The Bandai Namco and CyberConnect2 anime action-RPG series '.hack//G.U.' could be en route to the Nintendo Switch, based on a new rating in North America.
According to the ESRB, the four in one collection .hack//G.U. Last Recode has been given a 'Teen' rating for the hybrid system. It contains the following: Alcohol References, Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language and Suggestive Themes.
And here's the official ESRB rating summary:
"This is a collection of four role-playing games in which players assume the role of a participant in a fictional game called The World. From a third-person perspective, players explore towns and dungeons, interact with characters, and battle various enemies (e.g., monsters, human rivals, robots). Characters use swords, scythes, magic attacks, and guns to defeat enemies in melee combat. One cutscene depicts words written in blood on a hospital wall. Some female characters wear outfits that expose large amounts of cleavage; cutscenes also depict male characters ogling women's breasts and buttocks. Characters make several references to alcohol in the dialogue (e.g., “...[H]urry up with the booze”; “...in order to fog their minds with drink”; "...the legendary drunkard"; “Liquor! More liquor!”). The words “b*tch” and “a*s” appear in the game."
If this rating is accurate, it wouldn't be the first time a Bandai Namco game has been revealed via the ESRB. The same thing happened with Ni No Kuni II back in May, which eventually led to an official announcement.
.hack//G.U. Last Recode was originally released on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC back in 2017. Would you be interested in this collection on Nintendo Switch? Leave a comment down below.
[source esrb.org]
Comments (40)
.hack is a SUPER underrated series of JRPGs. They were done by CyberConnect2 back in the 2000's and kind of have a setting reminiscent of SAO where's it's like a game within the fictional world the game is set in. It's also very MMORPG-esque in terms of progression. The main character even has an ability where he can turn enemies he encounters on the map into rare items and the setting is all themed around computers and data which gives it a super cool aesthetic
Nice to see a lot of these PlayStation classics make the jump to new audiences after both Final Fantasy VII-XII and Danganronpa
EDIT: Just realized it's a bit weird how they're getting the G.U. games but not the first series of games which this trilogy is directly connected to. You might need to catch up in that case if you haven't played the series before
The game looks great, but, like with 3D-Dot Heroes, the name clearly buried this potential gem.
I wonder why devs use names like "Babjqpvq//P.P.PooPoo" for their games and not something more... pronouncable.
Anyways, I wish 3D-Dot Heroes would be ported to Switch
@Flashlink99 I mean it worked for Kingdom Hearts and Under Night
I haven't played a single dot Hack game. I remember there being loads on PS2 and seemed like a tall order to get into. These are the ones that released after Infection and those games, right?
@GrailUK Yes, the first series was a 4 parts/games. This one came after and was a 3 part/game series, this remaster adds a 4th part also.
@GrailUK Yeah this is the more recent trilogy that came out after both the OG PS2 games and the .hack//roots anime series which stars the main character of these games (Haseo I think his name was)
@TheFrenchiestFry @TheFrenchiestFry From what I read in reviews, the story was pretty flat, with most reviewers saying it’s not very well fleshed out. Maybe that’s why they are starting in the middle, because the story doesn’t matter much?
@TheFrenchiestFry Reminiscent of SAO but about ten thousand times better than that. Unfortunate that in the time since the last .hack game, nothing in the genre has topped it.
Thanks for the replies. Yeah, I don't know if I was being overly harsh at the time, but they kinda felt like they were churned out and hard to keep track of. Hmm, I'll keep my eyes on this one.
They took their sweet time with this port. It goes down to bargain bin prices on PC/PS4 pretty regularly.
But, if it's reasonably priced and all included on the cartridge, I'll probably get the Switch port as well. Really like that portability.
@TheFrenchiestFry The initial .hack JRPG series has never released on anything other than the PS2, as far as I'm aware, and hard copies are nearly impossible to find for a reasonable price.
Additionally, I actually played the .hack//G.U. games on PS2 without the context of the original games and didn't feel like I was missing out on any crucial context.
I do want remasters of the original set of PS2 games, mind you, but modern audiences don't need to play them to appreciate G.U.
@BloodNinja The story and characterization I honestly feel is one of the better things about the games even if they aren't consistently paced well. The setting and worldbuilding is really good though
@Ralizah I do at least recommend the anime for the G.U. games considering the main character for the trilogy is the one from the anime and they do have plot details that connect that anime to these newer entries
Maybe the OG PS2 games aren't as necessary but there is a lot of referential material to preceding media surrounding the series
Finished this on PC. I would say it was average at best. It had some potential, combat was OK, but it is way too repetitive and the characters never drift from their stereotypical personas.
I have heard that the originals are better, but never got to play them.
@TheFrenchiestFry That’s good to hear. My first exposure to .hack was that anime from what feels like 20 years ago. I was really into it but about halfway through the first season it felt like it was meandering a bit too much so I lost interest. Then a few years later, I started seeing games pop up for it but I never played any. Which one is your favorite?
@BloodNinja Out of all the games I'd say probably either Infection and Mutation from the OG series are probably the best ones
The G.U. games aren't as great as the first series but they're still solid
Is this like Xenoblade at all or what would you liken it to?
@Zach777 They are action-RPGs but they're structured more similarly to MMORPGs, specifically stuff like for example, Final Fantasy XIV where there's even ways to communicate and strategize with your party via message boards, in-game chat and e-mail
@TheFrenchiestFry Is it based on a manga or is it the other way around? I remember fans complaining that Sword Art Online ate its lunch despite being a later and lesser series.
“Is an official announcement on the way?”
.heck//I.DON’T.KNOW.MAYBE
The director for these games has been begging Bandai Namco to port to Switch for several years now. Last time we heard news, he said he kept bringing it up to them but they'd shoot him down with, "ya well, we don't know how well it would perform"
Seems like they finally caved in
@TheFrenchiestFry Luckily when I played this collection on PC, I can confirm they had the foresight to explain the plot of the previous games at length (I think it literally takes between 1-2 hours total) if you choose so from the menu.
@SmaggTheSmug .hack from the outset was meant to be a multimedia franchise spanning different types of media. When the series started, both an anime series, and the first game in the original series came out within the same year (2002)
The game series is probably what it's best known for, but there's plenty of manga, anime and novels that tie into each other. It's kind of like the Fate franchise in that way
@Broosh That's something I didn't actually know to check out. I've had the PS4 collection for like 2 or 3 years already but I never noticed that was a thing they included
Metal Gear games also do a similar thing where whenever the next entry in the timeline comes out they always have mission logs in the main menu that detail the events of preceding entries in the series' chronology
YES!!!!
FINALLY ITS COMING TO NINTENDO SWITCH !!!
If this is true I REALLY hope they fix the changes made in the PS4 version. Like streamlining the gameplay a bit is one thing, but they really ruined the balance and made it impossible not to get overleveled.
Like fine, keep that in for people who want to rush through it, but at least include an original mode. I could not enjoy it at all one-shotting everything.
My only exposure to this series was .hack//SIGN, which was an amazing, albeit slow, show.
This is from the second version of The World isn't it? With Sora as lead?
Good news. Good news. Definitely one for the wishlist pending reviews.
Never played GU. Played the original series and felt like I had been fleeced by the time the credits rolled on the fourth game.
Good! Because I played 4 hours of the first one on PC and I need this for Switch.
@Xaessya hi sounds like you’re knowledgeable and familiar with this series, so can these be played if you haven’t played/aren’t familiar with the story of the first “set” of games? I’ve always liked and been intrigued by this series but should I even bother or will I be really lost?
"Is an official announcement on the way?"
Most likely yes, seeing how Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot was rated for Switch before any announcement plus Bandai Namco also said they really love Nintendo Switch and want to put a bunch of games on it
I'm hoping it gets a physical release.
I still want & need to play the original games. I wasn't able as a kid, but all I ever see are .hack//G.U. re-releases.
I have the PS4 version but only got it fairly recently, still sealed. I might settle for that, or I might move it on for the obviously more expensive Switch version, we'll see...
Why are you guys asking for the original games? They at least need to overhaul the battle system to match that of the GU series, to be entertaining.
@TheFrenchiestFry
“Reminiscent of SAO”
Like saying smash bros is reminiscent of super kart fighter
@weisske It literally has the same exact set up as SAO. There are incredibly obvious comparisons to be drawn between the two even if the hacker concept is unique to it
@Ks123 gu series can be played alone easily. Theres some references you will only get if you played the first four games or watched the anime (sign and roots. Legend of twilight is a side story ova) but nothing that affects the plot.
@TheFrenchiestFry
Theyre similar but unlike SAO .hack is a good series. Comparing .hack to that is just going to turn people off
Too late bandai. These games are frequently 10-20 bucks elsewhere....... Like most of the stuff they've released recently on switch.....
I really don't understand how someone can accept super late releases at insane prices when the said game is at least twice as cheap anywhere else.
I have been a super huge .hack// fan since the games came out. I also watched all the animes made and collected all the manga. Still a huge fan, active in the official forums, and still buying seasonal collectibles to this day. I agree that I do wish the OG 4 would come out. That would be amazing. While I still have the original games and my PS2, it would be nice to be able to play them all on the switch on the go since it's not a game that requires an internet connection. I think Nintendo should get on this and am sad they didn't make an announcement about it at E3. Unless maybe they'll be fine tuning it a bit more and releasing it next year? I do hate that a lot of people will probably give it bad ratings since they probably never really played any JRPGS.
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