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Shenmue II
by VGLN Staff
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Great game with a few flaws but still should be played by all.
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Title:
Shenmue II
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Platform:
Xbox |
Publisher:
Sega of Japan
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Developer:
AM2
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#
of Players: 1
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Genre:
RPG/Action
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Origin:
Japan
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Expected
Release: November 2002
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Grapevine:
"Shenmue is a life-sim in a way. You can interact with anyone you see. Some of them might even give you tips to aid you on your quest." |
Ah, yes... Sega's epic series that somehow always manages poor sales despite it being a great series. What was originally released in Japan and Europe on the now dead Dreamcast never made it to the USA, sadly. All those people who were down by the news that it would never be available in the USA have something to cheer about... Microsoft got the rights to have Shenmue II brought only to the Xbox!
If you are new to the Shenmue series then fear not, Sega has included a 90 minute DVD that will explain everything up to the point where you start playing Shenmue II. Don't expect a Final Fantasy quality FMV movie though, the DVD is an in-game cinemas movie... so the graphics aren't all that pretty but they get the job done in explaining the story.
As you will learn from the DVD, Ryo Hazuki is on his way to Hong Kong, China to avange the death of his father, brought on by Lan Di. Along the way you will learn about the Pheonix Mirror and its powers. Join Ryo on the journey, but beware, it won't be an easy trip.
For those that haven't had the oppotunity to play Shenmue I then let me explain the concept of the series. Shenmue is a life-sim in a way. You can interact with anyone you see. Some of them might even give you tips to aid you on your quest. The game is set in the 1980's in run down part of Honk Kong, China. Shenmue isn't a 100% action game though, it mostly consists of adventure. You will even have to get a job to earn money. Ryo will only fight when he has to, showing what kind of person he is... a determined one. He wastes no time with pathetic street thugs wanting a cheap thrill fight. He is determined to find Lan Di and will only fight if you get in his way of his one goal.
Throughout the game you will meet many characters that play a role in advancing the storyline such as a hot biker chick who... thought I was going to spoil it? I think not, you'll have to find out for yourself! Along with all the characters, Shenmue II contains many cut-scenes that help advance the story. They are short and to the point unlike other movies in other games, cough Metal Gear Solid 2 cough, that take forever!
The controls in Shenmue are extremely simple. The Left Stick is used to move around, The Left Trigger is used for switching to first person view to zoom in on things while the Right Trigger is used to make Ryo run. The face buttons are used to interact with other players, check your inventory, interact with objects, and to read your notebook. When Ryo is forced to fight, the controls change. The Left and Right Trigger are both used to make Ryo run, choose which ever one you want. The face buttons are then used for kicking, punching, blocking, and throwing your enemies across the room. Very simple controls which make it easy and fun to play.
Visually, Shenmue II is ported from the Dreamcast with improvements to the engine to give it more detail. Even though this is a port from a dead system, it looks impressive! Even better than come current Xbox games! What else would you expect from Sega in the visuals department, I mean just look at Panzer Dragoon Orta or Jet Set Radio Future, both works of art. The characters in Shenmue are nicely detailed and all unique which is quite impressive considering the fact that there are 1000's of NPCs (non-playable characters). Ryo himself is fluidly animated with great movement while doing things like running and fighting. The environments are impressive. I haven't had the chance to go to Hong Kong so I wouldn't know if Sega modeled it after the real life counterpart but it sure does look pretty. Buildings vary in style and size. You can actually get lost walking around in the city! Cut-scenes are average, nothing special but certainly not ugly enough that you'll be skipping them as soon as they come up. Overall, seeing as this is a port of a three year old game, Sega did a great job!
The sound in Shenmue is good, average, and bad. Good is the music. Average are the in-game sounds. Bad is the voice acting. The music is a mix of asian like music, like that found in old China movies, mixed with some rock songs to give Shenmue II a nice balance of music that actually goes well with the game. The in-game sounds are average. You'll sometimes hear people/things in the background and sometimes it seems as though you're the only one there. Voice acting is where Shenmue II suffers the most. While a few of the voices are good, the rest are pretty horrible. The voice actors over-react too much and sometimes the voice won't match the emotions being expressed on the character's face. Could have used some more work.
Overall, if you like adventure games where you actually connect with the character and actually feel immersed in the game, Shenmue II is the game for you. On the other hand, if you are an action freak... look elsewhere. While Shenmue II does contain battles, it won't satisfy your Mortal Kombat needs. Great controls and nice visuals partnered with a great storyline make Shenmue II a game that should be played by all Xbox owners.
--- Hector Cortez
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