Sure, patience is a virtue, but when you are a gamer all that goes out the window. The most impatient of all gamers (and since you are reading this, you probably fit here) is the importer. Sure, some people just want all those crazy, cool Japanese games that would never make it over here, but that is hardly worth the effort or the cost. More often then not they just want to keep up with the Jones’, be the first on the block so to speak.
And with that in mind, I am reviewing the European addition of Shenmue 2 for the DC. I am a fan of the series, otherwise why would I buy it, but I am faced with quite a conundrum when reviewing it. What merits should I grade it on? Should I focus on the gameplay, after all, that is what makes it such an interesting and, I believe, fun game. But Shenmue contains the least amount of “game” possible while still holding that title. In many ways it is a mutation of a game, an evolutionary step towards a merger of two megalithic forces, video games and movies. So, should I judge it, like I would a movie, purely on it entertainment values? Truthfully, neither would do the game justice. Instead I will tell you who will and will not enjoy the game.
If you, in the mildest of ways, enjoyed the first Shenmue, you will again enjoy this one. It contains at least double the amount of stuff to do in the first game. The stages are huge, with mini-games on EVERY corner. If you chose to, you could be here years doing all the stuff. And all the best parts of the first game, such as fighting and the QTEs happen much more frequent, especially the QTEs which contain a whole new advanced system added on. However, if you tried the first game and did not enjoy it, this one will not be able to change your mind. The same things you found boring in the first one, like sitting through the tons of dialogue and sometimes marauding mindlessly through the streets talking to stupid people who say the same thing over and over, are still here, although markedly less annoying. It is just not enough of a new game to make it worth it for you.
For those new to Shenmue, although I highly recommend you start with the first game before playing this game, since the story is continued from one chapter, it is pretty easy to figure out how much you will enjoy the game. Do you like RPGS? Do you not mind sitting through lots of dialogue, many of it useless? And if you do like a little story in your games, is it ok if all of the themes are blaringly obvious and often forced repeatedly into your skull?!? Cause that is a lot of what Shenmue is, and for all of it’s downfalls in the area, I still think the story, overall, is very interesting and has the power to make you want to play on just to find out what will happen to the main character next. But if you are unable to sit through some of the mindless jibber of your conventional RPG then you might as well look else ware.
But, if you are able to withstand the story there are a lot of things in Shenmue outside the RPG genre to interest you. The fighting system is pretty much stolen out the creators other hit game, Virtua Fighter, but fans of that game, and fighter fans in general, will have fun using a similar, watered down version to fight hordes of bad guys in rapid succession. Also, fans of Hong Kong action movies and martial arts in general will really get a kick out of the game. The game has that overall feel that many Hong Kong movies contain, such as huge stunts and fight scenes, with the story revolving heavily around the fighting skill of the lead character. Truly, the best part of Shenmue though, has to be the old arcade machines that you can play throughout the city. You can play all your favorite 80’s Sega games such as Space Harrier and Hang On to name a few. Being able to play faithful ports of these on your home system is almost worth the price of admission alone, and I found myself sometimes spend more time with this then the actual game itself.
Although they definetly add to the game, I would not recommend you chose Shenmue 2 based purely on the presentation of the game. Many did for the first one and were disappointed in what they got. That aside, everything about Shenmue 2 is beautiful. The graphics, although not quite as polished looking as the first game, are amazing for the DC. Never does anything look blocky, and the animation is top notch most of the time. The small hit the graphics take I think are worth it though, because it leaves room for the huge amount of detail put into all the landscapes of a world MUCH larger then the one in the first game, and no longer do you slowdown when 4 people appear on screen at the same time. My favorite part of the game though is the sound. I could just put down the controller and go to sleep listening to the game. The music is some of the best in any game, always adding to the mood, whether you are calmly getting taught by a wise old man or chasing a thug down the street. And the ambient sounds are so real that you may actually thing you are in a crowed market. It is rare for a game to be able to sound this good, and even more rare is a game that use the sound to enhance the game so much.
So, overall, do I regret being inpatient and buying Shenmue 2 (instead of waiting so long for it to come out on the XBox)? Not in the least. It is far from the perfect game, but in the end it is very rewarding to make it all the way through. If you have never experienced the series at all I do recommend that you do try it, no matter if it is just renting the first. It is something unique in the gaming world, but it is simply not for everybody.
Final Score - 4/5
