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.
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.
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
And hey, any game that can be described as Virtua Fighter meets The Sims, set in Japan during the 1980s, always will.
As a series that has a huge legacy and influenced many games since its release, Shenmue hasn't managed to age that well. The awkward control scheme takes some time to get used to, and there are some unfortunate bugs that seem to hit hard enough to ruin the experience, but the story still has a lot of heart and charm to make you care enough to finish it.
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 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.
This Shenmue 2 is a title that borders on excellence, but once again we find the immense obstacle of a remastering that has failed to live up to the legend.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A missed opportunity to update a classic, resulting in a cynical bug-ridden release. Shenmue deserved better than this.
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.
The first two Shenmue games are undeniably very important, but they fall just short of being great. They are undeniably unique, even all these years after their release, and the best thing that can be said about them is that they are interesting. It is a really fun world the games put forward, and it is great to explore and figure out where to go and what to do next. At the same time, though, they don't necessarily play that well, and they show their age in a lot of unfortunate ways. This is definitely more of an acquired taste, and it is probably best to say that these are better experiences than they are video games. They're worth checking out, particularly for someone that has fond memories of them on the Dreamcast, but be warned that there are some warts that need to be looked past before you dive in headfirst.
It doesn't make the games feel modern, but that likely isn't the point. This HD remaster is mainly here to provide fans with a new way to play some of their favorite games. I can't fault Sega too much for wanting to stick true to the original vision of Shenmue. If you were worried about compatibility issues or crashing, then you can rest easy. These ports are fine.
As a person that didn't play Shenmue when it was new, I found it a very difficult game to come back around to with its awkward controls and plodding nature. The second game is faster and more giving with its content, which makes for a better game and the highlight of the package. Slavish fans of the original will find this a workmanlike repackage of the original games. Modern audiences, though, will still have to overlook some serious rough edges to find out what the big deal is.
Shenmue I & II are great games for Dreamcast, but not for modern consoles. Let them rest.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Shenmue I & II is just a broken mess of former Dreamcast legends.
Review in Polish | Read full review
If looking for a simple port, as well as a bundle of the Shenmue duology, you are in for a treat, despite the fact that the enhancements of this version are underwhelming. Those expecting an action-adventure that is as good as it is popular, though, get ready for a rude awakening, because, nostalgia, and pioneering innovations aside, this just isn't fun anymore.
Fans of the Shenmue series place the games on a pedestal reserved for the gaming greats, heralding it as one of the greatest things to ever happen in the industry. In a sense, this isn’t incorrect; for all its faults, Shenmue blazed a trail that many amazing games would go on to follow. Its ideas at the time weren’t just novel but borderline revolutionary, and its reputation in that sense is well deserved. That said, the games have aged incredibly poorly, and by modern standards, they are downright terrible to play for a multitude of reasons. A slow and dull story, clunky controls, more forced waiting than an MMORPG, and any other number of design elements that haven’t aged well. Effectively, they’re an essential part of gaming history, but they aren’t fun to play. For new players coming into the Shenmue series on nothing but recommendations alone, temper your expectations with the understanding that “cornerstone” in this industry does not automatically mean “classic.”
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.
A strong port and the best way to play these flawed yet brilliant classics