Going Back to Shenmue After So Long

With the release of the Shenmue collection, I decided to get a physical copy of it on Xbox One because the controller reminds me so much of the Dreamcast. It was not nearly as fun as I remember though. :(

By this, I'm talking about Shenmue 1. Shenmue 2 is still pretty enjoyable though since they made it more streamlined and interesting. But part 1 was soooooo insufferable!! It's so damn slow with the pacing and you literally spend the first couple of hours just walking and talking to people! I was playing it thinking, 'what the hell did I see in this?'

Then when I got to the point of finding the Phoenix Mirror and having to contact the warehouse no. 8, I realized that I needed to physically jot down the number from Ryo's notebook and use the painfully slow dial EVERY time I called. Because you have to call ahead of your every visit.

Then you got to kill time when you find out that who you're looking for can't be reached because the store hasn't opened up yet or whatever. But guess what! You can't skip time in Shenmue 1! So I just blew some steam playing Hang On or Space Harrier and the QTE arcades that got old pretty fast. And I found myself on repeat of this many, many, many times.

The other aspects are still good though. It's fun beating people up on the few encounters you do get in part 1. As long as you're good at playing as Akira in Virtua Fighter.

So, has anyone spotted this while playing Shenmue 1? Or am I just crazy? And please, don't think that I'm trying to diss the series because I have always loved Shenmue since it first came out and I still really enjoy part 2.

I actually like those things about Shenmue 1. All the "needless" tasks and waiting, I find to be realistic and immersive. It's not for everyone, but I enjoy it for the uniqueness, as it makes me feel as if I'm really the protagonist of a martial arts story.

@Renegade_Fury:

That's exactly what I always told people in defense of the series! But now for some reason, I just can't stand it! Maybe I'm just spoiled by new games but I'm REALLY tempted to skip Shenmue 1 and go right to 2. Which is a shame because Shenmue 1 was the entire reason why I bought this collection.

@nepu7supastar7: I'd just skip it if you're not having fun, and it isn't like you haven't played it before anyway. Shenmue 1 is pretty short, so at least there's that if you force yourself to finish it.

I thought that Shenmue had slow pacing and gameplay that felt like a chore to go through the first time that I played it on the Dreamcast 18 years ago (damn I'm getting old). Since then I never understood the appeal that the game has to some people and I definitely have no desire to ever play it again.

I know this is a weird shit comparison, but that reminds me of 2001: Space Odyssey.

The use of negative space, silence and timing.

I remember driving forklifts around on my Dreamcast and working in game. I felt like such a sucker.

@n64dd: I think that's really apt

:)

Yeah, I can get the comparison. Maybe another applicable one is Star Trek the Motion Picture for its pacing and adherence to scientific accuracy.

@pdogg93:

Did you mean "sucker" in a good way? Or "sucker" as in, "why did I buy this?" kinda way?

EXACTLY this

@nepu7supastar7: as in wtf am I doing playing a game that simulates a forklift job

I download shenmue collection and started playing 1 and i agree with you. The amount of wondering around the city just to get info is kinda boring. Not sure i would touch it again lol.

Aw. If you're not having a good time with the game it's OK to drop it and move on. Don't make yourself suffer !

Even back in the day, I always respected Shenmue more than I enjoyed it.

I've watched some gameplay and read some reviews and it looks and sounds outdated and boring. I'll stick to Yakuza.

I said it: Shenmue didnt look like a game that aged well

I guess I was right

I am worried about playing this in case it destroys my great memories of it on dreamcast. I'm not sure it would have aged well in this day of gaming but I'll probably cave and get it soon enough.

@Vatusus:

I guess it was that whole simulation premise that made me WANT to like it. And I still respect it's existence for what boundaries it pushed. Maybe that's what made us put it in such a pedestal?

Despite having some boring forklift section and waiting. i actually like shenmue games. story is pretty good.

I loved how real world monotonous it was. Even his boring job was fun for me.

I don't know.

I'm weird.

How does it compare to Yakuza? I know is different, but I keep hearing that yak in certain ways is what Shenmue may had been if it was made with todays technology ala a lively city to roam about.

@ghosts4ever:

Ryo controls worse than Lara Croft did in ps1. He can't sprint, roll over, jump or climb and he doesn't turn on the dime like he should. I don't see how you can stand playing it and act like Tomb Raider was worse.

The only real similarities they have is that you play as Japanese guy in a semi open world, and that both protagonists are born in the same year (Kiryu is older than Ryo by a couple of months). They also have arcades and collectable toys of other SEGA games, but that's as far as it goes.

One way I like to describe them is by calling Shenmue a Bruce Lee point and click adventure game, similar to the old Lucas Arts' Monkey Island ones, and has Viruta Fighter combat, while Yakuza is an over the top JRPG crime drama with beat 'em up combat and hilarious side stories. With that said, chances are if you like one you probably will like the other, but Yakuza isn't an "evolved" Shenmue; they're very much their own thing.

@robert_sparkes:

It's not unplayable if you know what you're getting yourself into. But I most def, would not recommend it to anyone who has never played it before.

Both Yakuza & Shenmue always confuse the hell out of me back then. I always get them mix up but you basically describe it perfectly. The same with Legacy of Kane & Soul Reaver in their own similarities.