Shenmue I & II

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 280 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 226 out of 280
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 280
  3. Negative: 37 out of 280
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  1. drlowdon
    May 3, 2019
    4
    Over the years Shenmue has garnered a cult following but, whilst I appreciate what these games were trying to do, I never really enjoyed it at the time and this re-release shows that time hasn't been kind to either game. The gameplay is often monotonous with a lot of aimless wondering and dull side missions. The controls, which were poor even for the time, feel even more awkward by modernOver the years Shenmue has garnered a cult following but, whilst I appreciate what these games were trying to do, I never really enjoyed it at the time and this re-release shows that time hasn't been kind to either game. The gameplay is often monotonous with a lot of aimless wondering and dull side missions. The controls, which were poor even for the time, feel even more awkward by modern standards and graphical its stood up as badly as most early 3d games.

    We'll seen be seeing a third entry in the series pretty soon so Shenmue clearly has a decent fan base, I'm just not one of them.    … Expand
  2. Bibit
    Sep 24, 2018
    4
    I bought the game due to the recommendations of others and to also be able buy shenmue 3 which was announced. It started off good., I was enjoying Shenmue 1. It was atmospheric and enjoyable generally. I noticed lots of gaming designs that influenced a lot of developers that followed . However, I was really disappointed by shenmue 2, I found it very long and drawn out with qte commandsI bought the game due to the recommendations of others and to also be able buy shenmue 3 which was announced. It started off good., I was enjoying Shenmue 1. It was atmospheric and enjoyable generally. I noticed lots of gaming designs that influenced a lot of developers that followed . However, I was really disappointed by shenmue 2, I found it very long and drawn out with qte commands being unnecessary at times and very annoying. I hope shenmue 3 improves on that.… Expand
  3. SlyKen
    Aug 24, 2018
    4
    people who played shenmue from the start of course will love it, games used to have one objective or few minor ones and this game basically open the flood gates for open world games i never got to play it before but i know about it and as a new player i see it as a bare-bones game with some weird animations but i dont deny if this game came out 10+years ago it would be great which it didpeople who played shenmue from the start of course will love it, games used to have one objective or few minor ones and this game basically open the flood gates for open world games i never got to play it before but i know about it and as a new player i see it as a bare-bones game with some weird animations but i dont deny if this game came out 10+years ago it would be great which it did so no, you dont have to like this game and if its ported to the new age it will be reviewed to those standers i think.
    also real-time is annoying sometimes in this game    … Expand
  4. 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. 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.

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. IGN Japan
    Dec 11, 2018
    80
    Shenmue I & II is a masterpiece that is not for everyone. That’s a shame, because a more solid port with a few tweaks here and there could have made it a package to recommend to all.
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  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.
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  3. 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.
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