I don't really know how to define Shenmue 2. I'll just say it's a fighting/adventure game with RPG elements. Shenmue 2, however, is a game that defies categorization. Sure, it incorporates fighting, but that's only a fourth or third of the game. The rest you spend exploring Hong Kong. Although Shenmue 2 does not fit into a particular game genre, it is still a very good game.
Shenmue 2 is (pretty obviously) a sequel to Shenmue. Luckily for those who haven't played Shenmue 1, there is a movie that consists of most of the first game's cut scenes so new players will not be confused. It's not the most exciting or entertaining movie, but it gets the job done. The main story of Shenmue 2 is that you play Ryo Hazuki, a Japanese teenager whose father was killed by a mysterious martial arts master named Lan Di. Ryo must travel to China to avenge his father's death. The story is not just one of revenge, but also of a boy growing into a man. As Shenmue 2 is just a part in a series of games, Ryo does not avenge his father's death in this game, instead you must settle for defeating some of the killer's associates.
Presentation(Story and Design): 10/10
Every square foot of Shenmue 2 is crammed with detail. You can look at and pick up anything, and talk to anyone. The game has a good story, and good settings for the gameplay. The game is set first in the Wan Chai district of Hong Kong, then in Kowloon, and finally in the Chinese countryside. Everything looks right in the game. Tenements look grimy and desolate, and market streets look busy and vibrant. There are also tons of mini games in the form of street fights and arcade games. These are fun to play, and trying to find all of them adds another dimension to the game. The whole game is very well designed, it looks great and adds to the gameplay. The only problem I had was the game’s story towards the end. It was a bit too mystical for me, and while the ending wasn’t a total cliffhanger, it was a sequel setup that left me wanting more but slightly disappointed.
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Gameplay can be divided into four main sections: Free Quest, Free Battle, Quick Timer Events(QTEs for short), and various mini games. First, the Free Quest. You spend most of the game in this mode, wandering around and playing detective by looking for people. Even this is a joy, as you can just wander into shops, and buy random things from vending machines and street stalls. The only problem with this is that Ryo’s control is kind of jerky, even on the thumb pad. However, that’s not all there is to the game. There are also Free Battles, in which you battle one or many opponents. The fighting engine is based on the Virtua Fighter engine, and usually works well. There are a multitude of moves to use, and more that you learn throughout the game. You are able to punch, throw, kick, and dodge, all of which you will need to do. The moves vary in power and speed, and also vary in how difficult they are to execute. The QTEs test your reflexes, by making you press the right button in the right amount of time. These are usually activated for chases or fights. There are also Command QTEs, in which you must do a button combination in the right amount of time. I didn’t like the Command QTEs very much, as I found it hard to understand just what the command I was supposed to do was. Finally, there are mandatory and optional mini games. You must make some money in the game, and you can do so by selling things at pawnshops, carrying crates, running a stand, or gambling. Carrying crates and running a stand are both tedious and pretty boring activities, like in real life. The gambling games, usually involving dice, are fun but risky. There are also optional arcade games and street fighting mini games, as well as ones incorporated into the ordinary gameplay. The arcade games are actual arcade games from the eighties, all were designed by Yu Suzuki, who designed this game. The street fights mostly focus on an aspect of the fighting engine, and you will have to do things like avoid a wrestler for thirty seconds, or knock a man out in five moves. The game is almost devoid of action for the first few hours, and then speeds up considerably for the middle, and then gets very slow at the end. While the beginning isn’t action packed, it is still fun, which I can’t say for the end. After fighting and dealing with gangsters and thieves for hours, you suddenly find yourself walking through fields with no purpose. It is like a dull epilogue for a mostly great and exciting game.
Graphics: 9/10
The graphics for the Xbox version are slightly improved over the original Dreamcast version, and while not the best looking Xbox game, Shenmue 2 sure doesn’t put the system to shame. The texturing is great, and the cities look gorgeous. All the background areas are practically flawless. Most of the character models look very good and detailed, but a few just look very odd and unnatural. All of the characters that look like that are minor ones, and if you can ignore them, the game looks very good.
Sound: 7/10
Shenmue 2 has an excellent score, but horrible voice acting. The score is great, with the music perfectly fitting the scenario. The music tense when the scenario is tense, and sounds like bar music when you enter a bar. Shenmue 2's soundtrack is superb. The voice acting, however, is not. Apart from Ryo, all the voice actors sound horrible. In the Japanese version, when an old man spoke, it sounded like an old man. Here, it sounds like a teenager doing a bad imitation of an old man. Unfortunately, you must play with the horrific dubbed English voices.
Longevity: 10/10
This game should at least last you 40 hours. And that’s not counting all the hidden mini games and other secrets you can unlock. You can beat this game after a few days of intense playing, but it will still take you awhile.
Overall: 10/10
An almost flawless game, with strong gameplay and a world bursting with detail.
This game is BRAND NEW, FACTORY SEALED! The photo is the actual item. Works in the Microsoft XBOX console. Checkout my Store for more Great Deals! Pow...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.