Anyone else feel this way?

[STRONG BIRD]

Shenmue 2 is the best shenmue i have completed it 14 plus times

[Crimson Ryan]

Shenmue II makes the first game it's bitch. Just so much better in every way for me. Also first game played bias.

[south carmain]

Shenmue 2 is the best shenmue i have completed it 14 plus times

nope shenmue gai is the best shenmue

[BlueMue]

I think Shenmue II is the better game all-around. I do agree that it feels different, but really not that much.
Even though everything is a more hectic and action oriented the game is just so damn immersive.
I get sucked into Wan Chai and Kowloon much more then into Dobuita or the harbor.
The enviroments, the characters, the music, the QTEs, the fights, the story... everything is just so much more complete in Shenmue II.

If you like one of the two Shenmue's you HAVE to like the other one. To me there is no other way. It's impossible to really dislike one half of the game.

[BigTuna]

Shenmue II makes the first game it's bitch. Just so much better in every way for me. Also first game played bias.

To each his/her own, man. Talked to my only super gamer friend about it, who's like 30, and he also preferred Shenmue over Shenmue II. It's all a matter of opinion. Made me not feel like a crazy person though.

[mastapeda]

For me shenmue 1 is much better i think the people (friends) have more Soul.
shenmue 2 is very good too but different, kowloon is the Part wich i dont Like that much .
For me its very sad that in the begining of shenmue 2 there isnt the Story Part of the ship .
So last thing to say is sorry for my bad english

[ShenmueTree]

When looking at it objectively Shenmue II is the better game. In the scope of choice, storytelling, cohesive gameplay, narrative, controls, and visuals, the second game is just better developed. There are dialogue options that have an effect on your gameplay, you can control how you do things, some such examples are how you make money and what you do with it, pay off someone? To pay a ransom? Help someone out by giving them cash? Etc. Then you can take into account that the visuals and controls are more developed and easy to use too. Ryo isn't as stiff, you have more options on how to control him, with what buttons, you can save your game when-wherever. Shenmue II is scores ahead of the first game in every area. The UI and animations are better too.

Going from different Qrs is a thumbing, blustering experience, the locals are wild, the secrets are plenty, it's more cinematic with the first half of the game just exploring, and learning the culture and how to control your urges. second going into hardcore revenge mode, learning that such actions aren't always to the benefit to yourself or others, and the third act is a calming, experience where you learn about someone you've only had flashes and dreams about previously, and most of all, wonder...

That said, I enjoy the first game more. I have no doubt it's the lesser game when it's actually looked at objectively. However, I feel that the first game has better atmosphere, more people I care about, more sense of community and awe. It's similar to living somewhere and just visiting. When you live somewhere you're more comfortable, you know your surroundings, etc, when you're visiting it can be stressful, and you're on edge, even in the most beautiful of places.

There is one thing I do wish was different from the first installment however, and that is the UI. Take Shenmue II UI and engine and just place it in the first game and it would be even more amazing than it already is. I love the door buttons and the talk buttons and save options and everything about the second like that. Or better yet, just combine the two games into the one game they were originally meant to be.

[Crimson Ryan]

There is one thing I do wish was different from the first installment however, and that is the UI. Take Shenmue II UI and engine and just place it in the first game and it would be even more amazing than it already is. I love the door buttons and the talk buttons and save options and everything about the second like that. Or better yet, just combine the two games into the one game they were originally meant to be.

The UI is a well needed thing for sure. But for me the most crucial would be the 'Wait' option. Constantly waiting around somewhere in the games real-time really is a crippling element of the first game. That's just what made it so boring and you run into it far too early. Stupid things like waiting for the bars to open. Or if you fail the pool game bet with the dock workers. Thats literally the only thing you can do to advance, and if you miss, you have to wait the rest of the night and the entire next day to try again!!

I added the italics just to show how irritated I was remembering about it.

[BigTuna]

There is one thing I do wish was different from the first installment however, and that is the UI. Take Shenmue II UI and engine and just place it in the first game and it would be even more amazing than it already is.

These are things we can hope for in the HD ports. If they ever get released..
The save option is MUCH nicer in the 2nd one too. It is a bit frustrating having to run into Ryo's room just to save a game. But once you get used to that, it's really not so bad. I've dealt with worse.
I'm currently pushing through II right now. I'm in Kowloon and got past that fat ass, Dou Niu, but I'm still not impressed. It's just way too linear and doesn't engage me like the first one did. I'm not enjoying myself with this one. It's bumming me out, man. I'm gonna try to finish it and hopefully my opinion will change soon. But sadly, it's only getting worse the further I go. It's definitely nothing like the first one to me.

[ShenmueTree]

For sure the wait and save features of Shenmue II are great. Though the wait feature could be a disadvantage if you want to discover surprises and shit. I wish I could combine the two into one super Shenmue engine so you can take the practice sessions and weather from the first game, and all the UI and features from the second...

come on Sega....

[MiTT3NZ]

I prefer the UI from Shenmue II, but like that they appeared contextually in the first. Always felt that it ate up too much space on screen in the second.

[mike177]

I used to hate the first Shenmue because I would get my a** kicked by two sailors while I would kill any enemy in Shenmue II with ease and I just couldn't figure out why!!!!! Shenmue 1 had a very rigid fighting system IMO, the only way to survive is to mash the Y button.

[KiD]

I absolutely loved both games. I played the original on Dreamcast and then Shenmue 2 on Dreamcast as well. The first I played with the English version, second with the English sub and Japanese voice acting.

Once I completed the first game, leaving on the boat, I was really excited to see where the story would take Ryo, so I jumped into Shenmue 2 and it hooked me. For me, the thing that drives me most to play games is having the story unfold, and that's what Shenmue 2 did. Shenmue 2 definitely felt different than the first, but to me that was part of Ryo's story. He was no longer home, he was on a journey, and that is what Shenmue in it's entirety is. No longer do you stay in one locale, but you traverse through many regions. No longer do you have one place to call home and sleep, you actually have no home but multiple places to sleep. It's all part of Ryo's journey, and I guarantee that if you stick with Shenmue 2, you will be glad you did.

If I had to choose between 1 and 2, I would definitely take 2 because of the different locations, how much of the story unfolds, and the very different moods and atmospheres the entirety of the game encompasses.

Let's hope Shenmue 3 pops up soon.

[Yama]

I played both games on release date and they are fantastic games. I actually like Shenmue 2 more I think is the greatest video game ever made. Meeting Shenhua in the fourth disc and talking to her for two days until you reach her house was the most memorable experience I had in the series so far and looking through Shenhua stepfather's collection, the game gives you a hint of where your going to go in Shenmue 3 that was a nice bonus.

[killthesagabeforeitkillsu]

Shenmue 1 - relaxed next door town where everyone is friendly and knows your name.
Shenmue 2 - new country filled with people that will take advantage of you with nonstop action.

Comes down to what kind of person you are. Personally, there are days I like 1 more and others I like 2 more.
Based on Shenmue II disk 4 (I call it Shenmue III demo), they were gonna go back to the relaxed type gameplay maybe to further your relationship with Shenhua and explain her backstory.