<s>
.hack	B-Protocol
(	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
single-player	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
video	I-Application
games	I-Application
developed	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
console	O
by	O
CyberConnect2	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Bandai	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
four	O
games	O
,	O
.hack//Infection	B-Application
,	O
.hack//Mutation	O
,	O
.hack//Outbreak	O
,	O
and	O
.hack//Quarantine	O
,	O
all	O
feature	O
a	O
"	O
game	O
within	O
a	O
game	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
fictional	O
massively	B-Protocol
multiplayer	I-Protocol
online	I-Protocol
role-playing	I-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
(	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
)	O
called	O
The	O
World	O
which	O
does	O
not	O
require	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
connect	O
to	O
the	O
Internet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
game	O
comes	O
with	O
an	O
extra	O
DVD	O
containing	O
an	O
episode	O
of	O
.hack//Liminality	O
,	O
the	O
accompanying	O
original	O
video	O
animation	O
(	O
OVA	O
)	O
series	O
which	O
details	O
fictional	O
events	O
that	O
occur	O
concurrently	O
with	O
the	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
games	O
are	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
multimedia	O
franchise	O
called	O
Project	B-Protocol
.hack	I-Protocol
,	O
which	O
explores	O
the	O
mysterious	O
origins	O
of	O
The	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Set	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
anime	O
series	O
,	O
.hack//Sign	O
,	O
the	O
games	O
focus	O
on	O
a	O
player	O
character	O
named	O
Kite	O
and	O
his	O
quest	O
to	O
discover	O
why	O
some	O
users	O
have	O
become	O
comatose	O
in	O
the	O
real	O
world	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
playing	O
The	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
commercial	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
franchise	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
production	O
of	O
.hack//frägment	O
—	O
a	O
Japan-only	O
remake	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
with	O
online	B-Application
capabilities	I-Application
—	O
and	O
.hack//G.U.	B-Protocol
,	O
another	O
video	O
game	O
trilogy	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
between	O
2006	O
and	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
remastered	O
collection	O
of	O
the	O
latter	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
in	O
2017	O
,	O
titled	O
.hack//G.U.	B-Protocol
</s>
<s>
The	O
collection	O
was	O
later	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
on	O
March	O
11	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack	B-Protocol
simulates	O
an	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
;	O
players	O
assume	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
participant	O
in	O
a	O
fictional	O
game	O
called	O
The	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
may	O
save	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
a	O
memory	B-Device
card	I-Device
both	O
from	O
the	O
desktop	O
and	O
within	O
The	O
World	O
at	O
a	O
Save	O
Shop	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
series	O
is	O
typical	O
of	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
in	O
which	O
players	O
attack	O
enemies	O
in	O
real	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
directly	O
controls	O
Kite	O
and	O
the	O
other	O
characters	O
are	O
controlled	O
by	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
.hack	B-Protocol
games	O
are	O
set	O
in	O
an	O
alternate	O
timeline	O
of	O
Earth	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
year	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
two	O
years	O
without	O
the	O
Internet	O
and	O
online	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
a	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
called	O
The	O
World	O
is	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
becomes	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
online	B-Application
game	I-Application
of	O
all	O
time	O
with	O
over	O
20	O
million	O
unique	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
before	O
the	O
events	O
portrayed	O
in	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
games	O
,	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
users	O
become	O
comatose	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
of	O
playing	O
The	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
hidden	O
purpose	O
of	O
Hoerwick	O
's	O
game	O
is	O
to	O
develop	O
the	O
ultimate	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
(	O
AI	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
capable	O
of	O
making	O
decisions	O
for	O
itself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Hoerwick	O
's	O
death	O
,	O
these	O
pieces	O
of	O
code	O
became	O
black	B-Device
boxes	I-Device
to	O
the	O
current	O
developers	O
,	O
who	O
cannot	O
fathom	O
their	O
purpose	O
,	O
yet	O
are	O
critical	O
to	O
the	O
proper	O
functioning	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
protagonist	O
of	O
.hack	B-Protocol
is	O
Kite	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
player	O
of	O
The	O
World	O
whose	O
friend	O
Orca	O
becomes	O
comatose	O
under	O
mysterious	O
circumstances	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Helba	O
,	O
a	O
professional	O
hacker	O
,	O
and	O
Lios	O
,	O
a	O
reluctant	O
system	B-Application
administrator	I-Application
,	O
also	O
aid	O
in	O
Kite	O
's	O
efforts	O
to	O
rescue	O
the	O
coma	O
victims	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
.hack//Infection	B-Application
,	O
Kite	O
's	O
friend	O
Orca	O
invites	O
him	O
to	O
play	O
The	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
.hack//Mutation	O
,	O
Kite	O
and	O
BlackRose	O
encounter	O
system	B-Application
administrator	I-Application
Lios	O
,	O
who	O
declares	O
Kite	O
's	O
bracelet	O
to	O
be	O
an	O
illegal	O
hack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
.hack//Outbreak	O
,	O
Balmung	O
realizes	O
that	O
he	O
cannot	O
end	O
the	O
situation	O
on	O
his	O
own	O
,	O
and	O
joins	O
Kite	O
's	O
quest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//Quarantine	O
sees	O
the	O
current	O
server	O
becoming	O
increasingly	O
unstable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
for	O
.hack	B-Protocol
began	O
in	O
early	O
2000	O
with	O
the	O
aim	O
of	O
shocking	O
and	O
surprising	O
the	O
player	O
and	O
creating	O
a	O
distinctive	O
product	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Matsuyama	O
said	O
that	O
this	O
would	O
give	O
young	O
gamers	O
an	O
opportunity	O
to	O
experience	O
online	B-Application
play	I-Application
without	O
paying	O
monthly	O
fees	O
or	O
needing	O
powerful	O
Internet	O
connections	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
looked	O
at	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
MMORPGs	B-Protocol
such	O
as	O
Phantasy	B-Application
Star	I-Application
Online	I-Application
,	O
Ultima	B-Protocol
Online	I-Protocol
,	O
and	O
Final	B-Protocol
Fantasy	I-Protocol
XI	I-Protocol
for	O
inspiration	O
,	O
and	O
drew	O
influences	O
from	O
the	O
prior	O
works	O
of	O
character	O
designer	O
Yoshiyuki	O
Sadamoto	O
(	O
Neon	B-Application
Genesis	I-Application
Evangelion	I-Application
)	O
and	O
scenario	O
writer	O
Kazunori	O
Itō	O
(	O
Ghost	B-Application
in	I-Application
the	I-Application
Shell	I-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
the	O
start	O
of	O
its	O
development	O
,	O
.hack	B-Protocol
was	O
envisioned	O
as	O
a	O
four-part	O
series	O
intended	O
to	O
mirror	O
the	O
four-volume	O
story	O
arcs	O
found	O
in	O
manga	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
games	O
were	O
developed	O
simultaneously	O
alongside	O
other	O
elements	O
of	O
Project	B-Protocol
.hack	I-Protocol
such	O
as	O
.hack//Sign	O
to	O
emphasize	O
the	O
multimedia	O
aspect	O
of	O
the	O
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
games	O
were	O
packaged	O
with	O
bonus	O
DVDs	O
featuring	O
episodes	O
of	O
.hack//Liminality	O
,	O
an	O
original	O
video	O
animation	O
(	O
OVA	O
)	O
series	O
that	O
depicts	O
events	O
that	O
occur	O
concurrently	O
with	O
the	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
in	O
Japan	O
who	O
purchased	O
all	O
four	O
games	O
were	O
rewarded	O
with	O
.hack//Gift	O
,	O
an	O
OVA	O
parodying	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
completion	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
produced	O
.hack//frägment	O
,	O
a	O
game	O
using	O
the	O
same	O
engine	O
as	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
series	O
with	O
an	O
online	O
multiplayer	O
component	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
aims	O
of	O
.hack//frägment	O
were	O
to	O
allow	O
the	O
developers	O
to	O
watch	O
player	O
interactions	O
in	O
an	O
online	O
environment	O
and	O
to	O
gauge	O
interest	O
in	O
an	O
online	O
.hack	B-Protocol
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
March	O
2004	O
,	O
sales	O
of	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
games	O
exceeded	O
1.73million	O
,	O
with	O
780,000	O
copies	O
sold	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//Infection	B-Application
received	O
the	O
most	O
positive	O
reviews	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
;	O
critics	O
were	O
intrigued	O
by	O
the	O
games	O
 '	O
unique	O
premise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Game	O
Informer	O
reviewer	O
praised	O
the	O
way	O
it	O
captures	O
the	O
sense	O
of	O
community	O
that	O
a	O
real	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
offers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gary	O
Steinman	O
of	O
Official	O
U.S.	O
PlayStation	O
Magazine	O
wrote	O
,	O
"[a]t	O
its	O
core	O
,	O
.hack	B-Protocol
is	O
not	O
a	O
good	O
game	O
"	O
,	O
calling	O
the	O
battle	O
systems	O
"	O
wildly	O
unbalanced	O
"	O
and	O
the	O
graphics	O
"	O
spectacularly	O
underwhelming	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
said	O
the	O
"	O
mind-bending	O
"	O
story	O
allowed	O
him	O
to	O
look	O
past	O
its	O
obvious	O
flaws	O
and	O
anticipate	O
future	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Greg	O
Kasavin	O
of	O
GameSpot	O
was	O
less	O
forgiving	O
,	O
deriding	O
.hack//Infection	B-Application
as	O
a	O
sub-par	O
version	O
of	O
Kingdom	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//Mutation	O
also	O
received	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
critics	O
complained	O
that	O
little	O
was	O
done	O
to	O
address	O
the	O
problems	O
of	O
its	O
predecessor	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
reviewers	O
were	O
encouraged	O
by	O
the	O
MMORPG-oriented	O
details	O
that	O
contribute	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
presentation	O
and	O
built	O
excitement	O
for	O
the	O
future	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
also	O
named	O
.hack//Mutation	O
as	O
PlayStation2	B-Device
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Month	O
for	O
May	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//Outbreak	O
represented	O
a	O
shift	O
in	O
the	O
critical	O
reception	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
as	O
reviewers	O
grew	O
tired	O
of	O
the	O
incremental	O
or	O
nonexistent	O
improvements	O
between	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dunham	O
gave	O
it	O
an	O
overall	O
rating	O
of	O
8.4	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
praised	O
the	O
battle	O
system	O
and	O
wrote	O
that	O
there	O
had	O
been	O
a	O
great	O
improvement	O
in	O
the	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
of	O
ally	O
characters	O
and	O
enemies	O
,	O
although	O
he	O
was	O
disappointed	O
by	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
any	O
other	O
changes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nutt	O
awarded	O
.hack//Outbreak	O
three	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
,	O
writing	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
"	O
extremely	O
challenging	O
enemies	O
and	O
lots	O
of	O
solo	O
missions	O
give	O
the	O
game	O
an	O
edge	O
that	O
keeps	O
it	O
from	O
becoming	O
boring	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
called	O
the	O
final	O
game	O
,	O
.hack//Quarantine	O
,	O
a	O
satisfying	O
conclusion	O
to	O
a	O
mediocre	O
series	O
,	O
while	O
others	O
said	O
it	O
is	O
a	O
confusing	O
mess	O
of	O
poor	O
pacing	O
and	O
plot	O
holes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Game	O
Informer	O
reviewer	O
hoped	O
to	O
see	O
a	O
more	O
effective	O
implementation	O
of	O
.hacks	B-Protocol
concept	O
in	O
the	O
future	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Japanese	O
magazine	O
Famitsu	O
Weekly	O
gave	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
games	O
scores	O
in	O
the	O
29	O
to	O
30	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
range	O
,	O
indicating	O
average	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
.hack	B-Protocol
video	O
games	O
are	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
multimedia	O
franchise	O
that	O
includes	O
novels	O
,	O
manga	O
,	O
and	O
anime	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Set	O
before	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
video	O
games	O
,	O
.hack//Sign	O
is	O
an	O
anime	O
television	O
series	O
that	O
establishes	O
The	O
World	O
as	O
a	O
setting	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//Another	B-Protocol
Birth	I-Protocol
is	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
novels	O
that	O
retells	O
the	O
story	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
from	O
BlackRose	O
's	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//XXXX	O
is	O
a	O
manga	O
adaptation	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
 '	O
story	O
with	O
changes	O
to	O
some	O
elements	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Cubia	O
acting	O
as	O
a	O
player	O
character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
official	O
sequel	O
to	O
the	O
games	O
is	O
the	O
manga	O
and	O
anime	O
series	O
.hack//Legend	O
of	O
the	O
Twilight	O
,	O
which	O
began	O
serializing	O
on	O
July	O
30	O
,	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//G.U.	B-Protocol
</s>
<s>
is	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
also	O
released	O
in	O
multiple	O
parts	O
that	O
forms	O
the	O
centerpiece	O
of	O
.hack	B-Protocol
Conglomerate	I-Protocol
,	O
a	O
new	O
project	O
set	O
seven	O
years	O
after	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Project	B-Protocol
.hack	I-Protocol
with	O
a	O
new	O
version	O
of	O
The	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
games	O
 '	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
titled	O
.hack//Game	O
Music	O
Perfect	O
Collection	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
double	O
album	O
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
April	O
23	O
,	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
album	O
was	O
released	O
with	O
fewer	O
tracks	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
as	O
.hack//Game	O
Music	O
Best	O
Collection	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
.hack//frägment	O
is	O
a	O
multiplayer	B-Application
online	I-Application
game	I-Application
based	O
on	O
the	O
fictional	O
MMORPG	B-Protocol
,	O
The	O
World	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Famitsu	O
Weekly	O
gave	O
.hack//frägment	O
a	O
cumulative	O
score	O
of	O
29	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
over	O
four	O
reviews	O
,	O
much	O
like	O
its	O
reviews	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
a	O
modified	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
engine	O
used	O
in	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
video	O
game	O
series	O
and	O
thus	O
its	O
gameplay	O
differs	O
from	O
those	O
games	O
in	O
a	O
few	O
ways	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
this	O
change	O
it	O
is	O
now	O
possible	O
to	O
assign	O
items	O
,	O
messages	O
and	O
skills	O
to	O
hotkeys	O
like	O
in	O
many	O
other	O
online	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
includes	O
an	O
expanded	O
communication	O
interface	O
that	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
chat	O
,	O
send	O
e-mail	O
,	O
post	O
to	O
an	O
in-game	O
Bulletin	B-Application
Board	I-Application
System	I-Application
,	O
and	O
receive	O
server	O
news	O
updates	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
may	O
invite	O
or	O
create	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
games	O
,	O
.hack//Sign	O
,	O
and	O
.hack//Legend	O
of	O
the	O
Twilight	O
into	O
their	O
party	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
story	O
mode	O
"	O
of	O
.hack//frägment	O
is	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
games	O
,	O
though	O
it	O
does	O
not	O
feature	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
antagonists	O
from	O
the	O
original	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
scenario	O
is	O
an	O
entirely	O
non-canon	O
what-if	O
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
the	O
server	O
reaches	O
a	O
certain	O
level	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
possible	O
for	O
custom	O
areas	O
to	O
become	O
"	O
corrupted	O
"	O
,	O
much	O
like	O
in	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
official	O
online	O
service	O
was	O
closed	O
in	O
2007	O
,	O
a	O
private	B-Application
server	I-Application
has	O
been	O
created	O
by	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
fan	O
translation	O
into	O
English	O
.	O
</s>
