Year of Release: 1999
ESRB: T for Teen
Players: 1

Shenmue. It really is a game like no other. It features whkat creator Yu Suzuki calls F.R.E.E. (Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment). Suzuki has made his dream, that which is Shenmue come true. How truly great is it, you might ask? Well, that is what this review is here for, eh? But let's not get into it just yet. For starters, I can tell you that it may be the most different game you'll ever play.

-Gameplay- 9/10

Okay, now we can get into how great it is. :)
First off, the basic story is about a young guy in japan seeking revenge on a man who killed his father and stole some sacred stone. He is a really powerful bad dude, with a creepy "mess with me and die" kinda look on his face. He has mastered some kind of martial art that nobody knows about, so nobody would dare to face him. Besides, he escapes to China. But anyway, let's get down to business. F.R.E.E. means that you get to do whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want. So for instance if you want to go up and let's say a drawer, you can open it and see what's inside. A big part of the game is going around and talking to people, gathering information to the whereabouts of the mastermind behind this assassination. You explore many parts of Yokosuka, and it actually make you feel like you are there in Japan. Along to guide you in this adventure is a compass. Another nifty thing about this game, that plays a big part, is that it is set in almost a real-time like setting. You have a watch, and you have to be home at a certain time, blah-blah-blah. Real neat. Shenmue introduces QTE, or Quick Timer Events, in which you have to use quick thinking to put in a specific button combination on your controller. There are plenty of QTE battles and the like throught the game. Ryo Hazuki, your character can master many martial arts moves and get into battles where you have a health meter. But hey, I'm rambling. Anyways, you get the idea of what to expect. Many peeps to meet, many areas to explpres. Hard to find a lot of flaws with this.

-Graphics- 9/10

While not the best graphics on the Dreamcast, it's pretty @#%$ well near it. The enviroment looks so real, with rain, snow, darkness, brightness, cloudiness, it's all here. And more, Shenmue is a highly detailed world, and it's big. I mean, you can even see veins on Ryo's hand. Whee! Still, I woulda liked to see better expression changes on resident's faces rather than just the lips move. And the sky could have used some polishing--something that SHENMUE II fixed up nicely. I'm just being picky, of course. The graphics are awesume.

-Sound- 7.5/10

Ah yea, all good. The sound is just sweet, but in some ways very sour. The effects are clear, but the voice acting awful. In may even be harmful to your hearing. :p My god, Ryo himself sounds like a robot. I'll never forget "I shouldn't bother them." or "I see." This too, is something that SHENMUE II 0wned, because the japanese acting is so much better.

-Music- 8.5/10

Alright, the music really fits the enviroment well, with your average oriental music, but there could have been some variety here and there. I'll be honest, though, the music and beat did change when necessary, like the very intense scenes.

-Replay Value- 7/10

there is always the joy of going through a realistic adventure again. With a great game, you can always ask for more.

-Overall- 8.2/10

Ahem. Overall SHENMUE is a revolutionary game. But, ATTENTION! This game is certainly not for everyone. If you go into it expectiing DUKE NUKEM, well it is the total oppostie. Now if you are open minded, it may seem a bit boring in the begining, but if you hang in there, believe me, it gets way better. Get it.
Don't have a Dreamcast? Buy a Dreamcast. Can't buy a Dreamcast? Well then you just wasted 5-10 minutes your life. :)

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