Board 8 > .hack//G.U. Last Recode releases in the West on November 3.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Wow, only 2 days after the release in Japan, I'm shocked. It sounds (to me) like they got Yuri Lowenthal back as Haseo too. Hopefully they got as much of the old VA crew back as they can, it was an all-star cast.

Trailer (Warning, it contains spoilers for the 3 G.U. games):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoDX6yRn9Gw

Trailer is from Playstation but it's got the PC release too.

Some other highlights from the trailer in terms of features and such (some of this was known before but whatevs):

-"Cheat Mode" which you can select to start the game with max stats if you just want to enjoy the story/breeze through the original 3 games to refresh for the New Vol 4.

-Retry Mode: If you wipe in a battle you can choose to retry instead of being forced to load from your last save

-Sounds like they rebalanced the combat/game. The details they highlighted the most seemed to be in the direction of making things go faster for the player. (You do more damage, get more EXP.) I didn't frame-by-frame when they put up a bunch of other things real quick but there seemed to be other quality of life improvements like increased item capacity and such.

Sounds like it'll be 1080p and 60 FPS with cutscenes remastered. (It looks like Vol 4 used a different art/animation style but the original 3 games retained their style unless that was a style choice for the trailer only)

Last Recode will also include the Terminal Disc which sounds like it contains a summary of what happened in the original 4 .hack games before G.U. (IMOQ). I haven't seen it myself (I think it was previously a limited edition thing or something) so I can't tell you how comprehensive it is, but while you didn't need to have played the original IMOQ games to follow G.U. outside of getting some references and callbacks, it looks like we're getting help on that front too for those who want it.

so hype
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Oh god.

This is all happening too fast, my heart can't take it.

If they announce they're packing in the movie I might die.
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Preorders up for $50, a damn steal.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0743X12TX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_lCrNzbS817VQK
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Up for the not-late-at-night crew.
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Is this turn-based, or action?
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barreldragon88 posted...

Is this turn-based, or action?

Action.
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I don't think any of the English VAs aren't available. I know some are pushing or over 60 (Kirk Thornton and Mary E. McGlynn for example), but I still hear a ton of the actors in games and anime to this day. Freeman was in SO5 recently. Are they re-recording lines (like Persona 3 Portable), or is this for the "Vol. 4" thing?

Either way, this should be fantastic. This game series would have been fantastic if they had cut the need for grinding. I doubt it gets away from "too many of the same dungeons," but at least I won't have to fuck around trying to level to 150 if I don't need to.
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I don't think there's any chance of a rerecord. Knowing VA contracts back then I doubt there are any licensing issues
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Now I can finally find out who is haseo
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I didn't even know there was going to be a Vol. 4 thing!
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GANON1025 posted...

I didn't even know there was going to be a Vol. 4 thing!

Oh. Yeah. That's a thing. At least one new major character, new Haseo form, etc.

Strife2 posted...

Are they re-recording lines (like Persona 3 Portable), or is this for the "Vol. 4" thing?

Probably just Vol 4. I'd be shocked if they went back and redid any of the original voice work. On the other hand, they do keep shocking me with the time and effort put into this.
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Didn't mean to double post but...

LapisLazuli posted...

If they announce they're packing in the movie I might die.

Not the movie but apparently the Japanese Limited Edition includes, among other things (like the OST), the Blu-ray of Returner.

which tells me we're so not getting the limited edition, or at least that limited edition.
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I want Trilogy dammit!

They never even released it on BluRay ;_;
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If I want this to be my next bullshit anime rpg would it be a good choice
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Yeah, probably.

(It's a great game though!)
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Oh by bullshit I mean like anime ass anime game that feels like it's from the mid 2000s not that I think it's gonna be bad, or if it is I can enjoy it ironically
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Well, I mean, it is from the mid-2000s! The games were from 2006-2007!

So yeah, I think it fits.
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.hack original PS2 series was average to slightly below average. Cool concept, but once youve played the first one you kinda have played all 4.

Is the gu series any step up? Ive heard they are good, but is the dungeon design still overly formulaic like in the originals?
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I don't even think the games are comparable in terms of quality.
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Why would you ask about it if you're not into bullshit anime RPG bullshit? Is this another of those foolmo and DanganRonpa situations?
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I was just asking about the GU series and if i should start playing em.....
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Yea strife that was a bit over the top
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GU is one of the better games as far as PS2 RPGs go, but if you hate randomly generated dungeon sameness, stay away. It does way better than the original games in terms of atmosphere and gameplay.

Characters and story? Toss up. Both .hack games tend to follow the same plotline. Kite is a better main character than Haseo (less brooding and annoying). But dear god, even for early PS2, the originals are dated as shit. You also avoid some seriously bullshit boss fights. They are item attrition nightmares.

At least GU had the sense to add in an extra fighting mechanic once in a while.

If I had to break it down a bit more, here's what I figure.

Story - Equal
Main Character - IMOQ
Female Lead - IMOQ (because being a slightly badass fighter chick is always better than being a doofy idiot)
Support Characters - GU (Everyone is tied to the main plot somehow, aside an idiot comic relief dumbass)
Villains - GU (Easily)
Gameplay/Grinding - GU (again, easily; faster, less cooldown, and more variety)
Dungeons - Equal (both games really suck at this)
Sidequests - GU (sidequests in the originals are just MORE dungeons hooray!)
Music - Equal

Outside of 1-2 of the subplots in the original games (which actually tie into characters in GU, there's no reason to play the original four games when this is getting re-released. You'd be subjecting yourself to more samey dungeons, and some in that game are insufferable, due to being 5-10 floors with certain enemies that stall progress. At most, GU caps itself at 3-4 sublevels. Stupid to be sure, but still better.
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im mildly interested in sidequests being not just more dungeons.
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I mean, there IS that, but the original had like 1 racing type thing, and then a bunch more, "Could you get this thing from this dungeon for me?" or "Let's train." GU at least lets you do sidequests that involve fighting enemies or finding items in overworld maps and such. It even has a card game. Both games have a serious problem of "You gotta get to the bottom of the dungeon to finish this part." What I wouldn't give to just show up at the start of a place, get some story, and leave.

Hence why that bugs me so much.
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Ya the original thing of racing those gruntys or whatever was boring as shit. The other side quests in the originals just were more boring dungeon crawling.

Hmm ill give GU a go i guess
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I'd say G.U. beats IMOQ on every level, honestly. And usually by a ton. They really are on complete different levels.

G.U. does still have same-y dungeons/fields, as mentioned, but the gameplay is a ton better so it never felt as bad to me. And on fields at least, you get the ability to drive a bike around to help speed it up considerably.
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I had straight up forgotten Kite wasn't a silent protagonist.
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GU is better than the originals in basically every way, IMO
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