Shenmue II Review - Bigger and Better

[@lnsflare1]

I actually like the tinny sound quality, since it makes it feel like an 80s martial arts television drama, especially with the better acted Japanese voices.

[@blaynesea8816]

It's 3am.....but I guess I'll watch this instead of sleeping 😅

[@MrSujano]

Great review!

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

Thank you very much! And thanks for watching!

[@Real1Gaming]

Lovely review! I was waiting for this, and you nailed it! I have to respectfully disagree about Guilin though. I dunno, it hit some weird part of me and has become my favorite part of any game, ever! Whenever I play that section of the game, I find inner peace. I reaaaally love it. But hey, you know, opinions and all that.

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

Well, first of all, thank you for the kind words and for watching the video! It means a lot! Disagree away! All I can do in my videos are tell people my opinions and explain why I feel the way I do about them. Sharing opinions is what drives conversations about these things forward. Guilin is beautiful and the entire section is great...I just think it's unfortunately placed after what was an awesome wrap-up segment in Kowloon. Like I said in the video, I hate how much I hated that section. I wanted to love it because it was so serene and it made you stop and smell the flowers so to speak, and in any other game, I could probably appreciate it on a different level. But I feel it just throws off the game's pacing in a bad way. If Shenmue II ended with the goodbyes in Kowloon and Shenmue III began with meeting Shenhua and going to Bailu, I am 99% sure I would go from hating it to loving it. Does that make sense?

[@Real1Gaming]

@@CultoftheCyberSkull It does actually make a lot of sense! To me it just felt so great to wind down after the stress that was the last two hours. Wild theory: Shenmue III was probably going to start with arriving in Guilin but because one chapter was cut from Shenmue II, it ended up in that game instead. If I'm right, it would have been paced just the way you would have liked! Yeah, if you didn't know, there was actually supposed to be a chapter on the boat between Japan and Hong Kong that was cut. That's why, in the beginning a mother and child thanks you randomly. They were supposed to play a major role in the cut chapter.

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

@@Real1Gaming I had no idea that there was a cut chapter. That makes way more sense, actually. Though I wonder what they were planning on doing on the boat ride. And yeah, I certainly would've preferred it that way. Either way, I still loved Shenmue II as a whole and I am very much looking forward to sinking my teeth into 3.

[@Real1Gaming]

@@CultoftheCyberSkull There are short unlockable comics in Shenmue II on Xbox and the remaster you can access by taking pictures of certain characters. One comic shows part of the cut boat chapter. On the boat, you'd once again face off against Chai who snuck on, this time he would have held the child hostage. You can read the comics here: shenmuedojo.net/new/story/sidestorycomics.html

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

That's awesome! I almost talked about the comics in the video, but I only unlocked Joy's so I wasn't sure if it was worth mentioning. I think its neat that they included them, and it makes total sense if its Chai who's involved in that whole subplot. Thanks for the hook-up!

[@AncientCS]

so... how did you like the third game? :D

[@talktalk2412]

Its ncie to hear somone who shares my view that the OST's perfectly reflect the mood

[@ghounna1585]

Nice vid my boy. Keep 'em coming.

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

That's the plan! ;) Thank you kindly!

[@markwalch6065]

Havent played 2 yet but I for one am glad now they included a time speed up option. Im having a cuppa tea right now waiting for the tattooist to open in sm1.

[@leavingontime]

Agreed shenmue feels like a fucking fever dream Shenmue 2 feels like you woke up in a low budget episode 2

[@Grandmastergav86]

Great review, there are so many secrets in both Shenmue 1 and 2 to be discovered. Seeing your footage from Defeating Baihu reminds me of the optional move scroll you can purchase, Machine gun Punch - the fight finale with that is extremely satisfying. I've always found Shenmue 2 a little underwhelming, I purchased it for the DC (EU) on the day of release. To me, the game feels as if it's wings were clipped in places and I prefer the overall tone of Shenmue. Both titles are immensely enjoyable.

[@CultoftheCyberSkull]

I very much agree. I feel like 2 seemed a bit more contrived and didn't quite capture the feeling of a simulation the same way 1 did. Understandably so, but still very enjoyable overall. Thanks for watching!