I was pleasantly surprised
From the get go I was hesitant. Due to preconceptions built off of descriptions/videos/reviews, SH1 seemed like a block in the way. Still, I just couldn't justify playing a game like SH2 without the proper backstory. So I dove-in, and prayed.
..And thankfully, I was not disappointed. In fact, I was downright shocked. SH1, despite being so old, was still charming and fun to play through. A game that I had originally been dreading was growing on me. Mechanics that I thought would be impossibly annoying to deal with became trendy. Characters that I thought would be stupid turned out to be interesting. Artwork/graphics that I thought were antiquated became seamless.
I now also know why SH1 is so integral. Yuri, harmonixer, Alice, Bacon. All of these names/terms are now so familiar, along with all the backstory/sentiments/etc. The best part was, that I got to enjoy SH1 as well as play through it. The story for the most part is dark enough, characters are pretty neat, enemies are cool to look at (very unique designs), and the dialogue can be spot on/hilarious.
With this all said, of course, the game wasn't perfect. There were odd moments that were hit or miss. Voice acting could be jarring on occasion. Also, there were gaps here and there in terms of character development/story etc. that could've been fine-tuned. The game also had some 'awkward' scenes that I had to overlook to keep the immersion going.
Ultimately, however, I was not disappointed. SH1 managed to provide a unique romp ride from start to finish. In short, I'm glad that the stepping stone for SH2 was as enjoyable as it was; I totally lucked out.