.hack: G.U., Vol. 1: Rebirth | 
| From: Namco
Category: Video Games
List Price: $29.99
Buy Used: $25.98
You Save: $4.01 (13%)
New (4) Used (12) Collectible (1) from $25.98
Rating:  11 reviews
Sales Rank: 6076
Platform: Playstation2
Genre: Adventure Games
ESRB: Teen
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Age: 12 - 20 years
Operating System: Playstation 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 0.1 x 0.1 x 0
MPN: 10057
UPC: 722674100571
EAN: 0722674100571
ASIN: B000G7X5OK
Release Date: October 24, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Complete with case and instructions.
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| Features:
| • | Delve deeper into The World - Featuring an enthralling storyline that builds upon the excitement of the first .hack series | | • | Special items for .hack fans - Utilize your save data from the first .hack series and unlock a special surprise | | • | Realistic interactions - Communicate with your partners using the all-new communication features and an upgraded interface | | • | Hack the game - All new features allow for greater hacking abilities. Manipulate The World to your advantage | | • | Strengthen your alliances - Form a guild with other PCs; share information, trade items, and reap the benefits of their knowledge |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
.Hack G.U. Volume 1 delivers an epic, immersive RPG experience in the world of the hit sci-fi fantasy game and TV series. What if what you do as a player in a game impacted your real world? What is reality? .hack has pursued this innovative concept in the previous 4-part series where "The World" was ultimately destroyed. Years after the events of the first .hack series, "The World" was rebuilt. As a new player, you are saved on your first day in "The World" from several PKs (Player Killers) by a mysterious man. From this day on, you have dedicated your time to hunt down PKs. Word in "The World" is that the legendary PK you have been searching for has surfaced, and you must now set out to find "it". Your world is thrown into chaos when you finally encounter this PK, and are defeated by him!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...
 Amazing improvement from the first series! November 8, 2006
Jack Weiler
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
I fell in love with the original Dot Hack series of games (Infection, Mutation, Outbreak and Quarantine) and when I heard they were coming out with a new series, I was very happy! I went out and bought the game the day it came out, and I have to say, I'm greatly impressed.
First off, the graphics are good. They're not the best, as Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria and Final Fantasy 12 are slightly newer with better graphics, but they don't completely suck.
Sound is pretty good too, but it gets very repetetive after a few hours of gameplay. The combat sounds are exciting and "pop", but the background music gets on your nerves. Especially the background music when you're in the first town, "Mac Anu", gets stale so fast.
The controls are easy to pick up. The R1 button can now be assigned different skills so, unlike in the first games, you don't have to open several menus just to use an attack skill. Sadly enough, though, you cannot assign healing spells to the R1 button. The camera control is somewhat better than the last game, but I feel it still needs work.
The voice acting is decent at best. Most of the characters show little emotion, or over-react their emotion to the point of making it rediculous. Just wait till you meet Gaspard, and you'll know what I'm talking about... The main hero is also rediculously one sided, getting frustrated at each and every event trigger in the game, and often for stupid reasons. If its supposed to portray how gamers react in an MMORPG, its completely off the ball, at least as far as I've seen (been playing Guild Wars and World of Warcraft for about two years.)
There are TONS of stuff to do in this game too. You can become part of a number of guilds, which opens various options to you as a player, such as special shops that allow you to make creative items, access to a faster mode of transportation, etc. You can also do a number of fun and interesting, if not repetetive, quests. The designers definetely tried to capture the MMORPG feel, but I don't think they accurately got it. Close but no cigar. For example, the towns are bustling with people, but oftentimes you'll see one person, turn a corner, and they'll be there again when they were running the opposite direction a few minutes prior. The town recycles the inhabitants over and over, so no matter how far away you get from a "player", they'll be right there when you go to a different district in town.
The story is o.k. as far as I've been. A lot of it feels forced, like the hero has to do this because the programmers made it that way, not because the hero "wants" to. It started out that way, but quickly took a dive.
I'm not impressed with the grading system after you complete dungeons and fields. You get graded on how many things you kill, sneak up on, boxes or other destructable items you destroy, how many items you collect etc. There is almost no explanation of that system that I've encountered, and I feel its useless. All you can unlock is extra words to create new dungeons and fields and useless items. Literally, I've had 50 health drinks, which is like a potion in other RPGs, since the first couple hours of playtime. I never use them, cause I don't take that much damage ever.
Thats another thing. The game's battles are entirely too easy! No one battle provides any sort of challenge. If you go to an area three levels higher than you, it gets harder, but the difficulty is masked in more hitpoints and damage capability, not true improved AI or anything.
All in all, however, the game is a vast improvement over the previous games. There are tons of unlockable stuff, tons of places to go, and you'll be entertained for hours on end. I would definetely pick this game up if you get the chance!
 Kill Or Be Killed January 27, 2007
Marc Ruby™ (Warren, MI USA)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Having played through the first .hack series (and gotten a bit jaded in the process) it's no surprise that I first looked at this game with a jaundiced eye. But, whether I want to admit it or not, that series, which was one of the earliest I played on my trusty PS2 was worth hours of enjoyment and frustration. How could I refuse to embark into The World once again? This is the post-apocalyptic World, rewritten since the time of the original series with a few key differences. On this world there are players who prefer to kill other players instead of hunt monsters. And, every once in a while, someone like Haseo comes along. Driven by the need for revenge, he likes to kill player killers.
A chance encounter leaves Haseo mysteriously drained of experience and identity. In this first episode he struggles to regain his stature as a player and solve the problems that seem to surround him. This is no small challenge few of his new friends are strong fighters, and those player killers who recognize him have no qualms about seeking his destruction. Something has happened that has granted him new powers, but they are two-edged swords and, if he abuses them, may ruin everything he hopes to gain. It doesn't help that Haseo has more than a little trouble working with other players. He is a loner at a time when being alone might be fatal.
Technically the game improves on the first .hack series with better animation and character expressiveness and an improved graphics engine. But don't expect a whole new look. The Battle modes are more extensive, and it took me a while to get the hang of combat. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to get experience and it pays not to rush up the scale. You can only get to level 50 in this game and once you get there you will find that most battles become a bit tedious.
The side games are more or less extensions of the original side games with the addition of a competitive battle arena that provides a number of opportunities to level up and plays an important part in the game. I found the addition of the guilds, with their secretive agendas and fields added interest. Rebirth also gives the characters richer personalities, and provides more of them with actual characters. For a change, the story line is as important as the endless series of battles that marked the first series. There is a good deal more to The World R:2 and I think you will like the changes.
I do agree with another reviewer that the battles get too easy too fast. This really begins to get on your nerves during the latter stages, when you are trying to complete the Book of 1000 quests. My advice is to pay attention to the Book quests early and pace yourself carefully. After all, there are still more episodes to come.
 this game rocks! November 10, 2006
J. Ward
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
i had a great time playing this game, because it's such a vast improvement over the original. the graphics look good, the gameplay is fun, and the story is actually really good. the main character on this game is different from most main characters on rpg's. also, this game is just not your typical rpg. if you are tired of classic cliches in rpg's, then give this game a look and you might just like it.
A huge improvement and more on the way February 1, 2007
J. Teal (Macon, GA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
If you've played the original .hack games, then you won't be disappointed in this one. If you haven't played the original .hack games and like MMORPG games without the MMO part, then you'll like this game. The OS interface is familiar, yet improved from the first set of games. You still get e-mails and still respond to a few, getting responses back and so on. However, now you have greeting cards and "affection levels" of characters you can call on. The higher their affection level, the better they will fight with you in battle. There are still "message boards" but now there are more of them, both on and off "The World" that can unlock certain events and levels within the game by either reading or responding to them. There's even a section of boards where fans post art that you can download to use as wallpaper on your OS. There's also still a News section, but now it has clickable links to short movies and even sometimes ads, making it seem more like an actual Internet connection.
You play as Haseo, who has conveniently been attacked by "Tri-Edge" which resulted in him being leveled down to 1 and having everything reset so you get to begin with starting equipment. Just as if you were starting a new game! One big addition to this game is the ability to kill other players. Those who do are called "Player Killers" or PKers. Now, you can't just rush out and start hacking away at your own party, but if you come across a glowing blue area, that means that someone is fighting inside. If you enter, you can't leave unless you have a smoke bomb or defeat the enemy. Often times it will be a player being attacked by a PKer and your party has the chance to save them. If you do, you get an item from them as thanks. Haseo's character is an "Adept Rogue" which can eventually use multiple weapons and magic, but never to the mastery of the job classes of the ones who ONLY use those weapons. Sort of like the Red Mage of the game. Don't worry though, it doesn't slow you down. Haseo pushes right along, starting off with the familiar twin blades and eventually learns others. It can be difficult at first, but just pay attention to what the other characters are telling you, take breaks from the story to level up every so often, and you'll do fine. Its a great game with interesting character development and unique game play. Plus, when you're done, your saved game data can carry over to the next game, GU Vol. 2. All of your weapons, abilities, e-mails, everything. There are three volumes in all, but no word yet as to when they will all be released in the US. Good luck gaming!
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