What is .hack//G.U. Last Recode? and the Guide to G.U. Storyline
Notice: This article is purposely for those who didn't played .hack//G.U. Last Recode, including for Nintendo Switch Owners who didn't play or didn't know anything about this game along with the series.
Beware for the Slight Spoilers!!!
As we already heard that .hack//G.U. Last Recode announced for Nintendo Switch as it would be released on March 10, 2022 which is next month from now, as .hack fans already know about the series as a Great Classic JRPG series, however, there are people who owned Nintendo Switch or people who didn't even played the game didn't know about this game or even didn't know about this series, there's still so many people who didn't actually aware that this game really exist. So in this article released, I want to take you a bit explanation about what is .hack//G.U. and what makes this game so special to everyone in 2006.
Let me take you a bit journey and knowledge about what is .hack//G.U.
What is .hack series?
Although as much I want to explain to you here, it's already been explained in History of .hack//Series and why it deserves for the Second Chance, so you can accessed there to learn more about the franchise.
What is .hack//G.U.?
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| Key Visual .hack//G.U. Vol.1 Rebirth by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (source: dothackwikia) |
.hack//G.U. is a series of single-player action role-playing game for the PlayStation 2, developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai Namco Games which was first time released in Japan at May 18, 2006. The series of G.U. contains three volumes of the game, first volume is Rebirth, second volume is Reminisce, and third/final volume is Redemption, each of those three volumes storyline is basically the story of Haseo as a the main protagonist of the game.
Like the previous .hack//Games, with G.U. simulates an massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), which player can interact with other players of characters, buying items, fighting monsters, found the treasures, doing quest, explore the secrets and mystery, so many mores which regular things happen in the online game as we knew and as we love it. However, G.U. games is still concept that out-boundaries that brings themes about hackers, but taking a different concept from previous games, this has shonen elements that players not just enjoy the gameplay, but enjoy the relatable stories with relatable characters, and relatable lores and atmosphere that brings you toward an uniqueness of .hack series.
The series was directed by Hiroshi Matsuyama, character designer artist by Seiichiro Hosokawa and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, written by Tatsuya Hamazaki and the music composed by the legendary iconic .hack composer, Chikayo Fukuda.
Where and When does .hack//G.U. Took place?
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| The main setting of .hack//G.U. Series in The World R:2 on 2017 A.D. |
The story of G.U. took place in the alternate version of Earth in the year of 2017 A.D. and CyberConnect Corporation released the next titular version of the MMORPG known as The World R:2. A new version brings players and fans to the whole new different atmosphere and some same atmosphere from the first revision of The World brings player toward a new generation of the game online.
Let's take a look back on the origins of the World R:2 in slight spoilers, came with Fire Outbreak Incident in the CC Corp at 2015 A.D. which two years prior to the game event and over 80% data cannot be salvages became the reason for CC Corp to developed and release The World R:2 which in case, however, became pros and con by community and old players which how the sells is much less than how it did with The World R:1 game sales. Thus, The World R:2 is not just about finding treasure, exploration, and fighting monsters, you can experience all-new different things like Battling Tournament, Becoming a Guildmaster at your @HOME, Trade your Items, Accepting Quest, and also battling against PKers.
As we knew back then The World R:1 use to have a PKers, but got removed due to few problems which I cannot to explain, but the PK features returned in the World R:2 as players might gonna encountered many different kinds of the PKers so you might need to be careful, because who knows they gonna come and PK you. And other stuffs in The World R:2 will still kept the emotion, feelings, mystery, and deep within places we will explored. For a new fans who want to enjoy your simulation of MMORPG, and you guys had worth to try this because the worth time you will experience what it looks like for you to play the online game.
Who is Haseo & What's the Story of Him in G.U.?
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| Haseo, the legendary of PKK, The Terror of Death is the main protagonist of .hack//G.U. Series |
For a new fans didn't know who Haseo is? Let me take you some little bit personal biodata about him.
Haseo is the main protagonist in .hack//G.U. series. He is an Adept Rogue who wields the multiple weapons and he's known as the legendary PKK, Terror of Death and now currently he's on his vengeful quest to hunt the mysterious creature known as Tri-Edge the Mysterious PKK who PKed the players that would "never return to this world" alias Fall into a Coma and all begins with his friend, Shino fell into a coma after being attacked by Tri-Edge and that become vengeful quest to hunt down the one who made his friend became a victim. But there's a plot twist and turns that would be unexpected for new players to know, what comes after when Haseo found the one who PKed Shino.
The only answer for you is to play .hack//G.U. Last Recode...
What Kind Gameplay in G.U.?
Note: This source of information about gameplay came from Wikipedia articles, but some information had been removed in order to avoid surprised in the game. Please ask me in the comments below.
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| Source: Famitsu |
.hack//G.U. simulates a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG); players assume the role of a participant in a fictional game called The World. While in The World, the player controls the on-screen player character, Haseo, from a third-person perspective (with optional first-person mode). The player may control the camera using the game controller's right analog stick. Within the fictional game, players explore monster-infested fields and dungeons as well as "Root Towns" that are free of combat.
They also can "log-off" from the game and return to a computer desktop interface which includes in-game e-mail, news, and message boards, as well as desktop and background music customization options.
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| Root Town Server in Mac Anu |
Root Towns are non-combat areas in The World. The player may restock on items, buy equipment, or chat and trade with other "players" of The World. The player may also undertake optional quests and visit guilds. A key feature of all towns is the Chaos Gate. This blue portal is used to travel between towns (called "servers") as well as access the fields and dungeons where battles take place. A password system controls the characteristics of each area. Depending on the characteristics of each word in the three word phrase, the resulting area may have different attributes such as prevalence of monsters or items, among other features.
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| Combat system in .hack//G.U. |
.hack//G.U. is an action role-playing game; players attack monsters in real time. However, the action pauses whenever the menu is opened in order to select magic to cast, items to use, or skills to perform. The player only directly controls Haseo; the other characters are controlled by the game itself.
The player may either provide guidelines ("Free Will", "Rage", "Life", etc.) or issue direct commands (for example, to cast a particular magic at a particular enemy) to the computer-controlled characters. Monsters roam the environments freely or guard treasure chests. Once combat is initiated, via a "surprise attack" or the player being spotted, a wall erects around the combat area to prevent escape. Weapons give the player access to the Skill Trigger feature which allows Haseo to perform a powerful attack. At his initial power level, Haseo can only wield dual short swords; he earns the right to equip additional weapons like broadswords and scythes over the course of the game.
If a party lands a large combo against an enemy with one of those hits being a regular attack, the victim becomes vulnerable to an enhanced type of Skill Trigger called "Rengeki" upon the landing of the regular attack. Rengeki attacks deal double damage, give an experience point bonus, and fill the aggressor party's Morale gauge, which allows the party to use a combination attack.
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| Avatar Battle Mode |
Certain plot-related fights, called "Avatar battles", use a different interface which incorporates shoot'em up gameplay elements. After depleting the opponent's health, players must charge up a "Data Drain" to end the battle.
What makes G.U. so Special?
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| Haseo on his [REDACTED] form |
To avoid any spoilers.
.hack//G.U. is so special within it's edgy world-building, fun gameplay, grinding, quest, monsters, combat system and many more you like. But one thing that is more special is the story journey about Haseo on his personal growth to become a person which is how deeply definition to this title of G.U. that is not connected to something shady, but something that has it's very meaningful to this journey along with the people that Haseo had met. Once new players try this and experience a wonderful journey and character development between Haseo and his friends in three volumes, it became more satisfying and really pay off of how it brings us to understand Haseo deeper along with main cast of the series which makes it more relatable to among fans and players.
New players are very welcome to try and experience this great experience and amazing journey that you all can't wait to see what's next...
And don't forget the music, the composer herself Chikayo Fukuda and other teams really nailed it that embodied through the atmosphere, world, characters, drama, emotion and story itself, and trust me!! If you play this game and if you love this music in G.U. and I promise you, you all are the luckiest person to try it.
Also, if you love Yuri Lowenthal, he's voicing Haseo so play it for him!
What is .hack//G.U. Last Recode?
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| PS4 Box Art & Key Visual of .hack//G.U. Last Recode |
New players don't need to play the original on PS2. You can all play this amazing journey in a wonderful HD Remastered version in 2017 titled .hack//G.U. Last Recode which is already available on PlayStation 4, Steam and later on Nintendo Switch which would be released on March 11, 2022.
Featuring not just a visual upgrade and enhancement, but it also featured a gameplay enhancement and improvements, along with a several parts of the game been adjustment, gameplay rebalance, difficulty rebalance and so much more. While, this also, includes a brand-new story and epilogue which titled .hack//G.U. Vol.4 Reconnection brings us to the story of personal conclusion of Haseo's growth journey and satisfying moment that connects to all three-volumes.
It's very fantastic chance for a new players to try and play this wonderful, yet masterpiece series of the game, although it's very important to share this news to anyone who didn't know about this game, it's very allowed for anyone to enjoy this game and all matters it would be pay off for you all to finish and complete all contents as achievement, also for those who wants to experience the MMORPG looks like.
This .hack//G.U. Last Recode announcement trailer was uploaded by Bandai Namco US on Youtube.
Guide to the .hack//G.U.
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| Story Guide to experience .hack//G.U. Last Recode |
Now let us make a guide for a people who didn't know where to start, and it might gonna be complicated for me to explain the guides for a new players in order to play .hack//G.U. and it can be hard or easy, but complicated indeed. Here's the four routes guide you can choose:
Road to G.U. "Easy Route"
New players can experience the past titles in easy route in order to play .hack//G.U. Last Recode and experience it's storyline, here's the list title you need to experience it's story that would lead to G.U. storyline:
- .hack//Roots (A prequel stories to .hack//G.U. storyline depicted the story after Haseo got first PKed by IYOTEN and Asta in the first tutorial game which what happened to him after he saved by Ovan, and how Haseo become a Terror of Death to avenged Shino by trying to find information about Tri-Edge).
- Additional Information: Just watch through EP.1 to EP18, because the afterwards is a spoilers that directly connected to second volume and third volume.
- Terminal Disc (Recap story of .hack//IMOQ (Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, & Quarantine) although it is also a story of programmers named Jun Bansyoya and his involvement with G.U. Project or as R.A. Plan and how it leads to the Fire Outbreak in CC Corp and The creation of The World R:2).
- Additional Information: You can freely view it on Title Screen of .hack//G.U. Last Recode.
Road to G.U. "Hard Route"
This road is the hardest and long route for fans to enjoy, in order to fully experience the story of .hack//G.U. in a very deep context to the storyline, lore, characters, and ties-in. Although you all might gonna to do longer and hard to follow in order to understand the story very deeply, but it's very worth for those who already made come along way. here's the list title you need to experience it's story that would lead to G.U. storyline:
- .hack//SIGN (The first television anime of .hack focused on Tsukasa the wandering Wavemaster who can't log out from the online game. Although why this series really connected to the game, I let you for some spoiler, because this isn't a second time that player create PC named Haseo, but the first PC that player created is Sora who is PK in The World R:1 and the support character in .hack//SIGN, you might gonna pay attention about him tho).
- .hack//IMOQ (The first game of .hack focused on Kite which contains a four parts of the storyline like Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine. If you played this, you all gonna fully experience a major deep lores, concept, MMORPG, deep mystery vibes, and very deeper connection to the .hack//G.U. Lores that might helped you need to beat all four game to experience a fully deeper story and lores of .hack//G.U.)
- Terminal Disc (Once you watch SIGN and play IMOQ, this Terminal Disc will gives you insight more what happened following the two titles of the game and how it bridge connected to the .hack//G.U.).
- .hack//ROOTS
Road to G.U. "Immediately Route"
If you don't have time to experience the past titles and just want to immediately jump to the game, there's need to force, you can start the game right now without experiencing the past title. Although people might gonna recommend you to play the past titles to understand the story, and if I said this, .hack//G.U. can also be deliberately as a standalone game story as well without needed to experience the past title and you can enjoy freely without hesitation to do.
Why? because the first .hack game I played is .hack//G.U. and I don't even know or play the past titles, so it's really fine if you want to start the game immediately.
Road to G.U. "New Route"
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| .hack//G.U. Begins (Source: @dothackofficial) |
There's a new routes for you to take if that's possible, and in this new routes, the only thing you can experience the past stories prior to .hack//G.U. without watching or playing the past titles of the series, by reading new official Webcomic titled .hack//G.U. Begins which is a prequel stories to .hack//G.U. Story and it contains three arcs that contains the past events of the series, such as SIGN, .hack, and Roots.
Three arcs is basically the story from the player's behind Haseo and Sora, Ryou Misaki's perspective about his past that eventually lead-up to the game, this is a simplest route you can follow without any hard or easy routes you need in order to experience the game.
You can read the Webcomic here
Conclusion
People might confuse, which routes guide to .hack that they would choose to experience .hack//G.U. story, some might recommend people to play first .hack which is the best experience they would get in order to understand the lores and the story of the series. However, there's also people who choose to play G.U. Last Recode immediately in order to know what .hack series is, but for me, whether the choice they make to try is very appreciate to those who wants to learn a deep world of .hack, although we also want to give their first try with G.U. story without learn a previous story titles to understand.
.hack//G.U. can be good either as a direct-sequel or as a standalone game, choice is matter if anyone to try and jump, it's free for new players to jump immediately without knowledge from past experience, but all they need to do is to understand about the aspect of the game, story, and character's journey in order for us to understand more. But people can also rise opinions and taste regarding about the gameplay, but even though it's the same as everyone says in their own opinion, but all I can say is that as player continuously play through the end progress, all your experience would be satisfied and payoff as you beat all four volumes game of .hack//G.U.
Although, in order to support the series and make Bandai Namco to revive the series by greenlight remake of first original .hack game and new .hack game is very necessary for players to try and make this game sells successfully as part of support.
External Link Direct
For Nintendo Switch (You need to Pre-Order): https://store.bandainamcoent.com/hack-g-u-last-recode/
If you want a demo version of .hack//G.U. Last Recode, you can try playing it on PlayStation 4.
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