.hack//Introduction (Part 1)

    I love games that last forever. Early on in life I was drawn to the promise of long epic adventures in games like Final Fantasy and Pokémon. Later, I found that MMO’s truly never ended. They took a special place in my heart, albeit a different one. It’s a bittersweet moment when I finish a long game. I’m proud of my accomplishment and happy to see the conclusion of the story, but I’m always sad that it’s over.

    Mass Effect is the most successful game to use data saves from previous entries. Every game in the series was a critical success as a stand alone title, but there’s no doubt that one of the reasons they scored and sold well was because your data carried over. It was fun for your decisions to hold weight even after the game had ended. It was exciting to pick up the next title to see how your relationships would continue. In this generation, Mass Effect’s success reflects that many people enjoy expansive games like this.

    .hack(pronounced “Dot Hack”) came into my life at the perfect time. I had just discovered MMO’s but could only play them at my friends house because I didn’t have a PC. I was itching for that experience, but again, only had a PS2 to work with. Then I read about .hack in GamePro Magazine. It was described as an MMORPG experience in an offline single player game. You bested dungeons, gained loot, and met friends. Just like playing an MMO, you could make lasting relationships with other players by not only leveling up with them, but also by sending emails back and forth. This single player game was capped off by having a mysterious story that MMO’s, up to this date, hadn’t been able to replicate. All this and it was only the beginning. There were going to be 3 more.

    Needless to say I picked up .hack//Infection and quickly fell in love. It was everything I wanted. .hack was an MMORPG experience in an offline setting that I knew wasn’t going to end anytime soon. I met players along the way. I found loot and legendary weapons. I battled monsters that seemed unbeatable. Luckily, with some extra training and a little help from my friends, I was able to win against insurmountable odds.

    I finished the the game in about 20 hours. After the credits rolled I was pleasantly surprised that I could still play on the same save file. After logging in I was greeted by the regular round of new emails my friends would send, but one in particular told of a new dungeon that may be our biggest challenge yet. I continued leveling up and gaining loot knowing that everything I did would be carried over into the next game.

    The World, as its called in .hack, was going to be my interim home until I could get my hands on a true MMO. Little did I know it was going to touch my heart in such a way that it’s still one of my favorite games.

    In the next article of this 4 part series I’ll be telling you exactly what I love about .hack. Stay tuned for next Friday!

- lvl 99