Critical Reception (Reviews)

[dietsoap]

It'll get shit on, but thankfully reviews don't have the sales power they once did.

[Riku Rose]

I imagine we will get a metacritic score in the high 60’s to low 70’s if all that’s changed is what we know so far.

People have to review the product based on what it is today and not it’s place in history despite most Shenmue fans wanting people to focus on the later. Things like the bad voice acting, load times every time you enter a shop and the blocky graphics will not go down well in reviews. Even Shenmue II when it came out for the Xbox 15 years ago had reviewers saying certain things hadn’t aged well and that was in 2002.

The only way this would be reviewed well (as in score above 85 on metacritic) is if it was a full blown remake Shadow of the Colossus style. If the game was made with character models as good as modern games, an open world just being open and not require being split up and half decent voice acting it would be a different story but this product never has or would be that. I still don’t think Sega is confident about the Shenmue series as this seems to be done with a view of just getting it out as there will never be a better time and once a game is on Steam now you make it once and make money on it forever.

Personally I’m happy to just have the port but I imagine this will be viewed as quite a lazy port by the general public, not much has been done outside of some UI updates and the resolution being HD which are the bare minimum expected for this kind of product. I think the most important thing will be the new controls, if they aren’t good knock my prediction down to high 50’s/low 60’s.

[alexh86]

I'd guess it will get around 8/10. Reviewers will deduct points for any technical issues they may have with the release (low quality textures, if the cutscenes are 4:3 as rumored, etc) and for anything that hasn't 'aged' well (time spent waiting around, English dub, etc.). The story will shine through and I think that will ultimately result in a relatively positive review.

[NismoZZzz]

Wouldn't matter. All Shenmue fans will be picking it up regardless. I'm sure it will sell well enough for a profit.

[Yama]

Remaster reviews are so hot and cold. Some review the game as if it's just releasing now, others as if it's yesteryear and some review the port work itself. It really doesn't matter, but hopefully they speak on the series worth and charm.

[redline]

Modern critical receptions of a 19 year old game are moot.

shit.. has its been 19 years since shenmue 1? the whole story could of been done and dusted, twice over by now


if shenmue HD came out on a handheld console like the nintendo 3ds or psp, it would be a solid 9/10 but as a modern console game... 5 or 6/10. imo thats why sega is selling it cheap.

i remember reading a review for shenmue 2 on the dreamcast and it only got 7 or 8 out of 10 back when it was new.. that didnt bother me.

the only problem is, if shenmue HD bombs and Shenmue 3 has bad reviews.. i doubt were going to get s4 or even a f***ing end to this story.

[Yokosuka]

+75