.hack//Link
A PSP game set in The World R:X, following Tokio Kuryuu's journey.
.hack//Link is a single-player action role-playing game developed by CyberConnect2 for the PlayStation Portable, released exclusively in Japan on March 4, 2010. It is set in a fictional version of the year 2020 and takes place within a new version of the MMORPG series known as The World R:X. The game follows Tokio Kuryuu, a second-year junior-high student who is transported into The World R:X by a transfer student named Saika Amagi, and is tasked by an artificial intelligence version of the character Kite to save the Twilight Knights using the Akashic Records.
Quick Facts
- Title
- .hack · Link
- Modes
- single-player
- Genre
- Role-playing game
- Developer
- CyberConnect2
- Publisher
- Namco Bandai Games
- Composer
- Chikayo Fukuda
- Series
- .hack
- Platforms
- PlayStation Portable
- Released
- March 4, 2010 (with bonus disc) / March 28, 2010 (without bonus disc)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Throughout their journey, Tokio and Saika travel to past timelines of the .hack series to collect Chrono Cores and restore frozen Twilight Knights. They befriend AIKA, a benevolent AIDA-PC resembling Saika. Saika reveals she is gathering the cores because her cousin, Jyotaro Amagi, sent an email asking to be saved. Tokio's ability to enter the game is explained by his being a Doubleware, a human who can digitize himself into the network. Near the Akashic Record's core, they find Aura trapped, and a virus from Tokio's body corrupts her. Geist, a Schicksal member, reveals he manipulated events to corrupt Aura using Tokio's Doubleware power. After defeating Geist, Aura begins digitizing all humanity. Tokio and the revived Twilight Knights confront Aura, but AIKA sacrifices herself to restore Aura's data. Saika disappears, and Tokio finds her at a hospital tending Jyotaro. She feels guilt, but Tokio convinces her to remember their experiences and reaffirms their friendship.
Reader's Guide
Since its release, .hack//Link has received negative to mixed reception from critics and fans. Praise was directed at the expansion of the series' overall lore, while strong criticism targeted the gameplay. Although never officially stated to be the final chapter, it is currently the last game in the .hack chronology to bear the name .hack. The game was followed by future installments Guilty Dragon: The Sin Dragon and the Eight Curses and New World Vol. 1: Maiden of Silver Tears for iOS and Android, both of which have since had their services discontinued. The game's significance lies in its role as a narrative capstone, bringing together characters from previous .hack entries through time travel and the Akashic Records, and in its exploration of themes such as digital identity and sacrifice. Its legacy is marked by mixed reception but a lasting impact on the series' lore.
Did You Know?
- Tokio Kuryuu is a Doubleware, a human who can digitize himself into a network.
- The Akashic Record allows travel to past data of The World.
- AIKA, a benevolent AIDA-PC, sacrifices herself to restore Aura's data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is .hack//Link?
It's a single-player action RPG built by CyberConnect2 for the PlayStation Portable, shipped only in Japan on March 4, 2010. The title is part of the broader .hack franchise and follows a middle-school student who ends up trapped inside a virtual world.
Who is the main character and what's his quest?
The protagonist is Tokio Kuryuu, a second-year junior-high student who is pulled into The World R:X by a transfer student named Saika Amagi. An AI version of Kite then tasks him with rescuing the Twilight Knights, using the Akashic Records as his primary tool.
What world does .hack//Link take place in?
All the action happens inside The World R:X, a reimagined take on the .hack MMORPG universe. The broader story is set in a fictional version of the year 2020.
Is .hack//Link available outside of Japan?
No. The game was released exclusively in Japan for the PSP and never received any Western localization or re-release.
What kind of gameplay does .hack//Link offer?
It plays as a single-player action role-playing game, meaning combat is real-time rather than turn-based and you progress through a linear narrative without any multiplayer or online components.
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