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Shenmue 1 & 2


radiofloyd
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Had a massive session on this yesterday. I think I’m right at the end, but it crashed and my eyes were bleeding so I left it.

 

Spoiler

I played from the point where you have to impress the scout to get into the Yellow Building by winning all those fights...through the 17 floors of QTEs to the rooftop fight with Dou Nui...through the long (long) walk with Shenhua all the way to her house and the Shenmue tree. I had dinner with her and she asked me to check out her father’s things but then the game crashed.


I’ll post my full impressions when I finish it but overall I mostly enjoyed it, it was an improvement over the first game. Helped massively by the save anywhere feature. Definitely more of an artistic and technical achievement though than a “good game”. It will be interesting to see if there are any significant gameplay changes in the third game. And to hear if the voices sound the same or different. I need to watch the trailers again. 

 

It was quite poignant when you leave Kowloon and Joy and Wong say that they’re sure they can meet Ryo again. I guess nobody knew that it would take 20 years.

 

Spoiler

I’m glad I finally met Shenhua after wondering when she would turn up in the game (and learned how to pronounce her name), and also the meaning of the word Shenmue (which until it came up I hadn’t even thought about the fact that I hadn’t heard it in the game yet).

 

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Finished Shenmue 2. I enjoyed it. I liked the ending, it was a beautiful ending (obviously that’s in the context of there being a sequel and the sequel coming out very soon). It will probably be one of the games I cite when someone asks me about my favourite game endings.

 

I enjoyed Shenmue 2 more than Shenmue 1. Shenmue 1 definitely prepared me for Shenmue 2 - I knew that Yu Suzuki’s core principle from a gameplay point of view was “hard work” and not “fun”. You literally had to work to finish Shenmue 1. Shenmue 2’s worst moments never made me angry like they did in Shenmue 1. 
 

The sheer audaciousness of the final part of Shenmue 2 made me laugh more than anything else. I was used to it at that point.

 

From start to finish in Shenmue 1 and 2 the combat and QTEs are terrible, but the story and world-building and artistic achievements of the game are more than enough to carry it. There really is a magic about it.

 

The music is stunning but the single standout for me has to be the incredible voice acting. I’m glad to see that the voice actor for Ryo is returning. I loved Shenhua’s voice, it’s one of the most expressive voices I’ve heard out of all the games I’ve played and one that seems to match its character perfectly. It’s a shame the same voice actress isn’t returning.


I’m looking forward to Shenmue 3. I’m glad I backed it before I had ever played a Shenmue game because I’m definitely a fan now.

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Really pleased you enjoyed it @radiofloyd :) the world-building and magic to it are one of the reasons why it is such a special franchise for me. 

 

1 hour ago, one-armed dwarf said:

I find your thoughts interesting, really must be a different game in Japanese, huh. "Incredible voice acting".

 

People are actually excited for the rubbish English dub for Shenmue III ?

 

*Raises hand* 

'I see....'

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