Better than original??
Gameplay
The control pretty much stayed the same. I found it difficult at times to open doors. The same button (X) that lets you read your diary or notes is the same button that allows you to open doors. It's frustrating trying to open a door and you open your notes. Another complaint is the lack of analog stick usage. The directional pad cramps your hand a bit after using it over and over again. I understand that the analog stick had other usages, but it would have been really nice for the two sticks to be completely reversed. With that said, it's the same control scheme as the first. Good job.
Graphics
These are the best graphics on any game system to date. Hands down, no competition. It's like looking at art imitating real life. The game draws you in through its graphics and realism. The environments are huge and always active (you'll love what the water looks like at the beginning of the game). Every store, every stone, and every creature in this game has been given enough detail to make you wonder how long the game has been in production. You'll notice different facial features, different structures of people's bodies and how they move. It's that detailed. You'll notice the moods people are in by their looks. You'll know when you've made a friend or ticked someone off. Suzuki's team didn't miss a beat in this game and have delivered what was thought to be impossible, something more beautiful than the first Shenmue. Again, hands-down, one of the best looking games of all time.
Sound
This is actually a big improvement over the last. The voice-acting has been improved tremendously. I was really worried that there wasn't enough effort given in part II, but there was. When you talk to people, you and the people don't sound like complete idiots reading words off of paper. The first Shenmue dialogue made the first Resident Evil voice-actors seem like professionals, it was awful. Luckily, the voice-acting (though still the same people) has gotten better. Maybe the dubbing technique is perfected, I don't know the reason exactly, but it's gotten much better. The music in the game is also an improvement. When you change scenes or change atmospheres (like going from a nice area to a shady area), the music changes with you. I didn't notice this in the first game, but I definitely took notice of it in the second game. It's very much enjoyable and adds a bit to the atmosphere of the game in whole. Excellent job on this area.
Depth and Fun Factor
It's hard to give an accurate decision on this category. The game is long and tedious at times, but it was made to mimic a young man's journey for revenge. It's not your typical beat-'em-up games or your typical RPG, it's a combination of both. It's also a combination of the video game world and realism. You'll have to repeat things, you'll have to visit somewhere numerous times or get a job to survive and live everyday. You character goes to sleep at 11:00pm and wakes up at 8:00am. What you do with your day predicts the outcome of the game. It's total freedom for players. Pinning a decision on difficulty is near impossible. It all depends on what type of gamer you are. Myself, I'm patient when it comes to games. I can put down a game for months upon months and return to it. When I play, I play to play the entire game, not to just run through it. If you try to run through the game, you'll get frustrated. It wasn't made to be beat in a week (unless you don't sleep and you're completely addicted). It's made to be played as if you were really living Ryo's life. And in a sense, you will be when you play the game.
It's one of the deepest games ever made. You won't be disappointed with the amount of little things you can do. From working for money, to gambling, to knocking on every door you can find in Hong Kong (irritating people is so much fun!), you'll find plenty of depth in Shenmue II and wonder why you didn't buy the first on the Dreamcast.
Overall Comment
You'll find that Shenmue II belongs amongst the classics in video game history! It's deep, fun, and just a beautiful game to watch and play. You'd be bonkers not to give this a go!