being a person who kills people, and even then they have totally different reasons for doing so.

    Professor Hydron on
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  • ClawshrimpyClawshrimpy Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I'm still really concerned about Avatar Awakenings and if it will lead to Gate Hacking 2.0.....

    Clawshrimpy on
  • ArchonexArchonex No hard feelings, right? Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Glenn565 wrote: »
    I love how the big twist in this game can both be seen from a mile away and yet is too crazy to be believed.

    DON'T READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED (though you could have figured it out on your own sometime during Vol. 2)
    Hasseo is Sora. No, not the KH Sora, the twinblade ganker from SIGN. The one turned into Sora, whose experience was the basis of the project that brought about this whole crazy mess. Apparently when we woke up last time he had forgotten all that had happend. This kind of goes against UNISON, but whatever, it's still pretty cool.

    I hear tell that your party becomes HUUUGE after beating this game.

    It's not a twist in the game, since it was revealed in a Perfect Works style guide. Also more info about AIDA.

    Also, as it bears repeating, UNISON is non-cannon. Really, did you want the monkey dance to be cannon?

    Well, it is still a surprise that is neat to know.

    I love the monkey dance though.

    Just finished Vol. 2, spoiled myself though. No more of that!
    That totally doesn't explain the fact that if you (a parent) had a child who went into a coma after playing an online game with a pretty memorable title, I find it unlikely you wouldn't have like, told him about it. Or forbade him from playing another game.

    Can anyone link to where it says (or tell me the Roots episode where this is referenced perhaps) Sora is Haseo, beyond Wikipedia? It just seems totally unlikely to me, his (Haseo's) personality is a far cry from Sora, and a couple years of growing up will do that to you, but c'mon. Sora ganked people daily and was a total and complete loner. Haseo is brash but shares nothing else in common besides being a person who kills people, and even then they have totally different reasons for doing so.

    Well, in the first game he seemed to hold on to those "lone PKer" tendencies. He even violently resisted being near others (Case in point, Atoli's speech on how wonderful it is to just look at and enjoy the world, and his flipping out on a nearby pillar and stabbing the everliving fuck out of it.). As the first volume went on things ended up reaching a critical point, what with him thinking he murdered/put Kuhn into a coma/whatever. That probably would have knocked some sense into him, since i'm not sure if he knows what happens to Epitaph Users if they get data-drained. That being said, I liked ultra-asshole Haseo much better then Volume 2's nicer version of Haseo.

    Archonex on
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I'm still really concerned about Avatar Awakenings and if it will lead to Gate Hacking 2.0.....

    From what I've heard...
    ...the items scored from AA will be used to upgrade the Lost Weapons in order to keep them up with your leveling in Vol.3.

    Owenashi on
  • Retarded_TurkeyRetarded_Turkey Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    It's seriously coming out in Sept? Volume Two just came out in Aprilish.

    Retarded_Turkey on
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  • StriferStrifer Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Obligatory "PAL, when?"

    I've been following G.U. a little (so as to not get spoiled) and I am constantly impressed by these games. I hope they will finally start releasing them over here (and offer NTSC).

    Strifer on
    MikoSuikaLine.jpg
  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Strifer wrote: »
    Obligatory "PAL, when?"

    I've been following G.U. a little (so as to not get spoiled) and I am constantly impressed by these games. I hope they will finally start releasing them over here (and offer NTSC).
    I doubt that we'll get the G.U games in the E.U. Didn't the .HACK games sell like shit here?

    Silpheed on
  • StriferStrifer Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I came pretty late to the PS2 party, so I wouldn't know.

    EDIT: Don't tell me I've killed the thread.

    Strifer on
    MikoSuikaLine.jpg
  • Professor HydronProfessor Hydron Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    So, I'm trying to finish the game utterly.

    I already beat Doppleganger like, 3 times (without Slepnir mofos)

    Anybody know good areas for Lucky Animals?

    Professor Hydron on
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  • randombattlerandombattle Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Silpheed wrote: »
    Strifer wrote: »
    Obligatory "PAL, when?"

    I've been following G.U. a little (so as to not get spoiled) and I am constantly impressed by these games. I hope they will finally start releasing them over here (and offer NTSC).
    I doubt that we'll get the G.U games in the E.U. Didn't the .HACK games sell like shit here?

    All I know is that the .hack games have sold pretty damn well all over which is why the series is still going so well. Not many games start from nothing and still get 8 games, 3 animes, several hundred manga, and a few trading card games under their belt in just a few years. :P


    I can't wait for vol 3. I already know whats gonna happen due to rampant spoilers on .hack websites but never the less I cant wait to see the ending.

    randombattle on
    itsstupidbutidontcare2.gif
    I never asked for this!
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    So, I'm trying to finish the game utterly.

    I already beat Doppleganger like, 3 times (without Slepnir mofos)

    Anybody know good areas for Lucky Animals?

    The past two .hack threads here have that info you're seeking if you don't mind searching for it. I do have for you all though some news. Dothackers put up a gallery of English screenshots from Vol.3 up on their site. Due to how they tend to disable direct-linking to specific areas, you'll have to make due by clicking on this link here and checking out their front page, near the top.

    http://www.dothackers.net/

    I did bring two of the shots for viewing here. Remember though that much like the rest of them, these can be pretty spoilerish. I tried to pick the less plot-revealing ones they had.
    snapHi44_009.jpg
    snapHi44_090.jpg

    Owenashi on
  • Tw4winTw4win Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I've never played any of the .hack games. Can someone tell me what the gameplay is like? Is it a "Dark Cloud-esque" Action RPG or is it more like a Zelda game?

    Tw4win on
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  • Retarded_TurkeyRetarded_Turkey Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Tw4win wrote: »
    I've never played any of the .hack games. Can someone tell me what the gameplay is like? Is it a "Dark Cloud-esque" Action RPG or is it more like a Zelda game?

    More "Dark Cloud"-esque, than Zelda. You go into these zones which are basically dungeons and then have to fight your way through. The story is pretty sweet and the gameplay is awesome.

    Retarded_Turkey on
    camo_sig.png
  • Tw4winTw4win Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Tw4win wrote: »
    I've never played any of the .hack games. Can someone tell me what the gameplay is like? Is it a "Dark Cloud-esque" Action RPG or is it more like a Zelda game?

    More "Dark Cloud"-esque, than Zelda. You go into these zones which are basically dungeons and then have to fight your way through. The story is pretty sweet and the gameplay is awesome.

    Should I start with this series or the original series? In terms of gameplay, which is better?

    Tw4win on
    steam_sig.png
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Tw4win wrote: »
    Tw4win wrote: »
    I've never played any of the .hack games. Can someone tell me what the gameplay is like? Is it a "Dark Cloud-esque" Action RPG or is it more like a Zelda game?

    More "Dark Cloud"-esque, than Zelda. You go into these zones which are basically dungeons and then have to fight your way through. The story is pretty sweet and the gameplay is awesome.

    Should I start with this series or the original series? In terms of gameplay, which is better?

    You can start with G.U.'s first volume and not miss too much. If you wanna learn what went on in the original storyline however, here's how.

    -The first part of the story, the novel called A.I. BUSTER, should still be findable in book stores along with it's sequal book which is a collection of stories spread all over the original storyline.

    -The second part of the story, the anime known as SIGN, is buyable in a Complete Collection package in stores like Best Buy.

    -The third part of the story, the four-part (INFECTION, MUTATION, OUTBREAK, & QUARANTINE) serial game will most likely be hard to find now, even in used-game sections of game stores. The special edition of G.U.'s first volume however does come with a bonus disc with unlockable video files. The first four are already unlocked however and tell the story of the original game. An alternative way to go are the ANOTHER BIRTH novels, four books named after each part of the original game which tell more or less the same story but from the point-of-view of the lead female character from the game, Blackrose.

    -The fourth part of the story, the three-volume manga called LEGEND OF THE TWILIGHT, can be found separately and bundled together in a handy bookcase in bookstores. There is an anime based on LEGEND and sold in a Complete Collection package like SIGN but the manga's version of the story is the canon-version of the tale.

    Owenashi on
  • Retarded_TurkeyRetarded_Turkey Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    The worst part of getting the older games is that not only are they rare, but there's four of them and the fourth one is the hardest one to find for whatever reason. :(

    Retarded_Turkey on
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  • DashuiDashui Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    I didn't like the older, four-part series at all. I went from playing G.U. to the previous series and I just couldn't enjoy them. They felt so... archaic. I just couldn't find them fun.

    Dashui on
    Xbox Live, PSN & Origin: Vacorsis 3DS: 2638-0037-166
  • Retarded_TurkeyRetarded_Turkey Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Dashui wrote: »
    I didn't like the older, four-part series at all. I went from playing G.U. to the previous series and I just couldn't enjoy them. They felt so... archaic. I just couldn't find them fun.

    Yeah, its rough sometimes. I played the first one when it came out a bit and just couldn't. Now that I got into GU I picked up 2 and 3 and I'm just waiting to find a decent copy of 4 to give it a shot again. I think I'll just plow through it for story purposes if I can't get into it.

    Retarded_Turkey on
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  • LovelyLovely Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Owenashi wrote: »
    -

    -The fourth part of the story, the three-volume manga called LEGEND OF THE TWILIGHT, can be found separately and bundled together in a handy bookcase in bookstores. There is an anime based on LEGEND and sold in a Complete Collection package like SIGN but the manga's version of the story is the canon-version of the tale.

    The anime version of Legend of the Twilight also kind of sucks :p . I'm just throwing that out there. The manga is gold though.

    I'm also not a huge fan of the Another Birth novels. They're just kind of.....dry. Especially if you've already played the games. I especially dislike the way Kite (main character in the first games) is written. He barely says 2 lines in the second book!
    That said... yeah, if you can't get the games, might as well get and read Another Birth. It pretty much goes through the games plot point by point.

    Lovely on
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  • Retarded_TurkeyRetarded_Turkey Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    The anime Legend of the Twillight is all cutesy and fun.

    Retarded_Turkey on
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  • CrapfestivalCrapfestival Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Dashui wrote: »
    I didn't like the older, four-part series at all. I went from playing G.U. to the previous series and I just couldn't enjoy them. They felt so... archaic. I just couldn't find them fun.

    Yeah, its rough sometimes. I played the first one when it came out a bit and just couldn't. Now that I got into GU I picked up 2 and 3 and I'm just waiting to find a decent copy of 4 to give it a shot again. I think I'll just plow through it for story purposes if I can't get into it.

    I originally played the first one, myself, and just couldn't handle the monotony to continue with the following episodes. Fortunately, all of those episodes previously mentioned that recap the plot of the first .hack series are up on youtube, for those interested, so that you don't have to hunt down the special edition of the first GU game. They really helped me not only remember the first game, but filled in tons and tons of little details that allowed me to consider characters/events in the GU series differently.

    Crapfestival on
  • RenzoRenzo Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Renzo on
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Yep, seems official. Changing the date on the title to reflect this.

    Owenashi on
  • RenzoRenzo Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Here's the .hack GU Vol. 3 thread for all you crazies who keep posting in the Vol. 2 thread.

    To keep this on-topic, I'll mention that there are some image updates on the official website, but one in particular is a spoiler of some kind. So don't go to the official website if you want to remain clueless about Vol. 3.

    Renzo on
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    The anime Legend of the Twillight is all cutesy and fun.

    Incest is like that sometimes, I guess, yeah.

    Anyway, I love these games but finishing up the books of 1000 are super grinding. Do I really have to before I move on to the next volume?

    Magic Pink on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    The anime Legend of the Twillight is all cutesy and fun.

    Incest is like that sometimes, I guess, yeah.

    Anyway, I love these games but finishing up the books of 1000 are super grinding. Do I really have to before I move on to the next volume?

    No, not even close. It's pretty much just a time waster.

    Xenogears of Bore on
    3DS CODE: 3093-7068-3576
  • Magic PinkMagic Pink Tur-Boner-Fed Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    The anime Legend of the Twillight is all cutesy and fun.

    Incest is like that sometimes, I guess, yeah.

    Anyway, I love these games but finishing up the books of 1000 are super grinding. Do I really have to before I move on to the next volume?

    No, not even close. It's pretty much just a time waster.

    But don't they help raise your guild rank?

    Magic Pink on
  • RenzoRenzo Registered User regular
    edited August 2007
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    Magic Pink wrote: »
    The anime Legend of the Twillight is all cutesy and fun.

    Incest is like that sometimes, I guess, yeah.

    Anyway, I love these games but finishing up the books of 1000 are super grinding. Do I really have to before I move on to the next volume?

    No, not even close. It's pretty much just a time waster.

    But don't they help raise your guild rank?

    They do. And the rewards are sometimes really nice. It's your call on if it's worth it or not, though. Might want to look up which rewards you have yet to earn to see if you're willing to work on it.

    Renzo on
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    G.U.-Vol3 is almost upon us and RPGamer.com has come through with a new selection of English screenshots as well as some new official art from the game. The screenshots and some of the art can be quite spoiler-ish to this final chapter's content, so you should be careful in checking out these pages. If you're aching for a peek though, I took three of the least plot-ruining from each selection and dropped them in the spoiler box. Enjoy!

    http://www.rpgamer.com/games/hack/hackgu3/screens/hackgu3ss090707-1.html
    http://www.rpgamer.com/games/hack/hackgu3/art/hackgu3art090707-1.html
    hackgu331-b.jpg
    hackgu348-b.jpg
    hackgu352-b.jpg
    hackgu369-b.jpg
    hackgu372-b.jpg
    hackgu379-b.jpg

    Owenashi on
  • Professor HydronProfessor Hydron Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    EB got me to reserve this game for $5 bucks...damn them

    I won't have much time to play it, but I finished unlocking most of the keywords and I can't find the last person in the Bikmin quest and I don't think it's a very major reward anyway (vol 1. was like, a bunch of scrolls). The Bike is pimp, everyone's weapon levels are high best equipment/alchemized...I think I'm ready.

    However, I see shots of other Divine Awakenings, like people doing Hellfire Quake (Heavy Blade) and things. All I've ever gotten is Plasma Blade (Scythe). I've tried equipping different weapons, having different people in my party, different enemies...etc...what determines the Awakening you get? I just wanted to see the others as Plasma Blade is so darn cool.

    Professor Hydron on
    3DS ~ 2664-2225-0872
    Nintendo Network: ProfHydron
    XBox Gamertag: ProfHydron
    Friend Safari: Fighting ~ Machoke, Pancham, Breloom add me and tag or msg me and I'll add you back
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    From what I've heard, not going for the middle of the timer-bar helps in scoring the other two attack-visuals. That and having people that don't like you too much be part of the Awakening.

    Owenashi on
  • RenzoRenzo Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Got a call from Zombie Aeris with GameStop. They'll have it tomorrow afternoon. Cool.

    Renzo on
  • Professor HydronProfessor Hydron Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    Ahhhh it's here! Going to get it tomorrow!

    kinda wish I didn't spoil the hell out of it with dothackwiki but eh

    Professor Hydron on
    3DS ~ 2664-2225-0872
    Nintendo Network: ProfHydron
    XBox Gamertag: ProfHydron
    Friend Safari: Fighting ~ Machoke, Pancham, Breloom add me and tag or msg me and I'll add you back
  • OwenashiOwenashi Registered User regular
    edited September 2007
    One last little tease before the post-gain game posts start. Combing through .hack//Wiki, I was able to find who these mysterious fellows from an early art release-pic are.
    hackgu36-b.jpg
    From left to right, they're Axanthic, Hetero, and Leucistic, members of Team Hetero from the Arena. Despite their look, they're actually a trio of real players and brothers in fact. However, they do seem to be majorly taken over by AIDA. Much more so then past victims...

    Owenashi on
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