Unlike previous games in the series, players will only have one partner character in their party, controlled by the AI. This may seem like a limitation, but the addition of "unison combos" -- Link's take on QTEs -- makes battles feel far more dynamic than before. .hack's plodding pace is absent in the PSP game: characters run faster, jump faster, and strike faster. With its new pacing, the game's combat feels very similar to Kingdom Hearts. However, the insertion of quick button-mashing mini-games make the combat a bit too reminiscent of PSP's Birth by Sleep.

Link may not offer the most original combat system, but it works well with the PSP's control scheme and is, most importantly, fun. Considering Link can potentially include every major character from the franchise, there's a lot of inventive ideas for the .hack team to explore. It should be evident from this teaser trailer that .hack//Link will be a stylish affair: the anime graphics translate well on the PSP, and the manga-styled cutscenes are particularly eye-popping. We're most intrigued by the story: How will CyberConnect bring together all these characters while simultaneously bringing "The World" to a close? It seems like an insurmountable challenge destined only for disappointment -- but for now, our interest in .hack is renewed.