I liked the character development, but it seemed to drag seemingly, unecessarily long. It would have been executed better if it was told in 13 episodes instead of 26.
But, .hack//Dusk (a.k.a. Legend of the Twilight Bracelet) I found to be infinitely better than .hack//Sign. Even though .hack//Dusk does sacrifice intricate, rounded, character development for an enjoyable, whacky filled adventure plot.