First-time Shenmue players, your thoughts and impressions?

More_Badass · Aug 21, 2018

Considering so many are going to be playing Shenmue through a nostalgic lens, I'm curious about how people like me are finding the game, who never played the games before and only know about it by reputation (perhaps only knowing about its reputation and nothing else)

Personally, I'm quite enjoying it so far (just learned the Pit Blow attack). I really like the little immersive details; a lot of aspects feel way ahead of their time, like the manual phone dialing or how you record clues and important facts in your notepad instead of having a non-diegetic mission objective screen. Liking the lack of an objective marker as well, forces you to read the map and remember the route to a place and the surrounding landmarks. Also the game looks much better graphically than I was expecting.

I definitely see the elements that Yakuza took from Shenmue, mainly the "small hub areas + 3D visual novel" approach to an open environment and storytelling

Becks' · Aug 21, 2018

I'll give it a shot after I finish Yakuza 0. Fuck Mahjong. If it's similar to Yakuza, I'm gonna a have a great time.

iBoch · Aug 21, 2018

The English dub is hilarious and charming but not in a way that diminishes from the game which is rare for me.

I hate the waiting around.

black070 · Aug 21, 2018

The English dub is incredible.

LAM09 · Aug 21, 2018

The camera and controls are two things that stick out for me after 3+ hrs with 1.

MaitreWakou · Aug 21, 2018

Not a first-time player, but first-time player in a looooong time.
Game still is fun, it's quite unique, I don't know much games with open and realistic levels like that where you just ask people in order to find clues and everything, while working in order to pay your bill and your gachas (lol)
Still very unique, charming, relaxing.
But I had forget about the times you need to wait... I think in Shenmue 2 there's way less moments like that. Can't wait to play Shenmue 2.
I prefer Japan, but Shenmue 2 is the better game. It's just wild how Shenmue 2 is even bigger. Lots of qol too.

TwistedChemical · Aug 21, 2018

Becks' said:
I'll give it a shot after I finish Yakuza 0. Fuck Mahjong. If it's similar to Yakuza, I'm gonna a have a great time.

It's similar to Yakuza when you're doing side activities and such, but I found Yakuza 0 (the only one I've played) to be MUCH better than my memories of going through Shenmue on Xbox.

Main game isn't a bit different, I never made it past Shenmue 2 (original Xbox) when I had to earn money to enter a tournament after spending it on other ridiculous things.

lowlifelenny · Aug 21, 2018

More_Badass said:
a lot of aspects feel way ahead of their time, like the manual phone dialing

Eh, Snatcher had this in the '80s. In fact there's a few elements that remind me of Snatcher.

But yes, there's a lot in Shenmue that was ahead of its time. The attention to detail is manically obsessive for 1999, and while I'd hesitate to label it as a true open world game, it's one of the first of its kind where much of the experience is built around idling with optional side activities and mini-games.

FusedAtoms · Aug 21, 2018

I had 0 idea what to expect but I'm actually quite blown away by some things and I'm really enjoying the first game so far , I switched to Japanese as it made it seem more like a old film to me in a way should I switch it back to English ?

Deleted member 19996 · Aug 21, 2018

TANK CONTROLS!

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

iBoch said:
I hate the waiting around.

FYI, shenmue II has time skip.

Cow Mengde · Aug 21, 2018

Starting in a tight room with weird controls that makes traversing such a small house a chore. Camera control feels a little sluggish. Or maybe it's the way the game controls.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

FusedAtoms said:
I had 0 idea what to expect but I'm actually quite blown away by some things and I'm really enjoying the first game so far , I switched to Japanese as it made it seem more like a old film to me in a way should I switch it back to English ?

Japanese voice acting has much more gravitas. It DOES feel like a classic Japanese film.

English dialogue is completely hilarious, because it's so weird, but I would go for Japanese on a first playthrough.

Disc · Aug 21, 2018

It's quite different with no mini-map to help me find my way around. Also, for whatever reason I get a little motion sickness when playing. Fortunately sitting a little further back helps get rid of that.

SolidChamp · Aug 21, 2018

Samus4145 said:
TANK CONTROLS!

They've provided an alternative control option to tank controls though, no?

Deleted member 4532 · Aug 21, 2018

I like the 15 minutes I played! The controls feel awful though, but I'm excited to play more later tonight.

benzy · Aug 21, 2018

FusedAtoms said:
I had 0 idea what to expect but I'm actually quite blown away by some things and I'm really enjoying the first game so far , I switched to Japanese as it made it seem more like a old film to me in a way should I switch it back to English ?

The English dub is gold.

xxracerxx · Aug 21, 2018

Hold on, I just have to pet this cat for the next 30 hours.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

Disc said:
It's quite different with no mini-map to help me find my way around. Also, for whatever reason I get a little motion sickness when playing. Fortunately sitting a little further back helps get rid of that.

There is a stationary map near one edge of town that you can find to get a sense of your bearings.

Otherwise, the game definitely encourages you to wander the area until you start to feel like you really do live there and know it.

It has an uncanny sense of reality about it.

I really appreciate it in this age of Ubisoft "follow the waypoint for 90 hours" game design.

Pyro · Aug 21, 2018

I'm enjoying it thus far. It's basically just an adventure game with some fighting segments and I enjoy the atmosphere and lack of hand holding when trying to find someplace.

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Cow Mengde said:
Starting in a tight room with weird controls that makes traversing such a small house a chore. Camera control feels a little sluggish. Or maybe it's the way the game controls.

it's done on purpose, to give the idea that you constantly expand. Shenmue begins with you trapped in one room, where you can do anything in that room, open any drawer, etc. Then it expands to a house. Then the neighborhood around your house. Then the town. Then the city. Then Hong Kong. Then China.

Starting in a room is, thematically, a pretty awesome way for this game to all begin.

Burgess_101 · Aug 21, 2018

It's just a lovely chill game. I actually quite like waiting about.

I went with the Japanese dub but what's superior? I like so bad it's good dubs a lot. Is it the same experience in shenmue 2?

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Burgess_101 said:
It's just a lovely chill game. I actually quite like waiting about.

I went with the Japanese dub but what's superior? I like so bad it's good dubs a lot. Is it the same experience in shenmue 2?

stick with the dub. There are some awesome parts in shenmue 2 once you actually get into the story where the dub just sounds so flat. I think people can tolerate the dub in the early parts of Shenmue 1 when the story is light. Once you're in the thick of it, though? Japanese dub all the way.

Leeway · Aug 21, 2018

Burgess_101 said:
It's just a lovely chill game. I actually quite like waiting about.

I went with the Japanese dub but what's superior? I like so bad it's good dubs a lot. Is it the same experience in shenmue 2?

Pretty much. I have nostalgia for the dub, but it is 100% so bad it's good. This go around I'm playing in Japanese for a change of pace but also it suits the setting more. The performances in general are superior in Japanese I'm finding.

Burgess_101 · Aug 21, 2018

Krejlooc said:
stick with the dub. There are some awesome parts in shenmue 2 once you actually get into the story where the dub just sounds so flat. I think people can tolerate the dub in the early parts of Shenmue 1 when the story is light. Once you're in the thick of it, though? Japanese dub all the way.

Okay cool, thanks.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

Pyro said:
I'm enjoying it thus far. It's basically just an adventure game with some fighting segments and I enjoy the atmosphere and lack of hand holding when trying to find someplace.

Definitely a game that has no problem with you spending a day buying capsule toys, listening to cassette tapes, being insulted by schoolgirls, and blowing your money trying to hit a high score in Hang On.

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Burgess_101 said:
Okay cool, thanks.

watch this trailer, it's all in japanese with no subtitles (and thus can't really spoil the story for you) and should give you an idea of what to expect:

I compared Shenmue I to the town portion of an RPG earlier today, where Shenmue II is more like a series of "dungeons" so to speak. The vast, vast majority of Shenmue's story thus far happens in Shenmue II. Shenmue I is just 1 chapter out of the story, shenmue II takes you from chapters 3 to 6.

I've played Shenmue I and II both in english and japanese before. The Japanese voices work really well.

TriGen · Aug 21, 2018

I'm really enjoying it so far. I started playing at midnight and was planning on trying it for an hour and before I knew it I had been playing for 5 hours and had to force myself to stop. I'm not sure how to explain why I find it so mesmerizing, but there's something very relaxing about going through each day and learning a little more info, getting to know the characters more — and expanding my capsule collection of course.

I'd say personally I haven't had much issues with the controls and it looks better on my big TV than I expected. I also would add I have chose to play in japanese because without any nostalgia the english just is too rough for me. More than anything on the negative side I'm having some early issues with combat because I don't have fighting game experience and obviously it is like VF-lite as opposed to a normal action game, so I don't have a good hang of it yet.

Overall I've really enjoyed it so far and I'm interested to see how I feel about it when I beat it. As I said it kind of had this really relaxing effect on me where I got absorbed in it and time just melted away, so we'll see if it stays that way or if I get bored of it at some point. So far so good — and considering I don't play old games that often I expected not to like it.

Cow Mengde · Aug 21, 2018

Krejlooc said:
it's done on purpose, to give the idea that you constantly expand. Shenmue begins with you trapped in one room, where you can do anything in that room, open any drawer, etc. Then it expands to a house. Then the neighborhood around your house. Then the town. Then the city. Then Hong Kong. Then China.

Starting in a room is, thematically, a pretty awesome way for this game to all begin.

I can appreciate that if moving around in that tiny house felt good. It didn't. It just felt uncomfortable, and made me want to get out of it quickly. The wabbly camera and tight environment was very uncomfortable way to start the game.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

TriGen said:
More than anything on the negative side I'm having some early issues with combat because I don't have fighting game experience and obviously it is like VF-lite as opposed to a normal action game, so I don't have a good hang of it yet.

Midway through the game it's definitely a regular option to go to the dojo, or the parking lot by yourself, and just practice particular moves until you get the hang of them. You can learn more moves by buying move scrolls throughout the game, and then you can study the button prompts and practice them one by one.

Shenmue really feels like it simulates real martial arts in that way. There is a meaning and an ethos behind certain moves, and you might practice them a lot on your own before you employ them against enemies when you find yourself in a major fight.

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Cow Mengde said:
I can appreciate that if moving around in that tiny house felt good. It didn't. It just felt uncomfortable, and made me want to get out of it quickly. The wabbly camera and tight environment was very uncomfortable way to start the game.

believe it or not, IMO, shenmue controls better with a sega saturn 2D gamepad. The game is built really for 2D controls. I think giving people the analog stick makes them approach the controls wrong.

I play primarily using the trigger to go forward, for example. On a saturn pad, one trigger is "go forward," the other is "free look."

The games control much more like Resident Evil, than a modern 3D game. That can be traced back to when the games were originally developed. Also, really, think of the game more like a point and click adventure than a 3D game. I primarily use the ability to free look from a stationary spot, or examine stuff with my hands. Don't walk around the room so much, instead look around the room. It makes more sense when you realize that by looking and examining items in this way, the game gives you more information (i.e. subtitles under japanese text, dialog options giving hints about objects this way, etc). The game really expects you to play like a point and click adventure at times. Lean on the ability to stand still and look around. The game is built around that mechanic.

Blunoise · Aug 21, 2018

Cow Mengde said:
I can appreciate that if moving around in that tiny house felt good. It didn't. It just felt uncomfortable, and made me want to get out of it quickly. The wabbly camera and tight environment was very uncomfortable way to start the game.

I think once u get a hang of the controls you will be good. Lol u just started the game, give it time to sink in and you will get use to the mechanics. Don't judge this as a 2018 game judge it as an experience from a time where games had some soul put into instead of trying to be some crazy spectacle

PCEngineGuy · Aug 21, 2018

I switched right out of tank controls and that helped a lot. The control is still very stiff and awkward but understandable considering it's age. I found it controls better using the d-pad than the analog stick, actually. Probably because it wasn't designed with analog in mind.

I tried the first Shenmue then tried the second, liked the second a lot more, it's quite a bit more polished, so I'm playing through that one.

Burgess_101 · Aug 21, 2018

Krejlooc said:
watch this trailer, it's all in japanese with no subtitles (and thus can't really spoil the story for you) and should give you an idea of what to expect:

I compared Shenmue I to the town portion of an RPG earlier today, where Shenmue II is more like a series of "dungeons" so to speak. The vast, vast majority of Shenmue's story thus far happens in Shenmue II. Shenmue I is just 1 chapter out of the story, shenmue II takes you from chapters 3 to 6.

I've played Shenmue I and II both in english and japanese before. The Japanese voices work really well.

Thank you very much for the in-depth response. I'll definitely be sticking with the Japanese voices, I can always marvel at the hamminess of the English dub on YouTube.

As for controls I just think of it as driving a car, it's not perfect, but you get the hang of it pretty quickly.

KillLaCam · Aug 21, 2018

iBoch said:
The English dub is hilarious and charming but not in a way that diminishes from the game which is rare for me.
.

This is the best thing to hear. I felt this way when I first played it in like 2002 but I wasn't sure that people would still like that kinda thing

Cow Mengde · Aug 21, 2018

Krejlooc said:
believe it or not, IMO, shenmue controls better with a sega saturn 2D gamepad. The game is built really for 2D controls. I think giving people the analog stick makes them approach the controls wrong.

I play primarily using the trigger to go forward, for example. On a saturn pad, one trigger is "go forward," the other is "free look."

The games control much more like Resident Evil, than a modern 3D game. That can be traced back to when the games were originally developed. Also, really, think of the game more like a point and click adventure than a 3D game. I primarily use the ability to free look from a stationary spot, or examine stuff with my hands. Don't walk around the room so much, instead look around the room.

I get the controls. The fact that the camera follows you makes it so much easier to use than Resident Evil. It's that plus the wabbly camera that makes me feel a little sick. I haven't tried looking around the room though. Is there a first person view or something? The way things are set up with the closed tight spaces does feel like Ryo is constantly blocking the view.

I don't have a Saturn 2D gamepad.

Blunoise said:
I think once u get a hang of the controls you will be good. Lol u just started the game, give it time to sink in and you will get use to the mechanics. Don't judge this as a 2018 game judge it as an experience from a time where games had some soul put into instead of trying to be some crazy spectacle

Ok, not sure what 2018 has to do with it. Been gaming since the 80s. Zelda on the N64 came out a year or two before this, and also starts in a small room. Mario 64 felt more natural, and that was the first time I ever played a 3D game.

Deleted member 19996 · Aug 21, 2018

SolidChamp said:
They've provided an alternative control option to tank controls though, no?

If they did it's not on by default.

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Cow Mengde said:
I get the controls. The fact that the camera follows you makes it so much easier to use than Resident Evil. It's that plus the wabbly camera that makes me feel a little sick. I haven't tried looking around the room though. Is there a first person view or something? The way things are set up with the closed tight spaces does feel like Ryo is constantly blocking the view.

Hold the R trigger, it's called "Zoom" in the controls config. The best explaination is that it works like an over the shoulder aiming controls in, say, uncharted, except without the gun. Meaning holding that trigger pulls the camera real close to Ryo's shoulders, but also makes him transparent so you can look through him. If you're in a tight spot, then sometimes holding R trigger will go into a literal first person mode. It's pretty much like in Mario 64, when you could press C-up to go into a "look" mode.

That mode is how you're primarily supposed to take in the environment in "free quest" mode. Often, you don't even have to walk up to something to examine it, you can "zoom" into it from across the room and press the button, and Ryo will comment on the item. you use the "Zoom" mode like you'd "click" in a point and click adventure game. Without using that mode heavily, the game just will never click.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

Krejlooc said:
Hold the R trigger, it's called "Zoom" in the controls config. The best explaination is that it works like an over the shoulder aiming controls in, say, uncharted, except without the gun. Meaning holding that trigger pulls the camera real close to Ryo's shoulders, but also makes him transparent so you can look through him. If you're in a tight spot, then sometimes holding R trigger will go into a literal first person mode. It's pretty much like in Mario 64, when you could press C-up to go into a "look" mode.

That mode is how you're primarily supposed to take in the environment in "free quest" mode. Often, you don't even have to walk up to something to examine it, you can "zoom" into it from across the room and press the button, and Ryo will comment on the item. you use the "Zoom" mode like you'd "click" in a point and click adventure game. Without using that mode heavily, the game just will never click.

Yes. This mode basically turns the control into something somewhat equivalent to a point and click adventure game. It's essential for looking around the environment, going through drawers, picking up cassette tapes or photographs.

I think of it as "adventure game mode."

Cow Mengde · Aug 21, 2018

Krejlooc said:
Hold the R trigger, it's called "Zoom" in the controls config. The best explaination is that it works like an over the shoulder aiming controls in, say, uncharted, except without the gun. Meaning holding that trigger pulls the camera real close to Ryo's shoulders, but also makes him transparent so you can look through him. If you're in a tight spot, then sometimes holding R trigger will go into a literal first person mode. It's pretty much like in Mario 64, when you could press C-up to go into a "look" mode.

That mode is how you're primarily supposed to take in the environment in "free quest" mode. Often, you don't even have to walk up to something to examine it, you can "zoom" into it from across the room and press the button, and Ryo will comment on the item. you use the "Zoom" mode like you'd "click" in a point and click adventure game. Without using that mode heavily, the game just will never click.

I see. I haven't tried that. That does sound like it'll make exploring the environment much easier.

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Cow Mengde said:
I see. I haven't tried that. That does sound like it'll make exploring the environment much easier.

Often, there are bits of information you can only get from this mode. Like, later on in the game, you'll have to read signs to know where you're going, especially in Hong Kong, and this is how you read those signs. Also, proximity will sometimes make you react differently. If you've played old school point and click games, basically the difference between "look" and "examine." If you're zooming into something across the room, ryo might give some vauge info, and if you move closer to that and zoom into it again, he might give more info once he's closer.

Really, the heart of shenmue is more like a point and click game than anything else. Definitely takes some getting used to, but once it works, it's not as clunky as it initially seems.

EDIT: This is a bit more apparent on the original dreamcast version, where you didn't control using the analog stick. The analog stick, instead, was a shortcut to zoom mode, where using it just moved your head. In the original dreamcast game, you played with the d-pad.

More_Badass · Aug 21, 2018

Erevador said:
Yes. This mode basically turns the control into something somewhat equivalent to a point and click adventure game. It's essential for looking around the environment, going through drawers, picking up cassette tapes or photographs.

I think of it as "adventure game mode."

That's how you open drawers? I was just standing there and pressing the action button and nothing was happening

Mudo · Aug 21, 2018

I posted in the OT but so far it's great. My big issue is controls which i'm trying to figure out the best option :/

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

More_Badass said:
That's how you open drawers? I was just standing there and pressing the action button and nothing was happening

Yes, you zoom to look at the drawer, and the action button icon will change. Press that action button once zoomed in to the drawer, and you'll open it. Zooming into stuff lets you examine them or interact with them.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

More_Badass said:
That's how you open drawers? I was just standing there and pressing the action button and nothing was happening

Yes! You have to go into "look mode" and then you can tap up or down to move from one drawer to another, and then press the interaction button to open it.

The first 10 minutes of Shenmue are often rough for people! If they don't get it, they just walk around confused and unhappy. It takes a little experimentation for the idiosyncratic controls to click with you.

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Erevador said:
Yes! You have to go into "look mode" and then you can tap up or down to move from one drawer to another, and then press the interaction button to open it.

The first 10 minutes of Shenmue are often rough for people! If they don't get it, they just walk around confused and unhappy. It takes a little experimentation for the idiosyncratic controls to click with you.

really, once you get it down, it's not that bad. Navigation is always clunky, but you're not supposed to navigate all the time. It's just that it was developed at a time when there were literally no other examples to go off of, and games since shenmue took their controls in a vastly different direction. Again, say it over and over again, but I'd compare most of shenmue to a point and click game than anything else. Like a super high budget Sam and Max.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

Krejlooc said:
really, once you get it down, it's not that bad. Navigation is always clunky, but you're not supposed to navigate all the time. It's just that it was developed at a time when there were literally no other examples to go off of, and games since shenmue took their controls in a vastly different direction. Again, say it over and over again, but I'd compare most of shenmue to a point and click game than anything else. Like a super high budget Sam and Max.

I love the game and the control scheme, and I agree with you. It just takes a little acclimation time because there is no other game that controls quite like it.

tiebreaker · Aug 21, 2018

I'm just enjoying the setting atm. Wish there are dialogue options, because sometimes I juat want to ask people how they are doing rather than where I can find sailors. The control also needs getting used to.

Deleted member 12790 · Aug 21, 2018

Cow Mengde said:
Ok, not sure what 2018 has to do with it. Been gaming since the 80s. Zelda on the N64 came out a year or two before this, and also starts in a small room. Mario 64 felt more natural, and that was the first time I ever played a 3D game.

Just a heads up -- shenmue as a project predates Mario 64. Shenmue began really in 1993. There was honestly nothing else to ape.

Sure, it actually released in 1999, but that was already after an entire remake. I think they knew the controls were not what modern gaming was like (and Shenmue II changes a few things up) but by that point, it'd been in development for so long and they were so deeply integrated into the game that they had no choice but to roll with it.

FWIW I expect shenmue 3 to control vastly differently.

actually, the OTHER game I'd compare shenmue to the most would be the original System Shock. Look at how that game controls, and you'll honestly see a lot of similarity with Shenmue.

Erevador · Aug 21, 2018

tiebreaker said:
I'm just enjoying the setting atm. Wish there are dialogue options, because sometimes I juat want to ask people how they are doing rather than where I can find sailors. The control also needs getting used to.

People will have completely different things to say depending on Ryo's objective at the moment. Sometimes he will have burning questions for his quest, other times they will feel at liberty to talk about their lives, their crushes, or how their business is going. The key is to keep talking to the characters that interest you throughout the game. There is a ton of dialogue and world detail that you can miss out on completely.

First-time Shenmue players, your thoughts and impressions?

One Winged Slayer

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