.hack//Link

.hack//Link (.hack//LINK 黄昏の騎士団, Tasogare no Kishidan, lit. .hack//LINK Twilight Knights) is the final chapter to the .hack series. The story is told in manga with art by Megane Kikuya and original story by CyberConnect2. A PlayStation Portable game of this title was released on March 4, 2010 in Japan.

Plot

The story takes place in the year 2020, three years after the events of .hack//G.U.. The story will take place not only in the new version of "The World" known as "The World R:X" but in the real world as well. The lead character is a middle school student named Tokio Kuryuu. He lives a normal life as a gamer until a mysterious girl named Saika Amagi transfers to his school. She takes Tokio to the school rooftop one day and sends his consciousness and real body into The World R:X, where Tokio begins to discover that time for some characters, and even the history of The World itself, are going haywire; for instance, Tsukasa is turning back into his previous cold mannerisms, and Haseo is being cold-hearted and obsessive about finding and killing Tri-Edge.

It has also been revealed from a hidden poem on CyberConnect2's website that Kite from the original four .hack games and Haseo from .hack//G.U. will be returning. According to the group picture set alongside the logo on the home page of the official site, other characters such as Azure Kite, Atoli, Tabby, and Ovan will also make appearance.^[2]

Characters

Protagonist

Tokio Kuryuu (九竜 トキオ, Kuryū Tokio)

An avid gamer who never thinks about his future and cares only about games. Because he beats most games easily, he becomes excited about the release of "The World: R:X" and is disappointed to find he is unable to obtain it. When Saika Amagi suddenly invites him to the rooftop one day, she uses a mysterious black R:X disc (dated 2019.12.24, recorded by JxxxxAmagi) and transports Tokio into "The World". Tokio finds that he is both physically and mentally present in the game and is soon caught in a fight between Kite and Fluegel. For reasons unknown, Fluegel's weapon does not work on him.

Saika Amagi (天城 彩花, Amagi Saika)

A mysterious transfer student. She looks similar to the princess in Tokio's dreams. Pretty, good in studies and sports, she soon becomes very popular in school. One day, she invites Tokio to the school rooftop and transports him into "The World", apparently having intended to do so all along. She later appears in "The World" and becomes imperious and demanding, ordering Tokio around as her slave. It is speculated that she has some relationship to Jyotaro Amagi, a key programmer behind the failed R.A. plan. Her name was originally transcribed as "Ayaka", but has since been changed to "Saika" (The kanji 彩 can be read as "Aya" or "Sai").

Shopkeeper Niizato (ニイザト店長, Niizato-tenchō)

The shopkeeper of the Niizato gameshop, who also happens to be a huge fan of Subaru. He is an active player since the first revision (or version) of The World and has screen shots of the heroes (including Kite, Haseo, Subaru, and the Crimson Knights) pasted in the shop. He has a R:X account and based on the eldest member of CyberConnect2, Hiroto Niizato. His PC in The World R:X is Niijato, a ninja with bunny ears who prefers taking screen captures rather than level grinding, though he is an experienced player nevertheless.

Kite (カイト, Kaito)

The legendary hero from the original version of "The World". Initially appears in the middle of a fight with Fluegel. The fight ends with Kite being frozen by Fluegel's weapon. He entrusts Tokio the task of saving The World and finding the Chrono Cores.

Tsukasa (司)

Comrade of Kite and possessor of a Chrono Core. Controls a mysterious golden monster. The protagonist of .hack//Sign. Somehow, obtaining the Chrono Core has reverted Tsukasa's memories and personality to the events of .hack//SIGN, as he has forgotten that he is a woman in the real world, and is once more anti-social to everyone save Subaru.

Haseo (ハセヲ)

The protagonist of .hack//G.U. and .hack//Roots and a PKK known as "The Terror of Death." From screen scans of the manga, it appears he is back to being the angered PKK he was in volume 1 of the G.U. video game.

Subaru (昴)

The former leader of the disbanded Crimson Knights and in a relationship with Tsukasa.

Alkaid (揺光, Yōkō)

A comrade of Haseo, the champion of the Demon Palace arena Level 99.

Antagonist

Schicksal

A mysterious group consisting of 8 customized members. Each member has a special ability. As the members are not normal PCs, time is needed to restore them. The members have no known records and are skilled elites. The group is currently under orders from an unknown PC named Genius to gather the Chrono Cores in order to take over The World R:X. Schicksal means "Destiny" in German. But Fluegel, Cello and Klarinette join Tokio's party

Fluegel (フリューゲル, Furyūgeru, German for "wing", sometimes used for "piano")

A mysterious male player character with long white hair and a right monocle. He holds a pistol called Brieler Rössle that is able to freeze the player character and encase them in ice/crystal (time control or possibly changing of the Akashic data). Kite was frozen but the pistol has no effect on Tokio. At the end of the battle against Kite, Fluegel was hit by Kite's Data Drain. He was saved from the attack and now has shorter black hair. Schicksal's leader.

Cello (チェロ, Chero)

A member of Shicksal with the appearance of a young winged girl. She saved Fluegel from Kite's Data Drain and later gathered the rest of the members.

Metronom (メトロノーム, Metoronōmu)

A bespectacled PC with an uptight and strict character. On returning to the hideout, Fluegel was lectured by Metronome on his reckless actions.

Orgel (オルゲル, Orugeru, German for "organ")

A male PC with a tough appearance. Almost got into a fight with Metronome after he commented on Metronome's uptight behavior.

Geist (ガイスト, Gaisuto, German for "ghost" or "soul")

A male PC wearing a half mask, he holds a mysterious card. He suddenly appeared and killed Trommel just when Trommel was going to get Tokio. In the game, it is revealed that Geist is Saika's brother who sent a virus replica of Aura named Death Queen Aura in The World R:X.

Trommel (トロンメル, Toronmeru, German for "drum")

A muscular male PC with the appearance of a typical American comic hero. A level 120 PC who was after Tsukasa's Chrono Core. He was defeated by Tokio, but was left to live until Geist finished him off because of his nuisance.

Klarinette (クラリネッテ, Kurarinetto, German for "clarinet")

A silent female PC with an eyepatch covering her left eye. In real life, she previously encountered Tokio at a video game arcade and became the first person to break Tokio's perfect gaming record by thoroughly defeating him. For reasons unknown, she trains Tokio in The World R:X before revealing her allegiance to Schicksal.

Posaune (ポザオネ, Pozaone)

A PC with the appearance of a jester with a wide grin. He brainwashes both Alkaid and Haseo in order to gain Haseo and Tokio's Chrono Cores. When Tokio manages to break Haseo's brainwashed state, Posaune is defeated and forced to flee before his PC data self-destructs.

Media

Manga

Video game

In an early 2009 issue of Famitsu and Dengeki magazine, a .hack//Link game was announced. The game was developed for the PlayStation Portable, and features 100 characters from all .hack media, though only 30 characters are able to join the player's party. A party consists of only 2 members (including the player, who always controls Tokio), unlike the previous games which allowed a party of 3. Though the game features characters from the Link manga, the game's story is completely different from the manga's plot. The game features manga-style cutscenes. Confirmed characters include Kite, Black Rose, Haseo, Albireo, Atoli, Mimiru, Midori, Tsukasa, Subaru, Silver Knight, Azure Kite, Balmung, Alkaid, Tabby, Elk, and Ovan. On January 23 of 2010, new screenshots (4gamer website) and a trailer were released. Studio 4°C produced the opening animation video for the game.

Reaction to .hack//Link has been moderate to negative among both critics and fans alike. Famitsu magazine has commented that while Link's story is deep and engaging the gameplay itself is shallow and boring. The juggle combo feature in battles has been said to be fun on the first try but that over the course of the game many simply ignored it. The large cast has been praised by fans for the return of many classic characters, but many complain that some of the new X-forms are not required and that they ruin the flair. Heath Hindman, in RPGLand.com's review, shared many of these complaints in addition to ones regarding a "dreadful camera" and repetition "on a whole new level," among others. Hindman did have high praise for the story, however, saying, "It ties up many loose ends while adding a bit more info and detail to the world of The World. Moreover, it does so while managing to give a shout out to practically every major .hack side project and providing a great mix of fan service and real quality work". Ultimately, despite the story's strength, the .hack//Link's high number of game-breaking faults got it an overall rating of "Horrible."^[3]

Anime

In 2009 Namco Bandai Games announced at Tokyo Game Show that an all CG anime-series "tie-in" is going to be produced. Not many details were known other than it was not going to be a television series. They also announced that CyberConnect2's team "sai" is the production force for the CG film.

Later a 2D anime Original Video Animation series known as .hack//Quantum, produced by Kinma Citrus was announced with a subsequent 3DCGI movie known as .hack//The Movie being produced by CyberConnect 2 Sai. ^[4]

References

External links

• CyberConnect2's Official .hack//LINK page (Japanese)
• .hack//Link Home Page (Japanese)

.hack by CyberConnect2 Video games .hack G.U. Link Anime series Sign episodes Liminality Legend of the Twilight episodes Roots Quantum The Movie Other Characters Haseo List of media Project X Zone Project X Zone 2 Book Category