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Shenmue is a game of patience, and at times it can reflect the mundane yoke that our world all too often puts on us all too accurately. On the other hand, Shenmue's reliance on patience can be rewarding, as involvement in the game to the end of its first GDROM sees Quick Time Events and Free Time Battles pop up to acquaint you with what is just the beginning of the journey.
After having twaddled away a few days simply getting used to and marveling at the surroundings, it was high time to get to the more pressing business of revenge. Free Quest mode is what you spend the vast majority of your time in, and in that mode, you experience the full brunt of the full-on real-time universe. The scope of the creation that is Shenmue can be realized in just the sampling that Free Quest offers. You may have your own agenda, but as in real life, the world keeps turning, and people mind their own business. In other words, while you are running around chasing down clues and contacts - the barber or shop keeper you have to talk to may be closing his store down to go home, or perhaps it's early morning and his store isn't open for another hour. This of course, is a quality and a curse of the game. It can get annoying waiting for, or missing, appointments (and having to wait all afternoon for a bar to open up), but at the same time, in a masochistic way it's a full RPG experience that RPGers can't choke themselves full of.
On a smaller temporal scale, the weather changes from day-to-day are nice, as is the freedom to pursue your objectives somewhat regardless of any pressing schedule (although be warned, there is a larger timetable to save your girlfriend before winter). These variables make things different to whoever plays. For example, not being able to meet up with someone in a park enabled Ryo to learn some fighting moves (including a power punch) from a drunk on a bench, which other people who play the game might not be able to do.
QTEs become more plentiful as you pound the pavement in your search. Although they can become a little predictable (as well as having the luxury of being able to be repeated if not performed right), they break up what would normally be just another cutscene. There is even a Pool mini game that you have to go through for the plot's sake. Free Battles occur once you've practiced your moves and gotten a few tips along the way, getting you ready for full five thugs-on-one action. Let's just say that some in the office were so impressed with the Free Battles that their opinion of the game changed after being supercharged with adrenaline coursing through their virtual biceps.
Further play has unfortunately brought out some further glitches. The city environs can, every once and a while, get congested enough that things slow down for a few seconds, as well as the fact that scooter traffic (and people) can materialize out of nowhere in front of you.
Aside from the opening hype, as well as opening play, Shenmue has more or less retained its allure. Not only that, but the title has gone beyond the pretty pictures and surpassed itself (and you could say ensured its survival) with deeper play than we were expecting.
After having twaddled away a few days simply getting used to and marveling at the surroundings, it was high time to get to the more pressing business of revenge. Free Quest mode is what you spend the vast majority of your time in, and in that mode, you experience the full brunt of the full-on real-time universe. The scope of the creation that is Shenmue can be realized in just the sampling that Free Quest offers. You may have your own agenda, but as in real life, the world keeps turning, and people mind their own business. In other words, while you are running around chasing down clues and contacts - the barber or shop keeper you have to talk to may be closing his store down to go home, or perhaps it's early morning and his store isn't open for another hour. This of course, is a quality and a curse of the game. It can get annoying waiting for, or missing, appointments (and having to wait all afternoon for a bar to open up), but at the same time, in a masochistic way it's a full RPG experience that RPGers can't choke themselves full of.
On a smaller temporal scale, the weather changes from day-to-day are nice, as is the freedom to pursue your objectives somewhat regardless of any pressing schedule (although be warned, there is a larger timetable to save your girlfriend before winter). These variables make things different to whoever plays. For example, not being able to meet up with someone in a park enabled Ryo to learn some fighting moves (including a power punch) from a drunk on a bench, which other people who play the game might not be able to do.
QTEs become more plentiful as you pound the pavement in your search. Although they can become a little predictable (as well as having the luxury of being able to be repeated if not performed right), they break up what would normally be just another cutscene. There is even a Pool mini game that you have to go through for the plot's sake. Free Battles occur once you've practiced your moves and gotten a few tips along the way, getting you ready for full five thugs-on-one action. Let's just say that some in the office were so impressed with the Free Battles that their opinion of the game changed after being supercharged with adrenaline coursing through their virtual biceps.
Further play has unfortunately brought out some further glitches. The city environs can, every once and a while, get congested enough that things slow down for a few seconds, as well as the fact that scooter traffic (and people) can materialize out of nowhere in front of you.
Aside from the opening hype, as well as opening play, Shenmue has more or less retained its allure. Not only that, but the title has gone beyond the pretty pictures and surpassed itself (and you could say ensured its survival) with deeper play than we were expecting.
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Shenmue is a game of patience, and at times it can reflect the mundane yoke that our world all too often puts on us all too accurately. On the other hand, Shenmue's reliance on patience can be rewarding, as involvement in the game to the end of its first GDROM sees Quick Time Events and Free Time Battles pop up to acquaint you with what is just the beginning of the journey.
After having twaddled away a few days simply getting used to and marveling at the surroundings, it was high time to get to the more pressing business of revenge. Free Quest mode is what you spend the vast majority of your time in, and in that mode, you experience the full brunt of the full-on real-time universe. The scope of the creation that is Shenmue can be realized in just the sampling that Free Quest offers. You may have your own agenda, but as in real life, the world keeps turning, and people mind their own business. In other words, while you are running around chasing down clues and contacts - the barber or shop keeper you have to talk to may be closing his store down to go home, or perhaps it's early morning and his store isn't open for another hour. This of course, is a quality and a curse of the game. It can get annoying waiting for, or missing, appointments (and having to wait all afternoon for a bar to open up), but at the same time, in a masochistic way it's a full RPG experience that RPGers can't choke themselves full of.
On a smaller temporal scale, the weather changes from day-to-day are nice, as is the freedom to pursue your objectives somewhat regardless of any pressing schedule (although be warned, there is a larger timetable to save your girlfriend before winter). These variables make things different to whoever plays. For example, not being able to meet up with someone in a park enabled Ryo to learn some fighting moves (including a power punch) from a drunk on a bench, which other people who play the game might not be able to do.
QTEs become more plentiful as you pound the pavement in your search. Although they can become a little predictable (as well as having the luxury of being able to be repeated if not performed right), they break up what would normally be just another cutscene. There is even a Pool mini game that you have to go through for the plot's sake. Free Battles occur once you've practiced your moves and gotten a few tips along the way, getting you ready for full five thugs-on-one action. Let's just say that some in the office were so impressed with the Free Battles that their opinion of the game changed after being supercharged with adrenaline coursing through their virtual biceps.
Further play has unfortunately brought out some further glitches. The city environs can, every once and a while, get congested enough that things slow down for a few seconds, as well as the fact that scooter traffic (and people) can materialize out of nowhere in front of you.
Aside from the opening hype, as well as opening play, Shenmue has more or less retained its allure. Not only that, but the title has gone beyond the pretty pictures and surpassed itself (and you could say ensured its survival) with deeper play than we were expecting.
After having twaddled away a few days simply getting used to and marveling at the surroundings, it was high time to get to the more pressing business of revenge. Free Quest mode is what you spend the vast majority of your time in, and in that mode, you experience the full brunt of the full-on real-time universe. The scope of the creation that is Shenmue can be realized in just the sampling that Free Quest offers. You may have your own agenda, but as in real life, the world keeps turning, and people mind their own business. In other words, while you are running around chasing down clues and contacts - the barber or shop keeper you have to talk to may be closing his store down to go home, or perhaps it's early morning and his store isn't open for another hour. This of course, is a quality and a curse of the game. It can get annoying waiting for, or missing, appointments (and having to wait all afternoon for a bar to open up), but at the same time, in a masochistic way it's a full RPG experience that RPGers can't choke themselves full of.
On a smaller temporal scale, the weather changes from day-to-day are nice, as is the freedom to pursue your objectives somewhat regardless of any pressing schedule (although be warned, there is a larger timetable to save your girlfriend before winter). These variables make things different to whoever plays. For example, not being able to meet up with someone in a park enabled Ryo to learn some fighting moves (including a power punch) from a drunk on a bench, which other people who play the game might not be able to do.
QTEs become more plentiful as you pound the pavement in your search. Although they can become a little predictable (as well as having the luxury of being able to be repeated if not performed right), they break up what would normally be just another cutscene. There is even a Pool mini game that you have to go through for the plot's sake. Free Battles occur once you've practiced your moves and gotten a few tips along the way, getting you ready for full five thugs-on-one action. Let's just say that some in the office were so impressed with the Free Battles that their opinion of the game changed after being supercharged with adrenaline coursing through their virtual biceps.
Further play has unfortunately brought out some further glitches. The city environs can, every once and a while, get congested enough that things slow down for a few seconds, as well as the fact that scooter traffic (and people) can materialize out of nowhere in front of you.
Aside from the opening hype, as well as opening play, Shenmue has more or less retained its allure. Not only that, but the title has gone beyond the pretty pictures and surpassed itself (and you could say ensured its survival) with deeper play than we were expecting.