.hack Part 4: Quarantine

Ten months and four games later, .hack has finally climaxed!

The final installment of .hack has arrived, and Part 4: Quarantine finds Kite's party finally beginning their offensive to restore the World (the fictional online MMORPG where the series takes place). Quarantine's gameplay mirrors that of the previous .hack games. You basically run around exploring dungeons, plugging in random key words to explore servers, plundering treasure, and managing your in-game web browser while keeping up with current World events.

In the World They Never Made
Contrary to previous .hack game chapters, Quarantine features no in-game limitations. Kite's default level is at 70, all five servers are open, party members can each level-up to 99, and the A.I. has been tweaked to be more challenging. The biggest allure of Quarantine is the appearance of .hack//sign characters in the side-quests and that completing the game allows you to recruit Tsukasa, Subaru, and Sora for your party. As in the preceding games, the sound is excellent and the controls are adequate, but the camera needs work.

.hackneyed
Several general caveats do arise about the .hack series as a whole. Those who have not played the previous games will be completely lost, battling advanced-level monsters may prove difficult for beginners, and many may wince at .hack's sectional nature (each game is meant to be a chapter in the series, not a stand-alone sequel with upgrades). At up to $50 a chapter, gamers may find the entire saga too expensive.

Overall, if you're a fan of the .hack universe or have stuck it out through the previous three volumes, you'll find Quarantine a satisfying ending to the series. Everybody else, play at your own risk.

Comments [0]

post a comment

Post a Comment