The original Shenmue had probably the most diverse range of reviews I’ve ever seen for a title. While the late, great Official Dreamcast Magazine and IGN gave it near or perfect scores, I remember magazines like GameFan (another defunct mag) and Game Informer being bored to tears by Ryo’s daily exploits. My thoughts on the title fell in the middle: the true action was hard to find, but there were always fun little things to do to pass the time. Now, with the official U.S. release of Sega’s saga, the reviews have once again run the gamut, but I think it has improved it’s flaws enough to join the upper echelon of Xbox titles.

Like so many “part two” films, Shenmue picks up and ends off in the middle of the story- a situation that essentially requires you experience the prequel and demands that you see the trilogy to it’s conclusion. For neophytes to the series, Sega has graciously included the major events from the first, Dreamcast-only title in both a separate, feature-length film DVD, as well as a shorter 10-15 minute synopsis included on the game disc. It’s an excellent effort to grab new fans, and it is especially appreciated by me, since I have no desire to do any plot retelling from the original. Shenmue 2 picks up with Ryo’s arrival in Hong Kong, fresh on the trail of Lan Di, the man who killed his father in the previous chapter (damn it, what did I just tell myself…). Alone, with nary a clue to point him in the right direction, the stoic hero makes friends, uncovers even more of the mystery of his father’s murder, and… has absolutely no physical contact with the true villain. Some may find the plot a bit drawn out, and others may find it a retread of the first title (Ryo forges bonds with those around him, only to leave for a “second city” when the clues direct him there. He arouses feelings from an attractive young local woman, which he does not return. Said woman is put in perilous situation. Ryo saves her, defeats local gang leader and moves on in search of Lan Di)- while both arguments may be true at times, Shenmue is still a well told story filled with characters that you genuinely care about. Addressing the problems of the first, Shenmue 2’s story has been tightened up, and very few plot developments are dependent on time… when they are, a new feature has been added to skip time to jump right to them. Still, you’ll find yourself enjoying the most mundane of tasks, ranging from carrying books, to collecting capsule toys, to training your own racing duck.