DotHack - part one, Infection

Game review by

Keayn Dunya

Describing the DotHack project is somewhat problematic. It's not so much a game as a multi-pronged attack aimed at creating something truly multi-dimensional. The Dot Hack project consists of four playstation2 games; Infection, Mutation, Outbreak, and Quarantine, a DVD series; Liminality, and the series DotHack//Sign. All of which interconnect to give an overview of the DotHack world. Yet the basis of the DotHack project is the DotHack game series.

2005, a computer virus called "Pluto Kiss" destroys most computer networks all around the world. In rebuilding the internet, cyberspace is severely restricted. Two years later the only company that had an OS capable of resisting "Kiss" has put out the first full-immersion virtual gaming environment called "The World". A fourteen year old boy named Kite is invited by his schoolmate, Orca, to play "The World." While playing the game, both Kite and his friend are attacked by an unknown monster. As a result, Orca becomes comatose in the real world. Despite his friend's condition, Kite continues to play "The World" believing he'll find a way to revive Orca. Along the way he comes to the conclusion that there is more to "The World" than anyone realizes.

DotHack Infection is the first installment of a revolutionary way of playing. Infection simulates the play of a MMORPG. The real basis of the game is the fantasyesque game "The World" but unlike others of its kind you also have to log out to get emails from other players or to even read the boards for tutorials and game notes as if the player is sitting in front of a computer terminal. Inside "The World" Kite collects flash mail addresses in order to add other players to his party. Being a MMORPG means that every player isn't online at every moment and when you're not playing, they play and level up on their own. The creators of Infection also choose a unique way of awarding experience points and leveling. Kite will go from part to part which means that there had to be a realistic way of capping the levels, I won't go into details but I think it's handled quite nicely. As engrossing as Infection is it does have a few cons. The way the player has to control the camera which detracts at times and can work against you in others. It does get better with familiarity and practice. The learning curve is acceptable with an intuitive tutorial system. New levels are accessed through a type of code system in which the player inputs keywords that determine the level and its attributes. Battles are handled in a free-style real time system. Overall, despite a few problems the game has a great look and feel.

The talent of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Character Designer and birector of Animation of "Neon Genesis Evangelion," and a renowned illustrator), Kazunori Ito (widely recognized for "Mobile Police Patlabor" and "Ghost in the Shell", and Koichi Mashimo (renowned for cutting-edge graphic sequences) were brought to together for the DotHack project. In this impressive game they bring a lot of new concepts to life. The multiple levels in which information is dissiminated allow the player to feet as if they are truly discovering vital information. The additional avenues in which the DotHack world exist only add to the experience/ The online/offline equation works very well and frees the player from the repetition of having to either level up their entire party or having several characters that suck. Each player in "The World" has their own agenda and will work with Kite in order to further it. It has been pointed out that since the advent of memory cards there should have been a game which allows the player to take a character through a series of games, DotHack fits that bill. At only roughly 25 hours of play, Infection can be called short for a RPG. Although, as it is the first installment of a four-part series, that hopefully will mean at least a 100 hour true gaming experience. Ban Dal is hoping that there is enough playability in the episodes to keep the gamer interested until the next release. A great experience for RPG gamers, to pick up as they come out or all together when the last episode is released, the appeal of DotHack is not to be ignored.