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This feels like a general Re/Introduction To the World of .hack (anime wise). If you've not seen .hack and This is a really nice and straight to the point welcome to The World, but it's not quite the same as the older stuff. People who have seen .hack before, while the general plot of coma is here, it's a motive, different take, and a different way of seeing "the World" Half the time you're In Real Life. It's quite balanced in it's approach, it's not as...light and...comedy(?) filled as Legends of the Twilight Bracelet and not...overly emotion as SIGN or GU. I'm Actually temped to ... call this a bit more than mediocre (I don't want to be easy to give away a "Good") but it is pretty good...I guess It doesn't really leave me with a strong impression. I have mix feelings, Have People read Twilight Bracelet manga? The World and Hence .hack it self is like a marathon, Characters will have their turn to experience the "The World" to change, grow-up, make bonds and have their adventures and stories and eventually pass on the baton to another group/generation, With that so too does the world change (Link pissed me off by bring everyone back, which nullified this romantic concept I had). So I should appreciate what's going to happen in in R:X....without an omnipresent...Aura *fetal position*

Story: I don't have much of an impression of the story, people go into coma, information is scavenged for, and it conjures up some what despairing emotion out of the characters. It's .hack that doesn't take it self too seriously unlike it's canon predecessors(which means I'm jaded hence; it feels lukewarm). And it's script is more or less; well contained in it's 3 episode limit.

The tone is different from a majority of previous .hack series; mostly due to the evenly spent time within "The World" and 'In Real life'. Which brings about mixed feelings for me - On the one hand: they were able to squeeze in a humble school slice-of-life, familiarising us with these characters and how the game affects them outside, hence in different point of view. On the other hand: I really like the way previous .hack series only ever allowed us to see what was happening within "The World", rarely touching the livelihood of real-life (in Limitality's case, the exact opposite) which kept the it enigmatic, therefore pushing the viewer into one extreme; channelling the state-of-mind of being trapped in the game until quests were complete and only knowing what someone was like with in the game; which would then peak the curiosity. I found that Approach really charming.
But the Things is, That's NOT what this OVA is about, The main characters we follow are not trapped, but are fishing out things from the game, and they're are pretty much already friends in real life. While a point of how important the game is to these characters in forming their bonds new&old is made throughout the episodes, it isn't as sub-consciously emphasised (as previous .hack). But ONCE again: That's NOT what it's all about: "The World" is almost treated like an important devise for these people to overcome real life problems eg.maintaining Sakuya's relationships the others, Hermits need of a donator, and that scientist's wish to overcome racism. It's important, but it never forget's that it's a game rather than a place where I worship Aura. It's A new view, new staff and it's a new world R:X. but people still fall into a coma.

Art&Sound: Being an OVA, one expects high production values, and it does just that. Scenery, Landscapes etc are sharp, detailed and (if I may) stunning. While I adore Yoshimi Umino's work for previous .hacks and this it's as pushy in creating atmosphere like that in Casshern Sins. Yusuke Takeda, GOO(D) JOB!
For some odd reason, I took a little extra notice of sound&visual effects, they work really well...what more should I say...
Now The Music, one should simply think of it as a nice game soundtrack, it's never out of place, nor over-baring and silences are used nicely too.That's the thing, while the backgrounds are stunning, beautiful and atmospheric they missing that little things that truly makes them extra-special. So too- no, More so is the Music, It accompanies well with every moment, but never seizes one or compliments one(like colours purple and yellow) Don't know what's I'm talking about? go watch .hack//SIGN, Evangelion or Katanamonogatari. So I guess what It's missing is a strong mood, yes there's atmosphere and you know when something's sad, bad, happy or terrifying, but I never felt a gushing mood of despair, excitement or desperate glory of survival. In that sense, that's what makes this OVA easy to watch and enjoy I suppose, it's pretty down to earth.

Characters: These characters are likeable or at least agreeable. They're not gender confused or super angst(well maybe Hermit is) or socially disturbed and seeking vengeance(well maybe Hermit is). They're like slightly more realistic archetypes of sorts. They each their own person (so you'll never confuse them for someone else) but I find plain. Don't get me wrong though I find Tobias much more charming than Bulmung.