Game: .hack//LINK - PSP

[RyougaZell]

Most of you guys will probably won't care about this game... but for those few of us that do... I must share the joy. My grin is enormous :D

Namco Bandai has announced the eight title on the .hack videogame franchise in the form of .hack//LINK for PSP. It is currently unknown if the game will follow the same story as the .hack manga of the same title, or if it will deviate from it.

The story shall follow the new main character, Tokyo Kuryuu and his adventures alongside Saika Amagi inside The World R:X, the next iteration of the popular online game, which was released 3 years after the events taking place in G.U. after The World R:2 was unexpectedly shut down.

Tokyo will have to battle the secret organization Shicksal, whose purpose remains hidden for now.

Over 100 characters from previous .hack iterations will appear. Confirmed characters are marked as follow:

From .hack//IMOQ (Infection-Mutation-Outbreak-Quarentine)
- Kite
- Balmung

From .hack//SIGN
- Tsukasa
- Subaru
- Silver Knight

From .hack//AI BUSTER
- Albireo

From .hack//CELL
- Midori

From .hack//ROOTS
- Tabby

From .hack//GU
- Haseo
- Alkaid
- Atoli
- Ovan
- Azure Kite

Screens:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_13430_hack1_122_882lo.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/13430_hack1_122_882lo.jpg) http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_13437_hack2_122_522lo.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/13437_hack2_122_522lo.jpg)

No date has been set for the release of this game, but I shall keep you guys informed (those that may care that is)

[animus]

I still need to play the third game in the GU series.

But why is it they always release character clusterfucks on the PSP. Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 1 & 2, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, and now this.

I'm probably gonna play this eventually but I can't say I have very high expectations.

[RyougaZell]

LOL... dunno about the PSP doing that, but the .hack//LINK manga has been running for over a year like this, with this character combination.

Anyways... I did a mistake... I marked Albireo as from Another Birth, but he is from Ai Buster.

Shicksal is compromised of 7 members:
Fluegel
Metronome
Geist
Cello
Klarinette
Orgel
Posaune

In the manga they seek the Chrono Spheres the Twilight Knigts possess. Tokyo arrives at The World in time to see Fluegel figthing the leader of the Twilight Knights, Kite.

More info on the manga.
http://dothack.wikia.com/wiki/LINK

[fireheart]

Think I read somewhere that it's not suppose to follow the story of the manga but who knows

[RyougaZell]

It will diverge, yes. Yet the story seems to start the same since in the screens we see how Tokyo entered The World R:X, same like on the manga. Likewise... Shicksal will be there as the main villans.

[animus]

I have to admit, I'm not liking that name Tokyo.

[RyougaZell]

I've hated his character since he was introduced on the manga. But its a small price to pay to see the other 100 returning characters.

[fireheart]

Haven't read the manga except for the two first chapters or so and thought his name was Tokio and not Tokyo.

Maybe it's just me but seeing both Kite and Azure Kite seems quite weird. Makes me wonder if they're going to bring in anyone from Twilight Bracelet or Dusk or whatever it's called. Also gonna guess that BlackRose is gonna be in it as well, it'd be weird is she wasn't.

Either way hoping it'll actually be more than a decent game this time around, even though I liked the others there were too many things I didn't like in the old games.

[RyougaZell]

Checking closer the screenshots... you can see one of Tokio and Tsukasa fighting Macha in her Phase form.

[fireheart]

I don't know about that, it doesn't quite look like Tsukasa, the colors a little bit of and makes me think more of Elk, it'd also make a lot more sense that it's Elk than Tsukasa. Also don't think I've ever seen Tsukasa that expressive in his looks

[RyougaZell]

While the expression is really more Elk like... the hair is gray and not blue. Plus... the hat doesn't look blue to me.

[fireheart]

I still think it's Elk though another thing that's off is the red dots in the hat, Elk had red dots Tsukasa had green ones I think. Also the wave mark on his cheek isn't the same as the one Tsukasa has rather it's the same as Elks. And Elks hair is kinda light blue so it's not always that easy to see the difference.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/rezy84/hacksignbu1.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f17/rezy84/art-09-elk.jpg

Edit: By the way did you hear the news that this is gonna be the last .hack game they make?

[RyougaZell]

The ones that said it may be the last hack game was Famitsu. Matsuyama and his team from CC2 never stated such thing.

[RyougaZell]

Teaser Trailer released.
http://dothackers.net/media/%5Bwww.dothackers.net%5Dlink_teaser.wmv

New Characters confirmed:
Mimiru
Orca
Mistral
Trommel
Klarinette
Cello

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Tsukasa-Tokio.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Trommel.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Subaru-Tokio.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Orca.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Mistral-Tokio.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Mimiru-Tokio.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Balmung-Tokio.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/Atoli-Tokio.jpg

[Archangel]

I've never played one of these games. Would a RPG fanatic like myself enjoy them?

Also i think there's an anime about this series, should i watch it to better understand the game?

[fireheart]

I don't know what kinds of RPG you like so it's hard for me to say. But for me the biggest drawing point of .hack has always been the concept behind it. Though I'm sad to say all the games so far have been in my opinion only mediocre at best so probably no you wouldn't.

[RyougaZell]

I've never played one of these games. Would a RPG fanatic like myself enjoy them?

Also i think there's an anime about this series, should i watch it to better understand the game?

The first four games are nothing special. And they are all the same. What draws you in is the story. You need to be a fan to enjoy it.

The GU games on the other hand are way better and you don't need the previous games to understand whats going on. Yet... if you want to fully enjoy the game you do need the previous information.

In order of 'canon'

.hack//Epitaph of Twilight - Novel
.hack//AI BUSTER - Novel
.hack//SIGN - Anime
.hack//ZERO - Novel
.hack//IMOQ (Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, Quarentine) - PS2
.hack//LIMINALITY - Ovas (bundled with 4 games)
.hack//ANOTHER BIRTH - Novel retelling games in POV of BlackRose
.hack//AI BUSTER 2 - Novel
.hack//Tasogare Udewa Densetsu - Manga
.hack//END OF THE WORLD - Special disc free with limited edition of GU 1
.hack//ROOTS - Anime
.hack//CELL - Novel
.hack//ALCOR - Manga
.hack//GnU - Manga
.hack//GU - PS2 (3 volumes)
.hack//LINK - PSP

Non-canon
.hack//GIFT - Ova
.hack//UNISON - Ova
.hack//Tasogare Udewa Densetsu - Anime
.hack//XXXX - Manga
.hack//GU+ - Manga
.hack//GU - Novel
.hack//Link ~ Twilight Knights - Manga
.hack//Returner - Ova

[Xelbair]

Hack games are reason for me to buy ps2 in future - i saw hack sign, and roots - great anime - and i'm damned annoyed that i cant get rest story because i don't own ps2 yet... and not even a single novel released in poland

[Archangel]

You do realize there are various ps2 emulators out there right?

[Xelbair]

none works well on core2quad, and .hack games work only in menus - do you think i haven't tried?

[RyougaZell]

New scans out

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143ddot.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143ddot.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-1.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-1.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-2.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-2.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-3.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-3.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-4.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-4.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-5.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/hacklinkpersona3finalfantasy143d-5.jpg)

Im glad to see BlackRose as a party member :D
I was afraid they would make her comatose like the manga.

[fireheart]

I really hope that's BlackRose so that it's not Rena or Mimiru, well Mimiru had brown hair if I don't remember wrong but bah to many with the same character design. And well Rena is Rena... AND WHAT SHE'S IN A COMA!!!!

[RyougaZell]

The scans feature both BlackRose and Mimiru. No problem there. No word on Rena though.

Its implied BlackRose is in a coma or lost, because when Fluegel and Kite fight, Kite thinks of her, Orca and Balmung and yells at Fluegel to return his friends to him.

[fireheart]

Anyone tried the japanese demo yet?

[RyougaZell]

There's a demo :| ?

Must download it today. Its on the Japanese PSN ?

On other news... Xth forms were revealed for several characters including Haseo, Kite, BlackRose, Mimiru, Tsukasa, Midori, Tabby and Silabus

EDIT:
Found the demo

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_1105link.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/1105link.jpg)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_rpglandtendstogetfastscans18.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/rpglandtendstogetfastscans18.jpg)

Im getting more excited with this game as new info surfaces. Hack Link will finally conclude the lost story of hack // Zero. Carl has been confirmed to appear :D

[fireheart]

Also read somewhere that they pushed the release date to march. And BlackRose is looking more like Rena though it might be because she looks younger, so overall not really liking that they all look younger now.

Not really liking Tokios Xth form it looks kinda too big for him and the big horn in the middle of his forehead isn't exactly fitting him. Though it might be the weapons that make it look like he's a shrimp, then again some of these Xth forms aren't really sitting to well with me. But I do dig Kites Xth form though never really saw him as much of an archer. To bad I haven't read any of .hack//Zero or .hack//CELL.

[RyougaZell]

hack ZERO was never officially translated. Heck, it was canceled in Japan before ending. I do know about Carl's backstory. She was a friend of Sora, was one of the lost one, and the daughter of Tokuoka. Its her coma what prompted Tokuoka to see Minase Mai.

Cell will be published next march in english and covers Midori's story before and after she fights Haseo. She lives only inside the game, yet is not a lost one, but rather a Cell created creature.

I like the Xth forms, except Tokio, but mainly because I dislike him as a main character.

[animus]

Tokio reminds me too much of a Digimon character.


But man, I still haven't gotten around to playing the last GU game yet.

[RyougaZell]

Everybody says that about Tokio. He looks like Taichi. And everybody hates him as well. Heck... even the animation on the game is made by one of the studios that did the digimon movies. And it sucks.

Fortunately the demo is fun.

You get to have Kite in the Tutorial and you get to choose your partner for the 3 demo stages. You get Haseo and Tsukasa.

[fireheart]

Well it's just some of them I don't like, Mimiru and Tabby, while I canunderstand Tabbys Xth form considering what she did in Roots they both feel like they're there just to fill a niche. I mean bunny ears on Mimiru? While I haven't seen SIGN in the longest time now it still doesn't fit imo. Hoping the other characters will have some Xth form as well.

Is Taichi the first guy with goggles in Digimon?

[Archangel]

Oh ya, he does look like the guy from Digimon

Btw, will someone who's never played an hack game be able to enjoy this?

[RyougaZell]

Oh ya, he does look like the guy from Digimon

Btw, will someone who's never played an hack game be able to enjoy this?

hardly

heck... to completely enjoy underestand hack you need to...

Watch the animes:
SIGN
LIMINALITY
Tasogare no Udewa Densetsu (Non-canon)
Returner (Non-canon)
Unison (Non-canon)
Roots
Trilogy Movie (Non-canon)

Read the manga:
GU+ (Non-canon)
Alcor
Tasogare no Udewa Densetsu
X-fourth (Non-canon)

Read the novels:
Another Birth
AI Buster
GU (Non-canon)
Cell
Zero
Epitaph of Twilight

Play the Games
IMOQ
GU

And then we have the upcoming

LINK - Game
Link - Twilight Nights - Manga (non-canon)
Link Anime (Non-canon)
ChupChopCase Anime
4Koma

so yeah... the game could be fun but... Link has tons of references to the above...

Lots... as in characters from each of those series. I am not kidding here.

We have Albireo from Ai Buster, Midori from Cell, Carl from Zero, Tsukasa from Sign, Kite from IMOQ, Haseo from GU, etc etc etc

[Arcn3ss]

I loved the hack games, specially GU. I am really hoping this gets a North American Release.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/echo_noir/Hack01.jpg

[RyougaZell]

Its definitely getting an american release Arc.

Specially since .hack//ALCOR gets published this december, .hack//GU Novel Vol 2 gets released next january, .hack//CELL Novel next march and .hack//LINK Twilight Knights has been licensed as well.

If only they published Zero, even if unfinished... and Epitaph of Twilight as well.

[RyougaZell]

New Scans

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_74581120091205_000635_0_big.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/74581120091205_000635_1_big.jpg) http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/th_74581120091205_000635_1_big.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/74581120091205_000635_0_big.jpg)

GU Characters Endrance, Shino, Kuhn, Saku, Bo and Pi confirmed. Their Xth forms revealed.

Atoli and Alkaid's Xth form revealed.

Official color squeme of all Schisckal members revealed.

Gabi confirmed.

[Archangel]

Yo Zell i wanna play this

Can you please give me a list of anime to watch and ps2 games to play so i can at least get a hint of the story? In order if possible.

[RyougaZell]

Lets see... the 'basics' would be...

BASIC
-Watch SIGN Anime (SKIP Unison episode until you finish the games, it takes place after them)
-Play the first Quadrology of PS2 games (be aware that graphically each game is the same, it was a major turnoff for many gamers).
-Each game comes bundled with one of four LIMINALITY OVA so watch them one after another after ending the games, or after finishing each game.

OPTIONAL (non-basic) to learn more and enjoy:
- Read the AI Buster novel (no scans available, sorry). Be aweare that AI Buster takes place before SIGN while AI Buster 2 takes place during SIGN and then time skips after the games. It also has side stories for Udeden.

OPTIONAL (non-basic):
- Read Another Birth novel. Its the games from the point of view of BlackRose

BASIC again:
- Read Udeden Manga (no scans available, sorry)
- Watch Roots Anime
- Play GU Vols 1 to 3 (it starts middleway Roots... so final episodes of Roots may have spoilers for the games. Idiotic? Yes. I hate they did it this way)


Those are the essentials... many other of the sub-series will just allow you to learn more of certain characters or expand the story. Xfourth is a retelling of the games with changes. GU+ is a retelling of the games as well... TRILOGY is YET another retelling. Alcor is canon, but doesn't hurt to skip it. CELL is not yet translated, neither Zero. GnU is just stupidness galore.

Skip Udeden Anime. It deviated from the manga horribly.

[Archangel]

Thanks

So when should i watch unison? After the first tetralogy?

[RyougaZell]

Thanks

So when should i watch unison? After the first tetralogy?

Unison was rendered un-canon thanks to GU, but its fanservice you can indeed watch after the first four games. GIFT is another OVA from SIGN you should skip until the end, but this one is pure laughs, but I suggest skipping it because it has characters from the games.


Woot!

.hack//ALCOR is already available in english (I own the spanish/europe version)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/alcor.gif
.hack//CELL Volume 1 available March 2
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/cell.gif
.hack//4Koma available March 30
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/4koma.gif
.hack//LINK Twilight Knights Available June 29
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/linkmanga.jpg

[Archangel]

That green haired dude in the main character right? He keeps popping up in box arts and stuff

[RyougaZell]

The green-haired character is Kite. He's the main in the four original games and has appeared in one or another way in every story since he was introduced.

The main character in GU is Haseo though, the silver haired guy in black.

[RyougaZell]

New Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qdIGmlgo60&feature=player_embedded

New Profiles
http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/224/224214/

[RyougaZell]

It seems a new anime, rumored to be the 'new era' after LINK will be announced soon. This image was teased after the .hack//LIVE of some weeks ago

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/linkanimeteaser.jpg

I just hope BandaiNamco gets out of their ass soon and announce LINK on the E3...

[RyougaZell]

While we wait to Namco stop being an ass and localize hack//LINK... the next anime project has been announced.

.hack//QUANTUM

Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO6sJOcluHo&feature=player_embedded)

Set on 2022, a new party of three players, Sakuya, Mary and Tobias, acquire the avatars of legendary players Kite, BlackRose and Balmung and embark on the ultimate reborn quest... The One Sin

Cameos shown so far include: Atoli, Alkaid, IYOTEN, Asta, Aina, Piros the 3rd and many more.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/RyougaZell/quantum-small.png

[Archangel]

Wtf? Gender bender?

[RyougaZell]

Its not like its the first time.

The original Kite (unnamed - Boy) appears on IMOQ and LINK
The 2nd Kite (Shuugo - Boy) appears on UDEDEN and LINK
The 3rd Kite (Azure - AI) appears on GU and LINK
The 4th Kite (Sora - Girl) appears on LINK and is set to appear on the 4th Generation of 'The World' two years after LINK.
The 5th Kite (Sakuya - Girl) appears on QUANTUM