Why do people love Shenmue?

[chocklo]

For some reason I always associate Shenmue with Christmas. Playing it once through is part of my annual xmas ritual.

Perhaps it's because I received my first shiny new copy from Amazon about a week before xmas.
Perhaps it's that Santa (and xmassy music) in Dobuita

Who knows - still thoroughly enjoyable though year on year.........

[Lyris]

Why do people love Shenmue?

Nostalgia and interest in Japan. It came out at Christmas which always gives me nice memories of playing it, and the latter part is self-explanatory.

As with another game I love (Psychonauts), the gameplay isn't mega-fantastic, but the personal slant and experience are what stay in your mind.

I love them both but I'm in the smaller crowd who prefers Shenmue 1 over its sequel.

I assumed that was the common opinion, I'm the same. Shenmue 2 was nice and was more action packed later on, but the pace was terrible at the start. I think you only got rewarded if you really stuck with it (even through all the f____ng crate lifting).

The latter portion of Shenmue II was genius, walking through the peaceful, tranquil forest deeper into China. Dismissed by some as boring, it was such an awesome contrast to the rest of the game, and a reminder of the fact that the game wasn't about the action, it was a great way to finish the game.

Agree 100%, it worked brilliantly after the fast pace of the first 3 discs and when

->Open Spoiler<-

Ryo talks with Shenhua about his friends back home, it actually made me miss them!

[Phar]

I think you only got rewarded if you really stuck with it (even through all the f____ng crate lifting)

That had to be one of the most tedious ways of making money, thinking back I hardly bothered with the jobs in Shenmue 2, just gambling, always managed to save a few quid as well by using the glitch to avoid paying the Guest House owner every morning.

[Lyris]

And I Saved/Loaded my way through that stupid gambling dice part too.

[Lorfarius]

That had to be one of the most tedious ways of making money, thinking back I hardly bothered with the jobs in Shenmue 2, just gambling, always managed to save a few quid as well by using the glitch to avoid paying the Guest House owner every morning.

The crate lifting was so easy once you got into the pattern. You could make a huge chunk of cash each day quite easily.

[Phar]

The crate lifting was so easy once you got into the pattern. You could make a huge chunk of cash each day quite easily.

Yeah it was pretty easy, I just found both the task and fella who was helping you annoying so just avoided it, same goes for working on the lucky hit stalls, oddly enough I enjoyed the forklifts from the first game though.

[losersclub]

That had to be one of the most tedious ways of making money, thinking back I hardly bothered with the jobs in Shenmue 2, just gambling, always managed to save a few quid as well by using the glitch to avoid paying the Guest House owner every morning.

What is said glitch!? i didn't know!

[Phar]

When your walking down the stairs every morning stick to the left hand side of the staircase, it stops the event where the owner asks you for money from triggering.

[losersclub]

Oh right thanks, didn't know that

Been meaning to play through this again will have to bear that in mind when i do

[Phar]

Usually I'd feel guilty about exploiting something like that but the guys a bit of a c*ck so I didn't mind

[garrz32]

Usually I'd feel guilty about exploiting something like that but the guys a bit of a c*ck so I didn't mind

Haha, that comment just makes me want to play it now..

[Lorfarius]

Is that a glitch? I always thought it was a sneaky way of walking past just out of his view!

[Phar]

It's definitely a glitch as your still in full view of him even when constantly holding left and walking into the hand rail, I think Sega expected everyone to walk central down the stairs which would then trigger the event, the game adjusts you to do that while walking up and down them.

[MikeRox]

SEGA Rally II was a port of one of the most Advanced Arcaded boards around , another game rushed out , That never helps .

Sega Rally 2 IMO suffered from being the crash test dummy (or supposedly a showcase) for Windows CE titles on the system. I read once that it was ported in a fortnight from the PC version.

As for Shenmue. It's a timeless classic for me, but not for gaming reasons. As a game, IMO it's pretty average, but the end result is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.

What makes a game for me is it's atmosphere, and outside the odd survival horror title, I don't think any game has actually come close to offering the atmosphere and completeness for an environment (it was so intimate you learned the streets, it felt like your local area) that Shenmue offered. I also dont' think it'll ever really be viable to make such a game again even with more accomplished controls and gameplay. Shenmue is a unique (failed) attempt at something great but I think it was something that was far too ambitious and probably 10-20 years ahead of its time. I can't get over the fact it started life as a Sega Saturn title (though that might actually explain some of the technical issues and rigid control/animation).

Either way, I love Shenmue and always will.

As for Sonic Adventure... best Sonic game ever IMO. I'll never forget the 23rd of December 1999, the first time I stepped onto Emerald Coast. I don't think any console since has ever screamed "The next gen is here!" like that first action stage did for me.

[tokyochojin]

Absoloutley agreed!