This anime series in the .hack// universe is set in the near future after a fire wipes out a game played by millions. With all the information about "The World" lost a new version of the game surfaces: "The World R:2." As people join the game they learn that it's not like "The World" they remember but it still strains the boundary between game and reality. .HACK//ROOTS centers on Haseo a new player who finds "The World R:2" is more than just a game. In the second volume the Twilight Brigade is still hunting for elements that aren't mentioned in the game's design manual but their search is in danger as their enemies draw closer.