.hack//Link -RISING GEAR-

.hack//Link -RISING GEAR- is the third chapter of CHRONO RiSING Trilogy and a direct-sequel to .hack//Link -Chrono Link- which is almost completely new story and fully reimagined and remade the last portions story of the original game from PSP version, considered to be a final chapter of the trilogy reboot, available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Microsoft Windows (Steam), and Microsoft Windows (Epic Games Store).

Information
RISING GEAR continues to follows the open-world action role-playing game and designed to be a major improvements and bigger-wider from .hack//Link -Chrono Link- as now the game would completely set in The World R:X which now made a major evolution toward system features, gameplay experience, world-building, new story and more given new varieties to explore a brand-new foundation and unique exploration which means to be different and new from the previous chapter of the trilogy, while the story to be the first time receiving the R-Rated developments as accordance from the directors that this game would reached a darker, mystery, complex, plot twist, and gray structure atmosphere into a next level of story direction.

While this game would be completely new stories, but it also fully reimagined and remade from the last portions of the original game of PlayStation Portable version covering the Kite's Return Arc and Operation Gear Arc which now has been reincorporated, re-established, and reworked it's continuities to fit toward the completely new stories of RISING GEAR which adds direction from this game as well as a main storyline, but direction would be new and different.

The story would bring an old and new characters together in this series and solve an untold stories surrounding the previous titles of .hack while continuing stories what it left off from .hack//Link -Chrono Link-.

Downloadable content season pass features a brand-new story scenarios, episodes, new challenges, costumes, and more which now been implemented to this game for Season pass features to expand the varieties of the gaming experience. While the re-released version of the game, .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Countdown would features additional new chapters, characters, new areas, new places, and more, while also expanding features for the game experience.

The final re-released version of the game, .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Ver. 2.01821208..... considered to be a true version of RISING GEAR stories which are completely different and superior from the original and countdown version, while includes all downloadable content season pass and Countdown contents which now been implemented to the game with additional new story plots, gameplay, areas, challenges, combat, and more, including additional episodes and the true version of the Final Chapter and finally could open-direct story continuities with canon universe and .hack series in surprisingly shocking twist.

Setting
The story of RISING GEAR took a place a year following the starts of IMMORTAL DUSK events which means the process of the Real Digitalization has already started and each of peoples around the world began to disappeared one by one for each days without stopping, all the cases has around corners with the governments had no ideas to further handling the case files for people's disappearance. Even though they suspecting CyberConnect Corporation, they had no evidence regarding their involvements with a disappearance.

Furthermore following Geist was presumed "Dead" and the collapse of Dark Time Records which was truly known as Akashic Unrecords the side dark of the Akashic Records. With Jyotaro Amagi was also presumed dead due to the effect of the Outer Dependency Syndrome causing his body cannot be found anywhere. The cause of this began cause turmoil along with ENTIES's true identity to be Saika Koshizumi, who also be known of her real name as Saika Amagi, the one who responsible for The Massacre of the Players events in The World R:X and Jyotaro's little sister, which was now that she began to disappeared soon after she disbanded Chrono Hunter Guild and her location was partially unknown.

The events that transpires after IMMORTAL DUSK begins, will known as The Disappearance of 35% Populations and now it begins to increasing in any months or days without stopping as it is continues even in 2021 A.D. along with many violence since 2020 A.D. has happened around the world in this massive outbreaks, turn against the authorities. This was seen more disaster than it was ever since the events of Massacre of the Players events, but turn out to be much worst as possible as soon they've begin to disappear after.

As for now today, however, The World R:X still continue to operating, however, people already made calls to the company and request to shut down immediately in a lights of the recent events, including Massacre of the Players, but no response they can get from CC Corp, instead using the highest authorities if people oppose their decision will given a sentences much harder in order to avoid the chaos to occur in their company. As while the Twilight Knights player return to the real world, however, Kazumi Ito is still in a coma and has no signed for the recovery, and Flugel along with the members of Schicksal began to resign from CC Corp since their contract has been exterminated, although Akira Kuryuu's condition right now is in a coma state.

At this situation of The World begans roams in chaos at much times, and people starting to outcry for government to make an action resolved, but nothings came forward as much as it progress, every worlds turn into chaos, and the same time, slowly they began to be non-existence from the face of the earth.

Synopsis
The consequences for not pay heed for great dangers arrival, the worlds now plunged into disaster...

Ever since the Chrono Guild's disbandment and each of them gone into their separate ways one and another, to keep continue livings to survive following the beginning of IMMORTAL DUSK events as it planned by Geist himself, but since he's gone, there's no way to stop it.

In a worst, the gate between Real and Online World has closed, and they unable to find Black Copy Disc ever since Saika Amagi's disappearance, and Tokio, without his brother at his side ever since he fall into a coma, has brought regrets and guilt for his responsibility for what happens to Aura and to The World, felt nothing to do except return to his normal life, dealing with different issues of his personal life and wait for another turns for chance to save Kite once more.

...

A year has passed, and the summer vacation once again came unto a new, but, the world has changed, soon everyone he knew had disappeared without any trace, every networks approaches many issues to deals by the company, affecting the traffic system network around the world impacting all technologies in declines slowly after.

''Tokio Kuryuu, a 15-years old boy who now soon become a man, has come in great major changes within him, after suffering with his responsibility and trapped by guilt, he begin to questioning about his Hero's ideals about saving the world, only means to had a consequences for destroying it after what happens. Everything's change within Tokio's eyes soon left in nothingness and only despair, unable to do anything after recent condition of his life gets upside down.''

Except for AIKA, inviting Tokio to the rooftop and once again offering him, for another adventure, for another chance, to retrieve something that he had lost, to reclaim something that he had lost himself, and the memories of the Tragedy days that he had lost.

'And thus, Tokio's story continues... yet, he begin to realize the story will be never be over... it's always continues in through cycles time like a gear moving itselfs repeatedly... but, will he be able to make a chance for himself to break those repeated cycles that he had made over and over again...'

Story Chapters

 * Prologue -Boundaries-
 * Chapter 1: Return to the World
 * Chapter 2: The True Akashic Records
 * Chapter 3: Genius
 * Chapter 4: The Underworld of the Data
 * Chapter 5: Memories
 * Chapter 6: Grand Whale's Secret
 * Chapter 7: Return of Legendary Heroes
 * Chapter 8: The Total Disaster
 * Chapter 9: One Rise Beneath All
 * Chapter 10: Original Doubleware
 * Chapter 11: Conspiracy
 * Chapter 12: Brother
 * Chapter 13: Twisted of Love
 * Final Chapter Part 1: Destiny
 * Final Chapter Part 2: What Path Leads to You
 * Epilogue: To the Shining With You

Chrono (Guild)

 * 9 - Tokio Kuryuu
 * AIKA
 * Fluegel - Ryuji Sogabe
 * Exa - Miyuki Kuryuu
 * Seventy-Seven - Akihiko Yamashita
 * Kruger - Hiroshi Nagatori
 * Alibaba - Mio Shinomura
 * Neil - Chiko Nomura
 * Kyushu - Shiho Takeshi
 * Nishijima81 - Nishiki Kyojima
 * Sol - Souma Shigemura
 * Mereleona - Emilia de Mirabeau
 * Miki-Seven
 * Ninjato - Hiroyuki Nakita

Former Schicksal

 * Cello - Lilie Weiss
 * Orgel - Ninomiya Takeshi
 * Klarinette - Koharu Nene
 * Trommel - Toramaru Shin

CyberConnect Corporation & Conspirators

 * Genius - Durga Fiida Sharma
 * Takiyoda Kuroda
 * Jordi Shwarman
 * Noel Outbruns
 * Jingweon Han
 * Xiao Shu
 * Ahmad Herdian
 * Kazumi
 * Hyukimaru
 * Kite01
 * Dr. Octa Asgrodia

Exterminator

 * Saburou - Yasuo Nagai
 * Elexa - Nakita Shitozuma
 * Posaune - Yoda Maseo
 * Sora
 * Lorenzo - David da Vinci
 * Helos-Pierce
 * Lot 9 Hunters
 * Inlid
 * Hyokawa1 - Totsuka Shizuma
 * Mia
 * John 77 - John Northstein

Devil Shadow

 * ENTIES - Saika Amagi
 * Slayer - Shouma Brook
 * Missy-White - Elaine Waltz
 * The F - Faris Guoldborg
 * The Raid001 - Natsuo Matsunaiga

Legion Unity

 * HanShi - Hanzo Shitozuma
 * Shion - Shion Nakao
 * Elgo - Ellen Freddie
 * Kuroda - Takuro Shidazuma
 * Allen - Matsuo Fujimiya

AIDA

 * Yoshida
 * Nanai
 * Kusabira
 * H-21
 * Ole99
 * W11
 * WO-OW

Twilight Knights/Alliance

 * Kite
 * Haseo
 * Tsukasa
 * Ovan
 * BlackRose
 * Lios
 * Yata
 * Tohta
 * Chimney
 * Pi
 * Gord
 * Atoli
 * Carl
 * Balmung
 * Orca
 * Kuhn
 * Shugo
 * Yasuo Nagai
 * Zelkova
 * Mimiru
 * Subaru
 * Aina
 * Silabus
 * Gaspard
 * Sakisaka
 * Endrance
 * Saku
 * Bo
 * Midori
 * Shino
 * Alkaid
 * Albeiro
 * Antares
 * Sieg (Female)
 * J-4 - Junichiro Tokuoka

Others

 * Aura, The Queen of Demise
 * Cubia (Human Form)
 * Akira Kuryuu/Geist
 * Jyotaro Amagi
 * Geist No.92
 * Davis - Yuuji Shigemura
 * Crow
 * Relena Northstein
 * Shinra Takeshima
 * Licht
 * Hermit
 * Eleanor
 * Kusame - David Steinberg
 * Dominique de Mirabeau
 * Veronica Bain
 * Tokio Kuryuu

Gameplay
For the list of the updates from previous chapter, see List Change & Improvements from Chrono Link and RIVES -Re: CONNECT-

The gameplays from Chono Link and RIVES -RE: CONNECT- has made a major and continuation improvements which now been reincorporated into the third and final chapter of the CHRONO RiSING, .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- while a brand-new features has made an implementation toward the gameplay, exploration, combat and new different variations that become a main important part to the main storyline progression and the way how Tokio could progressing through his level characters.

.hack//Link -RIVES- RE: CONNECT

 * Over 20 additional cutscenes, scenes, dialogues lines, and easter eggs has been implemented to the game and intentionally to fully ties the game with .hack//Link -RIVES- RE: CONNECT as bonuses for players who already beating the game and transferring their save clear data to .hack//Link -RISING GEAR-.
 * Receiving new emails from Daisuke Uchiyama as part of thanks for playing .hack//Link -RIVES- RE: CONNECT and also transferring the save clear data to .hack//Link -RISING GEAR-. Along with a several emails received from Davis, Geist, Akira, Ju21, Yukio, Kruger, X7, Kyushu, Sol, Neil, and Shoko Adashino.
 * Bonus Items and equipments available as you converting the save clear data, which earn a bonuses, such as:
 * Bonus Items: Health Drink 5x, Soul Drop 4x, and Restoration Drop 3x
 * Bonus Equipment: Gear Blade Platinum, Platinum Equipment Special Pack.
 * Bonus Costumes: Job extension form from The World R:X PC for all parties of Chrono Guild.
 * Earning 100.000 Gil
 * Bonus Key Items: The Remembrance of That Day and The Bringer of Calamity.
 * Bonuses video footages for players who had transferring their save clear data to RISING GEAR, such as:
 * 3 bonuses video footage of .hack//Link -Parody Mode-
 * 3 bonuses video footage of .hack//4Koma -Reborn-
 * 1 bonuses video footage of CC Corp Jobs Interview -Secret Meeting-
 * Over 12 bonuses additional sub-story mission that were intentionally ties with .hack//Link -RIVES- RE: CONNECT.
 * Bonus video footage featuring the Insider Developers and Behind Scene of .hack//Link -RIVES- anime series and .hack//Link -RIVES- RE: CONNECT along with a special clip interviews about their past experience and development toward creating a new direction of the anime series and along with the adaptation game development to the anime that brings a fullest experience for fans who already loved the anime series which they can try it on these game.

.hack//Link -Chrono Link-

 * Over 15 additional cutscenes, scenes, dialogues lines, and easter eggs has been implemented to the game and intentionally to fully ties the game with .hack//Link -Chrono Link- as bonuses for players who already beating the game and transferring their save clear data to .hack//Link -RISING GEAR-.
 * Featuring new document files known as Jyotaro Amagi's Secret Document Files Folder contains with a lot reports, records, documentation, secret picts, and several connection that regarding about Akashic Line, R.A. Plan, Doubleware, Chronic Mind Virus, Original Doubleware, Brainwashing Virus, Morganna Factor, and few more that also makes it ties with the main plots from .hack//Link -RIVES- as well and possibility connecting with a 3rd Season of .hack title project, while leads toward surprising developments for the later entries.
 * Receiving new emails from Daisuke Uchiyama as part of thanks for playing .hack//Link -Chrono Link- and also transferring the save clear data to .hack//Link -RISING GEAR-. Along with a several emails received from Fluegel, Cello, Klarinette, Geist, Saika, AIKA, Kite, Haseo, Helba, Lios, Miyuki, Seventy-Seven, Ninjato and more.
 * Tokio will received a several emails message from Jyotaro Amagi which originally sent to Saika Amagi regarding her personal true feelings and his activities following leaving Saika for his work with Ministry of Economy, that he wants to tell it to Saika, but couldn't even dare to sent it.
 * It is much like diary for Jyotaro and has over 30 emails which was originally deliver to Saika, and players will obtained all those email as the main storyline progress.
 * However, final 3 emails contains a contradiction to the Trilogy Chronological which left fans in cliffhanger about certain message that really doesn't meant happened or contradicted in the history, meaning that there's a lot several question that would appeared as player read the final three-emails.
 * The final-three emails might could possibly connected with Canon Universe of .hack due to the contradiction about the past events happened.
 * The final email message would finally first mentioned about Subject No.0001, Akashic World, Subject Doubleware, Original Doubleware, and the Kuryuu's Brother.
 * Bonus Items and equipments available as you converting the save clear data, which earn a bonuses, such as:
 * Bonus Items: Health Drink 5x, Soul Drop 4x, and Restoration Drop 3x
 * Bonus Equipment: Chrono Edge Platinum Ver. and Platinum Xth Equipments Pack Starter for all party members from Chrono Guild.
 * Bonus Costumes: High School Outfit Uniform.
 * Earning 100.000 Gil
 * Bonus Key Items: The Stairway of Time and The Joker Card Draw.
 * Bonuses video footages for players who had transferring their save clear data to RISING GEAR, such as:
 * 2 bonuses video footage of .hack//Link -Parody Mode-
 * 3 bonuses video footage of .hack//4Koma -Reborn-
 * 3 bonuses video footage gameplay of Akashic Line Closed Beta Program Test
 * Bonus video footage featuring the Insider Developers and Behind Scene of .hack//Link -Chrono Link- and .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- along with a special clip interviews about their past experience and development of the game and their comment about the progression of development for their first using the Unreal Engine 5, while talking about the future plans following the end of the saga, but according to the directors, he planned to make several later entries and it's story to be more tricky and unexpected, people can expect a lot more of plot twist as it progress.

Season Pass DLC

 * Downloadable story mode content
 * .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- The Calamity of the White Flower
 * Episode DLC
 * Metronom's Episode "Atonement"
 * Seventy-Seven's Episode "The Right Choice"
 * AIKA's Episode "The Story of the Knight and Princess"
 * Helos-Pierce's Episode "Outsider"
 * Season Pack DLC
 * Fall Season
 * Winter Season
 * Spring Season
 * Summer Season
 * Legacy Outfits
 * .hack//Link -Twilight Knights-
 * .hack//Quantum
 * .hack//Bullet
 * .hack//Beyond The World
 * .hack//Versus
 * Guilty Dragon
 * .hack//New World


 * Fan-Request Outfits

.hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Ultimate Limited Edition

 * Contents
 * .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- (Base Game)
 * .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Season Pass (DLC)
 * Premium Edition Bonus
 * Music CD "RISING GEAR Original Soundtrack (Disc 1-3) + Character Song CD"
 * Drama CD "The Day Inflicted of Chaos" and "Miyuki's First Login"
 * Anime OAD ".hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Interlude"
 * Premium Booklet
 * .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Archive Files
 * Character information, concept art design, design proposal, weapon design, color variations, and the world-view settings for RISING GEAR and The World R:X -2021-
 * Mechanics design proposal, platform console design, lores, area words, easter eggs, terminology, and illustration.
 * RISING GEAR Special Files: CC Corp, MAMA, New World Order, Conspirators, and Secret Reports Files by Jun Bansyoya.
 * Contains all never-seen information about CC Corp, MAMA, New World Order, Conspirators, and Secret Reports Files which might not connected to this game version, but connected to something else entirely outside of this trilogies and teasing for the original .hack//Link sequel, while bringing a numerous hints and clues that connected to this universe and facts which was written by Jun Bansyoya.
 * Message letters from developers staff from CyberConnect 2, Epic Studio Production, and Bandai Namco Entertainment, along with notable main developers are Hiroshi Matsuyama, Hiroto Niizoto, Kikuya Megane, Kazunari Ito, and more, along with composers like Chikayo Fukuda and Yuki Kajiura.
 * Including a special clip message letter from the Voice Acting characters such as Tokio, Akira, Saika, AIKA, Geist, and all Chrono Guild Members of voice acting.
 * Original Story Novelization "The Girl who had Suffered From Anything".
 * The novelization story focuses on Saika Amagi.
 * It set as a prologue stories to .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- The Calamity of White Flower which thus immediately following the events of Chrono Link story and bridge a gap between a year during her disappearance.
 * According to the writer, the story is filled lots of darker, pains, suffering, tragedy, guilt, sins and nightmares from the anger and hate came from Tokio Kuryuu for what she did in the tragedy incident that caused her so many griefs, regrets and trauma that she had gone through thus beginning of her true worth suffering that were never ever stopped.
 * Novelization would contains at least 10-Chapters, including several new brand-new illustration drawn by Kikuya Megane.
 * Original Novel storyline was written by Masayuki Sano.
 * Lots of new foreshadowing and tease that would came from RISING GEAR.
 * Story would deepens her characterization toward her burden responsible for her roles as ENTIES and feeling regrets the path that she took, hurting so much a lot of peoples including Tokio which she had betrayed her, feelings that there's no sins that she cannot atone, including how she feels grieving toward the death of his brother, Jyotaro Amagi and begin to be alone in this world without someone who cares about her. It would told how she started to disappeared that would bridge a gap between one year prior to the events of .hack//Link -RISING GEAR-.

Illustration Bonuses


 * 3 brand-new illustration poster key-visual and alternate key-visual of .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- drawn by Seiichiro Hosokawa and Kikuya Megane.
 * Three key illustration postcard by Megane Kikuya, Seiichiro Hosokawa, and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

PC Version
As the .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- would be released on PC version for Steam and Epic Games Store, although unlike the graphical performance from the base game which in PC version would be more increased than before with more powers of GPU and CPU along with AMD and NVIDIA supported could highly lived up the improvements toward graphical quality into the maximize performance and create the best true lives adventure with an immersive experience with the power combination between Unreal Engine 5 and PC GPU graphical performance. The downloadable contents of Season Pass would be follow the same format from the PS5 version.

Features

 * Full-HD, QHD, and 4K resolution support, including an higher-performance graphical quality improvements which supported for NVIDIA and AMD.
 * Greatly enhanced the graphical quality of Unreal Engine 5 and additional new special effects surrounding the environment with the power of the two component GPU support.
 * Polished graphical improvements and qualities than PlayStation 5 or just little more than Xbox Series X.
 * Additional new details toward environment, character models, FX, and more which is part of the impact of graphical quality improvements.
 * Psychic has made a major improvements to make it little bit realistic, exclusively for PC which worked in the higher-frame rate per-second.
 * Higher-frame rate per-second along with a Widescreen supported in 16:9 and 16:10.
 * DLSS NVIDIA Support with Ray-Tracing 3.0. Support for NVIDIA RTX 3060 to 3080.
 * AMD Fidelity-FX Super Resolution supported for AMD PC GPU supported.
 * Dolby Atmos Sound Technology and Nahimic Sound Support.
 * Greatly enhance and increased the quality textures of User-Interface for all parts in the game, including the UI background.
 * NVIDIA Gameworks and Virtual Reality support.
 * Customize keyboard and mouse supported, and Xbox Controller supported for the PC version.
 * Quick-Save features added to the game.
 * Steam and Epic Games Store achievement support.
 * Graphical Setting added to the game.
 * Supported graphical options with Anti-Aliasing, Anisotropic, Far of View, Post-Draw Anti-Aliasing, Particle Effects, HBAO, and TXAA.
 * Several cutscenes has been uncensored in this game, exclusively for PC version.
 * All photos from galleries, including wallpapers, videos and music can now be downloaded and save it to your documents to play.
 * Custom Soundtrack has been added to the game, allows you to listen your favorite music from your library during exploration and combat.
 * Dual-Voice Language which allows you to choose English or Japanese.
 * Language Subtitles added, includes English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, France, Europe, Spanish, Italy, England, and Indonesia.
 * Cloud Transfer features added, exclusively for Steam version.

.hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Countdown
See .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Countdown

.hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Ver. 2.01821208.....
See .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- Ver. 2.01821208.....

Trivia

 * RISING GEAR main storyline is completely new story, combining with a reimagined story from the last portion of the original version of .hack//Link as it covers Return of Kite Arc and Operation Gear Arc.
 * Crossover elements would be different and uniques through implementation it's much superior and heavily inspired from the theatrical films from Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Captain America: Civil War, Avengers, Avengers Age of Ultron, Avengers Infinity War, and Avengers Endgame, although the tones, themes, settings and directions are different from those series.
 * Premium Adventure would be a first features in the series, inspired by Yakuza Series as it also includes Yakuza: LIke a Dragon, however, the way how it used along with contents and more would be different from other series to match lines works theme concept of .hack series.
 * While the Multiple Ending would be the first main new features based on NieR series and Persona series to includes it on the main storyline to choose the possibilities outcomes for the different ending to make.
 * Tokio initial styles of combat in RISING GEAR has a similarity move-set, skills, combo attacks and special abilities from 9 which is the character from .hack//Versus.