Shenmue is revolutionary RPG game!
The RPG aspect of Shenmue involves gaining items as well as building up your character's traits. As a martial artist, Ryo needs to hone his skills for battles to come. Players choose what course his studies will take and advance specific statistics for each move Ryo learns. They can even discover new techniques for Ryo by exploring the right places. The real world is not a friendly place, and the world in Shenmue is no different. Fighting often takes on a Virtua Fighter style of play and pits Ryo against some shady characters. With a huge library of possible moves and combinations, Shenmue's free fighting bits almost feel like a true fighting game. It's only missing this one thing. In addition to the real-time fighting, Shenmue incorporates timed events a la Dragon's Lair. A scripted action appears and players must push a certain button at the right instance. Since it's only occasional and doesn't take up the bulk of the gameplay, this type of play adds a fresh feel and more excitement. The amazing level of detail wouldn't be the same without life-like graphics, and in this, Shenmue does not disappoint. Arguably one of the most graphically advanced console titles to date, this game's got all the graphical flavor you could want. Textures are spot-on and characters have unique facial animations that help bring them to life right before your eyes. Weather changes also occur in order to match the game's clock and calendar. It's all here - every little juicy detail.
Ambient sounds are also done very well. Birds chirping, wind blowing, cars passing; it's unbelievable how much detail is in here. However, the voice-acting demon that has plagued many a console adventure game has struck again. With a multi-million dollar budget, you would think that the so-called "voice talent coordinators" would be able to find some decent voice talent. Gamers everywhere are sick of hearing the producer's father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommates do the voice acting. Almost any bum could have done a better job.
The only other gripe I have with this game is that it doesn't really end. Like the first book in an epic fantasy series, Shenmue leaves you wanting more. It's pretty disappointing to reach the end of a game only to find out that it's not the actual end of the game. Also, the next chapter will most likely take its time in making an appearance and will add to the cost for the entire experience. Still, I logged close to 40 hours of game time, and I certainly didn't explore every nook and cranny. The initial reactions I've seen for Shenmue have been mixed. Some love it and some hate it, but pretty much everyone can agree that it's a departure from the norm. The important thing to keep in mind about Shenmue is that it's an adventure game. The pacing can get slow and often you'll spend a great deal of time wandering around talking to people. This is not a good game for the impatient, quick-twitch action junkie. But it's a great game for everyone else. While Shenmue may not initially appeal to the mass gaming audience, it sure as hell appeals to me. This is truly a game that everyone needs to experience at least once. All it requires is patience, so keep this in mind.