A series that's been hammered on alot, but it definitely is different from what most people think.
Graphics- 9.5/10
The design in this game is just top much. While alot of the monster designs are recycled and just have slight modifications and the environment is reused more that should be allowed, .hack//GU still has terrific graphics. A full 3D scale that's really detailed, the repeated background doesn't seem noticeable due to the detail. Character designs are also top-notch, emotions, facial expressions and all the goodies...cept when the character's mouths don't move...but meh.
Sound- 7/10
Alot of squeaking, screeching and scratching. Sound is a factor that greatly contributes to a game and when it has random sounds in it...well. The music is lovely, but rarely adds to the tone. The voice acting is also a little...gah. Sometimes the voices were dead on and sometimes they just made me shudder. It really depends on your preferences though.
Gameplay-9/10
Here's the part that everyone bothers playing games for. To say the least, .hack//GU's gameplay is gnarly. Simplistic in mind and rather reptitive but distinctly addictive. The concept is easy to understand and the game overall is rather easy, but there are occasional squirmishes and is pretty balanced. The only real problem is probably the pace of the game. Attacks are delayed and don't match up to the screen, but it's still really entertaining to watch (and the lack of a jump button always makes me sad).
Story-8/10
The script behind this game was also really interesting. Most .hack animes and games usually have a dark tone, and don't suceed, and this game is no different. While some plot twists were random and made too many allusions to other games, overall it was pretty interesting and easy to understand (I should know, I started with this game first.)
.hack//GU Redemption is a gnarly game that is underappreciated in today's gaming society. While it isn't really for everyone, this game is definitely worth a test drive at least.