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Well, I didn't think it was released till the 30th but it arrived this morning.
The box was slightly bashed and the first box didn't close or open properly but I couldn't care less. I had the game in my possession. Cheers Sr.
Anyway, it turns out you can load a cleared file from Shenmue 1 so that's exactly what I did.
It starts off really slow and is admittedly very boring but it soon picks up and you are dying to get to the next area.
Talking about areas, this game is HUGE!! I cannot believe how many towns there are. I've only been playing for around 2 and a half hours and already, I think the gaming area is much larger than the first game. I really haven't gotten used to the towns yet so really, whenever I need to go somewhere I just wander around and hope I either stumble across the right place or find this old guy (who always leads me where I want to go). :-D
I have gotten into a few quicktimes and free battles and so far I have noticed a few differences. The free battles don't feel quite the same as in the previous game. I'm not sure what it is, but they do feel different (not necessarily worse mind). The main difference with the QTEs is this. Where as in the first game, if you failed a QTE, you'd simply get another go. Well, it's not like that in Shenmue 2. If you fail, that's it. You must continue on your quest and find another way to do what you want to do. While this can get (very) frustrating, it is definitely an improvement in my opinion. It makes the game more realistic than ever and keeps you constantly alert to what's going on during a cut scene just in case a button symbol appears on screen.
This time, there are also a lot more ways to make money. You can stand at a stall and play people games for money, you can move crates from one area to another (this time no fork truck though, just hands) and you can gamble. Arm wrestling is all I've found so far but I can bet there are other gambling oppertunities and ways to make money. In the intro, you do see some fork trucks so maybe you do get to drive them later on. Who knows?
The graphics are very sharp and there is a vast and obvious improvement over the first game. This time, the shops and towns are very highly detailed with a huge amount of people wandering about. You can see these people from much further away than in the first game too, and they don't disappear from view until they are very far away. However, with this great improvement in graphics comes one drawback. There is quite a lot of slowdown. When you're running down a packed market street, sometimes there are huge amounts of slowdown. Thankfully though, this doesn't really affect the gameplay as it has only happened a few times and when it does happen, it's not exactly a tense situation your in (walking down a street).
One more difference is the fact that it is not English speech. It is actually Japanese (presumably anyway since I can't say I speak it) with English subtitles. This makes Ryo sound a lot tougher and not so much of a wiesel as he sounded in the first game. :-D
Overall, first impressions are very good and it looks set to be better than the original. (Still only 4 discs though with the last being similar to the passport. How they seem to have made it so much larger is beyond me. I thought it was supposed to be 6 discs this time round. Oh well.)
Come on Lan Di...show yourself.
The box was slightly bashed and the first box didn't close or open properly but I couldn't care less. I had the game in my possession. Cheers Sr.
Anyway, it turns out you can load a cleared file from Shenmue 1 so that's exactly what I did.
It starts off really slow and is admittedly very boring but it soon picks up and you are dying to get to the next area.
Talking about areas, this game is HUGE!! I cannot believe how many towns there are. I've only been playing for around 2 and a half hours and already, I think the gaming area is much larger than the first game. I really haven't gotten used to the towns yet so really, whenever I need to go somewhere I just wander around and hope I either stumble across the right place or find this old guy (who always leads me where I want to go). :-D
I have gotten into a few quicktimes and free battles and so far I have noticed a few differences. The free battles don't feel quite the same as in the previous game. I'm not sure what it is, but they do feel different (not necessarily worse mind). The main difference with the QTEs is this. Where as in the first game, if you failed a QTE, you'd simply get another go. Well, it's not like that in Shenmue 2. If you fail, that's it. You must continue on your quest and find another way to do what you want to do. While this can get (very) frustrating, it is definitely an improvement in my opinion. It makes the game more realistic than ever and keeps you constantly alert to what's going on during a cut scene just in case a button symbol appears on screen.
This time, there are also a lot more ways to make money. You can stand at a stall and play people games for money, you can move crates from one area to another (this time no fork truck though, just hands) and you can gamble. Arm wrestling is all I've found so far but I can bet there are other gambling oppertunities and ways to make money. In the intro, you do see some fork trucks so maybe you do get to drive them later on. Who knows?
The graphics are very sharp and there is a vast and obvious improvement over the first game. This time, the shops and towns are very highly detailed with a huge amount of people wandering about. You can see these people from much further away than in the first game too, and they don't disappear from view until they are very far away. However, with this great improvement in graphics comes one drawback. There is quite a lot of slowdown. When you're running down a packed market street, sometimes there are huge amounts of slowdown. Thankfully though, this doesn't really affect the gameplay as it has only happened a few times and when it does happen, it's not exactly a tense situation your in (walking down a street).
One more difference is the fact that it is not English speech. It is actually Japanese (presumably anyway since I can't say I speak it) with English subtitles. This makes Ryo sound a lot tougher and not so much of a wiesel as he sounded in the first game. :-D
Overall, first impressions are very good and it looks set to be better than the original. (Still only 4 discs though with the last being similar to the passport. How they seem to have made it so much larger is beyond me. I thought it was supposed to be 6 discs this time round. Oh well.)
Come on Lan Di...show yourself.
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It links with Wise Men Qr, Lucky Charm Qr & Green Market Qr. Exit any of these (from the correct exit) and you'll be on it.
Golden Qr. for the arcase then.
Got any directions? I need to find it.
Got any directions? I need to find it.
It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine...
"Pine Game Arcade" in the Golden Qr.
I've played OUTRUN. It's certainly better than HANG ON.
It says in the manual that you play all the mini games outside of the main game on disc 4.
Amazing game. I can understand how some would find it boring, but for me, the incredible atmosphere just draws me in.
I've played OUTRUN. It's certainly better than HANG ON.
It says in the manual that you play all the mini games outside of the main game on disc 4.
Amazing game. I can understand how some would find it boring, but for me, the incredible atmosphere just draws me in.
Dunno.
I'venot played Outrun yet. Dunno whether there is an arcade or not but once I've found it, I'm sure I'll be able to play it on the 4th disc because you can (apparently) play all mini-games that have been unlocked.
Anyway, it turns out that on certain QTEs you do get more than one shot if you fail.
And I am now on Disc 2 after one hell of a good QTE. It took ages. I must have beaten about 20 guys in it. Took me 2 goes right enough.
I'venot played Outrun yet. Dunno whether there is an arcade or not but once I've found it, I'm sure I'll be able to play it on the 4th disc because you can (apparently) play all mini-games that have been unlocked.
Anyway, it turns out that on certain QTEs you do get more than one shot if you fail.
And I am now on Disc 2 after one hell of a good QTE. It took ages. I must have beaten about 20 guys in it. Took me 2 goes right enough.
But, can you play Outrun independantly, or do you have to go back into the game, get to the arcade and earn some more money to play?
Yeah, it is really good.
I have now (almost) learnt the 4 Wude. I need to go see Master Mo. What a name that is. Master MC MoMo!!!
Ahem...
:-D
I have now (almost) learnt the 4 Wude. I need to go see Master Mo. What a name that is. Master MC MoMo!!!
Ahem...
:-D
Iam going to get Shenmue 2 for christmas. The first one was good and the 2nd is even better so iam told, so roll on christmas so I can take control of Ryu again.
Virtua Tennis 2 is out now. I'll buy it when I've finished Shenmue II.
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