Not to steer into a tangent, but I started up Shenmue 1 to prep for this over the weekend. Not even certain if I would replay it and its sequel or just get a taste and move onto the new. The last time I played it was its Dreamcast release, and though I recall major moments the specifics have been largely forgotten. So after decades of being told that it doesn't hold up and that it suffers from so many issues that its barely playable/enjoyable in a modern context, I was shocked at how much I find that to be pure bullocks.
Yes, the writing can feel awkward, and yes it demands a certain level of patience and self-control to be properly engaged, but it also surprised me at how quickly I was willing to relax and commit to the mystery and its pacing. It's also been kind of surprising at how many possible clues are just 'out there' waiting to be discovered. All roads lead to the same conclusion, but I find it kind of great just how strands can exist to tug occasionally to follow leads.
Though one disadvantage is that the game can sometime auto-push you onto entirely different 'lead' routes due to unforseen reasons. For instance, I had an appointment to meet someone at the arcade at 3pm tmrw to follow a strand that I had been chasing for a few in-game days. When I woke the next morning to go to said meeting, a forced cutscene occurred that pushed me towards a new lead that is beyond whatever point in the progression that arcade meeting was at, so that entire path closed off and I was stuck on the new one. That was a bit irritating even if my other road inevitably would have led me to where I currently am. Not sure why the game felt the need to do that?
Anyway, loving the game and definitely plan to push through 1&2 first(I never did finish 2 way back on Xbox anyway).
Also, my Ryo has a Gacha addiction. I'm trying to get my revenge, but he just cannot stop wasting his daily allowance on needless capsule toys. Like WTF! Send help please!
