Interesting, but tiring

User Rating: 7 | .hack//Infection Part 1 PS2
the first of .hack series estabilish an interesting point of view: an singgle player MMORPG. As paradoxal as it seens, it's really innovative, and make things a bit more interesting, if you like both genres. While it keeps the story and quest orientation of an tradicional single player RPG, it also incorporates elements of MMORPG, as servers and a trading sistem. Most of he good weapons and itens, can't be bought in stores, altought, may be traded along with others "players", tha are actually computer controlled IA.

Also, another interesting feature is the off-line playing, while you trade e-mails with others players, building a strong relatiionship with them. Also something to emulate de MMPORG, that creates an interesting atmosphere.

Another MMORPG feature is the possibility of playing in nearly infinite maps, "just for playing it". You may stay a live before cleaning all the maps in the game.

An great point about those maps, is that they're level balanced,m acording to the key (three words you input) you use to acces it

Althought, not everything is blue. The battle systen is overly tiring. THe battles take an extremely long time, and the XP earned is not very high, wich makes the character progression actually slow, and makes somewhat tiring to play. Also, the battle systen is a bit restrict, with few attack options, in part because all your especial skills (magic, special attacks), are given for the itens you're equipped. While this gives an great character configuration, also restrain you into equipping your characters.

FInally, it keeps all the Single Payler RPG features, as party configuration, and inumerous dialog options, but, lacks on the sidequests atributte. There aren't may of then actually. They've been replaced by the MMORPG idea of infinite map playing, as I see.

Finnaly, one great feature on this game is the possibility of character exportation. You may play with your character from the first game on the follwing games of the serie. THis makes worth developing you character, as you will probably use it later in the following series.