.hack (video Game Series) - Reception

Reception

Critics gave the series mixed reviews, but it generated positive sales figures. As of March 2004, sales of the .hack games exceeded 1.73 million, with 780,000 copies sold in Japan. .hack//Infection received the most positive reviews of the series as critics were intrigued by the games' unique premise. Jeremy Dunham of IGN was impressed by the game's commitment to preserve the illusion of online and the Game Informer reviewer praised the way it captures the sense of community that a real MMORPG offers. Dunham also lauded the character designs and the decision to include the Japanese voice track. Many reviewers cited the fascinating setting as the counterbalance to the mediocre gameplay, which include repetitive environments and poor camera control. Gary Steinman of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine declared that ".hack is not a good game", but the "mind-bending" story allowed him to look past its obvious flaws and anticipate future games in the series. Greg Kasavin of GameSpot was less forgiving, calling .hack//Infection a sub-par version of Kingdom Hearts. Overall, the first game was moderately well-received, with reviewers overlooking gameplay flaws because of a compelling story. Reviews of .hack//Mutation were as positive as those of the first game, though many critics complained that there was little done to address issues from its predecessor. However, Christian Nutt of GameSpy found the second game to be more addicting than the first, despite its numerous shortcomings, owing to accelerating story and gameplay progression and memorable boss battles. Other reviewers were encouraged by the MMORPG-oriented details that contribute to the game's presentation and built excitement for the future of the series.

.hack//Outbreak represented a shift in the critical reception of the series as reviewers grew tired of the incremental or nonexistent improvements between titles. Although Dunham noted a great improvement in ally characters' and enemies' artificial intelligence, he was disappointed by the lack of any other changes. Nutt concluded that the four-part game structure meant "we are paying Bandai $200 for one game" and condemned this marketing move as "downright exploitative of the fans". Critics were divided over the final game, .hack//Quarantine. Some called it a satisfying conclusion to the mediocre series, while others derided it as a confusing mess of poor pacing and plot holes. Kasavin summed up his opinion on the series as "one good game's worth of content with about 60 to 80 hours' worth of filler, into four full-priced products spread out over a year". Nutt was similarly disappointed with how the series turned out, going back on his previous enthusiasm for the games. The Game Informer reviewer hoped to see a more effective implementation of .hack's concept in the future. Japanese magazine Famitsu Weekly gave the .hack games scores in the 29 to 30 out of 40 range, indicating average reviews. However, the Japanese Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) honored the series for its combination of different fictional media including games, anime, radio, and manga into a compelling whole at the 2002-2003 CESA Awards. IGN also named .hack//Mutation as PlayStation 2 Game of the Month for May 2003.