.hack//Link -Chrono Gear- RE: ENTER is an expansion of the .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- and exclusively available as a part of .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- Special Edition which is set three years following the event of IMMORTAL DUSK and few days following Versus Magician in the epilogue chapter of .hack//Bullet focuses on Tokio Kuryuu and Saika Amagi return to the World R:X after hearing the shutting down operation in a few months later which suddenly received shocking from the former Jyotaro Amagi's AI, Geist which caused once again a new mystery surround him and The World once more.
Available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Microsoft Windows (Steam), and Microsoft Windows (Epic Game Store) as part of compilation of .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- Special Edition
Development[]
As the .hack//Link 2 development was started in few months following the releases of .hack//Link -RISING GEAR- which sold 3 Million of Copies with now they wanted to return to focus on the real Tokio (since at the final arc revealed that Tokio's Akashic Version is not his real name, but true real name left it to the fans imagination until the next entry) and what happens afterwards, but although it was questioned by fans with the reboot version was successful and why they really want to return to the canon-verse, as the director stated, that there's secret reason behind their decision and meanings of this that connect dots to the ambiguous ending in RISING GEAR and post-credit which was in both titles which that includes CHRONO GEAR as well and so the future entry is something that could blow their mind with all of this connection but takes lot of time to how it would build.
As the development of .hack//Link 2 is in progress, he made an idea to create a prologue story of how it would directly connected to the game, as they originally planned to create a new episode which featured Tokio and Saika in the senior high schooler days which coherently ties with the sequel. However, the director thinking about players who haven't explored or experiencing a new thing in The WORLD R:X, and so the plan of new episode was changed and massively expanded into a Expansion features which allows you players to immerse themselves in the world and it's brand-new mechanics and contents, while enjoying a full mystery that connecting altogether through, also it's cliffhanger.
RE: ENTER is stated by directors will be a brand-new experience and different from the main game, also due to the open-world area experience in the expansion with a lots of new varieties, new people, new side-quest, and more contents that available, players would enjoy it something that never been done before in the game, and for those who already played all trilogies of CHRONO RISING could experienced it once again in a fresh new experience and sees the difference how it could bring between this and the rebooted version, but as it progresses, there's secret connection and easter eggs behind of it. But for story which was written by Masayuki Sano, however, is not much bigger as the main game, however it is more wider experience which is not too big but much wider and better than what players had expected, new themes, mystery, and lores surrounding which interestingly how it connected altogether along with .hack//Bullet and new entries of .hack titles.
Players had asked if the RE: ENTER will truly has direct-connection with the trilogy like RIVES, Chrono Link and RISING GEAR, however, as of now it would be indirectly as of today and any character progression for example, Geist which how he was different from he was during the event which for new players might didn't know or might be something happens which described in .hack//Bullet -Versus Magician- however director says is more than that, it was intentionally for players who had already played the trilogy to understand behind his moves, changes, intent and more which is not something by words but which how it would presented in new ways, but it is a first starter, because the plot twist is even wider and big in .hack//Link 2 since RE: ENTER will be focus there, but there's always a freedom that could left those question in players imagination which how directors always there to surprise fans and players.
He hope for players who had played .hack//Link -CHRONO RiSING Trilogy- will understand behind the meaning of the context which could only presented there, while this will entered a new mystery that never even presented in 3rd Season of .hack titles and hoping RE: ENTER could surprise fans and lead those stories to the .hack//Link 2.
Chikayo Fukuda and Yuki Kajiura will returned to composed the soundtrack for .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- RE: ENTER which has been recorded over 35 tracks which been arranged by them, including Hiroyuki Sawano will be guest composers for 4 music track in RE: ENTER.
Synopsis[]
Three years following the Immortal Dusk event, Tokio Kuryuu who's now a 17-years old boy making a great achievement to his life ever since, becoming the editor of The World R:X Game Magazine and the first-time champion on National Boxing Tournament, he realizes that he made a different from the last time when he was an fourteen years old. But one day, those dreams always keep haunting him, about AIKA, that somehow she made a different expression than once he used to save her that she always smiles, she sound sad and Tokio feel like somethings happen once again in The World, that always something that he already told Flugel's player, Ryuji Sogabe few months ago, about how he wants to find her once again.
Next few days, he had heard in just few months later that The World R:X is starting to closing it's operation due to Rat Incident causing the failure service network for online game to operate, but still holds it from bugs. And so Tokio decides to spend rest of his time to play The World once more, also he invites Saika ever since she wants to try to learn to expressing the memories and what she had spent with Tokio in online game, since her perception toward him has starting to change slowly ever since that day. He entered to The World with his PC instead his Doubleware.
As they spend time playing the online game together, and however, just sudden during their exploring areas together, Geist, the former member of Schicksal, and the one who start Immortal Dusk suddenly appear in front of them, shocked that he supposedly destroyed by Jyotaro.
But, Geist instead fighting against both of them, since they were his enemy back in three years ago. It turns out... he had a request to both of them... Something that were very surpriseful...
Characters[]
- Tokio Kuryuu - 9
- Saika Amagi - Panzer Saika
- Geist
- Ryuji Sogabe
- Zenon
- Aoda
- Klarinette
- Tori
- Beta-@
- Sakuya
- Jingweon
- David Steinberg
- Reiko Saeki
- Eleanor
- Emilia de Mirabeau
- AIKA
- Tanaka Kakeru
- Mysterious Masked Man (Schwarz)
- Veronica Bain (Cameo)
- Alexander Christopher (Cameo)
General Changes[]
- A brand-new trophy and achievement support from PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Steam, and Epic Games Store which exclusively for .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- RE: ENTER Expansion.
- RE: ENTER can be played on the title screen and the difficulty modes added to the game.
- Photo Mode and Selfie Mode has been added to the game.
- A brand-new soundtrack composed by Chikayo Fukuda and Yuki Kajiura which exclusively for .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- RE: ENTER.
Gameplay[]
The gameplay system would be based of major improvements from .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- along with new gameplay system for Exploration and Combat such as:
- Multiple Playable Characters
- Virus Core
- Web Anonymous World
- Time Elements
- Ultimate Trigger
- Cross Rengeki [Tokio x Saika]: Double Shot Strike
- Cross Rengeki [Tokio x Geist]: Jackpot Heart
- Cross Rengeki [Saika x Geist]: Illusion Shot
- Trinity Rengeki [Tokio x Saika x Geist]: Link of Awakening
- Lost Ground Dungeon Areas
Difference between Chrono Gear and RE: ENTER[]
- The main storyline is not much bigger as Chrono Gear, however for the contents and the post-game is pretty big and wider than the main game, however, RE: ENTER is a completely new story written by Masayuki Sano and Kazunari Ito.
- The length of the RE: ENTER expansion for the main story will be over 5-6 Hours of Gameplay, and for the content along with the post-game content can be completed within 20 - 25 Hours of Gameplay.
- Unlike Chrono Gear which includes Unison PCs which has been removed from RE: ENTER Expansion as the party members will be Tokio, Saika and Geist.
- Tokio and Saika characters will be in their senior high schooler year design instead junior high schooler year due to how the RE: ENTER expansion set three years following the event.
- While Saika will using her upgraded form of Panzer Saika, Tokio on the other hand will be using PC name as 9 instead Tokio, and using Chrono Knuckle instead his Gear Blade or even Chrono Edge which those knuckle was used later in .hack//Versus by Tokio which he also used those as his weapon.
- Compared to Chrono Gear which Tokio will able to explore The World R:1 and The World R:2 due to Akashic Records, but in RE: ENTER Expansion will allow Tokio to explore The World R:X which features a new varieties and more, the elements will be adapted from .hack//Link -RIVES- RE: CONNECT with new elements to match the consistency with the timeline chronological and more easter eggs from Quantum.
- E-Bridge from Chrono Gear which allows him to checking the emails has been replaced with a new features Smartphone which allows you to chat and even reading the emails, also another interestingly that how players can freely listening the music and even viewing the photo with implementation of Selfie Mode and Photo Mode added to the game in comparison from Grand Whale in Chrono Gear as well.
- Akashic Records is a main setting in .hack//Link -Chrono Gear- however in the RE: ENTER Expansion which introduced a brand-new main area settings for the story which was known as a Akashic Unrecords.
- Akashic Unrecords although is a returned areas from .hack//Link -Chrono Link- which now has a different sequence, different memories, different exploration, different outcomes and more which left fans much more questions of how this really connected to each other with CHRONO RiSING Trilogy.
- Cross Rengeki and Trinity Rengeki in RE: ENTER Expansion will be different from the Chrono Gear which has never seen before sequence which gives a lot new charms between party or partner.
- Sub-Scenario from Chrono Gear will be replaced with Side-Quest exclusively for RE: ENTER which you will meet with a people and doing their different request which allows you to earn a new rewards and more.
- Mac Anu will be the only root town in RE: ENTER Expansion, but it is designed to have much bigger and dense with a lot varieties more than in Chrono Gear due to constant update from administrator for new exploration of the town.
- Although, Netslum Tartarga will be available in the RE: ENTER Expansion as well during the main storyline progression.
- Fan-service or ecchi will be more surprising and bigger than Chrono Gear, and it can be presented through camera angle works during cutscenes, control camera angle, illustration, and more, but it is not meant to be standout or being over sexualize but it will be something that left deep impression that could surprise fans and players than their eyes can meet toward characters.
- Saika is the most prominent for fan-service and ecchi possibility, including bath scene in the story cutscenes, but her panties shot could only be shown for during in certain situation happen in the main story and it's not always be presented like .hack//Link -Twilight Knights- Manga did which means it's not always a main focus in every aspect of the cutscenes, but can be also as a special easter eggs from that manga for fans who had been nostalgia to read the manga.
- Post-Game contents will be truly different experience from Chrono Gear, which has a lot of new opportunity to finish the contents and more to unlocked a new bonuses, including a brand-new secret challengeable dungeons which is set for highest difficulty levels for players to enter,
Trivia[]
- RE: ENTER title means something that tells about Tokio's return to The WORLD R:X.
- A brand-new scenario RE: ENTER is set a few days after Chapter 43 "Versus Magician" in exclusive .hack//Bullet Book version which was already began to released in January 2021, you can check the store, here.