Yeah, I didn't really get on with Shenmue, it is fairly linear as you said. Too slow as well, tooling around the towns talking to everyone in case one of them has some info... boring. You want to know something incredibly nerdy though? I took a pic of Ryo to the barbers when I was like 15. It's cool hair!
i completed Shenmue a while ago and then played Shenmue 2 and i can say that S2 is the real shenmue (shenmue was released as a standalone game just as a stopgap, but it was supposed to be just the first chapter of the original game that would have included all that turned out to be S2). there's just so much you can do and there's so many things happening that i ended up reaching half of the game while seeing probably only 5 to 10 % of what it had to offer. and never did it get boring. pretty awesome stuff...
Ah, thanks for the tip elisio - although I gather that Shenmue 2 is pretty rare these days. If I see it cheap i'll definately pick it up and have a dabble. Son_et_lumiere - If only my hair was like Ryo's - all my troubles would be over!
Wha?? HOW DARE YOU? Its the best ever video game ever! And ever again! Jesus... however Son Et Lumiere please tell me that you really did not attempt to stylise your barnet in a Ryu type way! Being 15 is NO excuse. (Dons stretch jeans and brown leather jacket, resets Saturn and goes to drop a few calling cards down the Dock Road in Liverpool) Hrrrumphh!
Friday, September 01, 2006
[Image]Having recently had my life status bumped down to Unemployed Bum, I have suddenly found myself with a bit of extra time on my hands. Therefore, in between fruitless trips to the Jobcentre, having pointless conversations with 'recruitment' agencies and whiling hours away in the gym, I have been playing Shenmue.
To be totally honest, while I'm very impressed with the graphics, the actual game leaves a lot to be desired. The game world certainly looks very lifelike and suitably 1980s, but when it comes to the crunch, it just isn't as good or free flowing as many would have you believe. Infact, it's nothing more than a very pretty version of Wolfenstein 3D. Let me explain.
[Image]There may appear to be endless rows of shops, houses and people to engage in conversation, but ultimatley no-one has anything to say and you are just directed towards the next point by plot specific characters. There are some nice diversions thrown in (like collecting the plastic toy eggs from the vending machines and stuff), but if you stripped all the superficial aesthetics away, Shenumue's game world would be a series of long grey corridors (streets) with lots of little empty rooms leading off them (the shops/houses etc).
Maybe that's a little harsh, but you'll see what I mean if you play it. There are loads of lovely little gardens just waiting to be trampled on - but wait! This washing line seems to be hindering my wantonly destructive progress. That'll be the cold, grey metallic wall.
Still, for the PS2 obliterating graphics alone - I love it.
Maybe I could get a job down at the docks like Ryo - all I need is a brown leather jacket and half a tub of shockwaves on my thatch. Salford Quays here I come...
""Hmmm, I see...""
4 Comments -
Yeah, I didn't really get on with Shenmue, it is fairly linear as you said. Too slow as well, tooling around the towns talking to everyone in case one of them has some info... boring.
You want to know something incredibly nerdy though? I took a pic of Ryo to the barbers when I was like 15. It's cool hair!
Thursday, February 16, 2006
i completed Shenmue a while ago and then played Shenmue 2 and i can say that S2 is the real shenmue (shenmue was released as a standalone game just as a stopgap, but it was supposed to be just the first chapter of the original game that would have included all that turned out to be S2). there's just so much you can do and there's so many things happening that i ended up reaching half of the game while seeing probably only 5 to 10 % of what it had to offer. and never did it get boring. pretty awesome stuff...
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Ah, thanks for the tip elisio - although I gather that Shenmue 2 is pretty rare these days. If I see it cheap i'll definately pick it up and have a dabble. Son_et_lumiere - If only my hair was like Ryo's - all my troubles would be over!
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Wha?? HOW DARE YOU? Its the best ever video game ever! And ever again! Jesus... however Son Et Lumiere please tell me that you really did not attempt to stylise your barnet in a Ryu type way! Being 15 is NO excuse. (Dons stretch jeans and brown leather jacket, resets Saturn and goes to drop a few calling cards down the Dock Road in Liverpool) Hrrrumphh!
Friday, September 01, 2006