my favorite random Player was that guy who was implied to be a yakuza member. In the last game, his last conversation variant implies his hideout is being raided by the cops and, instead of helping his bros hold them off, he's taking care of some last business in the game before he gets arrested.
I still to this day, absolutely rage that SAO took off when .Hack was the god father to this concept. SIGN threw me into anime and the whole trapped in an MMO concept as an early teen. I was OBSSESSED with .Hack back in the day, _Legend of the Twilight,_ _Another Birth,_ and _AI Buster_ were fricking HUGE to me. And they'll forever hold an extremely special spot in my manga/LN collection. Shoot, I even remember there was a game project to make an MMO around SIGN! Don't even remember if it took off... I don't even want to TALK about the cringey stuff I wrote, tried to make, or otherwise lol. But geez, this series deserved so much better.
The reason is simple, the anime was of the main story. In .hack the games were the main story, JRPGs were never a popular genre and the change of consoles did not do them any favours.
the mmo you're talking about is called .hack//FRAGMENT and it runs on a ps2 emulator with just a little extra work. Pretty sure the team that worked on getting the emulation fixed up and working still run occasional parties in it.
Didn't "Digimon" done this Concept long before Dot Hack, it's an Isekai and was about trapped in a Digital World which is basically about a Video Game (without the VR Element).
@@joseurbina3835 i would put Digimon more in data/computer/internet world archetype. Since digimon has more connection to gadget/computer/telephones touch in them which i think quite far from trapped in virtual game world
Agreed and I say this as someone who after going through the first season of SAO, the spin off and seeing that there are a LOT of games, I STILL prefer .Hack.
About Harald, I see things differently from you about being sweet that he loved Emma so much that he used his talents to make a "daughter" for her. I honestly see him as the greater scope villian for the entire series. He just wasn't in love with Emma, he was OBSESSED with her. According to the lore, he made contact but actually never met the woman. And the day he was set to meet her, she died in a car crash coming to meet him. He didn't find out until hours later, thus he waited for her only for her to never come... Very tragic, but he could never move on. In his obsession, he created a data gathering system that would create an AI from using data gathered from millions of people that would serve as his and Emma's child. Keep in mind that Emma barely even knew Harald existed, and it was never known how she felt about him. Now, the data system he devised needed a way to be implemented somehow, so using Emma's writings, he built Fragment and sold the "game" to CC Corp. Also Morganna, the system core of the game, was triggered to be absorbed into Aura once she was done developing, essentially dying. It's no wonder she went against her creator's will. It was either that or death. So my point is, because Harald couldn't let go of his obsession, he (however unintentionally) caused all the craziness that The World went through, as well as all the coma victims.
@@enderoctanus I still say that Morganna is just as much a victim as any other character in the story. Did she cause a ton of problems and suffering? Absolutely. Was she also put into a horrible no win situation that could've been prevented with the tiniest bit of foresight? Also yes. Harald could've just implemented a data copy, instead of transferring it. There was no reason Morganna had to be disposable. It was his short-sightedness and seeing his creation as a mere means to an end that caused her to go rogue in the first place. All that mattered to him was Aura. He didn't care about anything else, The players? CC Corp? The game he made? All just cogs in the plan that was the birth of his daughter. Like I said, his obsession was the root of all of the problems.
my good friend and I were 2 of the like 6 people in the US fully obsessed wit the franchise, having and playing all of the og 4 games as they came out, watched all of SIGN, *played the damn card game* and read the manga and light novels that came after before heading on to GU and losing interest around 3. Thanks for the memories, we used to OBSESS over the philosophical themes and story of the series - felt so mature at the time.
Fun fact: rate of infection spread and consequences are RNG with data drain. Even if you only use data drain on data bugs in the final dungeons of Quarantine, you can still game over due to RNG. Happened to me twice during my first playthrough of the series :) (I loved these games as a kid)
Bamco needs to digitally port these classics on Steam, PSN, Switch, and Xbox libraries - At least promote the franchise with new anime series or movies about Blackrose based on the Another Birth Manga Novels!
@@SSGoatanks It's been said they just flat out lost the code to these games so if this game would EVER want to be ported it'd have to be remade from scratch
@@NekoValtz Yeah, I honestly think remaking the game from the ground up and updating the mechanics with some from GU would respark the franchise and bring in new people. I'd love to see these games remade. (I'd also like gu remade instead of just increase poly size and saying "we did good")
"How come I must know...where obsession needs to go?" And, after a decade and change of being totally forgotten, that anime opening is now back in my head.
I've always had a fondness for the .hack series. I played through all the original games and despite the flaws I enjoyed them, they were different from what I was playing at the time. I'm glad I've held onto my copies after all this time, this vid made me want to revisit them. .hack/sign I can remember watching on Toonami and I still jam the soundtrack. Yuki Kajiura is a brilliant musician
Bamco needs to reach new audiences through manga, anime, and movie series. More fans = higher demand and profits whenever reboots for IMOQ games are announced!
@@SSGoatanksnot just for IMOQ, i want a full reboot package of the dothack franchise in all types of media and literature (including everyone from the generation in R:1, R:2, R:X and FORCE:ERA)
.Hack overall has been an amazing series. The one thing I never hear anyone talking about is the music. Some of the best music in both shows and games.
100% The music in both the games and the //Sign anime is incredible! I didn't really realize this until after I had recorded but Yuki Kajiura has quickly becomes one of my favorite composers.
This was a great video. You're right that .Hack is primed for a full remake and recontextualization. It always felt like these games had something to say but the original games just couldn't get out of their own way.
the original games did have something to say, the whole first era of dot hack was about trauma and boundaries of consciousness. then they made the second era of dot hack and decided that it was actually about screaming and having edgy superpowers. If GU had had anything to say, it would have thrashed SAO, but instead it tried to fit in with action harem anime.
I wish an actual mmo or multiplayer game in general had a story like this. With mystery and some meta type stff going on, but I don't think anything comes close.
These games and the //SIGN anime legitimately defined much of my like middle school years. I love that getting older just made me appreciate some elements of it as a kid I didn't really grasp... and it also made me like in love with the concept of MMOs. Also you going "and...and... none of that matters because it's really good and I'm going to recommend it anyway" was so great hahaha I have a hard time quantifying my recommending of that show but it's just cause it's fuggin good.
Great Recap. the GU Trilogy did a lot to improve on the gameplay from this original series. I would kill for a Remake of this quadrilogy though. The Story, Characters, and ESPECIALLY the Music. Oh my god. the .hack Music is some of the best there is.
By the end of this I found myself tearing up. The games & Sign have always meant so much to me and being reminded in-depth as to why really hit home. Even more so since I've been playing an MMORPG called Mabinogi for the last 15 years & the friends I've made along the way (some I met as far back as 2008, just starting the game whom I still have contact with to this day) mean so much to me and are all across the world, some I've even flown out to meet. I'm so grateful for the internet as a whole and the people behind the avatars and personas they present to "The World" Those who try to denounce online friendships are truly missing out on something that has the potential to be even more deep than meeting someone in your general vicinity. Have always been an avid believer in, "Your vibe attracts your tribe." Apologies for the long-winded comment. Thank you very much for this amazing video. Definitely dropped a like & subby and look forward to checking out your other works. o7
I.. I'm absolutely stunned. I remember having a hard time finding Quarantine back in the day.. but eventually I found it & still have the whole set. I can't believe one of my fav games is apparently so rare!?
Super fitting, and I wouldn't touch it with a 6 foot pole. Since, ya know, I don't want to be part of a self-fulfilling prophesy rofl. Absolutely want a remake, or even a new entry in the series all together.
@@demikus Yeah there's no damn way I'd ever put on a VR headset and play The World. This show fucked with me - when I tried VR for the first time, I was kind of background nervous waiting to hear that A = 432hz tuning fork.
I first discovered this series on a whim as a kid, stumbling through the annals of CZcams playthroughs when I found Outbreak. I was fascinated by its dour tone and high sci-fi setting, and looked into it more: watching some of the spin-off anime, going back and watching the story of Infection and Mutation to catch up on where I had jumped in. In the end, I loved //IMOQ, and then I saw //G.U. and feel in love all over again, seeing a setting I loved grow and change with time that had passed. Between all the wild and crazy "the internet goes haywire and a ragtag group of protagonists go to stop it" stories i've seen, regardless of how many more I'll see, .hack will always be the GOAT in my eyes. Its story is touching and fun, its characters have well written lines and cool stories (except you Ryuko, get out of my party, *just let me have BlackRose*) and Mia and Macha still give me chills each time I see her. Nightmares hold deep. Also, the voice cast is based. Mona Marshall as the protag, and Steve Blum voices a 10 year old. It's great.
Bandai needs to just make The World as an MMORPG with this series as the primary quest line, it’s long overdue, and we’ve got the tech nowadays to make it a nearly perfect experience
SIGN gripped me from the beginning even though I watched it sporadically so I had no idea what was going on. The music is fucking amazing! I played the games trying to chase the feeling the show gave me, and though it was fun, it didn't feel like that. Still, I have fond memories of the root towns and grunties and such. Too bad I never finished it since our video stores died right around that time and that's the only place I could find #4. I think my little brother eventually got a copy some years later.
This was me with the show. To this day, I STILL have no idea what was going on because I didn't get to see all of it, but I still remember that "Shine, bright morning light..." theme. Only game I got to touch was the 3rd because I was loaned a copy by someone that sadly passed away before I could even return it, and having no idea how to play or what was going on, I only played a bit of it. I STILL remember that base town theme, though. When it played in this video, I was immediately taken back and the corner of my mind was saying "OOoooooh, THAT'S where that theme was from!"
@@GeorgeMonet Actually, I quite liked the gameplay of the originals, it was the story that wasn't quite enough for me. From what I've seen, GU would disappoint me even more in that regard. ^^;
As a fan of the series for over half my life (and I'm 30 btw) I really love and appreciate this video and watching the game play out, it made me reminisce of my playthroughs. Thank you for making this, and I agree, I wholeheartedly think they should just do some sort of remake or remaster. Hell, I'll even take just it being added to the online Playstation library or something. On that note, not to be that guy, but you got Herald's relationship with Emma all wrong. They were never lovers, and she died thinking of him as nothing more than a co-worker. So he decided to create an artificial child for the two of them since they were never together irl, and never going to be, especially since.. you know. She died. It was borderline obsession and kinda creepy, to be honest. BUT his obsession led on to creating such a masterpiece, and they aren't real people, so...I guess it's okay? Lol
Auh-haha-haurgh... That virus core grind in Quarantine! Next to the frequent missing of enemy targets, it was one of my least favorite things about the combat, and I'd be more than happy to see a remake address these. Heck, I disliked the grind so much, that when I made my guides I'd put on Gamefaqs, I made sure to note in each volume how many of those cores you'll want by the end of a volume--maybe going a bit overboard along the way, my bad--so you wouldn't have to come back for them later. For those of you who read those guides before heading into the four games, you're welcome; let's hope never to have to do that again. lol
This is such a funny coincidence. I'm replaying the games right now and have been using your guides to help me through since I remember the games being tough and grindy. Just wanted to comment my thanks since they have been an invaluable resource.
@@Maid_of_Spiders hey, just fyi, you can casually collect most of those grindy cores throughout the first three games, no need to wait until quarantine to grind up dozens of abc cores.
.hack will always be my #1 nostalgia game. Something about the music mixed with the characters and overall feel of the gameplay once you get deep into it... nothing replaces it for me.
I remember playing the first 3 games a looong time ago. Nice to see how the game ends, but I didn't even realize there was ANOTHER anime to watch to understand everything. I also really just love the aesthetic of this game, especially when the twilight bracelet is involved, or any of the effect of hacking. A remake would be cool, but that would probably take a lot convincing.
This series was doing so much in its own way, with really distinctive designs to everything from creatures and enemies, to the areas, to the UI/UX and overall feel. I was a dumb kid who got overwhelmed right away, so this video is great to come back to the series with.
I want them to remake/ reimagine this so bad. This franchise shaped my childhood probably more than pokémon. It truly was a beautiful experience to play and watch the anime. What an amazing video man! Thank you for letting us go on this journey with you. It's really took me back. 💜
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Its much better to create something fresh instead to warm up something and change it because suddenly people remember/discover an IP that was new an even special in its own terms and times .
I remember gamesharking DotHack: Infection and getting access to the other root towns. it was crazy that they were in the first game just blocked from regular play. Seems like the only difference between the 4 games is the story is separated between games but the content itself was pretty much there from the start.
I really like the tone you used on your video, it was deliberate and very diligent as to not spoil the story for people not familiar with the series. Very few people manage to do this on their content specially if they're in a position where they know a lot about a certain topic. The way you tell your story feels like taking a smooth ride in a city where you take things in a leisurely adequate pace. It made me remember not just the nostalgia of this series i adored, but also the time where i encountered this series for the first time. Just like you, i was confused on whether their unseen enemy is digital or supernatural in nature. I had that lingering thought back when i was watching //SIGN and would spend my days after school looking forward to the next episode. All in all, you did a fine job in telling a story that Bandai most likely abandoned. I like how you approached it like someone playing thru it for the first time.
Thank you so much! I at times struggle with my scripts because I want to do more than just regurgitate the plot-I want to make sure I say something that I at least feel is worthwhile but at the same time recreating what it’s like to experience the title as the events are happening. I feel as if I still have a ton of work to do as a writer and presenter, but words like yours sure make me feel like I’m on the right track!
@@jerrrdan it was nice reminiscing about my childhood, i played a crap ton and watched as much .hack content back then. The games and anime made an effort in building a world for players to experience. And this video made me remember a world i left a long time ago. Anyway you should do .hack GU next.
This was an excellent video and summary of the IMOQ games, flaws and all. Your praises and criticisms were on point. I am a long-time fan of this series, I fully bought in to the multimedia story line and purchased all the books, manga, anime, and games. And I'd say you really hit the nail on the head; there's a good story with great atmosphere here, but the games (and especially the combat) have aged quite terribly and would gain SO much from a full remake. I would LOVE some more party interaction too, it would really help you as the player appreciate the other party members you've picked up along the way. Also, a remake -- or, at the very least, a re-release -- would help the barrier of entry into the series that is finding copies of the games (i.e. Quarantine). I just, I really love this series so much and I think the creators tried and mostly succeeded at creating something truly special. I would love it if more people could experience that too.
There was an epilogue episode of Sign where they met the cast of IMOQ (the important ones anyway). I thought it was a fitting epilogue. Also, the one thing that really drew me in was the Yuki Kajiura-composed music. All of it was so haunting and beautiful at the same time, it fit both the show and the games.
Hello! I want to say thanks for posting this. This game series is what inspired me as a kid to work in the video game industry today, do to what I do as a job. I spent a long time getting all the games again, and its one of my most treasured pieces to my collection. I really like how you covered this, and I do hope for Kite and the gang that we get to see them again.
This video makes me want to rewatch SIGN. I remember loving it as a kid as it first aired on Toonami. Got older and thought wow this is actually really boring, there is little to no action, just endless talking scenes. But in my 30s, I get it now. I appreciate it so much more now.
Loved this video! It’s so nice to get a recap of it all so concisely. I loved Sign endlessly but never managed to get my hands on the last two games, so never saw how it all played out. But now I know! The series was such an Experience that I still remember little voice lines all these years later with no prompting. Like, “I don’t usually get presents from people” and for some reason “Did you drop this golden axe? ORRR did you drop this silver axe?” I don’t think this was the effect they were hoping for and yet here we are!
This video is cutting into some long forgotten childhood memories. I remember every single name and term, but have no idea why, since I didn't have network TV or a PlayStation 🤔
This was a fantastic video. I hope IMOQ becomes remastered!! I've been waiting for years. Also, as a kid with high anxiety, I greatly enjoyed the battle system. I was able to take my time even during tough moments. I was the kid who was awful at dialing phone numbers because I couldn't press the buttons quickly enough due to my anxiety and fear of misdialing (I usually had to try 2-3 times before the call would connect). I'm glad cell phones have no time limits LOL. I also enjoyed your video about FF10. I should play that remaster since I never finished the original (I borrowed a scratched disc from my bf many years ago). Thanks for all the memories!
I love your take on the battle system, that's something I never would have considered! Definitely play through FF10 is you ever get the chance. It's an absolute classic.
Great video! It's a shame that the other Dot Hack products, never truly became as captivating as SIGN and the tetralogy. I think they focused too much on the edgy/angsty stuff with Haseo (who was the creator's unapologetic favorite character), and the other media felt extremely disconnected from the original idea; while that isn't bad in itself, it felt very different and self-centered, when compared to the core. But definitely, the experience felt a bit watered down by spreading everything across different media, so you couldn't get the "full" picture unless you watched and read through it all; obviously, this piecemealing of the plot, was enacted to sell more stuff, "hey kids, want to know what Morgana is, the answers to all of your questions are and whatnot? Just buy the anime!" Keep in mind though, that there are some good things, like the light novel that tells things from the perspective of Black Rose; you have some pretty funny "he said/she said" discrepancies in the story. Oh, and for those that don't know (SPOILER AHEAD) there is an email implying Black Rose has a crush on Kite, I wonder if they ended up together.
loved this game, it came out when i first got into internet, forums and stuff, so it was pretty cool to actually get a story around this. also, a very important thing, is that the anime doesnt just tie in with the story and plot, you can actually recruit the characters from the games with some sidequests [if i remember correctly, you get the key words during the episodes, or with liminality]
I remember getting into this when i was first getting into anime. I picked up the first game out of curosity and fellin love. I traveled to the the "ends of the earth" to get all yhe games and still own them. These games made me feel things no game has made feel before or since. Im still hoping one day we'll get a remake or something to feed the loyality of this community for sticking with it because despite their flaws, these games were perfect in my eyes.
Interesting... I began playing the first one a while ago but was discouraged by the combat system and sold it (seing the prices for the sequels did not help motivating me to continue) Great video, it's nice to hear someone talking about good old PS2 RPG like this !
Thank you for watching--I definitely feel like PS2 JRPGs are kind of my thing. Yeah, there were a lot of sequels in a short span of time. I wonder if IMOQ would have fared batter if it were only split into two.
It's funny how most of the combat issues were solved in Fragment, where you no longer have to pause the game in order to use items or abilities and you can set them in shortcuts. Shame that's the game that never came out here!
I appreciate the dedication going through the games- this was one series I was priced out of. Thank you for going through and providing such detail! An absolute pleasure to watch.
i love the dot hack games so much when i got to play them around 2005 i think. i really loved the different levels of reality between the real life of the character you played and the game life. there was so many clues and interwoven details throughout the anime and games, it was so much fun.
Man, a remake of this series would be awesome. I was only ever able to play the first two games in this series, and I remember them blowing my mind. Thank you for making this and reminding me of these games!
Well, I’m now 3/4 of these videos and I’m already anticipating more. You do a great job on all of these. Also I would absolutely love having this be remade to spruce it up and make it more accessible for new players again.
Ugh, I had all 4 of these. I played up till the 2nd. I lost all my old PS2 games a while ago. Cant believe how much some of these old games for. Thank god for emulators.
This is a fantastic video, and watching this truly was a blast from the past. I remember starting this series in elementary school and going through the absolute grind to 100% the Ryu Books. I still look back very fondly on this series and, like you, hope one day it will be remastered.
I would like to see the entirety of the dothack franchise reboot to re-introduce more people into it (atleast a bit fast paced for the animated ones and retaining the original years that this took place). Ever since they released .hack//Versus, they left it on a huge cliffhanger considering what the "Thanatos Report" short story has been preparing for, a war for the control of Aura.
This is the one franchise that I have thoroughly looked into, I adore the all the lore an characters. I've read all the books etc which is something I never do for any other franchise. It has a special place in my heart, the music alone still fills me with emotion/nostalgia. One thing I wish was that .hack//zero be finished and translated. I can't find one anywhere :( Out of all the remakes and remasters I've seen come out, this series is one that very much deserves a remaster!
Thank you for making this video. I'm really happy to see a youtuber discuss this game and that so many people feel the same way about the IP that I do. I didn't expect that.
So I have a script I'm still working on for some videos on themes in Japanese games/anime (a massive topic I'm trying to do the highlights of in maybe an hour and a half) but I'll help you out a bit on the Apoptosis theme. It's actually heavily inspired or honestly just straight up a disguised version of the particularly Japanese interpretation of Buddhism as having the utmost respect for the cycle of life and death even at the expense of the idea of Nirvana being about escaping the cycle. The writer of basically all of the Dot Hack franchise that you cover in this video is Kazunori Ito who also did the adapted screenplay for the first Ghost in the Shell movie which happens to also weave this theme in heavily in the conversation between Kusanagi and the Puppet Master AI. The Puppet Master actually even goes so far as to argue he is incomplete until he attains processes inherent in all life forms: reproducing and dying, the same Buddhist idea being the thematic reason, on top of some self-identity themes he throws in the mix too. Japan turns to Buddhism largely to help them cope with their unique continual loss so they tend to write narratives about accepting death as a natural part of life and honoring it, in both Ghost in the Shell and Dot Hack it's just an important step on the way to being either a "complete" or "ultimate AI."
The biggest problem with the original 4 games is pacing. It wasn't super obvious at the time they came out... I remember thinking the games were flawless masterpieces at the time. But the G.U. games were just so much better in every way, it retroactively made the original 4 games very difficult to appreciate for me. I loved the storytelling, and the characters of the original games. The plot, and tying in to .hack//sign was fantastic. The whole .hack// project was just such a thing to experience at the time, and one of very few multi-media experiences that actually paid off reasonably well.... But G.U. and Roots just did it better, in every way. You're right, the original 4 games would need to be completely remade in order for them to get the appreciation they deserve, because sadly, they just don't quite hold up.
I loved this series and was so angry when my house got broken into and my entire collection was stolen. Such a shame to lose. I’d love a remake to experience this again.
I remember going to the EB games any time we went to our local mall just to see if I'll find that magical 4th game. I did, and still have it to this day. But yeah I really want this game to be revived, hell let platinum games make it, they did amazing with Nier. And with the replicant remake that makes me have hopes for more cult following games like dot hack to build more demand for it
I had always known about the .hack series, but never really looked into it. This video was my first real deep dive into what it is all about and I'm amazed at how cool it was. Obviously had a lot of problems and some jankiness, but filled with fantastic ideas. I particularly love the idea of the desktop interface outside of the game and how you use the Internet to interact with people to help solve the mysteries involved and get world building. That is an amazing concept with a ton of potential.
I watched this video a few days ago and I really liked it. I don't know if you will read this, but you did a great job. I had the chance to get all 4 games when I was younger, but I passed on them because I saw that combat and said hell no. I think if they did a remake of the 4 games into 1 they should use the FF12 battle system. It's already halfway there, just go in balls deep you know? I think it does need a remake... we would buy it full sail.
Damn i just miss this series. the music was perfect and while i wasn't able to play the games when i was a kid (expect G.U part 2 and 3) i am happy to have all but part 4 :c I really like your way of presenting this series is nice. i love getting some breakdown of gameplay and story. i came back to watch this almost a year later. 11 months man that should show you the quality of your video man NOW I NEED A DEEP LORE BREAKDOWN OF THE .HACK UNIVERSE
Bless ps3 Hen for finally allowing me a full playthrough of these four games... Im close to the end of Outbreak now and have all the sidequests done to get Sora once I finish Quarantine.. :"D
Great video, it's always nice to see some talk about this series. Hope to get my friend into the series with the g.u. games since they are on the Nintendo switch
I watched .hack sign twice, played the first three original .hack games. Watched the video that came with the original games. And played .hack g.u. twice and the remake of it through once and had no idea what the premise of the epitaph of twilight was the entire time lol. Real good video. Thanks man
It's always nice to see people discover and rediscover this wonderful series. I agree with many of your points, as someone who has (bizarrely enough) hacked and modded the game, figured out how nearly every single mechanic works beneath the hood and released several programs for it, the game's overall system is simple, too simple. The system itself is fine on paper. Having spells and skills tied to equipment is really cool, but they did little to differentiate these skills and spells outside of the level and strength, beyond range and radius. What really causes problems for challenge is how fast you can spam items, and only two healing spells before the big Heal All is ridiculous in terms of balancing (though now that I think on it, I guess that's rather like classic Dragon Warrior). The only way to fix it is to overhaul it entirely. Now, another point I entirely agree with you is with Morganna. In //SIGN she is cunning, cold, and manipulative, because she is actively planning and we see her actively planning, we know the threat she possesses. The games went for a more "force of nature", as if Morganna would not deign bother talking to these lowly humans, her efforts in //SIGN may have had her conclude that. Yet, I think she should have had a more direct hand in things, instead of letting the Phases run about. Let me give an example. At the start of //Infection you receive an email, from probably Lios, saying that you should stop looking into the issues if you want to keep playing the game. It would have been unsettling if you kept on getting more of these messages from this unknown sender, with further threats and guilt trips about your actions, with those who have watched //SIGN eventually recognizing these speech patterns as Morganna.
God listening to Mac-Anu soundtrack made me feel nostalgic. So glad I kept my disc copies and ps2 to play these games at any point. I really hate how GU part 4 was done thou...
I feel like a full remake could really benefit from the "Dark Souls" style messaging system. Creating a level of interconnectedness between players that is non-invasive but makes it still feel more like a true MMO. Add in some side mission staples like a fishing mechanic. And of course, use modern game mechanics to overhaul the combat system.
Thank you. You unlock a deep core memory on me and now I remember this story very well. I do wish this game need to be remake. If The World become VRMMORPG that we are living to this day. Its gonna be my top favorite game of all time beside Phantasy Star Online series.
Omg Omg Omg…. Two sec in and I’m so excited to dive back into this. I still have all four chapters. I bought this game on a whim and fell in love with it instantly. Each chapter came out a couple of months after the next. I watch each OVA got the secret key words. I love this series so much. A remake would be welcomed.
This is a really well done video. Insta subbed. dot hack is truly one of a kind when it comes to it's themes and atmosphere and deserves to be realized at it's full potential. I've always believed a recontextualization/reboot would work well in today's social climate with how we all rely so heavily on the internet to connect and function. It's such a shame that bamco let go of niche properties like .hack and xeno. I'm sure game development/publishing is all very complicated stuff. A bummer all the same.
1 hour video that hit the nail on the head that I think deserves one more thing to it. As a child with no internet or pc I never got to online game an of the early early stuff. I played many a single players endlessly. But .//hack hit different. Yes it was a single player that imitated an mmo. Years later finally having a job and internet, even building my own pc. I actually understood the more that .//hack was telling us the players. Haseo and everyone playing The World were themselves but also their character. I'm not saying you take on a persona or second personality but you take on a second name. From the moment that name is locked is you are no loner your birth name. You now go by the new one. People you meet, the friends you make. They know you by that. Even after they know your birth name alot of the times you will here the name they knew you by when you first met. The World we play in is just as alive as our own cities. We give the life to these worlds by choosing to exist in them. No one can deny this when there have been funerals for guild mates and best friends joined by hundreds of people to pay respects to them
A remake or re imagining would be a great addition to the series. Back when they had the teaser for the original new .hack project I was little disappointed that it was just a port/remake of GU, Glad it added some additional story though.
Nice video! Happy to see .Hack getting some coverage. Really wish we would get more to the series or remakes in the future. I feel that even as a kid when these were releasing they were locked behind a money wall too. 50 a game for a kid was hard especially considering you needed 4, when they could have probably done it in 2-3 games if they reduced the padding. They were solid games but just cost too much. A lot of classic ps2 era RPGs were like that though. SMT was very similar like this too. I still haven't been able to finish Quarantine either. I only have up to outbreak sadly.
A remaster would benefit from some Zelda-esque CELL-SHADING, diving further into the anime look. This whole series could actually pop quite well with a remaster, honestly. The concepts are great, and the combat could use some fine-tuning, but the potential is there.
my favorite random Player was that guy who was implied to be a yakuza member. In the last game, his last conversation variant implies his hideout is being raided by the cops and, instead of helping his bros hold them off, he's taking care of some last business in the game before he gets arrested.
Was that sanjuro?
@@MrWader76 if it was sanjuro, i would have said sanjuro. The one im talking about is one of the generic pcs that wander around town
@@Reaper00140 woah you’re a tough guy
@@Reaper00140 lol that was aggressive
@@Reaper00140 Take it down a notch jeeeez 😬
I still to this day, absolutely rage that SAO took off when .Hack was the god father to this concept. SIGN threw me into anime and the whole trapped in an MMO concept as an early teen.
I was OBSSESSED with .Hack back in the day, _Legend of the Twilight,_ _Another Birth,_ and _AI Buster_ were fricking HUGE to me. And they'll forever hold an extremely special spot in my manga/LN collection. Shoot, I even remember there was a game project to make an MMO around SIGN! Don't even remember if it took off...
I don't even want to TALK about the cringey stuff I wrote, tried to make, or otherwise lol. But geez, this series deserved so much better.
The reason is simple, the anime was of the main story. In .hack the games were the main story, JRPGs were never a popular genre and the change of consoles did not do them any favours.
the mmo you're talking about is called .hack//FRAGMENT and it runs on a ps2 emulator with just a little extra work. Pretty sure the team that worked on getting the emulation fixed up and working still run occasional parties in it.
Didn't "Digimon" done this Concept long before Dot Hack, it's an Isekai and was about trapped in a Digital World which is basically about a Video Game (without the VR Element).
@@joseurbina3835 i would put Digimon more in data/computer/internet world archetype. Since digimon has more connection to gadget/computer/telephones touch in them which i think quite far from trapped in virtual game world
Dude I was so excited for that series too and same as you I got mad that SAO took it's place
Watching this really hurts knowing that Bandai completely dropped this series in favor of Sword Art Online
The Virgin SAO VS. the Chad .hack.
Agreed and I say this as someone who after going through the first season of SAO, the spin off and seeing that there are a LOT of games, I STILL prefer .Hack.
@@ElectricBarrier cringe
@@KingYoshiGoD "As a devoted sao fan"
cringe
@@KingYoshiGoD why are you an SAO fan to begin with?
.hack was made too soon, it was way ahead of its time
About Harald, I see things differently from you about being sweet that he loved Emma so much that he used his talents to make a "daughter" for her. I honestly see him as the greater scope villian for the entire series. He just wasn't in love with Emma, he was OBSESSED with her. According to the lore, he made contact but actually never met the woman. And the day he was set to meet her, she died in a car crash coming to meet him. He didn't find out until hours later, thus he waited for her only for her to never come... Very tragic, but he could never move on. In his obsession, he created a data gathering system that would create an AI from using data gathered from millions of people that would serve as his and Emma's child. Keep in mind that Emma barely even knew Harald existed, and it was never known how she felt about him. Now, the data system he devised needed a way to be implemented somehow, so using Emma's writings, he built Fragment and sold the "game" to CC Corp. Also Morganna, the system core of the game, was triggered to be absorbed into Aura once she was done developing, essentially dying. It's no wonder she went against her creator's will. It was either that or death. So my point is, because Harald couldn't let go of his obsession, he (however unintentionally) caused all the craziness that The World went through, as well as all the coma victims.
That doesn't really make him a villain. It makes him a flawed character who set things in motion. Morganna would be the villain.
@@enderoctanus I still say that Morganna is just as much a victim as any other character in the story. Did she cause a ton of problems and suffering? Absolutely. Was she also put into a horrible no win situation that could've been prevented with the tiniest bit of foresight? Also yes. Harald could've just implemented a data copy, instead of transferring it. There was no reason Morganna had to be disposable. It was his short-sightedness and seeing his creation as a mere means to an end that caused her to go rogue in the first place. All that mattered to him was Aura. He didn't care about anything else, The players? CC Corp? The game he made? All just cogs in the plan that was the birth of his daughter. Like I said, his obsession was the root of all of the problems.
my good friend and I were 2 of the like 6 people in the US fully obsessed wit the franchise, having and playing all of the og 4 games as they came out, watched all of SIGN, *played the damn card game* and read the manga and light novels that came after before heading on to GU and losing interest around 3. Thanks for the memories, we used to OBSESS over the philosophical themes and story of the series - felt so mature at the time.
Me and my best friend were another of the 6 lol
I was the 5th
@@sunflowerfields4141 i mustve been the 6th. I remember hunting down the dvd sets and mangas at my local hastings. good times lol
I was the UK representative 😂
I was part of this US squad too 🤘
Fun fact: rate of infection spread and consequences are RNG with data drain. Even if you only use data drain on data bugs in the final dungeons of Quarantine, you can still game over due to RNG. Happened to me twice during my first playthrough of the series :)
(I loved these games as a kid)
Bamco needs to digitally port these classics on Steam, PSN, Switch, and Xbox libraries - At least promote the franchise with new anime series or movies about Blackrose based on the Another Birth Manga Novels!
@@SSGoatanks It's been said they just flat out lost the code to these games so if this game would EVER want to be ported it'd have to be remade from scratch
@@NekoValtz Yeah, I honestly think remaking the game from the ground up and updating the mechanics with some from GU would respark the franchise and bring in new people. I'd love to see these games remade. (I'd also like gu remade instead of just increase poly size and saying "we did good")
This series will forever hold a special place in my heart kite and black rose just all the characters GU to I wish we would get a new dot hack game.
The Prince is a .hack fan? W
Even if they did make a new game, it might be packed with a cash shop and micro transactions.
"How come I must know...where obsession needs to go?"
And, after a decade and change of being totally forgotten, that anime opening is now back in my head.
I've always had a fondness for the .hack series. I played through all the original games and despite the flaws I enjoyed them, they were different from what I was playing at the time. I'm glad I've held onto my copies after all this time, this vid made me want to revisit them.
.hack/sign I can remember watching on Toonami and I still jam the soundtrack. Yuki Kajiura is a brilliant musician
I've recently discovered my appreciation for Yuki Kajiura's work and have been going back through her discography. She's incredible!
That is still one of my favorite Kajiura tracks.
.hack//Sign had one of the all time great soundtracks, for sure.
fun fact, SIGN was the very first anime OST Yuki Kajiura composed. Her entire career started there.
Yes the music for .hack was my favorite. I used to keep the email open just to hear the song. Skieth theme was my favorite
I will never stop wanting more of this series
Bamco needs to reach new audiences through manga, anime, and movie series. More fans = higher demand and profits whenever reboots for IMOQ games are announced!
@@SSGoatanksnot just for IMOQ, i want a full reboot package of the dothack franchise in all types of media and literature (including everyone from the generation in R:1, R:2, R:X and FORCE:ERA)
33:36 that "very nice" caught me off guard. epicly placed joke. imma be back after cleaning my desk of my drink
.Hack overall has been an amazing series. The one thing I never hear anyone talking about is the music. Some of the best music in both shows and games.
100% The music in both the games and the //Sign anime is incredible! I didn't really realize this until after I had recorded but Yuki Kajiura has quickly becomes one of my favorite composers.
@@jerrrdanGU's OST also straight up RIPS
The Dot Hack Tetraology feels like a zeitgeist for that time (of its release) which would be known today as vaporwave.
This was a great video. You're right that .Hack is primed for a full remake and recontextualization. It always felt like these games had something to say but the original games just couldn't get out of their own way.
Yes, it at least deserves a remaster
not primed for anything when they lost the source files according to KNIJohn's review of the GU remaster
the original games did have something to say, the whole first era of dot hack was about trauma and boundaries of consciousness.
then they made the second era of dot hack and decided that it was actually about screaming and having edgy superpowers. If GU had had anything to say, it would have thrashed SAO, but instead it tried to fit in with action harem anime.
@Eric M yeah I'd love a remaster with added dlc.
I wish an actual mmo or multiplayer game in general had a story like this. With mystery and some meta type stff going on, but I don't think anything comes close.
Closest you can probably get is like, FF14 sort of? As a game though rather than the mystery and meta going on. Also Ragnarok online iirc.
These games and the //SIGN anime legitimately defined much of my like middle school years. I love that getting older just made me appreciate some elements of it as a kid I didn't really grasp... and it also made me like in love with the concept of MMOs. Also you going "and...and... none of that matters because it's really good and I'm going to recommend it anyway" was so great hahaha I have a hard time quantifying my recommending of that show but it's just cause it's fuggin good.
Great Recap. the GU Trilogy did a lot to improve on the gameplay from this original series. I would kill for a Remake of this quadrilogy though. The Story, Characters, and ESPECIALLY the Music. Oh my god. the .hack Music is some of the best there is.
By the end of this I found myself tearing up. The games & Sign have always meant so much to me and being reminded in-depth as to why really hit home. Even more so since I've been playing an MMORPG called Mabinogi for the last 15 years & the friends I've made along the way (some I met as far back as 2008, just starting the game whom I still have contact with to this day) mean so much to me and are all across the world, some I've even flown out to meet. I'm so grateful for the internet as a whole and the people behind the avatars and personas they present to "The World" Those who try to denounce online friendships are truly missing out on something that has the potential to be even more deep than meeting someone in your general vicinity. Have always been an avid believer in, "Your vibe attracts your tribe." Apologies for the long-winded comment. Thank you very much for this amazing video. Definitely dropped a like & subby and look forward to checking out your other works. o7
I.. I'm absolutely stunned. I remember having a hard time finding Quarantine back in the day.. but eventually I found it & still have the whole set. I can't believe one of my fav games is apparently so rare!?
finally someone talks about this game. like bro i've been waiting for someone to talk about this game. I want a remake of the og's so bad
I am here for a full remake! Also doesn’t this franchise deserve some form of VR experience? Super fitting considering the plot and all.
Super fitting, and I wouldn't touch it with a 6 foot pole. Since, ya know, I don't want to be part of a self-fulfilling prophesy rofl. Absolutely want a remake, or even a new entry in the series all together.
@@demikus Yeah there's no damn way I'd ever put on a VR headset and play The World. This show fucked with me - when I tried VR for the first time, I was kind of background nervous waiting to hear that A = 432hz tuning fork.
I first discovered this series on a whim as a kid, stumbling through the annals of CZcams playthroughs when I found Outbreak. I was fascinated by its dour tone and high sci-fi setting, and looked into it more: watching some of the spin-off anime, going back and watching the story of Infection and Mutation to catch up on where I had jumped in. In the end, I loved //IMOQ, and then I saw //G.U. and feel in love all over again, seeing a setting I loved grow and change with time that had passed. Between all the wild and crazy "the internet goes haywire and a ragtag group of protagonists go to stop it" stories i've seen, regardless of how many more I'll see, .hack will always be the GOAT in my eyes. Its story is touching and fun, its characters have well written lines and cool stories (except you Ryuko, get out of my party, *just let me have BlackRose*) and Mia and Macha still give me chills each time I see her. Nightmares hold deep.
Also, the voice cast is based. Mona Marshall as the protag, and Steve Blum voices a 10 year old. It's great.
Bandai needs to just make The World as an MMORPG with this series as the primary quest line, it’s long overdue, and we’ve got the tech nowadays to make it a nearly perfect experience
SIGN gripped me from the beginning even though I watched it sporadically so I had no idea what was going on. The music is fucking amazing! I played the games trying to chase the feeling the show gave me, and though it was fun, it didn't feel like that. Still, I have fond memories of the root towns and grunties and such. Too bad I never finished it since our video stores died right around that time and that's the only place I could find #4. I think my little brother eventually got a copy some years later.
This was me with the show. To this day, I STILL have no idea what was going on because I didn't get to see all of it, but I still remember that "Shine, bright morning light..." theme. Only game I got to touch was the 3rd because I was loaned a copy by someone that sadly passed away before I could even return it, and having no idea how to play or what was going on, I only played a bit of it.
I STILL remember that base town theme, though. When it played in this video, I was immediately taken back and the corner of my mind was saying "OOoooooh, THAT'S where that theme was from!"
Did you play the .Hack//G.U. series? They are a much better gameplay experience.
@@GeorgeMonet Actually, I quite liked the gameplay of the originals, it was the story that wasn't quite enough for me. From what I've seen, GU would disappoint me even more in that regard. ^^;
As a fan of the series for over half my life (and I'm 30 btw) I really love and appreciate this video and watching the game play out, it made me reminisce of my playthroughs. Thank you for making this, and I agree, I wholeheartedly think they should just do some sort of remake or remaster. Hell, I'll even take just it being added to the online Playstation library or something. On that note, not to be that guy, but you got Herald's relationship with Emma all wrong. They were never lovers, and she died thinking of him as nothing more than a co-worker. So he decided to create an artificial child for the two of them since they were never together irl, and never going to be, especially since.. you know. She died. It was borderline obsession and kinda creepy, to be honest. BUT his obsession led on to creating such a masterpiece, and they aren't real people, so...I guess it's okay? Lol
Auh-haha-haurgh... That virus core grind in Quarantine! Next to the frequent missing of enemy targets, it was one of my least favorite things about the combat, and I'd be more than happy to see a remake address these. Heck, I disliked the grind so much, that when I made my guides I'd put on Gamefaqs, I made sure to note in each volume how many of those cores you'll want by the end of a volume--maybe going a bit overboard along the way, my bad--so you wouldn't have to come back for them later. For those of you who read those guides before heading into the four games, you're welcome; let's hope never to have to do that again. lol
This is such a funny coincidence. I'm replaying the games right now and have been using your guides to help me through since I remember the games being tough and grindy. Just wanted to comment my thanks since they have been an invaluable resource.
*Bows*
Y'all are always quite welcome.
@@Maid_of_Spiders hey, just fyi, you can casually collect most of those grindy cores throughout the first three games, no need to wait until quarantine to grind up dozens of abc cores.
.hack will always be my #1 nostalgia game. Something about the music mixed with the characters and overall feel of the gameplay once you get deep into it... nothing replaces it for me.
I remember playing the first 3 games a looong time ago. Nice to see how the game ends, but I didn't even realize there was ANOTHER anime to watch to understand everything.
I also really just love the aesthetic of this game, especially when the twilight bracelet is involved, or any of the effect of hacking. A remake would be cool, but that would probably take a lot convincing.
.Hack has so much potential. Especially the original story.
This series was doing so much in its own way, with really distinctive designs to everything from creatures and enemies, to the areas, to the UI/UX and overall feel.
I was a dumb kid who got overwhelmed right away, so this video is great to come back to the series with.
I want them to remake/ reimagine this so bad. This franchise shaped my childhood probably more than pokémon. It truly was a beautiful experience to play and watch the anime. What an amazing video man! Thank you for letting us go on this journey with you. It's really took me back. 💜
Just so long as it's not turned into another twitch-based action-"RPG"... we've had enough good RPG series rendered unplayable that way already.
the remake's in the same place as legend of dragoon: a fond place in our memories, and never allowed to be anything else
I wholeheartedly agree with you.
Its much better to create something fresh instead to warm up something and change it because suddenly people remember/discover an IP that was new an even special in its own terms and times .
I remember gamesharking DotHack: Infection and getting access to the other root towns. it was crazy that they were in the first game just blocked from regular play. Seems like the only difference between the 4 games is the story is separated between games but the content itself was pretty much there from the start.
I really like the tone you used on your video, it was deliberate and very diligent as to not spoil the story for people not familiar with the series. Very few people manage to do this on their content specially if they're in a position where they know a lot about a certain topic. The way you tell your story feels like taking a smooth ride in a city where you take things in a leisurely adequate pace. It made me remember not just the nostalgia of this series i adored, but also the time where i encountered this series for the first time. Just like you, i was confused on whether their unseen enemy is digital or supernatural in nature. I had that lingering thought back when i was watching //SIGN and would spend my days after school looking forward to the next episode.
All in all, you did a fine job in telling a story that Bandai most likely abandoned. I like how you approached it like someone playing thru it for the first time.
Thank you so much! I at times struggle with my scripts because I want to do more than just regurgitate the plot-I want to make sure I say something that I at least feel is worthwhile but at the same time recreating what it’s like to experience the title as the events are happening.
I feel as if I still have a ton of work to do as a writer and presenter, but words like yours sure make me feel like I’m on the right track!
@@jerrrdan it was nice reminiscing about my childhood, i played a crap ton and watched as much .hack content back then. The games and anime made an effort in building a world for players to experience. And this video made me remember a world i left a long time ago. Anyway you should do .hack GU next.
In addition to everything else, some of the best music in a game/anime to the current day. Full of masterpieces.
This was an excellent video and summary of the IMOQ games, flaws and all. Your praises and criticisms were on point.
I am a long-time fan of this series, I fully bought in to the multimedia story line and purchased all the books, manga, anime, and games. And I'd say you really hit the nail on the head; there's a good story with great atmosphere here, but the games (and especially the combat) have aged quite terribly and would gain SO much from a full remake. I would LOVE some more party interaction too, it would really help you as the player appreciate the other party members you've picked up along the way.
Also, a remake -- or, at the very least, a re-release -- would help the barrier of entry into the series that is finding copies of the games (i.e. Quarantine).
I just, I really love this series so much and I think the creators tried and mostly succeeded at creating something truly special. I would love it if more people could experience that too.
There was an epilogue episode of Sign where they met the cast of IMOQ (the important ones anyway). I thought it was a fitting epilogue.
Also, the one thing that really drew me in was the Yuki Kajiura-composed music. All of it was so haunting and beautiful at the same time, it fit both the show and the games.
Hello! I want to say thanks for posting this. This game series is what inspired me as a kid to work in the video game industry today, do to what I do as a job. I spent a long time getting all the games again, and its one of my most treasured pieces to my collection. I really like how you covered this, and I do hope for Kite and the gang that we get to see them again.
This video makes me want to rewatch SIGN. I remember loving it as a kid as it first aired on Toonami. Got older and thought wow this is actually really boring, there is little to no action, just endless talking scenes. But in my 30s, I get it now. I appreciate it so much more now.
Loved this video! It’s so nice to get a recap of it all so concisely. I loved Sign endlessly but never managed to get my hands on the last two games, so never saw how it all played out. But now I know! The series was such an Experience that I still remember little voice lines all these years later with no prompting. Like, “I don’t usually get presents from people” and for some reason “Did you drop this golden axe? ORRR did you drop this silver axe?”
I don’t think this was the effect they were hoping for and yet here we are!
"Invisible egg" that is burned so hard into my soul that I occasionally just randomly say it out loud. It is quite unfortunate.
This video is cutting into some long forgotten childhood memories. I remember every single name and term, but have no idea why, since I didn't have network TV or a PlayStation 🤔
lovely video, ive always been curious about this series but never tried them. thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching! Hopefully it was still digestible even without much background on the series!
@@jerrrdan yeah it was a pretty solid introduction, i just started playing GU yesterday cuz of this vid and ive been enjoying it a lot
This was a fantastic video. I hope IMOQ becomes remastered!! I've been waiting for years.
Also, as a kid with high anxiety, I greatly enjoyed the battle system. I was able to take my time even during tough moments. I was the kid who was awful at dialing phone numbers because I couldn't press the buttons quickly enough due to my anxiety and fear of misdialing (I usually had to try 2-3 times before the call would connect). I'm glad cell phones have no time limits LOL.
I also enjoyed your video about FF10. I should play that remaster since I never finished the original (I borrowed a scratched disc from my bf many years ago).
Thanks for all the memories!
I love your take on the battle system, that's something I never would have considered! Definitely play through FF10 is you ever get the chance. It's an absolute classic.
I'm so glad I have the collections for both //sign and G.U. in both physical and digital. I love this series.
Make the remasters happen!
Great video by the way, makes me want to play them again!
Ah, if only it were up to me…
Actually, scratch that. I know nothing about game development 😂
Should be remake
The gameplay will have to change though it was nerve racking.
Sequel. More story is always a way to keep the world going without stepping on toes. Though remasters can also work. GoG, Steam, etc: Exist.
The artwork alone is enough to entice me into playing these games.
"The games have a captivating...Aura" you say? Unintentional puns *chefs kiss*
Great video! It's a shame that the other Dot Hack products, never truly became as captivating as SIGN and the tetralogy. I think they focused too much on the edgy/angsty stuff with Haseo (who was the creator's unapologetic favorite character), and the other media felt extremely disconnected from the original idea; while that isn't bad in itself, it felt very different and self-centered, when compared to the core.
But definitely, the experience felt a bit watered down by spreading everything across different media, so you couldn't get the "full" picture unless you watched and read through it all; obviously, this piecemealing of the plot, was enacted to sell more stuff, "hey kids, want to know what Morgana is, the answers to all of your questions are and whatnot? Just buy the anime!"
Keep in mind though, that there are some good things, like the light novel that tells things from the perspective of Black Rose; you have some pretty funny "he said/she said" discrepancies in the story.
Oh, and for those that don't know (SPOILER AHEAD)
there is an email implying Black Rose has a crush on Kite, I wonder if they ended up together.
loved this game, it came out when i first got into internet, forums and stuff, so it was pretty cool to actually get a story around this.
also, a very important thing, is that the anime doesnt just tie in with the story and plot, you can actually recruit the characters from the games with some sidequests [if i remember correctly, you get the key words during the episodes, or with liminality]
I remember getting into this when i was first getting into anime. I picked up the first game out of curosity and fellin love. I traveled to the the "ends of the earth" to get all yhe games and still own them. These games made me feel things no game has made feel before or since.
Im still hoping one day we'll get a remake or something to feed the loyality of this community for sticking with it because despite their flaws, these games were perfect in my eyes.
Was obsessed with this series ages ago, even with their flaws the games simulated the mmo experience well.
Interesting... I began playing the first one a while ago but was discouraged by the combat system and sold it (seing the prices for the sequels did not help motivating me to continue)
Great video, it's nice to hear someone talking about good old PS2 RPG like this !
Thank you for watching--I definitely feel like PS2 JRPGs are kind of my thing.
Yeah, there were a lot of sequels in a short span of time. I wonder if IMOQ would have fared batter if it were only split into two.
Hope they build them from ground up with up to date looks instead of just a HD port
It's funny how most of the combat issues were solved in Fragment, where you no longer have to pause the game in order to use items or abilities and you can set them in shortcuts. Shame that's the game that never came out here!
Love these games, great video
Thank you!
I appreciate the dedication going through the games- this was one series I was priced out of. Thank you for going through and providing such detail! An absolute pleasure to watch.
i love the dot hack games so much when i got to play them around 2005 i think. i really loved the different levels of reality between the real life of the character you played and the game life. there was so many clues and interwoven details throughout the anime and games, it was so much fun.
Man, a remake of this series would be awesome. I was only ever able to play the first two games in this series, and I remember them blowing my mind. Thank you for making this and reminding me of these games!
Another series I loved. I find it amazing how many games I own that are considered rare finds.
Well, I’m now 3/4 of these videos and I’m already anticipating more. You do a great job on all of these. Also I would absolutely love having this be remade to spruce it up and make it more accessible for new players again.
Ugh, I had all 4 of these. I played up till the 2nd. I lost all my old PS2 games a while ago. Cant believe how much some of these old games for. Thank god for emulators.
This was one of my favorite games of all time growing up
These games definitely deserve a remake!
This vid is great. Editing and script were both fantastic. Hope more people get to see your stuff going forward.
This is a fantastic video, and watching this truly was a blast from the past. I remember starting this series in elementary school and going through the absolute grind to 100% the Ryu Books. I still look back very fondly on this series and, like you, hope one day it will be remastered.
A great series that deserves more love, more exposure...
Thanks for the video, hopefully someday we'll see a remake/remaster of these games.
My local library had a dvd with the first four episodes of hack/sign I saw it and saw the rest of the series online
I would like to see the entirety of the dothack franchise reboot to re-introduce more people into it (atleast a bit fast paced for the animated ones and retaining the original years that this took place). Ever since they released .hack//Versus, they left it on a huge cliffhanger considering what the "Thanatos Report" short story has been preparing for, a war for the control of Aura.
This is the one franchise that I have thoroughly looked into, I adore the all the lore an characters. I've read all the books etc which is something I never do for any other franchise. It has a special place in my heart, the music alone still fills me with emotion/nostalgia. One thing I wish was that .hack//zero be finished and translated. I can't find one anywhere :( Out of all the remakes and remasters I've seen come out, this series is one that very much deserves a remaster!
Wow, this series seems really special, dripping with personality.
Thank you for making this video. I'm really happy to see a youtuber discuss this game and that so many people feel the same way about the IP that I do. I didn't expect that.
So I have a script I'm still working on for some videos on themes in Japanese games/anime (a massive topic I'm trying to do the highlights of in maybe an hour and a half) but I'll help you out a bit on the Apoptosis theme. It's actually heavily inspired or honestly just straight up a disguised version of the particularly Japanese interpretation of Buddhism as having the utmost respect for the cycle of life and death even at the expense of the idea of Nirvana being about escaping the cycle. The writer of basically all of the Dot Hack franchise that you cover in this video is Kazunori Ito who also did the adapted screenplay for the first Ghost in the Shell movie which happens to also weave this theme in heavily in the conversation between Kusanagi and the Puppet Master AI. The Puppet Master actually even goes so far as to argue he is incomplete until he attains processes inherent in all life forms: reproducing and dying, the same Buddhist idea being the thematic reason, on top of some self-identity themes he throws in the mix too. Japan turns to Buddhism largely to help them cope with their unique continual loss so they tend to write narratives about accepting death as a natural part of life and honoring it, in both Ghost in the Shell and Dot Hack it's just an important step on the way to being either a "complete" or "ultimate AI."
I was a huge fan of the original games and bought them when they came out, it's nice to see you video!
Loved these games and I still have my original copies. Really would love a remaster/remake of these beautiful games
The biggest problem with the original 4 games is pacing. It wasn't super obvious at the time they came out... I remember thinking the games were flawless masterpieces at the time. But the G.U. games were just so much better in every way, it retroactively made the original 4 games very difficult to appreciate for me.
I loved the storytelling, and the characters of the original games. The plot, and tying in to .hack//sign was fantastic. The whole .hack// project was just such a thing to experience at the time, and one of very few multi-media experiences that actually paid off reasonably well.... But G.U. and Roots just did it better, in every way. You're right, the original 4 games would need to be completely remade in order for them to get the appreciation they deserve, because sadly, they just don't quite hold up.
.Hack//SIGN really does stay ballin. Really great story telling and probably my favourite part of that era of .Hack, if not all of .Hack.
I loved this series and was so angry when my house got broken into and my entire collection was stolen. Such a shame to lose. I’d love a remake to experience this again.
I'm so glad I got the 4 cds at the time. Didn't know it was so impossible now
I remember going to the EB games any time we went to our local mall just to see if I'll find that magical 4th game. I did, and still have it to this day.
But yeah I really want this game to be revived, hell let platinum games make it, they did amazing with Nier. And with the replicant remake that makes me have hopes for more cult following games like dot hack to build more demand for it
Thanks, now I’m sobbing while I watch this for the 18th time because I actually spent over 1K on the games to play again.
The music is absolutely phenomenal!
I had always known about the .hack series, but never really looked into it. This video was my first real deep dive into what it is all about and I'm amazed at how cool it was. Obviously had a lot of problems and some jankiness, but filled with fantastic ideas. I particularly love the idea of the desktop interface outside of the game and how you use the Internet to interact with people to help solve the mysteries involved and get world building. That is an amazing concept with a ton of potential.
I watched this video a few days ago and I really liked it. I don't know if you will read this, but you did a great job. I had the chance to get all 4 games when I was younger, but I passed on them because I saw that combat and said hell no. I think if they did a remake of the 4 games into 1 they should use the FF12 battle system. It's already halfway there, just go in balls deep you know? I think it does need a remake... we would buy it full sail.
Damn i just miss this series. the music was perfect and while i wasn't able to play the games when i was a kid (expect G.U part 2 and 3) i am happy to have all but part 4 :c
I really like your way of presenting this series is nice. i love getting some breakdown of gameplay and story. i came back to watch this almost a year later. 11 months man that should show you the quality of your video man
NOW I NEED A DEEP LORE BREAKDOWN OF THE .HACK UNIVERSE
Bless ps3 Hen for finally allowing me a full playthrough of these four games...
Im close to the end of Outbreak now and have all the sidequests done to get Sora once I finish Quarantine.. :"D
Great video, it's always nice to see some talk about this series. Hope to get my friend into the series with the g.u. games since they are on the Nintendo switch
I watched .hack sign twice, played the first three original .hack games. Watched the video that came with the original games. And played .hack g.u. twice and the remake of it through once and had no idea what the premise of the epitaph of twilight was the entire time lol. Real good video. Thanks man
It's always nice to see people discover and rediscover this wonderful series.
I agree with many of your points, as someone who has (bizarrely enough) hacked and modded the game, figured out how nearly every single mechanic works beneath the hood and released several programs for it, the game's overall system is simple, too simple. The system itself is fine on paper. Having spells and skills tied to equipment is really cool, but they did little to differentiate these skills and spells outside of the level and strength, beyond range and radius. What really causes problems for challenge is how fast you can spam items, and only two healing spells before the big Heal All is ridiculous in terms of balancing (though now that I think on it, I guess that's rather like classic Dragon Warrior). The only way to fix it is to overhaul it entirely.
Now, another point I entirely agree with you is with Morganna. In //SIGN she is cunning, cold, and manipulative, because she is actively planning and we see her actively planning, we know the threat she possesses. The games went for a more "force of nature", as if Morganna would not deign bother talking to these lowly humans, her efforts in //SIGN may have had her conclude that. Yet, I think she should have had a more direct hand in things, instead of letting the Phases run about. Let me give an example.
At the start of //Infection you receive an email, from probably Lios, saying that you should stop looking into the issues if you want to keep playing the game. It would have been unsettling if you kept on getting more of these messages from this unknown sender, with further threats and guilt trips about your actions, with those who have watched //SIGN eventually recognizing these speech patterns as Morganna.
God listening to Mac-Anu soundtrack made me feel nostalgic. So glad I kept my disc copies and ps2 to play these games at any point. I really hate how GU part 4 was done thou...
Thank you so much for this video! Really hope they make a remake (or at the LEAST remaster)
I feel like a full remake could really benefit from the "Dark Souls" style messaging system. Creating a level of interconnectedness between players that is non-invasive but makes it still feel more like a true MMO.
Add in some side mission staples like a fishing mechanic. And of course, use modern game mechanics to overhaul the combat system.
man imagine a square enix contracted .hack action rpg similar to final fantasy 7 remake battle system
Thank you. You unlock a deep core memory on me and now I remember this story very well. I do wish this game need to be remake. If The World become VRMMORPG that we are living to this day. Its gonna be my top favorite game of all time beside Phantasy Star Online series.
Omg Omg Omg…. Two sec in and I’m so excited to dive back into this. I still have all four chapters. I bought this game on a whim and fell in love with it instantly. Each chapter came out a couple of months after the next. I watch each OVA got the secret key words. I love this series so much. A remake would be welcomed.
This is a really well done video. Insta subbed. dot hack is truly one of a kind when it comes to it's themes and atmosphere and deserves to be realized at it's full potential. I've always believed a recontextualization/reboot would work well in today's social climate with how we all rely so heavily on the internet to connect and function. It's such a shame that bamco let go of niche properties like .hack and xeno. I'm sure game development/publishing is all very complicated stuff. A bummer all the same.
1 hour video that hit the nail on the head that I think deserves one more thing to it.
As a child with no internet or pc I never got to online game an of the early early stuff. I played many a single players endlessly. But .//hack hit different. Yes it was a single player that imitated an mmo.
Years later finally having a job and internet, even building my own pc. I actually understood the more that .//hack was telling us the players.
Haseo and everyone playing The World were themselves but also their character. I'm not saying you take on a persona or second personality but you take on a second name. From the moment that name is locked is you are no loner your birth name. You now go by the new one. People you meet, the friends you make. They know you by that. Even after they know your birth name alot of the times you will here the name they knew you by when you first met.
The World we play in is just as alive as our own cities. We give the life to these worlds by choosing to exist in them.
No one can deny this when there have been funerals for guild mates and best friends joined by hundreds of people to pay respects to them
The video is so interesting that I passed out almost at the very beginning, and woke up at the end of the video....
A remake or re imagining would be a great addition to the series.
Back when they had the teaser for the original new .hack project I was little disappointed that it was just a port/remake of GU, Glad it added some additional story though.
Nice video! Happy to see .Hack getting some coverage. Really wish we would get more to the series or remakes in the future. I feel that even as a kid when these were releasing they were locked behind a money wall too. 50 a game for a kid was hard especially considering you needed 4, when they could have probably done it in 2-3 games if they reduced the padding. They were solid games but just cost too much. A lot of classic ps2 era RPGs were like that though. SMT was very similar like this too. I still haven't been able to finish Quarantine either. I only have up to outbreak sadly.
A remaster would benefit from some Zelda-esque CELL-SHADING, diving further into the anime look. This whole series could actually pop quite well with a remaster, honestly. The concepts are great, and the combat could use some fine-tuning, but the potential is there.
This OST goes so hard