One of the best games ever (Shenmue II (DC))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	Shenmue II (DC)
Date:	03/09/09 (4 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb graphics and gameplay

Disadvantages: THAT cliffhanger

If there's one Dreamcast game that's absolutely like goldust to track down, it's Shenmue 2. Copies on E-Bay start at about £25, and you can look to pay up to £40-50 for a mint condition copy of the game. This caused many to buy the Xbox version, which includes a dub, whereas the Dreamcast version is simply subtitled (which is strange, considering the original game had a dub done for it!). Because of the pure nostalgia factor, it's the DC version all the way for me!

Shenmue ends as Ryo with Ryo still in pursuit of Lan Di, who murdered his father, and must travel to Hong Kong to square up with him. The Hong Kong scenery is mostly similar to that of the original game, although there are a few nice vistas you come across every now and then that are quite a welcome change from the numerous markets and districts you usually travel through.

From the second the game turns on, this is just a wonder to play - if you've kept your save from the first game, you'll be relieved to see that your money and other items will all transfer over, giving you something of an edge. Furthermore, the story is as engrossing as the first game, and whilst the ending may not be entirely satisfying, in that it simply leaves things open for a third game which, as we know, is probably never going to get made. That said, some producers still maintain that we might see an end to Ryo's story, because it ends in the most frustrating fashion possible, and gamers have been on tenterhooks for years now!

Despite this frustration, it, combined with its original game, create one of the finest video game stories of all time, and certainly the best on the Dreamcast. Over four discs, this is an epic adventure that tells an emotive story of a young man desperate to avenge his father, with splendid visuals, and a great melding of action and puzzle elements. Magnificent.

Summary: Agonising but amazing