Mar 2022
It’s 2022 and we’re diving back into the glitchy, nostalgia-filled world of .hack//G.U. Last Recode on the Nintendo Switch! Imagine logging into a game where player killers are on the loose, friends are comatose, and your biggest mission is to save a girl named Shino—who’s apparently taken up permanent residence in the land of 404 Errors. It’s wild, it’s confusing, and just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, your character gets reset to level one out of pure spite. Welcome back to The World!
Gameplay consists mainly of traversing the fantastical yet repetitively similar dungeons of 'The World'. You control Haseo, who goes on a quest to find Tri-Edge, the player who left his friend Shino in a coma. This involves a lot of swinging swords, dodging attacks, and annoying tutorials that feel like your grandma trying to teach you how to video call. Thankfully, combat is real-time, which means you can swing at monsters while desperately trying to take notes on your quest objectives. The title introduces an enhanced battle system, wherein Haseo can unleash some seriously flashy combos and special abilities... right before the game decides it's time for a dramatic cutscene! There’s also a pseudo-messaging system where you can totally ignore your friends while progressing through the chaos. Just like in real life!
Visually, .hack//G.U. Last Recode embodies the charm of mid-2000s anime-style graphics while still boasting enough polish to feel fresh. It's like if your high school friend who was a fan of j-pop suddenly learned how to paint – still brightly colored, yet somehow awkwardly nostalgic. The Switch version manages to keep things pretty smooth, even if the dungeons can feel a bit repetitive. Don’t worry, the character designs are still a treat, thanks to Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. He knows how to make characters look good while fighting off existential crises, and thankfully, the Switch version presents them all in shiny HD.
Overall, .hack//G.U. Last Recode on Switch is an engaging return to a franchise that has aged like a fine wine—or at least like a cheap beer left in the back of the fridge. While the repetitiveness of certain gameplay elements can feel like that one friend who never leaves the party, the story still resonates with themes of friendship, loss, and the occasional existential crisis typical of modern-day MMORPGs. If you’re looking for a nostalgic trip filled with action, drama, and awkwardly wonderful dialogue, then grab your Switch and dive back into the chaos of The World. Just remember, your friends might be counting on you amidst all the loot collecting and player killing!
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