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How Metascores Are Calculated
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Bigs 2, The
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
A fourteen year old boy named Kite is invited by his schoolmate, Orca, to play the online game The World. While playing the game both Kite and his friend are attacked by an unknown monster. As a result, Orca becomes comatose in the real world. Despite his friend's condition, Kite continues to play The World believing he'll find a way to revive Orca. While playing, Kite accepts Book of Twilight from a mysterious girl in white. Kite is transformed into an outlaw player within the game wielding the very same power responsible for Orca's condition. [Bandai]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 100
Cincinnati Enquirer
The end of this first episode of .hack - dubbed Infection - will leave players hanging and longing for more.
 91
netjak
While .hack is not going to thrill anyone with its visuals or sound, the sheer replayability and depth of gameplay is incredible, and that’s what games are SUPPOSED to be all about. Bandai, you have guaranteed yourself a customer for your future .hack episodes.
90
GameZone
The most fun I have had playing an RPG in a long time! This game just spews forth with innovation.
85
IGN
Clever story twists; excellent character design, and an addictive gameplay engine can go a long way.
84
GameReviewer
This sense of fun defies all odds. I never would have thought it, but these encounters with computer-generated pals can sometimes be even more enjoyable than the real thing.
83
Into Liquid Sky
The character models are very well done. The facial expressions impressed me the first time I played. The characters have an anime look that I think the developers were trying to pull off and they did a good job.
83
Game Informer
I also realized that what really made it good wasn't just its refreshing take on conventional RPGs, but that it also captured some of the community aspects of a MMORPG. [Mar 2003, p.82]
80
Times Online
The game-within-a-game concept is fantastic and the simulation of the MMORPG experience is flawlessly executed.
80
G4 TV
A complete package that is both a solid adventure and a promising beginning for this Bandai series.
80
Cheat Code Central
You will get so caught up in the story you won't be thinking "Dungeons and Dragons." Can't wait for the next one.
80
GameSpy
The story integrates so well with the faux-online theme that it drives you to continue playing almost as addictively as the real social interaction of a legitimate online game does.
80
GameCritics
The illusion of an online community is maintained flawlessly.
80
PSM Magazine
.hack scores major points for its unique setting, but there's also some very solid game design to back it up. [Nov 2002, p.50]
80
Yahoo! Games
Despite some dated-looking visuals (it REALLY does look like PSO), Dot-hack is an impressive bit of high-concept work, and scores lots of points for its presentational excellence.
80
GamingTrend
Don't buy this game if you don't plan on getting the whole series. It would be like watching "The Fellowship of the Ring" and not bothering to watch the rest.
80
Play Magazine
The game itself is a very competent dungeon-exploration affair that neither looks great nor is that polished, but it's very addictive. [Apr 2003, p.62]
80
GamePro
Despite the simple battles and plain story, .hack is addictively fun for the 15 hours it lasts. [Nov 2002, p.182]
78
Armchair Empire
NPC reaction isn’t all that diverse, as it would be in a real MMORPG. The visuals, aside from the character designs, aren’t all that impressive.
78
GameShark
Definitely something that is not for the faint-hearted. It can be a tough to keep your attention from wavering onto another game. Believe me; with all the other games being released now, it was a challenge. But if you stick with it, you will be pleasantly surprised.
75
GamerWeb Sony
Highly original and addictive, .hack is more interesting than most of the MOM-RPGs the game attempts to simulate.
75
Electric Playground
A truly brave, and hopeful germination of pertinence in the typically banal garden of videogames.
75
Game Chronicles
The only real let down is the moments when you’re thrown out of the World and have to sift through all the message board posts and e-mails in order to figure out what to do to log back onto the game.
75
Just RPG
The feeling of “just one more dungeon” dominated our lives for the 3 days to completion. The engaging environment held our attention without much effort.
70
GMR Magazine
If you can forgive it for some plain visuals and don't mind wading through menus - it may be fast-paced, but it's still an RPG - it's worth your time. [Mar 2003, p.58]
70
Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
I had to muddle through almost half of this 20-hour RPG before .hack really grabbed me... And now, I'm hooked. [Feb 2003, p.100]
70
Electronic Gaming Monthly
A game so fresh and unique, it just begs to be experienced despite its flaws. [Feb 2003, p.138]
70
GameSpot
A simple, repetitive experience that's over fairly quickly for an RPG, and its story doesn't go anywhere at all. Nevertheless, it's pretty fun while it lasts, and anime fans probably won't be able to resist it.
70
GamerArchive
The main bulk of the gameplay, which mainly consists of battles in fairly unattractive dungeons is clichéd, and highly repetitive. The graphics as a whole fall a little below average, and for a standalone game, it’s fairly short.
67
GameNow
Ugly. It's got a muddled battle system. [Feb 2003, p.44]
60
Edge Magazine
It gains points for plot and the audacity of simulating an online world, and could have scored higher, but its simplicity and inflexible save system drag it down. [Apr 2004, p.108]
60
PSX Nation
By being forced to set-up a premise that MIGHT evolve into something interesting in the long haul, ".hack's" storyline drags and plays second-fiddle to average-at-best (and done better elsewhere), random-dungeon clearing RPG fodder.
60
games(TM)
That it makes no bones about the fact that you're in a game doesn't make it less of an experience - indeed, it's one of the few things that saves Infection from being a run-of-the-mill RPG. [Mar 2004, p.104]
58
GamingWorld X
There is no doubt that Bandai has a really, really interesting concept here, but it’s just so unfortunate that things like the camera system and inexcusably repetitive dungeons lower the game’s status to just another mediocre RPG with tons of potential just waiting to be noticed and explored.
50
Gamestyle
It’s all rather tiresome and disappointing in a release that promised something different. But what remains is a bog standard RPG, dressed up as something else but flattering to deceive.
50
Thunderbolt
The most disturbing thing about .Hack is how short it is. Perhaps the whole series, or at least two of the games, could have easily fit on one disc.
Bob M. gave it a10: Rose K. gave it a10: Jade L. gave it a 10: Tristan S. gave it a 10: Ryan M. gave it an 8: Andy C. gave it a 9: Dragon Knight of Final Fantasy gave it a 9: |
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