Shenmue I & II

 Xbox One
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 75 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 75
  3. Negative: 12 out of 75
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  1. Xbox_Alive
    Aug 23, 2018
    8
    The presentation side of the game is the best yet and without a doubt you see improvements in both the visuals and sound design over the original game’s. Playing through the story once again brings back a lot of fond memories and even in today’s modern surroundings the story shines ever so bright.
    I really enjoyed the combat yet again and this time around it felt much more tight and fluid    The presentation side of the game is the best yet and without a doubt you see improvements in both the visuals and sound design over the original game’s. Playing through the story once again brings back a lot of fond memories and even in today’s modern surroundings the story shines ever so bright.
    I really enjoyed the combat yet again and this time around it felt much more tight and fluid because the controls held up really well throughout. Boredom never really rears its ugly head throughout your time with the game’s because there’s a lot of variety present which means there’s always something for you to do. Being able to save anywhere is an absolutely fantastic addition because it means you don’t need to worry about dying and this in turn keeps frustration levels down Unfortunately the game suffers with a few technichal issues but thankfully the developers have said these will be patched soon. While the soundtrack sounds great the dialogue is a little muffled and doesn’t sound great some of the time. Does Shenmue I and II do enough to get a recommendation from me? 1999 was a great year for me because whilst I really enjoyed game’s before 1999 I think this year made me really fall in love with the gaming world. The Sega Dreamcast was a console I really adored and I was sad when it became discontinued. That being said in its short time the Dreamcast opened up a number of doors for consoles and it also delivered masterpieces such as Shenmue I & II. Playing Shenmue I & II again brings back a lot of fond memories and as far as remasters go they’re very good to say the least. What I really like about these remasters is that whilst they improved aspects of the game they’ve also kept the original feel of them as well, which in turn means that newcomers and veterans of the series will each find something that will tickle their fancy. At the end of the day Shenmue I & II definitely does more than enough to get a recommendation from me and I’m pleased to say that it was an absolute pleasure to play through these masterpieces again.    … Expand
  2. Jetro
    Jan 18, 2020
    10
    Si eres de la vieja escuela sabrás apreciar este juego como se debe. Todo es grandioso en un juego que sentó las bases de lo que hoy en día son videojuegos modernos.
  3. Tamarama
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    Best game ever! A must play! I really hope that more Shenmue games are made as they are just fantastic games. :)
  4. Buzin
    Aug 25, 2018
    10
    Shenmue is unique in so many different levels, I loved playing this game back in the day and I'm still loving today!
  5. 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!
  6. Chiyou
    Aug 26, 2018
    10
    Not just a fundamental classic in any video game fan's library. This game caused a change in the way games were made. You play in a very real world in Yokosuka in the 1980's. searching every part of dubuita for the mystery of who was the man who killed your father. Along the way there are so many activities to do that you'll spend Ryo's allowance far too quickly. You'll need to get a jobNot just a fundamental classic in any video game fan's library. This game caused a change in the way games were made. You play in a very real world in Yokosuka in the 1980's. searching every part of dubuita for the mystery of who was the man who killed your father. Along the way there are so many activities to do that you'll spend Ryo's allowance far too quickly. You'll need to get a job at the harbor to replenish your habits of capsule toys, arcade machines, buying pointless snacks just for a chance to win a raffle, and gambling at the casino. If you want to have a lot of fun play with the english audio.. but if you want to take the story a little more serious try out the japanese audio.

    Now for the other part.. D3T did a decent job at porting the game to PC, XB1, and PS4... However they clearly had far too big of a job for the tiny company that they were. They shipped the game with quite a few bugs, Most of them don't break the game but they are annoyances for a superfan who wants to see everything run smoothly. It does however run smoothly, especially when comparing it to the dreamcast and xbox versions. However occasions do pop up where things that clearly should have been noticed by the developers will catch your eye. This game has 2 trophies on PS4 and some pretty easy trophies/achievements. I wish it was a little more of a challenge to be honest.

    In conclusion: this is a must own.    … Expand
  7. 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
  8. CenkAlp
    Sep 21, 2019
    5
    Hikaye = 6
    Oynanış = 4
    Grafikler = 4
    Sesler = 5
    Keyif = 5
    Atmosfer = 6
    Süre = 5
  9. Art_Connoisseur
    Aug 26, 2018
    10
    Perfect time to dive into these legendary classics for the first time or revisit the masterpiece in time for part 3.
  10. DukeJon
    Mar 14, 2019
    8
    Sure, it's showing it's age. I have the dreamcast version and didn't spot a lot of improvements on the xbone remaster. Having said that, it's still the seminal game it was back in 1999. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much I enjoyed the whole unhurried experience this game offers. Such a nice change of pace from the usual "do this, do that" you get in most modern rpgs. For theSure, it's showing it's age. I have the dreamcast version and didn't spot a lot of improvements on the xbone remaster. Having said that, it's still the seminal game it was back in 1999. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much I enjoyed the whole unhurried experience this game offers. Such a nice change of pace from the usual "do this, do that" you get in most modern rpgs. For the money I paid for it to get both the first two Shenmue games is an absolute steal. If you've never played this masterpiece before, do yourself a favour and pick up the remaster. Once you learn to look beyond the dated graphics and controls, you'll find yourself becoming immersed in the fascinating world of Shenmue.… Expand
  11. EduSoares
    Jul 19, 2019
    10
    Shenmue is a incredible game, it's has everything. action, romance, investigation and a great storytelling. Soundtrack is also well made and help with the immersion feeling. Every character has it's own personality with makes you remeber every single one of them. Shenmue is a real example of how a game should be developed it's a complete experience from beginning to end. It's a true masterpiece.
  12. f1o_o1f
    Jul 15, 2021
    7
    *I have yet to play the second part. The following only concentrates on Shenmue I*

    I'm not sure why, but I kinda liked this game. Nothing really stands out in particular (except for the Music!), but the presentation was excellent and the world seemed very much alive. Combat is not my cup of tea, although there certainly is some potential buried somewhere. It also has some major    *I have yet to play the second part. The following only concentrates on Shenmue I*

    I'm not sure why, but I kinda liked this game. Nothing really stands out in particular (except for the Music!), but the presentation was excellent and the world seemed very much alive.

    Combat is not my cup of tea, although there certainly is some potential buried somewhere. It also has some major design flaws that can get annoying very fast (I advise using some kind of guide. Spoilers should be avoided, but sometimes it's hard to know what to do exactly). The last five or so ingame days also dragged on heavily and was plagued by the most "mistakes" in terms of design.

    It's obviously an older game, but it held up enough to enjoy a first playthrough this time around. The Xbox One port is alright. Some QoL changes here and there would not have hurt the game, but I suppose it was brought over just the way it was 20 years ago. I'm definitely looking forward to the second game    … Expand
  13. Bleeding_Jester
    Nov 20, 2021
    6
    ive heard this game described as The Greatest Worst game and i think that is the perfect way to describe this game

    these games have not aged well and they weren't the best even when they first released (Except maybe Graphics) and it can be a really frustrating game to play but the World is amazing these aren't just open world games these aren't just Martial Arts games these are    ive heard this game described as The Greatest Worst game and i think that is the perfect way to describe this game

    these games have not aged well and they weren't the best even when they first released (Except maybe Graphics) and it can be a really frustrating game to play but the World is amazing these aren't just open world games these aren't just Martial Arts games these are immersive Life Sim games and it does its best to immerse you in its world and that is why you should play the games at least once

    that said these games are a pain to playthrough now they feel clunky to play and they can be really annoying and frustrating to play they    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

56
#56 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2018
91
#91 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Cubed3
    Sep 28, 2020
    60
    It is a really fun world the games put forward, and it is great to explore and figure out where to go and what to do next. At the same time, though, they don't necessarily play that well, and they show their age in a lot of unfortunate ways. This is definitely more of an acquired taste, and it is probably best to say that these are better experiences than they are video games. They're worth checking out, particularly for someone that has fond memories of them on the Dreamcast, but be warned that there are some warts that need to be looked past before you dive in headfirst.
    Read full review
  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Oct 21, 2018
    70
    An HD re-relase of a beloved series. It's a pity that it hasn't received the remaster treatment. [Nov 2018, p.78]
  3. TheXboxHub
    Sep 11, 2018
    90
    Whether you are a newcomer or a series fanatic these are games that deserve to be played, and with a fantastic price to boot there isn’t really an excuse not to. Play Shenmue. Now.
    Read full review
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