- Joined
- Jul 28, 2018
I've been a giant Shenmue fan since 13 years of age, and after playing S3 I was like, "yup, that was an enjoyable 7, maybe 7.5 out of 10". It's no surprise to me that non-fans would rate it lower than that, landing it on a 67.
That said, the Shenmue I & II re-release has a meta score of 75. I don't think these games are generally viewed as masterpieces through a modern lense, either. Each game has its problems. S1 is my favourite game of all time...it has big problems.
But critical consensus shouldn't matter. If you're a fan of Shenmue because it was once the most detailed, the most expensive, the most this and that...you're living in the past. Enjoy things for what they are. Shenmue games are still extremely unique, with an amazing atmosphere, an intriguing mystery...that's why I still love and respect the series, not because the first game got a 97 from IGN 20 years ago.
That said, the Shenmue I & II re-release has a meta score of 75. I don't think these games are generally viewed as masterpieces through a modern lense, either. Each game has its problems. S1 is my favourite game of all time...it has big problems.
But critical consensus shouldn't matter. If you're a fan of Shenmue because it was once the most detailed, the most expensive, the most this and that...you're living in the past. Enjoy things for what they are. Shenmue games are still extremely unique, with an amazing atmosphere, an intriguing mystery...that's why I still love and respect the series, not because the first game got a 97 from IGN 20 years ago.