.hack/ /Quarantine

Reviewed by Leland Bonaparte
September 29, 2005

Developer: Cyber Connect Publisher: Bandai Consoles Available: Playstation 2 Players: 1 ESRB Rating: T (Teen) Website: Click Here

In the final episode of the .hack saga, play as the outlaw Kite to finally unravel the mystery behind “The World”. While “The World” creates havoc in the real world, Cc corp faces interesting pressure to get severs offline. Anyone who is comatose in real life during game play is headed for certain death. In addition, Orca is in need of Kite’s help, and there is a virus that is still in need of a cure. It’s all up to you now.

Basically not too much has changed in .hack Quarantine. The bad camera controls are still a problem and the voiceovers sound like little kids are talking. But after putting 200 plus hours into this series it would be a shame to just give up now. Surely the pace of the game is a lot quicker and more to the point than the earlier ones, but it could have been a little better. Fighting with Kite is almost like a button mashing contest. While approaching an enemy, rapidly pressing the x button will dispose of most enemies quickly. Using the battle system is ok; it seems similar to Tales of Destiny or Grandia. Being able to assign characters to perform duties is a necessary part of the game. No real enchantments have been added, and the gate hacking, virus cores, and data drain are also key elements of the game.

Overall it’s a good series to have, especially if you are looking for something different. Also included is the final chapter to the Linimalty anime. Bandai’s concept of offering the anime with the game was a nice marketing tool. The replay value of the game is medium, because you must have all four game to know what’s really going on. Final fantasy fans will not be satisfied, but it should hold us until the next one comes out.