SHENMUE II for Xbox, published by Microsoft Game Studios, NZ rating M15+, RRP $129.95:
The long-awaited Shenmue II is a bit of an oddity. It’s a sequel to a game that was originally released on a different platform.
Then, just to keep gamers on their toes, Shenmue II was initially planned to be released for Dreamcast.
A year down the track it finally had its big day as an Xbox game, with a few extra bells and whistles thrown in for good measure.
Shenmue II picks up where the first chapter left off and as a bonus for those who might not have played the first game it includes a DVD called Shenmue: The Movie. This is a 90-minute recap on the first game to bring the player up to speed.
Creator Yu Suzuki describes it as a new genre that merges cinematic story telling with an unusual variety of gameplay for an absorbing tale of loss and revenge.
Your character in this game is Ryo and you must travel through Hong Kong avenging your father’s death to defeat your nemesis, Lan Di.
This is one of those rare games where the storyline does actually flow with the game and provides some interest.
Shenmue II isn’t as violent as a straight-forward fighting game and the storyline seems to work well, a good combination that will ensure this one doesn’t get boring.