Shenmue I & II

 PlayStation 4
Shenmue I & II Image
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75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 280 Ratings

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  • Summary: A tale of revenge.

    In 1986, teenage jujitsu artist Ryo Hazuki returns to the dojo of his father, Iwao Hazuki, only to witness his murder by a Chinese man, Lan Di. Lan Di steals a mysterious artifact known as the Dragon Mirror. Ryo vows to avenge his father's death and sets out tracing Lan    A tale of revenge.

    In 1986, teenage jujitsu artist Ryo Hazuki returns to the dojo of his father, Iwao Hazuki, only to witness his murder by a Chinese man, Lan Di. Lan Di steals a mysterious artifact known as the Dragon Mirror. Ryo vows to avenge his father's death and sets out tracing Lan Di's path.

    The first game in the series, Shenmue begins the tale as Ryo travels around Yokosuka, Japan, gathering clues about his father's murder and dealing with nefarious gangsters along the way.

    The sequel Shenmue II continues Ryo's quest, this time crossing the sea to Hong Kong, China. Ryo ventures deeper into the criminal underworld, meeting martial arts masters who aid him on his journey and offer insight into his father's death, and unravels the mysteries of the Dragon Mirror that his father kept hidden.

    Gameplay:

    * Take the role of Ryo Hazuki.

    * Explore a 3D open world searching for clues, examining objects, and talking to NPCs.
    * Battle enemies and bosses making full use of the moves of Hazuki-style jujitsu.
    * Beat quick-time events (QTEs) and mini-games.

    Key features:

    The best Shenmue experience

    Pioneering Dreamcast classics available for the first time on PC
    Updated user interface
    Choice of modern or classic controls
    Japanese audio available for the first time for a global audience
    Fully scalable screen resolutions

    An epic legend
    A tale of revenge on a grand scale
    Solve the mystery of your father's murder
    An experience never to be forgotten

    The world feels alive
    Talk to anyone, scour the world for clues
    NPCs live independent lives on their own schedule
    Faithful recreations of 1980s Japan and Hong Kong, China
    Distract yourself with arcade games, collectibles, duck racing, and more    … Expand
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Shenmue 1 And 2 Pre-Order Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. CGMagazine
    Aug 24, 2018
    90
    The Shenmue II & II collection is hands down, the best way to experience these title (warts and all), for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
  2. Gaming Age
    Oct 26, 2018
    83
    At this point it’s fair to say the HD port of Shenmue I & II is in better shape than its release and would now be considered acceptable to play. Save data transfer and cutscenes were a big problem, and major bugs seem to be patched out. Both games are here in all their glory and probably the best way to spend your time with Ryo as he follows his journey. Veterans will be happy with the ability to play on modern platforms and newcomers finally have a chance to experience what Shenmue has to offer while Yu Suzuki is hard at work on Shenmue 3.
  3. Trusted Reviews
    Aug 20, 2018
    80
    With eclectic writing and characters in addition to things to do and places to explore, Shenmue 1 & 2 are brilliant. Very few older titles of that generation still hold up so immensely well today. A stone-cold classic.
  4. RPG Fan
    Oct 22, 2018
    75
    Playing Shenmue I & II is a treat for die-hard fans as well as an accessible way for newcomers to experience these renowned titles, though they won't be for everyone. Even though I enjoyed both games, I really struggled to look past the clunky dialogue or even fully invest in Ryu's story, and the controls sometimes made walking around a nightmare. They're seminal products of their time that deserve to be celebrated, and this port does a great job of delivering that authentic Shenmue experience.
  5. ZTGD
    Oct 10, 2018
    70
    Shenmue is part of gaming history and there is a reason that it has continued to be revered all this time. But please remember what you are getting in to when buying this game. Yes, it looks a little shinier and it is of course the first time the two games have been available as a collection on a console that isn’t the Dreamcast (Shenmue II was ported to the original Xbox) but if you have never played these games before, expect a little resistance. It may also be worth holding on a little while and picking it up in an inevitable future sale.
  6. PlayStation Country
    Aug 26, 2018
    70
    Shenmue I & II are still special games with very few, if any, modern equivalents. Certain elements are showing their age and there are some annoying bugs that should hopefully be patched out in time but both fans and possible fans will appreciate the chance to play both these titles in one package.
  7. USgamer
    Aug 26, 2018
    50
    Modern audiences, though, will still have to overlook some serious rough edges to find out what the big deal is.

See all 36 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 70
  3. Negative: 4 out of 70
  1. Hiki
    Nov 19, 2019
    10
    Shenmue is a amazing game series, there is no other game like Shenmue, Shenmue is unique and special. Shenmue have unique characters,Shenmue is a amazing game series, there is no other game like Shenmue, Shenmue is unique and special. Shenmue have unique characters, beautiful soundtrack, amazing story and much more, the details in this games are amazing, it is a amazing experience that i will never forget, Shenmue is my favorite game series, beautiful games.… Expand
  2. spud19870
    Aug 25, 2018
    10
    The game was an absolute revelation back in 1999/2000 and it holds up well now.

    Dive into the story of Ryo Hazuki as he looks to avenge his    The game was an absolute revelation back in 1999/2000 and it holds up well now.

    Dive into the story of Ryo Hazuki as he looks to avenge his fathers murder. The story will captivate and enthrall as you move through the narrow, bustling community of Yokosuka, Japan, into the busy Hong Kong of 1986/7 and finally into the quiet peace of Gulin.

    Yes there are some bugs with sounds and other minor issues but these will be fixed.

    I recommend this to new and old players alike.    … Expand
  4. reminisce
    Aug 21, 2018
    10
    Magnum opus of masterpieces. Spiritual pilgrimage of martial arts, culture, and humanity. Epiphanic.
  5. segamaster
    Jul 26, 2020
    10
    Thank You SEGA and Yu Suzuki.
    Greatest Game ever made.

    We lost so much without AM2 output through the years.
  6. DaNeash
    Aug 21, 2018
    10
    I have been playing video games since the Super Nintendo, and Shenmue 1 & 2 are by far some of the greatest games I have encountered in myI have been playing video games since the Super Nintendo, and Shenmue 1 & 2 are by far some of the greatest games I have encountered in my gaming life. Both games are notable for defining many conventional features of modern gaming, from establishing the open world genre, popularising the QTE mechanic and presenting a cinematic feel in a video game. The games also rock some of the best-looking graphics for gaming in 1999. As a warning: both games have a deliberately slow pace. This is a series built for immersion and exploration and not for fast progression replete with action, guns or explosions with a mini-map, glowing trails and a checkpoint system. The games dare to drop you into a vast virtual world to explore at your leisure and refuses to hold your hand, even forcing you to wait for certain shops to open, meet a character at a particular time or complete mundane tasks to complement its virtual life-simulator experience. However, if you can appreciate the refreshingly deliberate slow-pace, the intriguing story and the profoundly immersive environments, these are some fantastic golden oldies to enjoy, right up there with Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Final Fantasy 7.… Expand
  7. Kiryu1120
    Aug 22, 2018
    10
    Cleaned up, smoother, fresher versions of the 2 greatest games ever made. Any reviews judging the graphics or control style are judgingCleaned up, smoother, fresher versions of the 2 greatest games ever made. Any reviews judging the graphics or control style are judging unfairly. It's an old game with old mechanics, but old doesn't mean worse. Most games today bore me to death. Go to point A with marker, go to point B with marker, go to point C with marker. Shoot lots of guns, trigger bash and repeat...... Shenmue has atmosphere, storytelling, unique characters and world, and to this day it's incredibly fun to play. 10/10… Expand
  8. WondemanLocke
    Mar 5, 2021
    4
    I would really like this game but QTE:s have ruined all games they have been. In this game it is probably made worst than any other game. II would really like this game but QTE:s have ruined all games they have been. In this game it is probably made worst than any other game. I hope they would use a game tester in development. They repeatedly fail until memorize them and they prevent to enjoy when watching cutscenes because has to concentrate to look if there goes a pop up somewhere.… Expand

See all 70 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2018
50
#50 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2018