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. Velvetvelvet
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    Это просто ЛЕГЕНДА. Шедевр, недооценённый в полной мере. Возможности этой игры, для своих лет, просто поражают и многим аспектам игры могут позавидовать даже современные поделки игростроя.

    D3T спасибо за детство!
  2. ClayLamm
    Jun 5, 2022
    10
    It's a classic for a reason; though gaming has "evolved" in various ways since its conception, this is a solid session on where gaming was and where it went. I would encourage you to see this as borderline gaming history education. Also a pretty engaging story with a surprising amount of things to do!
  3. Khristian5
    Mar 21, 2022
    9
    Tener estas dos obras de arte en un mismo disco es una delicia. Mi saga favorita de todos los tiempos desde Dreamcast. Pero tengo un pero importante y es el idioma, que hubiera sido bueno incluir subtítulos en castellano, italiano, francés, etc. El juego no luce muy diferente de sus versiones para la última consola de Sega pero que alegría revivir de nuevo las aventuras de Hazuki conTener estas dos obras de arte en un mismo disco es una delicia. Mi saga favorita de todos los tiempos desde Dreamcast. Pero tengo un pero importante y es el idioma, que hubiera sido bueno incluir subtítulos en castellano, italiano, francés, etc. El juego no luce muy diferente de sus versiones para la última consola de Sega pero que alegría revivir de nuevo las aventuras de Hazuki con precio muy reducido.… Expand
  4. FilipeGoncalves
    Nov 20, 2018
    10
    An updated version from a masterpiece of his on time..... a must play for a true gamer.... 10/10............
  5. Robert88
    Oct 19, 2021
    7
    Shenmue 1 and 2 is a game that was very unexpected for it’s time .. with fully rendered 3d environments , every npc having a schedule and daily routine .. .. people wake up go to work or to the bar... every npc having been fully voiced .. changing weather , day and night Cycles.. the combat of virtua fighter .. this was something no body ever experienced at the time .. we are coming outShenmue 1 and 2 is a game that was very unexpected for it’s time .. with fully rendered 3d environments , every npc having a schedule and daily routine .. .. people wake up go to work or to the bar... every npc having been fully voiced .. changing weather , day and night Cycles.. the combat of virtua fighter .. this was something no body ever experienced at the time .. we are coming out of a era of side scrollers and 2d ... unfortunately not many people were aware of this game and not many people even knew of this type of genre of game, people did not know what to cal it .. it is not often you see a game bring a new feature to Change gaming in today’s day and age .. and Shenmue along with elder scrolls titles helped push this wave of open world games we seee today .. that alone deserves respect .. even today not many games have fully interactive environments Some npc in today’s games you can’t even talk to .. or they will just say one line ... a lot of thought and effort went in to Shenmue 1 and 2 .. though the ending of both games fall pretty flat and leave on a cliffhanger even today as I am playing Shenmue for the millionth time .. I still find new things I never experienced... new cutscenes I never have seen after alll these years people still encountering new things .. how is that possible for a 20 year old game ! Think about it ... that is incredible ...

    Now let’s talk about this copy .. this copy though it did have some really poor audio Bugs , cutscene bugs it has since been patched and runs pretty flawlessly .. I enjoyed my time with it be it going to arcade , training , darts , gambling , or just interacting with people looking for new things to find .. I feel there is more than meets the eye to this game .. it’s an experience I feel that many today will not appreciate , and it is sad that many people who were alive when this game came out did not get a chance to try it ... pick up this game .. play it as if you are in 1998/2000s ... try to see what people who played this game saw for the time ... graphics hold up ok . Game play can be a bit clunky walking around ... combat well combat is based off of virtua fighter ... i always thought tekken was better though.. it is a decent game which is under appreciated and will continue to be under appreciated because today’s day and age this type of game really can’t exist ... we moved on and gone to bigger and better things .    … Expand
  6. dyinginbeauty
    Aug 3, 2021
    9
    An excellent game that plays well on PS4, the only downside for this remaster being the poor audio quality on the voice acting. Shenmue was one of my favourite games on the dreamcast, with incredible atmosphere and an amazing attention to detail at the time. This game thrives by making you pay attention and engage with the mundane - you will be passing in-game time by playing mini-gamesAn excellent game that plays well on PS4, the only downside for this remaster being the poor audio quality on the voice acting. Shenmue was one of my favourite games on the dreamcast, with incredible atmosphere and an amazing attention to detail at the time. This game thrives by making you pay attention and engage with the mundane - you will be passing in-game time by playing mini-games and buying collectibles from vending machines. Sound boring? It's not as it feels organic and integrated into the games experience. It may be slow and a little clunky at times, but if one allows oneself to be taken in it results in a game that is hard to put down. An absolute buy if you are feeling nostalgic or want a different type of gaming experience… Expand
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Benjones1234
    Apr 9, 2020
    10
    One of the best games off all time, totally underrated and a definitely must play by everyone!
  10. crigamon
    Mar 27, 2020
    10
    Bothe Shenmue I & II are inmortal masterpieces than Yu Suzuki mades. I love his gameplays, his plots, their characters, including Ryo, Shenhua, Nozomi, Joy, Ren, etc. Enjoy!
  11. 24Nathan
    Dec 26, 2019
    10
    Definitely recommend these classics. Shenmue I (Dreamcast) and Shenmue II (Dreamcast, Xbox, Xbox 360 backwards compatible), are now available on Steam, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4! These are my personal favorite games of all time. Don't forget to check out Shenmue III on PlayStation 4, Epic Games Store, and Steam (November 19th, 2020)! And then on to #SaveShenmueIV!
  12. Hazuki1986
    Dec 3, 2019
    10
    I prefer the original Dreamcast versions of both games but this is still amazing
  13. DespairZz
    Nov 24, 2019
    9
    Woow! It's realy great games.
    I've 1st time played them only few month ago, but even in 2019 this games looks in a sense fresh and cool. Beutiful atmosphere of east and intriguing story + original gameplay (especially for 1999 and 2001) which don't look so old even today. Live open world truly impresed!
  14. Ghettorapboy7
    Nov 21, 2019
    10
    This game was rather buggy before the patches now it runs good. The game looks amazing in HD. I also love the fact that you can choose between English and Japanese vocies. The faster load times are also nice. I've beaten Shenmue to many times to count and with this title I will increase that number ten fold.
  15. Evenstar1985
    Nov 21, 2019
    10
    After the Dreamcast version, 17 years later i was happy to play this game again and add the platinum trophies on my list.
  16. jumpingtheshark
    Nov 20, 2019
    9
    The first major leap in sandbox gaming finally comes to current gen consoles. Other some graphical effects the games remain mostly unchanged. Heck, even the save menu has a Dreamcast VMU on it. These games were a paradigm shift in gaming and their legacy can still be seen in AAA titles today. Will new comers to the series enjoy the series? It depends on your taste. If there is ever a caseThe first major leap in sandbox gaming finally comes to current gen consoles. Other some graphical effects the games remain mostly unchanged. Heck, even the save menu has a Dreamcast VMU on it. These games were a paradigm shift in gaming and their legacy can still be seen in AAA titles today. Will new comers to the series enjoy the series? It depends on your taste. If there is ever a case for acquired taste in electronic entertainment and it's Shenmue. However, veterans of the series will bathe gleefully in the odd, yet incredibly endearing nostalgia that only Shenmue can conjure.… Expand
  17. Animeche
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    I'm so happy I'm finally able to play again my favorite videogame ever. Thank you for bring it to a new console!!

    For me, Shenmue means everything: good story, amazing soundtrack, huge open world, lot of places, situations, culture, etc.
  18. 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, 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.
  19. GoodBinary
    Nov 8, 2019
    10
    This is absolutely the best gift that has been giving to the gaming community.
    anyone who has every played and loved Shenmue on the Dreamcast has to appreciate the love that was given with this release.
    it's just absolutely wonderful, to have the games, with no load times, and not repainted with rose-colored glasses such as remasters/remakes. your memory, will not be clouded and    This is absolutely the best gift that has been giving to the gaming community.
    anyone who has every played and loved Shenmue on the Dreamcast has to appreciate the love that was given with this release.
    it's just absolutely wonderful, to have the games, with no load times, and not repainted with rose-colored glasses such as remasters/remakes.
    your memory, will not be clouded and flowered to you by a remake. this is the real thing.
    you can enjoy Shenmue for everything it was, with the best of the Dreamcast, and slight adjustments that were made.
    I would recommend this game, to anyone who delved into Shenmue 1 on the Dreamcast back in the day, and had very fond memories of the fresh game design of that once unique platform.    … Expand
  20. vanjoelsandwich
    Oct 20, 2019
    10
    By the story alone this game deserves a 10. The amazing soundtrack, super detailed world, the giant cast of characters, the virtua-fighter engine (wich was the best fighting engine at the time) and all its culmitating moments during gameplay, makes this game a must play for everyone who ever picked up a controller in their hands. Yes, it shows it age sometimes but that's because is wasBy the story alone this game deserves a 10. The amazing soundtrack, super detailed world, the giant cast of characters, the virtua-fighter engine (wich was the best fighting engine at the time) and all its culmitating moments during gameplay, makes this game a must play for everyone who ever picked up a controller in their hands. Yes, it shows it age sometimes but that's because is was first released almost 20 years ago! Still holds up really really well, Absolute masterpieces. 10 out of 10 with a badass seal of approval Angry Joe Style.… Expand
  21. Dokodemodoamike
    Oct 14, 2019
    10
    Patched version runs flawless now. A really good port of one of the best Games of all time.
  22. Reed618
    Sep 25, 2019
    7
    I have a real love/hate relationship with these games after playing them for the first time recently.

    Shenmue 1 is enjoyable as it's fun to explore a Japanese neighborhood, slowly learning the layout of the town, meeting the locals and finding clues to proceed with my investigation. The big con is that some sections just go on... and on... and on... it's also crazy how sometimes I had    I have a real love/hate relationship with these games after playing them for the first time recently.

    Shenmue 1 is enjoyable as it's fun to explore a Japanese neighborhood, slowly learning the layout of the town, meeting the locals and finding clues to proceed with my investigation. The big con is that some sections just go on... and on... and on... it's also crazy how sometimes I had to wait 40 real minutes so i could then go to sleep and wait and another real 30 minutes so I could proceed with the story. The story is also... kind of underwhelming. I could summarize it in a few sentences very easily and of course the voice acting is hilariously bad at time.

    Shenmue 2 has much better pacing, the ability to wait as a means of advancing the time quickly and a much improved story. However... the QTE's.... oh god... the damn QTE's... I've never found this mechanic to be so annoying in any other game. It made me just want to quit at points. The game is also packed with filler. At one point you need to go to the top of a building but you can't take an elevator or quickly move up the stairs... you have to fight on every single floor or take part in some annoying stealth section or deal with more QTE's... getting to the top of one building ends up taking hours as a result. The final section of the game is also very slow and kind of dull. It's not the climax I was hoping for.

    Overall my biggest complaint... these games don't respect your time... you could easily edit them down... shortening each from a 20 hour experience to a 15 hour game... or maybe even 10. I hope shenmue 3 can build on the story, the characters, the world and the combat... and avoid mundane and repetitive tasks, filler and annoying QTE's.    … Expand
  23. 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
  24. scendi
    Feb 18, 2019
    10
    Experience the most compelling form of interactivity outside the real world now in modern fashion. Shenmue is a passionate and gripping adventure utilizing advanced technology that encompasses a real 3D world with stunning characters and real time fighting. This is clearly not a game, but an experience never to be forgotten. This remastered masterpiece is the definitive experience withExperience the most compelling form of interactivity outside the real world now in modern fashion. Shenmue is a passionate and gripping adventure utilizing advanced technology that encompasses a real 3D world with stunning characters and real time fighting. This is clearly not a game, but an experience never to be forgotten. This remastered masterpiece is the definitive experience with minimal load times, stable framerate, choice of English & Japanese voices and widescreen gameplay. Witness the greatest form of media ever produced in human history.… Expand
  25. Wander22
    Feb 17, 2019
    9
    Gameplay/Mechanics: 8
    Sound/Music: 10
    Graphics/Art: 10
    Story/Atmosphere: 10
    OVERALL: 9.5
  26. ShotGunPill
    Oct 28, 2018
    8
    This its a really good game i enjoyed Shenmue 1 so much but the second one story wise wasn't that good as the first one though it had a bigger world and more content generally though it was still a good game.
  27. hoogafanter
    Oct 1, 2018
    6
    This is the single greatest gaming experience I have ever had. I was enthralled from start to finish, and the ending left me wanting more. The atmosphere is glorious, gameplay is solid, and story is phenomenal. Best game to ever grace this console easily...

    It's the software personification of the dreamcast IMO. Just as Dreamcast symbolizes the end of a hardcore gaming era whilst    This is the single greatest gaming experience I have ever had. I was enthralled from start to finish, and the ending left me wanting more. The atmosphere is glorious, gameplay is solid, and story is phenomenal. Best game to ever grace this console easily...

    It's the software personification of the dreamcast IMO. Just as Dreamcast symbolizes the end of a hardcore gaming era whilst trailblazing the future of the industry(for better or worse), Shenmue is the prime software example of this. A beautifully animated character driven narrative focused open world game, now of which are a dime a dozen, but with arcadish gameplay and a sense of immersion that still has yet to be matched 18 years later.

    Absolutely everything about Shenmue, just like the dreamcast itself, was painfully detailed and no effort was spared. It also pioneered and/or popularized so many common modern gaming tropes its astounding. So much that we take for granted today was absolutely breathtaking with the release of Shenmue...

    The above is my review for the Dreamcast versions... unfortunately these new ports suffer from awful glitches that really ruin the experience. Sega clearly rushed this out to capitalize on the hype and used a **** dev team with a horrible track record to do it...    … Expand
  28. wollathet
    Sep 30, 2018
    7
    This is something of a mixed bag. On one hand, I love that I can now play these great games on the playstation with all its added convenience, but at the same time, the release is pretty poor. The remaster quality is a 6 but with the games, it seems unfair to go with that. Its a light 7.

    When I initially got the game I was excited to jump into it and I enjoyed it for a solid few hours.    This is something of a mixed bag. On one hand, I love that I can now play these great games on the playstation with all its added convenience, but at the same time, the release is pretty poor. The remaster quality is a 6 but with the games, it seems unfair to go with that. Its a light 7.

    When I initially got the game I was excited to jump into it and I enjoyed it for a solid few hours. After that however I didn't quite have the same enthusiasm and noticed the problems. The sound is pretty bad at times and the clunky controls have aged, which is the same for a lot of the game. As great as the game is, its been nearly 20 years so a better remaster is deserving. The game has shown its age unfortunately. The world of Shenmue, its streets, its shops, are no longer groundbreaking or ever exciting. I was fully aware that it wouldn't be what I remember, but the long waits, the walking back to sleep, only to walk back the next morning can feel like a slog. Its a shame the release is just a basic port as it makes these issues more apparent.

    Had the graphics and audio been given a nice improvement and the controls refined, it would be an 8 or 9, Shenmue are great games, I can't deny that, but I just wish there was something here which could elevate the game from just playing on a dreamcast besides the fact it looks fine on a nice big tv. If you missed Shenmue, then its worth it, but you have to accept that it won't live up to other recent re-releases    … Expand
  29. 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
  30. Hasuki
    Sep 11, 2018
    10
    Amazing value, two of the greatest games in videogame history for 35 bucks.

    60 fps would have been nice but not a deal breaker.
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
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