Shenmue 1 & 2 Reviews
Shenmue I & II collects Sega's classic open-world games and gives them modern touches. The titles feature fun combat and quirky humor, but they also suffer jarring pacing issues.
After years of waiting, Sega finally delivered the Shenmue experience we deserve. Although it's clunky and a little dated, the series holds up incredibly well after nearly 20 years.
A carefully conserved milestone of the medium, inviting to a fascinating journey through time to the beginnings of modern game design.
Review in German | Read full review
Shenmue I & II gives players the opportunity to experience slightly updated versions of two of the all-time greatest games. Even though we would have loved for Shenmue I and II to get real remakes, both games still have a lot to offer to 2018 gamers. Very few titles can claim to be as immersive as Shenmue I and II and it's great to be able to dive into its universe once more. What could have been if the port hadn't been so lazy.
Review in French | Read full review
Shenmue innovated in enigmatic ways that remain inspirational for today’s game designers. These games exude an unlikely warmth that maintains even when Ryo’s jumped by bad guys, clips his hand through a piece of scenery to buy a new toy, or is made to haul crates across dockyards opposite a grunting co-worker.
If you're looking forward to Shenmue III, this is the perfect time to brush up on the series.
Yu Suzuki's magnum opus may still retain many of its core flaws, but this remains a series that is well worth experiencing for yourself.
As it stands, you get classics, and a hopeful outlook there is more to come in the third installment of the series.
Shenmue I & II is just a broken mess of former Dreamcast legends.
Review in Polish | Read full review
When it comes down to it, Shenmue I & II are very much games that helped define the action and adventure genre of 3D games, meaning that for some, the titles, especially the first game, may feel dated, however, for those who can look past that, Shenmue I & II both offer some of the best in storytelling, atmosphere, and charm, that even some other contemporary titles fail to capture.
A missed opportunity to update a classic, resulting in a cynical bug-ridden release. Shenmue deserved better than this.
Despite a lack of optimization in needed areas and some aspects of both games that haven't aged very well, this collection presents a good excuse to jump back into Shenmue 1 and 2, both of which remain inherently engaging games even today.
Shenmue I & II are two great games that allow players to experience just before the sequel releases late next year. There might not be much for returning fans, besides nostalgia or as a refresher, but they're good enough for that to be more than enough. While I doubt many have played the original Dreamcast releases, the sequel likely piqued the interest of many. Sure, the game is two decades old and it has aged, but if you can get past the shortcomings, you are in for great storytelling and an enjoyable brawling experience. For a remastered release, it's the best one and certainly good enough to warrant a purchase.
If it weren't for some technical aspects and mechanics held back by their age, Shenmue would be easy to recommend to just about anyone. So long as Shenmue 3 really adapts itself for the modern gamer while still remaining Shenmue at its core, it could be something incredibly special. After hearing about this series for so long (both through praise and criticism), I can safely say I am a believer in Shenmue and can't wait to play 3 next year.
And hey, any game that can be described as Virtua Fighter meets The Sims, set in Japan during the 1980s, always will.
Although Shenmue was initially released nearly two decades ago, the core concept about open-world is still inspiring even in nowadays, and the unique art style still deeply express the aesthetics of eastern culture. However, as a remastered game released in 2018, Shenmue 1&2 actually made very few progress in terms of graphics performance. Besides, the battle system and mission mechanics are still struggling with tons of problems. It might be too difficult for the new generation of players to get used to it.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Whilst there are clear deficiencies in places, this is just due to the fact Shemue is an aged classic. But a classic it remains and whilst other games may have surpassed it from a open-world game point of view, there's never really been anything like Shenmue for nearly 20 years.
Shenmue is incredible- All open world games should be this good. Players hoping for a little more action and less Forklift Operating should check out the Yakuza series.
Shenmue 1 & 2 are two of the most influential videogames ever. The new generations of post-millennial can now discover the origin of the myth.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Shenmue 1+2 is the best way to either acquaint yourself with or revisit this legendary saga, especially before the looming release of Shenmue 3 in 2019.