Early on, it matches the anime version but after Volume 1, the manga diverges away. And the story is amazing! I won't give away details, but it's definitely worth taking a look at, especially for .hack purists.
Character design and artwork was amazing! There are moments where the artwork turns comical (especially the pixelated moments) and it lends clarity and hilarity to those situations. Characterization was also a big plus as a the major players began to develop their strong growth over the course of three volumes.
The only gripe I have that it is relatively short. Other than that, it is amazing! I definitely enjoyed it!
