On 10/28/2002 Shenmue II was released in the U.S on the Xbox

[Bluecast]

Music is great.

[Who Really Cares?]

I didn't mind airing out the books. I found it pretty relaxing. L Trigger on hold, release for steps, QTE, hold L Trigger, then QTE spaz attack!

I liked it, also got to the point where i could just hold run and hit all the QTE's. Was funny spotting the other guy magically spawn from one table to the next.

[Axm]

Airing the books and lugging crates were not enjoyable tasks, but they weren't supposed to be. It was part of the story, teaching Ryo (and the player) the value of patience and investment/sacrifice if you want to get anywhere in life.

Of course a lot of people have no tolerance for this when they sit down to play a videogame, but Shenmue is more than a game. It's an experience, telling a tale that involves the player in ways that other designers wouldn't dare - forcing the player to share the hardship that Ryo endures, so that we know we've genuinely put in the work to earn our reward. We can't experience Ryo's sense of humble achievement if we don't go through it with him.

That probably sounds nuts to some, but when you place it in context with the overall character arc along which Ryo is expected to travel - a hasty young man, consumed by the desire to fight Lan Di, into a level headed, mature hero with a greater grasp of responsibility - it only fits that the player is expected to travel the same road of emotional development.

And that happens by not brushing off the less exhilarating and more frustrating parts of his journey.

[nskachu]

Couldn't have said this in better words

[Bluecast]

Still the point of playing a game to to escape real life so if I worked at a library or UPS then played Shenmue II..... I don't want the game to be tedious. I understand the point but it's decisions like that is why we have no SHenmue III and 7 Yakuza games

[Let's Get Sweaty]

That's okay, I hear sections of Shenmue III have been designed specifically to entice the lucrative UPS librarian market.