How is your Dreamcast gaming going on?

[Blu]

I would love to play Shenmue in Japanese, if there were subtitles. I understand the US/PAL dub is endearing, but sometimes I'd like to see if there's any difference to the experience. I know for the Yakuza series, I'm used to the Japanese subtitles now that I'm three games through the series.

[ExedExes]

Because it's way more fun barking out the Lucky Hit game to prospective customers in Japanese

[Czernobog]

I would love to play Shenmue in Japanese, if there were subtitles. I understand the US/PAL dub is endearing, but sometimes I'd like to see if there's any difference to the experience. I know for the Yakuza series, I'm used to the Japanese subtitles now that I'm three games through the series.

I played a lot the last couple days and progressed the story quite a bit. There's one interesting difference I've come acroos in Shemnue II. The villain's partner is his boyfriend in the Japanese version. He's an effeminate man, clearly voiced by a man and referred to as a man in the game. In the English version they changed the voice actor to a woman and refer to the character as a woman afaik.

[Czernobog]

I'm well into disc 3 in Shenmue II and while I'm enjoying how much the narrative is picking up and really enjoying some of the characters, I'm starting to think this game was an experiment in how many QTEs can be jammed into a game before it becomes rage-inducing. Seriously wish there was more emphasis on the fighting and less on those. Not a fan of the multiple button QTEs as I usually screw them up and have to go through some cutscenes two to three times.

[BogusMeatFactory]

I'm well into disc 3 in Shenmue II and while I'm enjoying how much the narrative is picking up and really enjoying some of the characters, I'm starting to think this game was an experiment in how many QTEs can be jammed into a game before it becomes rage-inducing. Seriously wish there was more emphasis on the fighting and less on those. Not a fan of the multiple button QTEs as I usually screw them up and have to go through some cutscenes two to three times.

The QTEs are to help add to the cinematic style of Shenmue. I know it isn't nearly as interactive as people want, but think about games like Metal Gear Solid, where you are subjugated to long, elaborate cutscenes that cover similar actions with no interactivity.

Also, what is fun about Shenmue 2's QTEs is that failure does not always mean failure. There are some different branching paths that make things a bit different if you fail, or succeed to some degree.

There is a much larger emphasis on fighting in comparison to Shenmue 1, that is for sure and there is a lot of fighting that can be missed, depending on what path you take.

Can't wait to see what you think of the ending though!

[Czernobog]

I'm well into disc 3 in Shenmue II and while I'm enjoying how much the narrative is picking up and really enjoying some of the characters, I'm starting to think this game was an experiment in how many QTEs can be jammed into a game before it becomes rage-inducing. Seriously wish there was more emphasis on the fighting and less on those. Not a fan of the multiple button QTEs as I usually screw them up and have to go through some cutscenes two to three times.

The QTEs are to help add to the cinematic style of Shenmue. I know it isn't nearly as interactive as people want, but think about games like Metal Gear Solid, where you are subjugated to long, elaborate cutscenes that cover similar actions with no interactivity.

Also, what is fun about Shenmue 2's QTEs is that failure does not always mean failure. There are some different branching paths that make things a bit different if you fail, or succeed to some degree.

There is a much larger emphasis on fighting in comparison to Shenmue 1, that is for sure and there is a lot of fighting that can be missed, depending on what path you take.

Can't wait to see what you think of the ending though!

I would actually rather just watch a long cutscene at times, since it can be detracting from the cinematics for me when I'm waiting for the inputs, but I do like how they break up the pace. It's not that I dislike them, I knew they'd be here, but it's just that there's been quite a few that felt shoehorned in at times, or felt like they didn't follow the natural flow of the scene. There are times when they follow the flow perfectly though.

I didn't know there were branching paths for some of the QTEs. I like that idea a lot. I actually love that idea. Every one I've failed has forced me to redo a section so I must have missed some alternate paths. That makes me curious as to what additional story segments are in the game.

Story-wise, Ren is awesome. He's such a good personality to have alongside Ryo. I remember watching parts of the game back when my friend got it on Xbox in English, specifically parts on disc 3/4, I'm assuming, since they were in Kowloon so I knew some of the characters, but when playing it yourself, those little moments between characters really add up. The handcuff section was great. The most jarring thing is still that in the Japanese version Yuan is a man. Jarring, but welcome as I think the character's is more interesting as a man. I wonder how some of the dialogue was changed for the English version since when you're searching for him, Ryo says things along the lines of, the man who speaks like a woman and dresses like a woman, etc. to describe him.

[BogusMeatFactory]

The most jarring thing is still that in the Japanese version Yuan is a man. Jarring, but welcome as I think the character's is more interesting as a man. I wonder how some of the dialogue was changed for the English version since when you're searching for him, Ryo says things along the lines of, the man who speaks like a woman and dresses like a woman, etc. to describe him.

I will have to replay it, but I think he said things to the effect of,a woman with an aggressive personality and a riding crop. I actually can't remember.

[Czernobog]

The most jarring thing is still that in the Japanese version Yuan is a man. Jarring, but welcome as I think the character's is more interesting as a man. I wonder how some of the dialogue was changed for the English version since when you're searching for him, Ryo says things along the lines of, the man who speaks like a woman and dresses like a woman, etc. to describe him.

I will have to replay it, but I think he said things to the effect of,a woman with an aggressive personality and a riding crop. I actually can't remember.

Wait. What. Yuan has a riding crop in the English version?

[BogusMeatFactory]

The most jarring thing is still that in the Japanese version Yuan is a man. Jarring, but welcome as I think the character's is more interesting as a man. I wonder how some of the dialogue was changed for the English version since when you're searching for him, Ryo says things along the lines of, the man who speaks like a woman and dresses like a woman, etc. to describe him.

I will have to replay it, but I think he said things to the effect of,a woman with an aggressive personality and a riding crop. I actually can't remember.

Wait. What. Yuan has a riding crop in the English version?

Maybe I need to play it again....it has been a while..and I have been wanting to import my character over to Shenmue 2 on Dreamcast. Time to fire it up!

[Blu]

Can you import a Shenmue II save on a different region? I've always wondered about importing a PAL copy of Shenmue II and it working.

I really find Yuan's character to be very interesting. The way Japan handles gender expression is so different than a western audience.

I agree though BMF! I've wanted to fire it up again. Czernobog, you might have missed the best easter egg in Shenmue -- the DUCK RACES!