Shenmue 2 (S2) XBOX -version spoiler free text review..
When S was released for now faded away Dreamcast-console,it got mixed review for a good reason.While it showed just how far technology had come in terms of building advanced and delailed playing enviroments with full of life,at the same time it proved how much work was still to be done to fully immerse players so that gaming would not feel like only a movie with some playable battles.It was like not keeping a promise,but claiming that the best was still yet to come and actually pointing out some of the highlighs.On some respect,Zelda games are still ahead of S as a RPG,despite having kind of inferior realization,if you know what mean.When building a game that is practically same as reality,it is going to be somewhat depressing!Personally I have played more enternaining RPGs than S,like already mentioned one.This is due the fact that some other RPGs offer far more choices instead of one path to follow,and while on S you could do small little things like buy a can of soda,you could rarely do any long term difference what so ever to anything.Same is true with the reality,but then again we play games because they tend to offer other things.It also felt,that nothing interesting sadly ever happened outside the cut-scenes."On-Rails Role Playing Real-life Simulation" is what S was and will always remain,and that alone made it as "boring" as real-life as you even had to go to work nearly every day to earn some cash!Some peoples hated it for that while others loved real-life alternative,or "Virtual Reality" as it`s usually called.Reality where absolutely no one changes their clothes despite how many months you spent there,for example.OK,admitedly S was way too ambitious for it`s own good,but it still managed to do most of the things that it did right and that is why it was success it is.But it has to be said,that if you can not do one single thing that the games story requires you to do,-finding Lan Di,you are going to be disapointed.Unfortunately,first game was released only as a movie clip as a part of the saga on the XBOX version of the S2,but i recommend to try that on SEGA`s console.What made things even worse,is that not only is it missing,second game is only port of the DC-version,but instead of giving Japanese speech you get English only,that is disapointment for fans as USA customers particulary has no option to even purchase DC-version instead,that is available on EU and Japan.This all means that XBOX-owners get more or less dumped down version,as you can not even use your existing game saves from the first game.However,it`s still nice to get even something from the legacy of DC,but it`s still true that these games shine differently on it,and should played on that machine.Having said all that,you might think that i absolutely hate S-games!That is not true,as this "V.F RPG" is still as close to combining movies and games together to "interactive movie" as any game has ever been.Period.Some efforts like Bouncer,or Berserk,not to even mention FMV-games just fail short when compared to S2 that really delivered what the first game only promised.It`s not only the story,it`s the Chinese culture that is so well presented on it.This is the game that is full of beautiful moments,things to explore,strong characters,captivating story of growing as a person,exiting battles,professional cutting edge biggest budget realization.-List just goes on.These as still unique games & get high recommention!I can hardly wait for Shenmue 3.GO BUY IT!
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