Shenmue 1 & 2 Reviews
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 a fan service to those who have been asking SEGA to re-release the game for the last few years. They would regularly say “We don’t need a remaster, just re-release it” and SEGA heard you and gave you your wish. Aside from a boost in resolution and a few graphical touch-ups like bloom, you’re looking at the same textures, controls and voice acting used in the original games, games which haven’t aged well both visually and mechanically.
Yu Suzuki's classics remain as unique and fascinating today as they ever were, if you can tolerate the painfully slow pacing and wooden dialogue.
A weird, beautiful, melancholy martial arts adventure. Flawed, but an unforgettable, singular experience.
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
A no brainer for fans of classic gaming. It hasn't aged well in some facets and the port is a bit lazy, but it still offers an unique experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Shenmue and Shenmue 2 have never looked or felt this good. Experience these unmissable classics in the best way possible.
An couple of outstanding adventures almost 20 years ago that are coming almost untouched... That's a good and a bad thing at the same time. If you are an old school gamer that's looking for reliving the original experience it's perfect, but the games are getting old to be as entertaining as they were.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Sega have done these classic titles a service by re-releasing them in the original form and resisting the temptation to tamper. Surely as divisive now as they were nearly 20 years ago, Shenmue I & II are not just a great primer for the forthcoming threequel, but also a great opportunity to experience one of gaming's most pioneering series. Welcome back Shenmue, I have missed you dearly.
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.
This collection is by no means perfect and probably shows off Shenmue’s imperfections more than its strengths, but just having the Shenmue Collection at all still blows me away as it reminds me that this world still holds a very special place in my heart.
Shenmue is always Shenmue, a milestone in the video games history that deserves to be rediscovered, despite the original limits and those brought by the ages passage.
Review in Italian | Read full review
As far as nostalgia goes, plenty of aging gamers will fall for Shenmue's shonky charms all over again, and revisiting Ryo's tale of revenge can be a deeply enjoyable experience. However, newcomers will face an uphill struggle to get past the poor controls, terrible English voice acting and grinding repetition. It's still a great primer for the third game, but only if you've been here before.
Shenmue is still a great game. A masterpiece in art direction. It's emotions,
Review in Italian | Read full review
As someone who's been waiting so long to play them once again, and knowing Shenmue III is on the horizon, playing the original games on current gen and PC is something you should certainly do because they provided so many firsts for video games.
Shemue I & II look like old games but they’re being sold as exactly what they are – a revisit into one of gaming’s most seminal and ground-breaking experiences.
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.
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
If nothing else, the simple reality that Shenmue is again a living franchise is, all by itself, something truly amazing.
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