Gameplay: This game plays almost like the first Shenmue, except it has some things better and some things worse. The QTE's are even more exciting, and require fast reflexs. And there are even more enviorments to explore compared to the first Shenmue. There's also alot more battles to go through too. And most of all, there's a new type of gameplay in the Shenmue series, which is gambling. On the streets of Hong Kong, you'll find multiple stands that offer betting on certain situations. Don't do it if you're bad at it though, or you'll end up losing money. Shenmue II also features a variety of mini-game to play in order to continue the game's strong storyline. You can basically do many things in Shenmue II. If you want an RPG with a marvelous storyline, QTE's, battling Virtua Fighter style and doing certain quests, then Shenmue II is a great game to try out. Graphics: The Graphics in Shenmue II are a mixed bag. On the plus side of info, Shenmue II was oringinally stated for a Dreamcast releasse, and back in 2001, the graphics were just outstanding for a Dreamcast game. Now Shenmue II appears on the XBOX, and if you compare Shenmue II graphics to other XBOX games, you'd think Shenmue II would look a bit ugly. Indeed, AM2 did make some slight graphic upgrades, including more colored textures, improved framerate, better light effects, and a better-looking Ryo character model, but overall, Shenmue II doesn't really look like an XBOX game. However, while the game doesn't look great, the game still features big enviorments featuring nice details and features about the Chinese Culture in certain areas. There are some areas that are interesting to look at, even though it may not be perfect looking. Overall, the game looks okay, but still has amazing areas that you can look at. Character design is also pretty good in this game. Sound: I don't know what the hell happened to the music. Many of the music tracks are far less interesting then Shenmue I's. Most of the songs just don't have the spirit of Shenmue I. The good music found in this game is pretty rare, so you might find yourself listening to some uninteresting music until that good song comes up. But still, the music does fit in with the type of storyline the game features. The Voice Acting for Shenmue II has a mixed feeling. 60% of the voices are decent and sort of fit in with the character, and 40% of the other voices are mediocre. The mediocre voices sometimes have no effort or they don't sound like the character. Also, there are a couple voices that just sound really bad. So the voice acting is even worse then Shenmue I, which had a better voice acting performence. Shenmue II, in my opinion, just isn't strong on its soundwork like the first Shenmue was. Conclusion: Other then a few flaws, Shenmue II is still a solid game for the XBOX. The game definitly had potential to be a great game for the XBOX, but it just didn't with some of the issues in the game. Fans of Shenmue will be interested in this game, but if you want to try Shenmue, rent it first. Also, if possible, try the Dreamcast classic first. It's just better then the sequal in a couple ways. If you gamers want to try Shenmue II, but can't really get Shenmue I, then don't worry. Shenmue II comes with a DVD movie of the oringinal Shenmue, to let you know what happened last time. Yu Suzuki is famous for making marvelous games, and he did a fairly well job on this game. Shenmue II, overall is a great RPG, with a fighting system, fast QTE's, and a great story, but also has problems, such as weak graphics and sound. Still though, Shenmue II is worth checking out to any XBOX RPG and Adventure fan. Pros: -Good variety of mini games and options to try. -Interesting character design -The fighting system is very creative. -QTE's are better then Shenmue I Cons: -Weak graphics compared to the XBOX's capablities -Not as strong soundtrack, but still decent -Some of the voice acting is poor
Shenmue II is a true sequel to Shenmue. It delivers on all the good parts of Shenmue and more. Again, the graphics are as striking as its predecessor. All the faces, environments and objects looking almost real. The gam... Read Full Review
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