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.Hack//Mutation PS2 Bandai - 2002 Dot Hack is an addictive set of games/comics/anime. Its not like it is particularly good, it isn't. Every aspect of it is mediocre at best. But I keep spending money on it, and can't figure out why. First off, let's talk about the plot. This game is a zombie-MMORPG. That means it is a single-player, offline rpg where you play as a kid playing a Massive Multiplayer Online RPG. Follow that? Good. So don't expect to get online in this game. The plot plays out just like any old rpg, but the fact that you can "log out" of the game into chat rooms adds some dimension. Excepting of course that chat rooms only include how to play the game, secret levels, and plot. So basically you sign out, check your mail and the chat room, find another place to go, then sign on again. It's a great concept although I don't think it was done that well. Next. I need to talk about the dungeons. To enter a dungeon you go to the hub world, then to this gate. You choose 3 words from over 100 or so. This randomly gives you a dungeon with preassigned enemy levels and such. Dungeons are 3-7ish floors, so expect to put a few hours in them. But with the random dungeon making system and the fact that while one dungeon looks the same all the way through, each dungeon varies quite a bit in backgrounds, textures or colors. So don't worry about wandering the same dungeon scheme over and over (a la Vagrant Story) thru the whole game.
Let's mention the menus. There are a lot since this game only lets you control the main charater. The (up to two) other characters are computer controlled, and to get them to do stuff, like heal or attack, you press the square button. It brings up a menu that says stuff like, change equipment, attack nearest enemy, heal, follow leader, spread out, or stick a pole up your butt and act like Raiden, which is what they are quite good at. The triangle button allows you to access your items, equipment, stats, and spells. The x button attacks. Yep. Only one attack button, for a hack and slash too! You are moving around on the battle field chasing enemies and you only have one attack button. Plus, you never get a good enough view to see if you are close enough to the enemy to attack, if you are not then the attack will not even register. So the basic plan of every fight is as follows:
Yeah, sounds like fun eh? The good news is that mp replenish on their own and that... well there is no other good news. So what's good about this game eh? There has to be something. Well I spent way too long playing the first game, about 20 hours, I wanted to get my money's worth, and pumped my characters up 10 levels higher than they should have been. Instead of level 28, that you were supposed to beat the game on!!, I was 38. So when you start your next game with your built up data, I was able to play through the entire game rather quickly, which I didn't cause the first thing I did was go in dungeons and get to level 50, then play the game. The game is mindless, you don't really have to pay attention all that much to play, which makes it a great game while you are on the phone, which I am a lot. What liked: Lots of good ideas. Fun characters, a zombie-MMORPG, a free anime, lots of tie-ins. What disliked: The battle system (aka the hitting X fast game). I still haven't seen a really good reason, besides wanting money, that all 4 games weren't released as one. There is enough room on a DVD for all of them. Heck, FFX has much more plot and rendered scenes, and plays 100 hours long. What to expect: Hitting X and healing a lot. Getting a headache 'cause the dungeons are long. Weird mockery of MMORPGs. What not to expect: An actual MMORPG. Fun fighting system. Kingdom Hearts. What's so different from this and other games of it's genre: It's not a MMORPG. It doesn't want to be a normal rpg. It's also an anime and manga. It wants to be something completely different from everything out there right now. Unfortunately it isn't really fun. Ratings on: Control: 3 - Crap. Hit X why don'tcha. Move the camera all the time just to see the enemy that is raping you. Graphics: 8 - I like the fact that you can play in first-person mode, although it makes fighting enemies even harder. Sound: 7 - Voice acting = acceptable. Music = pretty nice actually. Style: 8 - A lot of new ideas. A lot of stuff that could have been done better though. 1st hour: 7 - This seems pretty cool so far. 5th hour: 6 - Ok, BlackRose's voice is terrible. 1st week: 4 - Why do I play this game. I know I don't like it. 5th week: 5 - Kick me in the face. The plot isn't very good, there is no closure at the end, and now I have to wait 3 months and 50 bucks for the next game just to find out that there is no closure on it either. #1 reason why I hate this game: It eats my cash faster than my coke habit. by Hawke |
