Before two days i finished the game so i want to write about it.Shenmue is a strange game.The pacing of the game is like a slugfest , the premise and the character motivation is cliche , but its one of the most personal and unique gaming experience ever.Loved by the gamers around the globe and not so appraised by the critics of its time Shenmue is hard to genre define game..Some people will say its sandbox, other will say action adventure , third will say action RPG , but if we talk in anime terms the most accurate one is slice of life, martial arts ,action. Shenmue is a teaching experience that can reshow some of the most important qualities that humans can have.
As a matter a fact i didnt get gripped by the game,because the action oriented intro , but by some more irrelevant element in the game - the very first ''quest''. I was just start exploring the game world and asking the in game characters about a black car , when i was stopped by a old woman with a simple question : Where is mister Yamamoto's house. I was just shocked by this simple task.These days gamers has grown accustomed to complex and more deeps tasks. I was just currious what reward i will be given if Ryo find this house.After walking around a bit and check nameplates i found the house and told the lady.And the most shocking moment had come - the lady just say these days youngesters wasn't polite like Ryo and give her goodbyes. It was a different experience which give me the realization that somethings in life must not be awarded by material things , but with emotional pleasure.
In most modern games time is trivial thing. You can reexplore almost everything without give a F about what were you doing before.Shenmue is different.If you miss some meetings or phone calls you wont get another. Just like normal life.I was really pissed that i miss a visit at Ryo's house by some of his friends,but then i realize that if i miss some of my appointments there is no second chances. The other moment is Nozomi's phone call and confession. This Nozomi girl just hid her feelings for so long and when she try to contact me i was not at home.It make me pretty sad and again sometimes you can miss important things like these because you are not in the right place in the right time.
Some of my most beloved experience in the game is the part that get most criticism - the NPC's dialogues and the big portion of free time in the game..You can talk with everybody in the game and i was shocked again. Most of the dialogues are so casual like the dialogues in my small hometown. If you talk with one shopkeeper Ryo will ask how is his business , the other will try to sell you some stuff , third will share some personal information and many more.I just get so engaged that i will talk with everybody on occasion just to will they respond me differently or how will their mini stories progress.If you want to progress in the story you must ask the right man or woman with the right info. It was so normal , yet so different.In the free time Ryo will just train or collect toys and etc like every one of us.I was just sitting with hours of in game time just buying toys so i can complete my collection or training my moves or in the arcade playing some games.
The last thing which i will turn my attention to is near the end of the game moments..I was just preparing for the last challenge when i talk with Ryo's friend Tom.He told Ryo that he will leave Japan tommorow , but in his heart Ryo will be always his friend and taught Ryo a move.It was very emotional and i had the feeling like i lost a real friend.A little bit later you will grow your connection with other character Guizhang Chen. I just realized then that sometimes when you lose something , you get another in return.
So in the end Shenmue cant be explained with words. Its a very personal experience that is different for everybody.I just had this feeling for days that i want to write and discuss about it even with my bad english.So thats that share you personal experience with Shenmue. Thanks for reading.
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