Shenmue II named one of the "worst" endings of all time

[ShenGCH]

It was a pretty awful ending for what it was, but it was a pretty damn awesome ending for what it meant, and that feeling of exhilaration and "OH SHIT, SON!" every time the giant mirrors are revealed and Shenhua starts reciting the poem. C'mon, who doesn't get that amazing feeling each and every time?

As for the floating sword? Symbolism, a sign-posting that magic would be entering the Shenmue universe, or maybe even just for the purpose of getting a pretty screenshot to end the game with? Hmm...

xx

[shengoro86]

I actually think it' superb.
The hair in the back of my neck is always risen when the huge mirrors are revealed and Shenhua declaims the poem.

The fact we still haven't got Shenmue III has nothing to do with the quality of the ending and the whole last third of Shenmue II.

Couldn't of said it better myself.

I third this thought.
Shenmue 2's cliffhanger is one of the most invigorating things I've ever seen.

[Who Really Cares?]

1's ending actually pissed me off more. Got it Christmas day and played just about non stop that evening/boxing day. Then on the 3rd day some friends came round just as i was finishing it and i was annoyed that i played how ever many hours just to see him leave on a boat.

Partly my own fault because i didn't check to see what Disc 4 was so had no idea it was just the Passport disc[had been on a media blackout for about a year].

But i got over that and love it now.

[mue 26]

Yeah, it's only on that list because it's not a real ending. Imagine if Digital Devil Saga on the PS2 (for anyone who's played it) stopped after the first game. It would have been a woefully incomplete and inadequate story. It's only after having the context of the superb sequel that a true appreciation of the first game's story telling can come about.

It's rare in gaming to have stories that are actually explicitly planned and intended to span more than one game. Sometimes game's "leave it open" for a sequel, but that's not the same, that's just lazy. You could say the Assassins Creed series have always ended on cliff hangers, but I don't think that counts either, I don't think Ubi ever plan to provide closure (or even know where the hell the story is going), rather just wish to continually string people along year after year.