role-playing

.hack//Infection continues the story that begins in .hack//SIGN, the anime series on Cartoon network and DVD in America at present. You don't necessarily need to know or understand the .hack// storyline previous to this game to dive in and begin the playing. As a story, it is a long, complex series of products going from 26 episode //SIGN into the 4 sequential .hack video games (this is the first) and their DVD OVA (original video animation), then into a 12 episode series in Japan currently called .hack/Udeden.

Infection can be quite a wall of information to overcome, and the structure of the game (being a game within an internet connection layering outward) seems strange at first. Read the meager manual first! Once within the game, the story unfolds and teaches you how to play the game. Further hints fly at you in emails and BBS messages while playing inside the game. After a couple of hours trying to understand how to work The World you will grasp the finesse without needing help or manuals. If you get to any stalled areas, jump servers, wander about, read messages and emails for new dungeon addresses and use your time to gain experience points and up your level. Infection is really almost just a fun training ground for the three games that come after to complete the story. Data WILL transfer to the next game once you complete the one you are on, thus you can adventure and gain experience, money and items that can be continued in the next edition. If you are a medium skill gamer, Infection will take about 40 hours of game play. Mutation, because you know how to play the game at start, will take even less (24-30 hours). Regardless, it is a fun game. Not a pinnacle, but nice.

Each video game edition comes with a DVD OVA anime following a story that is taking place outside the game in the real world. Together, I assume, the game and DVDs will tie together into a cohesive finale at the end of the 4th video game.

There are only a few things that bring this game above the level of a single star. First, it is tightly integrated with the Anime/Manga series, and the cutscenes and storyline meshes well with them. Second, it does a great job of making a single person game feel like a multiplayer online world - the quotes from other characters as they run past make you feel just like you're part of a game filled with real live newbies.

Unfortunately, the game play doesn't live up to the possibilities. Players of AD&D 1st edition may remember a random dungeon creator, which you could use if you were just too lazy to come up with creative worlds. This game is slightly less creative than that, as it omits any special dungeon dressings which would at least make the dungeons feel different. Instead, you spend hours going through the same types of randomly generated areas and having the same kinds of fights, again and again.

I gave up on the game before finishing it. I think this is the only game I've ever done that with - I felt, though, as if I'd already played it out. I'm sure there were nice ending cutscenes and a few other plot twists ahead, but since there are already three sequels, I doubt I missed anything earth-shattering. Even if I did, I don't think I could sit through several more hours of hacking and slashing through cardboard dungeons.

first of all the game is about a kid who joins a online game called the world. his one friend "orca" was data drained by a virus named skeith. he then meets the little girl in white gives him a book.his friend ended up in a coma. "kite" (the main character) travels with a female character "blackrose" who is a newbie or begginer just like him. she takes them to a viraly infected area called "hidden,forbidden,holy ground" where they find a monster who can not die. later they continue meeting virus monsters and screwed up areas. i gave this game a best game because i am a huge fan. if you like rpg and movement fighting you will love it.