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

Member Name: shaneo632

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

Advantages: Great graphics and plot

Disadvantages: Controls are poor

Shenmue is, without a doubt, one of the best games ever made, and it's a profound shame that it never gained the audiences that it deserves - narratively conscious and visually stunning, this game, which was the most expensive ever made upon its release, is begging for a next generation sequel.

The game revolves around Ryo Hazuki, a Chinese man whose father is murdered in front of his very eyes by a man known only as Lan Di. This sends Ryo on an adventure to hunt down his father's killers, travelling through countles districts, performing numerous jobs, and getting in lots of fights.

Shenmue virtually redefined the RPG - much of the game relies on exploration elements, such as following clues and talking to the locals, but what it gets right is the balance of all of the elements - one minute you'll be chasing a seeming ghost, whilst the next you'll be beating guys up in a bar. What makes the combat so great is the QTE (Quick Time Event) fight system, which relies on you pressing the correct buttons at the right time to ensure that you survive the fight.

The game comes on an immense 3 discs, with an epic, complex plot that takes a good 20+ hours to complete, and is immensely rewarding to observe both as an artistic achievement and a testament to the narrative power of games - that they can boast stories that can rival those of both films and good fiction.

Perhaps the only viable complaint against Shenmue is the control system - the controls are VERY clunky, meaning that Ryo just doesn't move how you want him to. It's a shame that they're so unresponsive, because the rest of the game is so fine tuned and meticulously engineered, that such a schoolboy error seems very strange indeed.

Wonderfully presented, with amazing visuals, great voice work, and a superb soundtrack, with excellent gameplay elements that meld a number of different genres, this is one of the best RPGs, and indeed, one of the best games ever made, that makes up for its control issues with an engrossing story and highly addictive, sprawling gameplay.

Summary: Aside from the controls, this game is perfect