Reviews (622)

Open Mind
Hey guys.I love this game, flat out.It has great characters, a good plot, a good system, and fantastic music.A lot of people think that the game is boring, or maybe they don't like the plot, but I think that those people need to just give it a chance.This was the 7th Final Fantasy I have beaten, and now I have finished 1-9, and this game is in my top four.

There are some problems with this game, but I don't think they are very critical.Most of them affect the first couple hours, but they are nothing toreally have too big a problem with.First of all, the begining is slow.There are about 4 battles in the first hour, and you finish only about 20-50 in the first few hours.Also it takes a little getting used to to get into the gameplay.Characters gain magic and abilities based on what equipment they have on.

Anyways, I put this in my top list of games, which are in order of which is most important to play

Final Fantasy VI
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy VII
Earthbound
Final Fantasy IX
Chrono Cross
Xenogears

Play those RPG's and you will have experienced the best games ever made.

This is to the people
Look, I realize you are entitled to your opinions, as am I.So, let me get my two cents in.This is to the people who do not like FF( because only mages can use magic(like cure, fire, etc.).Stop complaining!Not only can Garnet and Eiko cure, but Amarant uses Chakra to cure, Freya uses a skill to cure, and so can Quina.This game DOES return to the roots which has only certain characters use magic.It makes it harder.Now, to those who claim this game is childish because of certain things.I am twenty-four years old, and I like this game a lot.My friends like this game.Even my twenty-eight year old brother likes this game.None of us think it is too childish.
To those who complain about the storyline, claiming a thirteen year old could do better.I've read the fan fictions people of such age write about the Final Fantasies; trust me, they ARE NOT BETTER.If you think you could do better, try it.By the RPG Maker, and DO IT!Betcha can't, though.If thirteen year olds COULD do better plots, you would think that such companies as Square Enix would hire them.Duh.

Great Game, despite all other opinions
First of all, I'd like to point out that I haven't played many other Final Fantasy Games, so I'm not going to compare them.

On to my thoughts about FFIX. It was the first real RPG Playstation game that I ever bought and it's the one that got made me love the genre.
Plot: 4/5 Great plot, however they fail to really explain some crucial details (for example: why does Zidane sees Garnet's memory?). A little more explanations would be nice for my lack of brain cells.
Characters: 5/5 You really do get attached to Zidane and Garnet, you laugh at Amarant's oblivious and cynical nature, and just want to shoot Thorn and Zorn. The point is, the characters are interesting and have a personality.
Gameplay: 4/5 At first it's hard to understand how to train the characters and use different accessories to learn attacks. However, once that is settled, the gameplay is great. Also, it took me forever to realize that pressing Select on the world screen brings up a map: VERY USEFUL! You'll get lost if you don't use it. Other than that, good gameplay.
Graphics: 6/5 :) Gotta love the grahics. Squaresoft created different cultures/architectures for each different country. Gaia is absolutely gorgeous. The FMVs are amazing. Two thumbs way way up for the graphics.

Overall: Though it required a lot of time training to beat Kuja and the final bosses, the game is really fun. The minigames range from "fun-for-two-seconds" (Jumprope Vivi) and "takes-forever-but-gotta-love-it" (Chocobo Hot and Cold) and the game itself is great, long and never boring. Five stars out of five it is, then. Great way to get yourself in the world of Final Fantasy.

Possibly the greatest game of all time.
Yes, i admit that I have taken risks in writing the title of this review sincem after all the title was highly opinionated, but here me out. Ill look at it from a reasonable angle.

When Final Fantasy IX (FF9) was released, it was very differant than it's predecessors, Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. It had gone from a harsh 'sci-fi' feel to a soft 'fantasy' feel. The main character was not a silent and melencholy introvert. And overall, the game had a very prelavent tone of charm and whimsy, whereas VII and VIII had, for the most part, more depressing tones. Like I said, very differant from its predecessors.

For anyone who doesnt like simple RPGs, this isnt for you. Everything in this game has been made slightly more simple. No Junction or Materia systems here. Every character has unique abilities that only he/she/it can learn. While I enjoyed VII and VIII's systems, XI's felt more believable. Believe it or not, this simplification adds some serious challenge to the game. Because not everyone can learn 'cure' or 'revive' you will have to be careful on forming your groups. and since you can't junction switch at all, you'll find that keeping all of your characters at high levels is a good idea. You cant simply put 'curaga' on someones hp and have it skyrocket. youll have to do alot of levelling up. This doesnt mean that Final Fantasy IX is impossibly hard. In factm if I were to rate its difficulty level, I would say it was 60%.

these differances in abilities add to the very well written characters. Each character feels alive, and you believe what it says. In past final fantasies some characters, although important to the story line, just didnt feel real (Cait sith, anyone?) but in Final Fantasy IX, each character seems 100% believable. Their dialoge matches their personalities seamlessly. some scenes which have no importance to the story are written in just to make you 'feel' the character. Such as when Eiko scolds Vivi for looking the wrong way and vivi says "I was just looking at the mountains".

And then you have the games visuals. Are the graphics breakthrough? no. What you have in Final fantasy IXs visuals is emotion. For example, when playing Final fantasy VIII and you look at a floor tile, it just looks like some-old floor tile. But in Final fantasy IX when you look at a floor-tile,you feel a story behind it. It looks unique to each culture's lifestyles and beliefs. You feel a bit of what the "tile maker" felt when creating it. Yes, every blade of grass in Final Fantasy IX is a work of beauriful art.

One mustn't forget the music. Final Fantasy IX lives up to the high standard of its predecessors when it comes to music. Each song is beautifully well written and perfectly placed. Cooky and silly songs play where there is a village of quirky dwarves, sullen and sad music plays in a destroyed city, and so on. Some people (myself included) would get tired of certain songs after awhile in the past final fantasies. For instance, in FFVII when I was in the gold Saucer, although the music was good, it did get tiresome and I muted the volume. Same with Finl Fantasy VIII in Balamb garden. But with Final Fantasy IX i would often just sit and listen to songs re-loop so that I coud hear and feel them again.

The storyline in Final Fantasy IX is beautiful. I wont say anything to ruin it, but trust me. Its amazing.

Out of all this, why do I say that it is possibly the greates game of all time? Well, i'll explain myself.

Does anybody remember Halo? No no, not Halo2. Halo. just plain Halo. It was revolutionary. I remember that everyone played it. everyone who had an XBOX owned Halo. (partially because after awhile XBOXs started coming with a copy of Halo, but still) it was a great game. But now, with the arrival of Halo2, it has just faded out. Even big fans of the origional have said 'Man, there really isnt any reason to play the first halo anymore." Sadly, this is how it is with alot of games. Beautiful and wonderful games slowly fade out when shiny sequals come out. Yes, Final fantasy IX felt some of this when Final Fantasy X came out, but still many many fans play final fantasy IX because of its greatness. In other words, Final fantasy has lived on despite the release of more advanced graphics and things like that.

So, I urge you,(haha, I sound so devoted) if you havent played Final Fantasy IX before, play it. Make sure you buy it, because Ive been noticing that its harder to find at Game stores than it used to be.

Finally, ill leave you with one thing. You may hate this game despite everything i've said. Guess what, people are differant. If you try this game and for some unearthly reason you loathe every second of it, well then at least you gave it a shot.

Not a masterpiece, but still a great game...
I wouldntgo as far as to say FF9 is as good as the recent FF games,or most of the games for that matter, but it is still a great game. The atmosphere of this game is a far cry from FF8's romantic, adult atmosphere. Everything is more comedic and cartoonish, but the graphics are still up to par with recent RPGs, but not very innovative. (They basically look the same as FF7 or FF8). Anyway, I'll break this review down...

Graphics- 9/10 Like I said, they are up to par with games of its time, but are not very innovative. Then again, the Playstation is very limited graphics-wise. But that's what I love about the Playstation one, the games were not all about graphics, unlike the PS2(I am not a fan of PS2 at all, or the recent FF titles.)Anyway, the character designs are a lot more old-school, especially the black mage which looks pretty cool.

Sound- 7/10 This is one of the low-points of this game, the sound isn't that amazing. FF4, 6, tactics, 7, and 8 all have amazing soundtracks, not to mention 5 as well, but this one just doesn't amaze me. After playing through this game several times and mastering it several times, I still don't really remember any tracks in the game. FF8's soundtrack blew me away, so I was hoping for the same here. The only highlights for music are on the start screen, and the world music is pretty good, as well as the battle music.

Gameplay- 10/10The setup is pretty good, making you choose abilities from items that are equipped and learn them. The junction system in FF8 was in my opinion, one of the most innovative systems ever for a video games. This games isn't very innovative, but it's still a great idea that is fun to do. Also, there's synthesis shops now, where you combine items to make armor. (much like FF8s weapon system, except now you can also buy weapons and armor as well.) Overall, this game has a great system that is a lot of fun. The card game isn't nearly as fun as FF8's in my opinion, though. In ff8, you collected cards and then could card mod them, which was also an amazing idea, but in this game the cards seem to do absolutely nothing for the player, other than giving them knowledge that they completed the game 100%, and achieved the highest card collecting level, which is also pointless. Overall, the card game is just a lame re-hash of FF8's Triad game, so dont expect a blast playing cards here, look to ff8 for that.

Controls-10/10 Basically the same controls as in every other ff game. Now there's an exclamation mark which appears over Zidanes head if you are near an item, which was a pretty good idea.

Story- 6/10 This is the games biggest weak point. In my opinion, FF9 has the most forgettable story out of any FF game. Sure, it has its high points( The idea of having summons attack the town was a great idea,and was pretty sweet to watch) But other than that, it didn't leave me feeling amazed. FF4, 6, 7, 8, tactics and heck they all had great storylines, but FF9's is pretty lame. You go after some little guy wearing a thong, and thats about it, it isnt deep like the other titles, although at times it may appear that way. It wasnt the worst storyline, but definitely not up to par.

Overall- 8/10 I have spent a good deal of my life playing this game, since it took a while to master my characters levels and find all the items, and it was definitely worth it. This is a wonderful game that all RPG fans should play. ... Read more

Product Description

Since the Beginning of Time the forces of Order and Chaos have been engaged in an eternal struggle to decide the fate of all Creation. That struggle has now come to the Mortal Realm... And neither Man, Demon, nor Angel will be left unscathed.Diablo, Lord of Terror, and youngest of the Three Prime Evils, awoke from his long sleep beneath the dark earth. Setting in motion a grand scheme to free his exiled brothers, Mephisto and ... Read more

Features

• Five all-new character classes with unique attributes and abilities.
• Four different, fully populated towns complete with wilderness areas.
• Multiple dungeons, caverns and crypts in every town for players to explore.
• Expanded world filled with all-new quests, weapons, spells, armor, monsters and non-player characters.

Reviews (533)

Best of the Genre
Diablo II is a helluva lotta fun.I'm not so much a single player person, but a multiplayer person.The gameplay is well thought-out and engaging.The plot is corny, but, then again, this is an RPG.

The graphics are kinda mediocre, but the gameplay makes up for it.The expansion is a must.Playing online is incredibly addictive, which I don't like, but I get a kick out of it.What makes this game is the interaction in multiplayer.

(...) is easy to use.They catch a fair few cheaters.

My main complaint is that there are many lamers.There is a group of people that buys duplicated items of the internet at like 10 dollars a piece.This is what I don't like.There are other people that hack accounts and steal characters and equipment, and that is just lame.Thankfully, this has not happened to me, although my brother got hacked a long time ago.

Even so, the fact that your account might get hijacked just adds to the reality that it is, after all, just a game.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

The single player is a lot like the multiplayer.It is a good way to learn how to start out independently.In fact, the multiplayer is like single player, but just with more people.(surprise)

There aren't many glitches, and there is skill involved, up to a point.

Buy this game.It's worth your money.So is the expansion.

Great game!
Diablo 1 players. Yes, I know you have suffered, but Diablo 2 fixed all their problems and this game is 700 times better! Get it!

Learned some lessons from DIABLO, but quests more restricted
DIABLO 2 can be summarized as "like DIABLO, but more so." DIABLO 2 has more locales, more varied scenery, more (and more elaborate) AIs, more control over developing your character's skills, more types of characters to play, better play balance, and so on.

Like the original, DIABLO 2's settings are (mostly) randomly generated, so that with the exception of some set-piece areas (like the Skeleton King's lair in the original), no two games follow exactly the same map. DIABLO 2 has four acts covering 5 locales (including Tristram, the setting of DIABLO). Each act has very different climate/geography and monsters differing accordingly.

You're following the trail of the Wanderer (the hero of the first game) as he locates the other Prime Evils, Diablo's brothers, before leading you into Hell and the final confrontation with Diablo himself. The settings in general have much greater variety and eye candy, and include outdoor segments as well as dungeon crawls.

Act I is a generic-Europe setting, with a lesser-demon Level Boss rather than a Prime Evil. Act I most closely resembles the earlier stages of the original DIABLO, and contains references back to the original, as the player's task is to help the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. (The Rogue from DIABLO was a member of the order; your closest-equivalent player character in DIABLO 2 is the Amazon, who has a different backstory.)

Act II is a desert scenario, with a sort of Egyptian flavor to the tombs, and a different, more formidable type of undead. Act III, by contrast, is a rainforest, emphasis on poisonous insects, water monsters, and fast-moving little AIs with blowpipe attacks. Act IV's revamped version of Hell is much more larger and elaborate than that in the original, with an assortment of demons and new attacks. The succubae weren't retained, but as a tradeoff Act I has hordes of renegade Rogues.

Many of the AIs have been revamped to make them tougher and to give them more distinctive appearances. While the distinct colour schemes were retained, the details are more elaborate and they're tougher opponents. The carver-type AIs now include shamans, who in addition to their own magical attacks can raise the fallen. Animated skeletons on higher difficulty levels may now have mages as well as archers with them.

That's one of the biggest changes from the original. Monsters not only regenerate after you've cleaned out a level (even lesser "unique" monsters, though not Level Bosses that have to be killed to end an Act), but many monster types can raise the dead or harvest energy from corpses. There are also delayed-action attacks, as poisons and antidotes have been added.

Other changes from original:
- Multiplayer and single player now use the same limited set of quests, rather than single player having a random selection of a larger set of quests.
- Play balance on character abilities now includes active and passive skills, differing by character type. Not just any character can learn spells.
- In addition to mana and life, player has stamina. While you don't have to eat or sleep as in, e.g. DARKSTONE, you either have to pace your character, stock up on stamina potions, or be content to move slowly.
- In addition to Town Portal spells, each Act contains a set of fixed waypoints, and the player can return to earlier Acts if desired.
- Towns are more elaborate. Apothecaries selling potions are now separate from magic sellers, and at least one NPC per Act can "gamble" with you. You can hire and equip NPCs who will follow you and fight what you fight. If they're with you, your experience points are divided with them, but they level up and become more formidable over time.

Some lessons learned by the designers:
- Local smiths can upgrade weapons, e.g. installing runes or gems in them. Partway through Act II, a quest item allows you to combine multiple gems of the same type to get a single gem of a better grade, so strategy is a factor.
- In town/camp you have a chest in addition to the inventory on your character's person. Items in the chest are safe, but if you're killed and resurrected, anything you were carrying has to be retrieved from the body. Since you're fined a large amount of your total gold when you're resurrected, you're motivated to scavenge your own body anyway just to get some of it back.
- Partway through Act I, you revisit Tristram and rescue Deckard Cain, who now has enough gratitude to identify items for free instead of gouging you.
- Some unique items now come in sets (e.g. helmet, breastplate, gauntlets) that are stronger together than apart, and mostly effective for specific character types (e.g. bonuses apply only to a paladin). Strategy comes into play: is it worth saving an item in the hopes of acquiring the rest of the set?

In summary: the thing I miss most from the original is the randomized quest mix on single player. The active/passive skill system is interesting enough to make up for restricting the player's ability to create super-powerful spell-casting Rogues and the like.

As in the original, even in single-player a game can't be saved in multiple states; you can only have multiple characters working through different scenarios. In multi-player, items can be transferred between characters by drop-and-switch, but that's about it.

nothing tops this
there have been many trys by different developers to copy the play style of diablo 2.they are no doubt good but they are NOT diablo 2.diablo 2 has the best story, fun factor, sound, cinematics, addictiveness and replayability.i stopped playing this a long time ago because i was hooked on starcraft but i am going to start a new character tonight just to see how fun this game is again.my previous barbarian only got up to lvl 46.i've been playin WoW and have a lvl 60 alliance human paladin but there is not nearly as much loot as there is in diablo 2, thus making many characters look the same.(to the post below- all mmorpgs require a fee to play...its what basically gets them paid to make updates, fix the servers, etc.)cant wait to start diablo 2 again!

Another increible Blizzard's production
Lord Of Terror
When Diablo came out almost 4 years ago, it was the surprise hit of the 1997. One day there wasn't Diablo, the next it was on store shelves, and the day after North American productivity plummeted 25%. Although Blizzard liked to classify it as a RPG, it wasn't really one. More like an action-RPG, since so much of the game relied on reflex and mouse-clicking. The story development was slim and roleplaying aspects non-existent. Yet the simple, addictive gameplay hooked us all and had us begging for more.

After years of development, a few promises, a few leaked features and dozens of delays - Diablo II is here. The Second Coming of Hell and another dip in all IT stocks came to my desk less than a week ago, and grudgingly I accepted the job of reviewing the game.

For those of you who've been in a timewarp the past 5 years and never heard of Diablo or Diablo II, let me give you a brief rundown on both.


Diablo
Diablo was a game where you played a hero of one of three character classes - Warrior, Sorcerer or Rogue. This hero operated out of a small town called Tristram, underneath which Hell itself was opening up. At first simply trying to clear the local corrupted Cathedral of vermin infestation, the hero soon discovers that something much more sinister is afoot. Hence you keep going deeper and deeper through the game until you discover that none other than the Lord of Terror himself - Diablo - is at the root of all the problems. You see, he, along with his two other brothers - form the Three Prime Evils. They got banished from Hell by lesser evils and then rampaged around the world until they were captured in soulstones given to mortals by the angel Tyrael.

Through 4 different dungeons having 4 levels each you fought, died, and recovered your own corpse. You'd restart the game when it got too hard to gain xp in easier areas, and go back in again. It was all about getting to the next level, getting the next spell, getting the next better weapon or armor. It was simple to the point of being idiotic. Click the mouse to move somewhere, then click-click-click-click-click at some monster until it dies, and move on to kill more. That's an over-simplified description, of course - but the point is that Diablo was extremely addictive.
... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is old-school role-playing goodness at itsvery best. From the story to the simple battle system, it doesn't bore playerswith the details that can make newer role-playing games unbearable. No, Lunar2 won't impress anyone with its likewise old-school graphics, but that's notthe point. This game is fun.

The story in Lunar 2 doesn't take itself as seriously as otherrole-playing games, which contributes to the fun. The game's hero, Hiro, and hissidekick Ruby must help a young girl locate the goddess Althena. The quest turnsout to be long, spanning three disks, most of which hold full-motion videocutscenes.

The video sequences in Lunar 2 are probably the best part. They mixJapanese anime with computer graphics and are completely stunning. The in-gamegraphics, on the other hand, are ported straight from the 16-bit Sega CD, with afew enhancements, so those who like eye candy should consider themselves warned.--Robb Guido

Pros:

• Light and fun
• Super movie sequences that mix anime and computer graphics

• Outdated graphics

Reviews (101)

FLAWLESS!!!!!!!!!!
This game is really something else. the scheme of the battles are quite tactical and where you really have to think whats going on the the game. its amazing how that characters talk during the cut scenes, you really know what is going on. it exceeded past their first game Lunar: Silver Star Story complete. i cant wait to try thw one for the game boy advance!!!!!!!!!!!

FLAWLESS!!!!!!!!!!
This game is really something else. the scheme of the battles are quite tactical and where you really have to think whats going on the the game. its amazing how that characters talk during the cut scenes, you really know what is going on. it exceeded past their first game Lunar: Silver Star Story complete. i cant wait to try thw one for the game boy advance!!!!!!!!!!!

THE GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME
when i first played this game i was amazed even though it was sorta poor graphics not the best graphics but still good onesthis game is a old school rpg i figured out about this game my friend brought it over and he was playing it so after he was done playing i wanted to try it when i first played most of the beginning of the game i was amazed i got pretty far then my friend left after a week or so i bought lunar 2 eternal bule complete i was amazed of the story of the game and how you battledthe key to playing and beating most bosses on lunar 2 is haveing tacticsif u can do that u will have a lot more easy time beating the game well that's all

To be played into the wee hours of the morning.
The games of the past truly are marvelous accomplishments.They know nothing of the modernized games we have today, and their quality is more focused and mature.With the harness of gaming graphics pretty non-existent in Lunar, the game has more power and depth, and certainly more room to grow than recent titles do.With each passing moment, Lunar does not become old and boring, it just becomes more charming and impressive.Lunar is a game that only gets better in time.
Since Lunar is a relatively old game, it was free to run with a complicated story, rather than just display some appealing eye candy as you drag a character through another repetitive task.The fact that Lunar is so different than other games is what really drew me to it.Here you are, in a massive world, with a hole mess of party members, when you realize that you've just embarked on an unforgettable and hilarious adventure that you would be foolish to hope to find in any other game.Lunar's story is touching and it doesn't insult you with the old cliché's and stereotypes.Just when you think it's all over, you always seem to find another important task at hand.When you finally DO finish this game, your left with an indescribable feeling of accomplishment and you finally understand just why everyone loves this 'old-school' game so much.
Lunar's charm washes over you completely from the moment you insert that first disc.It's filled with characters that you just love to interact with.When your away from the battlefield you don't always find yourself worrying about what boss is next, sometimes you just want to talk to the townspeople and see what hilarious thing Ronfar or Ruby or ANY of your party members will say.It's great that there's an rpg out there that's not all 'business', Lunar is just plain FUN!!!
Lunar is a light-hearted, but DEAD serious game, and you can always appreciate what's going on.In one scene you'll be laughing your guts out, then the next second your back to business when something HUGE happens!!!The game is soo exciting, and it's just awesome to play it.
If there is a thing that Lunar lacks, it absolutely makes up with it tenfold with it's laughable dialog, interesting story, and massive amount of extra goodies.Lunar is a game that you'll love forever, and you'll never EVER regret playing it.So, if you haven't already experienced what a true rpg can be, don't waste another precious moment, PLAY LUNAR!!

Great no matter what!
Whether your a long time resident, or a new-commer into the magical world of lunar, you have to admit that it was A LOT more than you expected!LUNAR may bea quite an old game, but that doesn't mean it's charm is in any way outdated.If you ask me this game just gets better with time.
I actually played this game before I played the first one--which is also an awesome game.You can play these games as a set, or idividualy, it makes no difference, you'll love em just the same!!^-^
I won't go into explaining the story, everyone else has already done that for me.You look at all the reviews this game gets and they're all either positive or they're negetive and nobody votes for them!!It's pretty obvious that this game is very crowd pleasing.And with all it's little quirks, it's just a pleasure to own it.
Anyways, I played this game like two years ago now, but i'm still not tired of it, and I don't think I will be any time soon!!Oh and by the way if anyone has information on the infamous "lunar 3" PLEASE PLEASE e-mail me, I'll really apprecieate it!!!

~have fun!!! ^o^ ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

To say that Shenmue is an anticipated title is an understatement;the game made huge waves in Japan upon its release, and American gamers havebeen waiting since then to see what the fuss is all about. It's a game in whichthe concept itself is the selling point. What if you could portray a young heroin a fully realized Japanese city? Would you like to participate in andinfluence an over-the-top kung fu-style action-mystery flick in your livingroom? What if lots of combat, cinematic flourish, detail, and a dash of romancewere thrown in?

The game itself is awash in small details, crammed into a confined space. Thecity of Yokusuka circa 1986 is rendered beautifully in a short series ofneighborhoods that are long on detail even if short on variety. The story itselfis ripped straight from a chopsocky flick: you portray the young hero RyoHazuki, whose father (a kung fu sensei, naturally) is killed before hisvery eyes by a mysterious and frightening villain. Ryo must uncover the identityof the killer and fight his way through the city in an effort to avenge thiswrongful death.

Shenmue's Yokusuka might be short on space--in total, it represents maybea square mile--but the detail is overwhelming. You can interact with nearlyevery person or object that you see; 300 citizens go about their daily routines,and whom you encounter is as much determined by where you are as when you arethere.

Much of this interaction involves combat that ranges fromDragon's Lair-style reaction tests (such as timing a button press tododge an oncoming car) to freeform kung fu fighting. Further, each second ofreal time equals about a minute of game time, and Ryo has to be home by 11 p.m.each evening. The game moves at a brisk pace, and each challenge or battle feelslike a race against time. Some might say that gaming doesn't get shallower thanthis (you are essentially performing tasks and exploring, instead of gaming),but the game feels like no other and is ultimately satisfying by the time thatit all ends. In this way, Shenmue is more than a game--it's an eventthat's worth experiencing. --Andrew S. Bub

Pros:

• Compelling, well-told story
• Good action and combat
• Fantastic sound and graphics

• Plot is familiar to fans of kung fu action films
• Task-and-exploration gameplay might seem slow to action gamers

Reviews (300)

The realistic sphere of emotion and time
Shenmue is a graphic adventure game from 2000 exclusive to the Sega Dreamcast.The setting is Japan in 1986.You're placed in the role of Ryo Hazuki, an 18-year-old student and martial arts disciple on a winding, multi-faceted quest to uncover the mystery behind his father's murder.Along the way you'll traverse myriad locations and interact with countless non-player characters, as well as engage in side interests and attend to personal issues.

The progression of gameplay is quite open and arbitrary.There is no particular pace you have to keep in playing; you can sprint through the entirety of it, or you can devour days and days roaming around, engaging in the oddities, practicing martial arts, chatting with passersby, playing mini-games or whatever else.The hands on the clock tick away in real time in Ryo's world.The date and time of day--morning, afternoon and evening--is presented in convincing fashion by the game, and is reflected in the towns and villages and industrial areas you'll be visiting.The streets may be thronged with pedestrian traffic during mid-day, shoppers and businessmen, families and children.But after nightfall things change.After the streetlights flicker into life, the locales take on an aura of eerie stillness as the crowds thin and--in the urban and industrial areas--are replaced by members of the seedy nightlife, while in the residential districts they begin to bob their collective heads towards sleep.Many, although not all, businesses, shops and residences are open and interactive for you to explore. Time of day comes into effect here, for certain businesses and shops are only open during particular hours of the day or night.In addition to the realistic sphere of passing time, there are varying weather effects in place as well: sun, rain, and even snow as the calendar edges into the winter months.

Your home is the Hazuki Dojo in Yokosuka.Ryo's mother and father, his last living relatives, are now both gone.You live there with a former student of Ryo's father, Fuku-san, and the elderly housekeeper, Ine-san.Ine-san is a grandmotherly figure who'll fret and worry about Ryo's safety, imploring him to be careful and to let the past go.Yet she's soft spoken and demure, almost resolved to the situation.Each evening Ryo must be home by 11PM, and when he's late Ine-san seems almost hurt by it.It creates a true sense of obligation, of emotion, of connection to the characters and situation.Shenmue excels at creating a sense of strong emotional ties between the player and the characters, as evidenced by the potent flashbacks of Ryo with his father and the difficult parting with Nazomi at the end.You begin to feel the things Ryo feels, to truly take on the role of a lost, yet fiercely indomitable 18-year-old boy up against overwhelming odds to avenge the death of his father.

Every NPC is interactive and will converse with you.Many characters you meet near his hometown know Ryo by name, and some are his close friends--such as Nozomi Harasaki or the American Tom Johnson.There are actual curves of character development as the game progresses, relationships that alter in scope and nature, and a seemingly new, wary awareness of a wider, more iniquitous world by Ryo.Indeed, the villains Lan Di and unstable, tittering Chai impose heavy, bleak footprints on the narrative.Most people Ryo speaks to will have a few lines of dialogue about this or that--sometimes relevant and sometimes not, or now and then sending you off on splinter pursuits apart from your more crucial objectives--and a few will offer up clues to where you need to go next, what items you might need to acquire and to whom you need to talk.Every interaction can be important as you struggle to uncover clues.And with a continuous, moving timeline, it's all-too-possible to miss certain events as they occur when you're someplace else.While most of the gameplay involves the patient, explorative extrication of mystery upon mystery, there are also occasional action segments of martial arts brawling and QTE (quick time encounter) events calling for some speedy button pushes.

About midway through the proceedings Ryo is obligated to find employment to further fund his undertaking, and in this the game's principal setting and structure is somewhat altered.Ryo secures a job operating a forklift on the harbor docks.Here the game delves even further into the realms of realism, for every morning you must get up and report to work first thing--and then do the actual work for eight hours before recommencing with the more important tasks.And while this sometimes leads to a certain degree of monotony and tedium from the player's perspective, it does seem to work well overall within the scope of the game.

Outside the core body of gameplay are multiple minigames and collectible items that Ryo can pursue.The mingames are found mostly in the You Arcade in Dobuita, where full, authentic versions of the Sega arcade classics Hang On and Space Harrier are playable.There are also darts, billiards, slots and QTE games available.And a jukebox that plays real music.And cassette tapes of music you can buy in stores.Every sunrise before work at the harbor, Ryo can participate in a forklift race.And over 600 collectible items are available--everything from photographs to ancient Japanese mirrors to light bulbs to a package of squid legs--and they're located just about everywhere.

Visually, Shenmue is a tour de force, a world you just fall into like a pool of water and then don't want to get back out of. Stylistically and thematically, in both architecture and culture, it's a purely Japanese world.And the Japanese vibe really gets under your skin after a while.In a strange way, by the end of the game, you almost feel as if you've actually been in Japan, not just playing a game set there.It's a striking ambiance and environment they've created; time's suffocating grip has no hold here on the Dreamcast.The environments spring to life around you: trees and grass sway in the breeze, fish dart around a pond, a kitten meows by the roadside, ships dock at the harbor, pigeons startle into flight by your footsteps, people go blithely about their daily lives, the structures appear so lifelike you can almost reach out and touch them.Character animations are carved with a fine chisel; every line etched in the face a graphic relief, hair strands that divide and drift on the winds, eyes that bore holes of meaning and emotion into you.Even the detail present in Ryo's brown leather jacket is stunning.And all this on the Dreamcast, easily looking as good here as later, more advanced gaming consoles.

Shenmue breaches generations and cultures, a game people of vastly different ages and backgrounds can concurrently enjoy and become absorbed with.In the act of investigating, something is revealed, and that points you to the next stage--and from there to the next.You want to see what happens next; you care about Ryo's journey and the people around him you've come to know.The settings are pragmatic and the basic storyline is simple enough that a child can follow it, yet there is depth enough to draw anyone in.It's a universal theme, and a game that has remained wedged in the memory over the years.Regrettably, the ultimate resolution isn't found here; Ryo's tale winds on in Shenmue II on the Xbox.

Yu Suzukies Masterpiece...
Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast may possibly be the greatest video game experience I've ever had in my gaming days(including Shenmue II for xbox).Shenmue is about a young man out for revenge to find his fathers murderer but theres WAY more too it, I won't spoil anything other then this game is flat out beautiful and should be played by gamers that won't wyn about the slow paced action..

Like the title above, this is Yu Suzukies Masterpiece, the man worked EXTREAMLY hard on this amazing game(Shenmue is also known as one of the most expensive video games ever created).Sadly Yu Suzukies hard worked game never made any good sales because of the PS2's launch, I like many others got it at the time it was first released, This game is just pure brilliance.The visuals are some of the best seen in games...This may be the longest game review I've ever done so lets get to it..

Visuals
This is one of the if not THEEEE best looking DC game ever made, everything is so detailed and the character models are great.The building, the Atmoshpere, thank you so much Suzukie.

Gameplay
ok this is probably the reason this game is the most hated/loved game ever created.IT'S EXTREAMLY SLOW PACED, and may turn off some casual gamers but if you can hold on long enough the action will start to come up.The game play is simple and easy to get use to very quickly.The game plays like a mystery novel, ask people question and clues about something and when you find some clues you go ask other people that may know BUT THIS GAME PULLS IT OFF SO WELL IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!This game(plus Shenmue II) has THE best fighting engine ever!!!It's taken straight out of the virtura Fighter games.And the Free Battle sequences are extreamly rare yet very fun in the game.Did I mention you can do almost everything in this game?Well not everything but alot of things like getting a job, gambling and alot of the other things that can be done in real life...

Sound/music
When I say this games music is beautiful IT IS, Ten times better then MGS 1.Especially the main theme which you'll notice alot, it's amazing if theres one thing Yu Suzki did well(other then everything els) it's the music in this game, pure brilliance

Controlls
I'm really lazy to get into this but there pretty good
Lemmi just some it up right now

The Good
-Superb Visuals
-Great Controls
-Superb sound
-Amazing Inviorments
-Loads of things to do
-AWESOME FIGHTING ENGINE
-One of the most expensive games ever made
-A beautiful story about vengence but with alot to it

The bad
-action gamers will be turned off by how slow paced this game go's
-For some long, for some a SHORT game, took me about 13 hours my first time but that's because I just did all the story parts and not the side quests
-The sales for this and Shenmue II did so bad that we probably won't see a Shenmue III anytime soon
-For anyone looking for a good challenge for this and Shenmue II, look elswere, it's pretty simple an pretty straight forward..

Other then that Shenmue is an instant classic with everything on the spot, Yu Suzukie created something more then a game....This game is not just good because it feels like you're acctually in that world and living Ryu'S life.....This is good because Yu Suzukie braught us something that just feels so real, and like as if there really is a world like that....acctually there is, JAPAN, duuhh, but still no other game has hit me or motivated to the point were I HAVE TO PLAY THIS GAME more then shenmue....This game is hands down...One of the greatest video game experiences you'll ever have...... When it all comes down to this, I give Shenmue for the sega Dreamcast a

5 out of 5 stars...

Brilliant....Just...Brilliant

Totally a great game a must have for dc fans.
This is a really sweet game. Totally a butt-kicking game. I mean you go around beating people up the game lets you see in real live play beating some one up you know without the pain and nose bleeding.

TPittman
Ok, first of all im 12 years old, i bought this game, and played it from 3:00PM-2:00AM, three days in a row, and beat it! I only took about three breaks, and didn't go outside or even eat supper!!! I love this game so much, i beat it twice... total time of the game is about 27hours of game play! Man i wish i had an Xbox so i can play shenmue 2, shenmue 2 is also for the European dreamcast, which i dont have, but someday, i will get shenmue 2, and beat it...

This is a list of all the great things in the game...

1.Great storyline and detailed world...

2.Great minigames: Space Harrier(Quite weird, you look like a mother with a purse coming home from the store), Hang on(A motorcycle racing game), Darts(This ones probably my favorite), Exite QTE2(A game where a letter from the controller apears on the screen and you press it as fast as you can), Pool(not that fun and this is only located in the bar), and last but not least, QTE Title(Pretty much the same as Excite QTE2, but this is a boxing one). Most of the Minigames are located in the Dobuita(The city), at You arcade, and darts is also located at the harbor lounge...

3.You get a job at the harbor, and you take boxes with a Forklift to the warehouse your boss tells you to take it...

4.You can go in most of the buildings in the city Dobuita, and the harbor...

5.You can buy pretty much anything, food, Soda, buy a little toy out of the toy machine, and you can win prises, and win video games...

6.Vehicals are in this game, theres a motorcycle, and a forklift, and you can race on the forklift when you have a job...

7.Theres time, clocks, and it turns day and night, and it snows, and rains...

8. Buy tapes, and you can find a tape player in your room, so you can listen to really cheesy songs...

Heres a list of the bad things in the game...

1.The voice of the main character(Ryo Hazuki) sounds like he only put effort in the beginning, threw the rest of the game, he sounds he doesn't even care that his dad died...

2.The part where you have to save a girl(Nozomi Harasaki) on the motorcycle sucks big time, You only drive the motorcycle straight, i thought you would be able to drive it anywhere, and that part is hard too...

Thats everything, the only part of the game that sucks is them two, but buy the game, trust me, its the best RPG/Adventure game ever made on the planet, and the game not that bad, its rated Teen for Animated violence, Strong language, and Use of Tobacco and Alcohol, but dont let that stop you, just buy it already!!!

NOTE: You need a memory card!!!

The peak of gaming.
4 years ago, I saw tons of ads for Shenmue. I had never read anything about the game, or knew what it was about, as the ads simply said "SHENMUE" and its release date. I started to get hyped up about it, because they made it seem like this was the biggest game to come out since Super Mario Bros. 3. When it finally did come out, I managed to get it at Target for an incredibly sick low price. Upon taking it home and starting it up, I had a new standard for what makes a game good. I couldn't even believe this was a game when I saw Ryo Hazuki in action, running through an almost photo realistic Japan in the 1980's. It was beauty in motion. But this is more than a pretty game, much more.

What exactly is Shenmue? Is it an rpg, adventure, action, or fighter? It's really all of those. If you don't know by now, it was originally slated to be an rpg with Virtua Fighter characters, which sounds pretty cool. Later on though, everything was changed into something completely original. You play as Ryo Hazuki, a Japanese teenager who arrives home to see a black car parked near his home. Entering through the gates, he finds the housekeeper on the ground, probably beaten up. She tells him that his father's in the dojo and the men in the car are with him. Making his way to the dojo, an "adopted" family member gets thrown out and is unconscious. Finally, Ryo enters to see a Chinese man in a silk robe asking for a mirror. Ryo's dad, Iwao, doesn't tell them, and they begin to fight. Iwao is no match though, as Lan-Di dodges every move without effort and takes him out with a simple kick. Saying that he won't tell him again, Lan-Di threatens to kill Ryo. Iwao has no choice, and tells him that it's buried under the cherry tree outside. But it's too late, and Lan-Di tells Iwao to get up and die with honor. He kills him right in front of Ryo, and leaves with the mirror. The scene is very dramatic and the music addes even more to an already emotional scene. From that point on, it's up to Ryo to track down Lan-Di and avenge his father. Unfortunately for him though, it won't be easy. A lot of time will be spent asking questions around town to get more details on where to go next. This part of the game tends to bore some ignorant people, but it isn't as bad as they make it out. If you actually follow directions, things will be very simple. Sometimes, the people you try to get answers out of take offense, and immediately start a fight. Trust me, the fights in Shenmue are sweet and I was always pumped to get in one. The music, moves, and danger of it all renders all other fights in games obsolete. It took me a long time to get back to turn-based fights in rpgs after playing this.

As serious as it may sound, you can still have fun in Shenmue. Remember, this takes place in Japan in the 80's, so it's a very new world to many people. It's also as realistic as you can get. The designers took the actual weather reports and forecasts from that time period and put them into the game's actual calendar. If it was raining on a friday in December in real life, it's doing the same thing here in the game. If you don't want to wait around until a store opens to talk to the owner, buy some capsule toys of classic Sega characters (ranging from Sonic to NiGHTS to Sega executives), or go to the arcade and play classic games like Hang-On or Space Harrier. Time flies when playing those gems. You can also try out darts, a boxing simulator, and a QTE arcade machine to win capsule toys of said machines. QTEs are pretty cool. During a scene, sometimes a button or direction will flash on the screen, and you have to press it quickly in order to move on. An example is when some bikers attack (well, try to if you're good) Ryo at the harbor. If you manage to hit all the buttons correctly at the right time, Ryo will knock a biker off his motorcycle, causing him to fall into the sea. Even now, four years later, these excite me. Shenmue also has a vast variety of characters- Ryo's potential love interest: Nozomi the flower girl, Tom the hot dog vendor, Goro the street-wise punk with a heart of gold, Mark who supervises Ryo when he gets a job (oh yes, you get to work, and it's nothing but fun) driving forklifts, and many more characters. You can also practice your fighting moves in the dojo or even a parking lot. And you'll want to if you don't want to get beaten up in the many fights. Go out and buy some new move scrolls at the antique shop, or look around the Hazuki house. There's just so much to do here, that I could bore you even more with a second review just to go through it all. And by the time you're even 2 hours into the game, you will actually feel like you -are- Ryo Hazuki. The character attention is worthy of 5 stars in its own.

For the time it was released, nothing could compare to Shenmue. Character models all have nothing but the best detail. Wrinkles in their skin, articles of clothing where you can see each individual stitch, and actual facial expressions. Not just heads that had moving mouths, but real expressions. You can see the anger and determination in Ryo's eyes when confronting members of gangs in the area, shock when Tom demonstrates a new move later on, and grace in the final scene. But the developers didn't just stop with the main characters like so many others do, each individual character has their own unique look to distinguish them from anyone else. Just look at some of the workers at the harbor, or the resturant workers who look the part. On the Shenmue passport disc, there are almost FMV quality graphics in some of the characters that talk to you about the Shenmue world and explain various things. They're so close to being of Final Fantasy X FMV quality. Even today after the likes of the Xbox and GC have set the bar, those graphics look great. If there's anything to degrade in the graphics at all, it's that there's slowdown when walking through crowded streets. It never bothered me, but it does get to some people. Fortunately, this doesn't occur during the incredible fights. The 70 man battle in particular.

There's nothing bad to say about the music. The game's theme will automatically be stuck in your head once you hear it for the first time. And when the Chinese fiddle version is heard, it makes the theme even more memorable. It's epic, plain and simple. The theme is heard a lot throughout the game, but used differently and with variations. There's even a christmas version once December rolls around. Through the game, you can also buy cassette tapes if you want to hear something different. My favorite would probably be Hang-On, which can be won at the Tomato store as a prize.And the music that kicks in during fights, nothing short of dynamic. It's a shame it wasn't carried over to the sequel. That theme alone was worth playing for. And like the graphics, there's one tiny thing I didn't like- some of the voice acting. A lot of the voices are pretty good, but some of the extras just didn't try. If you have the chance, import the Japanese version to get the better voices.

Shenmue remains my favorite game even after the Panzer Dragoon Ortas and Blinxes and even Bust-A-Moves that I've played recently. Please buy this game and show support so the saga can continue. Right now the series is kind of in a rut, and its future isn't looking too good. As long as its finished in some way (even if the official comic manages to get more attention), I'll be happy. Shenmue isn't for everyone, but for those that pick it up and can appreciate it, they'll be hooked. Thank you for making this experience Mr. Suzuki. Here's hoping to more in the future *raises glass of cranberry apple raspberry juice*. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

It's the future, of course, and you're stationed aboard the spaceship Van Braun, waiting for your first soldiering assignment. Luckily, the future resembles the best of science fiction from the last 10 years--something plucked from Blade Runner with pieces from the The Fifth Element (only with an AI-enabled computer/self-proclaimed goddess running the show).

The universe is run by unbelievably huge corporations, and in one of the biggest (TriOptimum), a hacker is breaking the rules. The result is SHODAN, a supercomputer whose beautiful, eerie face glimmers from the box's cover. The engine used for Thief: The Dark Project, ensures that System Shock 2 hums along on systems with the basic requirements.

With a superior plot and engaging, Asian-inspired aesthetics, System Shock 2 is a visceral, visual treat of a first-person role-playing game. All the devices that in theory seem stale and stupid come to life in this game. It's as if you could go back to the 1970s and take a vision of what the future would look like--and make it believable and cool. All the whirs and beeps and pulsing noises sound realistic. In addition, the designers have added in all the creepy elements we never wanted to have come true--such as the voiceovers that greet you when you're at the airport--only in this case, you're visiting the training sessions held by the United National Nominate.

Suffice it to say, the future of humankind is in your hands. With an excellent supporting cast and well-realized sci-fi visuals, System Shock 2 offers insight into an amazing new world order. --Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Very good but hard, very hard.
Several things make this hybred shooter / RPG hard: First there aren't large piles of ammo available and most monsters only drop one bullet, shell, etc. You'll almost always be short of ammo, needing to resort to the default weapon, a wrench, especially on the early levels. You really will need to make every shot count. Additionally unlike most low ammo shooters, this game, while having some stealth elements is not stealth game. You sneak around some but there is the occasional large firefight you can't avoid. The last hard part is the slow rate that you acquire weapons and even after you find them, you can't carry them all. It'll take a long time to find and gain the skills to use better weapons and the limited inventory space means you'll be making some hard choices.

Not just a shooter, you find 'cybernetic modules' that you use to upgrade your abilities. Upgrades include the usual statistics (strength, agility, endurance, etc), weapon skills, psonic abilities and technical skills. The technical skills are the most important, you have repair and modify your weapons, research unknown items you find and hack into computers, security systems and other items. This hacking skill is most important skill you have. You won't enough modules for all the upgrades so choose wisely.

Aside from difficulty and RPG features the game provides a good story. Your path is fairly linear and there's a bit too much key collecting there are a couple plot twists.And while the space ship interior graphics are mundane, the sound design is excellent. You'll need a good speaker setup to hear things coming up behind you or in the distance ahead.

One disappointment: most monsters re-spawn. My preference has been to clear out an area and have it stay cleared.

I had no problems running this game on Windows 2000 although switching to the desktop caused a nVidia-based blue screen of death.

Best Ever, but...
This is my favorite PC game of all time. I've been playing since it's release (yep, I've got the original packaging and all). My only negative comment is not on the game itself but that it is almost a crime that no further games in this series were ever produced. I also have SS1 but unfortunately still have not gotten it to run correctly on modern PC's (damn DOS crap!). I still have not taken the wrench challenge on the highest level, too much dancing around with robots I guess..

Folks, this is as good as it gets.
I first played this game in Spring of 2003, by which time the graphics of this game were almost primitive. I stuck through the first few minutes to see what the game was like, and it wasn't long before I was sucked in to what is probably the best game I have ever played in my life. This game will scare you to death. It really makes me wonder why more games like this aren't made. Doom 3 actually took most of its style of play from this game. Its very much like Deus Ex, and in my opinion is actually superior. It has a superb storyline played out through emails and data logs with superb voice acting. The atmosphere will really sink into your skin, and when you hear the monsters hunting you down, you'll be ready to jump out of your skin! Be advised, this game is very difficult, and it takes time to get used to. It is not like a regular FPS, you simply don't have enough ammo to go around blasting everything you see. You have to be clever. Play this game, and you will not regret it. It's true that the later levels are somewhat dissapointing, but the game is still well worth it. Five Stars for this game. Oh, and make sure to check out the System Shock 2: Rebirth modification, which replaces some of the graphics with excellent high polygon versions. It really makes the game look ten times better! Just type the name System Shock 2 Rebirth into a search engine to find it.

Nothing else like it...
I bought this game after reading many reviews from people who consider it to be the scariest game ever made.I went out and bought a new pair of headphones and vowed only to play it at night with no lights...let me say that I now agree with all those reviews. ;)I've had many "OH, S***" moments with this game involving the mouse in the air and my character dying (and me having to take a 30 minute break while my heart rate slowly comes out of the stratosphere).

As far as the gameplay goes, the graphics look dated, but the game IS over 5 years old.The plot is very deep and interesting, and your enemies, SHODAN (along with Xerxes and The Many) are always sure to remind you of their presence.The ambient sound and voice-overs are very well done, and more than make up for the low graphics quality (not to mention the fact that most of the levels are very dark, adding to the ambience and hiding the poor textures).

You can go back to any part of the ship you previously explored, but don't expect it to be free of enemies.They respawn randomly, but the worst part is, the don't respawn very often...you'll be sneaking around every corner, and if you ever get lulled into a sense of security, suddenly a Hybrid will appear right behind you, and then it's over.Time to change your pants and drink some herbal tea to calm the nerves...

It is really in a genre of it's own, part RPG, part first person shooter, and ALL sci-fi horror.I've played scary games before, but this one takes the cake.Not recommended for heart patients or young children :)If you have never played this game, BUY IT NOW!!You WILL NOT regret it.

The scariest computer game ever made!
Complete and utter horror!!!!! That is the only way that I can describe this game. This game is mind-numbingly gruesome, terrifying tale of a world just beginning to crawl out of cyberpunk dystopia, only to have its latest scientific marvel plunged back into that hell.

SHODAN is back, and she wants you to fight her battle against her biological creations. You are caught in a deadly crossfire in the claustrophobic corpse of a starship, and you have no friend but yourself.

As the extremely complex plot twists and turns on itself, you are further plunged into an electronighmare which only intensifies until you finally discover the true horror of SHODAN's latest plans...

The gameplay is a brilliant hybrid of FPS and RPG, with a complicated RPG system making the game incredibly deep.

If you have EVER passed this game up, you deserve to die. This game is far more atmospheric than Deus Ex or any similar title and it is the most unutterably scary game I have ever played.

This will give you nightmares!

PLAY IT. NOW! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

It's not easy being a child of a god. Your character quickly comes tothis conclusion after being imprisoned and tortured by a wizard with anunhealthy interest in your parentage. So begins Baldur's Gate II: Shadows ofAmn, an ambitious role-playing game based on the Advanced Dungeons &Dragons game.

Shadows of Amn is not really a sequel to Baldur's Gate. Instead,Baldur's Gate was merely a prelude to Shadows of Amn. Shadows ofAmn develops the plot lines, characters, and events introduced in the firstgame into a mature, genuinely interesting fantasy tale. Players who thought theoriginal game shallow will be pleasantly surprised by Shadows of Amn'sbold story arcs. Major events are afoot, and the characters' choices have a realimpact on the Forgotten Realms.

In the same way, Baldur's Gate served as a proving ground for the refinedgame mechanics evident in Shadows of Amn. The game's artificialintelligence has been vastly improved, and players have many more choices forNPC AI scripts and party communication. Keeping with Shadows of Amn's moremature theme, the party interaction even includes possible love interests foryour character.

Those who played through the original Baldur's Gate can import theircharacter into Shadows of Amn, or can choose to create a new character.Character kits such as the Mageslayer and Swashbuckler add variety, and the gameeven includes the Monk, Sorcerer, Barbarian, and Half-Orc options from the newDungeons & Dragons 3rdEdition rules. Whether you import an old character or create a new one,you'll begin the game as a fairly advanced character--unlike most RPGs, youwon't have to spend hours slaying puny critters and instead are plunged into ahigh-stakes plot against powerful foes.

A strong plot backed by strong technology makes Shadows of Amn stand outas one of the best RPGs we've ever played. Fans of AD&D will love the classicAD&D feel, and fans of the popular Forgotten Realms setting will delight in thepeople, places, and politics found in Shadows of Amn. --MichaelFehlauer

Pros:

• High-level power gaming
• Quality voice work
• Improves the already great Baldur's Gate interface
• Character kits and D&D 3rd Edition races and classes add variety
• Advances the plot begun in Baldur's Gate

• Based on obsolete AD&D 2nd Edition rules
• Character animations are stiff
• Player's character starts out less powerful than other party members

Reviews (231)

Incantus Pulchur Imperium!
This is easily the best game i have ever played. You can rank a game in many ways, i give this game maximum points in every single category...

Voice Acting

Probably the games strongest area was it's character development giving the game an extra dimension of realism and gravity, integral to this was the awesome voice acting which was/is the best i have ever known, this game showed that voice acting in computer games can be incredibly powerful, the actors who played the characters are real pro's. My favourite was Irenicus, he breathed a realism and a menace into the character which truly brought that villainous character to life. Also in this category is dialogue, which is equally incredible, occasionally i can still here a reedy voice in my head saying...."you should not have come to this place", unforgettable.

Graphics

For their time, these graphics were top of the range, the outdoors are particularly impressive, wether it's the temple district or the wilderness, no two trees look anything alike.

Sound/Music

The sound effects in the game were amazing, when you are in a city you here murmurings (of street traders/hawkers) which blend wonderfully into the background complementing everything. When you enter Suldanesselar you hear the frantic almost deranged chirpings of the birds which convey a sense of order-disrupted. The games musical score is absolutely gorgeous! The main theme (which kicks up when a fight starts) is rousing and exciting and a pleasure to listen to, it adds even more grandeur and scale to the game.

Gameplay

Top marks here too, there are so many ways you can play the game, so many paths you can take, the challenge level varies but overall is suitably balanced. The games replayability was awesome (i won it at least 10 times and each time i was amazed at how new the experience was). When you add to this the extraordinary value for money you get because the game is extremely long, yet it never becomes repetitive.

Overall this game showed me for the first time what the computer role playing genre was capable of, playing this game was like starring in a movie combined with reading a wonderfully gripping novel. You really feel for the characters. I had thought Planetscape Torment was good, this game introduced an entirely new experience. Easily the best game i have ever played (and i have played a lot).

How did they pack it all into five cd's?

sort of.... dreary
It is difficult to stand against the onslaught of love and respect for this game. And I'm not saying don't try this game. Too many people loved it for me to expect you to go by my experience, but I do want to share with you my different perspective.

First off, looking back, I don't hate Baldur's gate. It has it's virtues. Its just that after 20 or so hours it began to weigh on me, leaving me with a feeling heavy, bleak, and insistent.In taking up computer games as a hobby a year ago it was one of the first games I played or really got into.Fascination rolled into addiction and addiction rolled into a kind of dread and tedium.Finally I realized I didn't actually have to play this game anymore.So I didn't.This may seem like an obvious solution to you, but then you don't actually know me so well.

Enough preamble. I like to rate games based on categories that I find important to me and so I will do that below on a scale of say 1 to 10. How's that?

Story:4, I'll admit my predispositions here, and also that not actually getting more than a third of the way through this game limits me a little, but I do feel I got the main idea.My predisposition is that I long for a computer game that is story driven effectively and actually works as a good story. Story is always such a distant second to gameplay that you end up with these half hour stories built into 15 to 60 hour games.Generally they either make little sense, or fade into a weird sequel nothingness in the end (hello half life 2, beyond good and evil (good games both nevertheless)). I have tried so many, do actually like many games, but have been underwhelmed repeatedly as far as story.Baldur's had the advantage that I was new to gaming and so hadn't seen all it's conventions before, even if they were familiar.In this game you wake up in a prison cell and have a secret destiny.Yeah yeah yeah.It's actually not too bad though and the quality of some of the characters helps, but, and I think this might be the key problem, in order to create an open ended world, provide a variety of quests, and give the good/evil option as it were, the whole thing comes completely apart at the seams.The story falls apart into ridiculousness except the game pretends it hasn't and you're supposed to too. Just to start you spend hours struggling to break out of a dungeon you have no knowledge of even though a member of your party broke in to get you.Wouldn't she have some helpful information?How did she manage it in the first place? So much of this game is full of stuff like this. Its been awhile so I'm fuzzy, but could come up with quite a few more examples, like places where the sense of what is good and effective to do in the game defies the reality of your characters as actual people.In my opinion you can have a very linear game (problem is too few options as a player unless it's done perfectly), or a completely wide open, basically questless game (problem is it feels kind of pointless unless it's done perfectly and beautifully) or you can have a reality defying muddle in the middle of the two. Baldur's takes this last path I am afraid.Still, I would have sort of liked to see how it all turned out if I didn't have to slog through so very much stuff and time to get to it.

Characters: 7 or 8,very good.Love the pictures. Voices excellent. Really nicely done, though after awhile hearing them say the same phrases hundreds of times was hard to take.Also the story caused them to do things completely out of character at times.

Gameplay:5, I prefer less difficulty in games and would have appreciated a difficulty level system very much.There is a lot of fighting, managing your stuff and fighting some more and its that d and d dice rolling fighting that can look very strange (big guy with huge sword swings at weakened creature just standing there and misses wildly). It often left me feeling faintly like it wasn't working and that the game didn't do what was in the queues for my characters even though I suppose it really was.

Graphics: 6, nice general visual design and though its dated now its pretty powerful in the sense of mood it imparts (though see below). I mean it really did affect me in an almost dreamlike way for awhile.It was a bit of a letdown in terms of giving me a sense of wonder though.

Dreariness factor:1,cold, chill and frequently joyless.That's how I found it.Some of the character humor helped a little, especially the nicer characters, but so much killing and grim characters and so little relief or oasis or real rewards or lightness in comparison. Plus I felt burdened by the way the quests could just sort of pile up on you and all be emergencies.

Technical issues:I always feel this is so subjective as you never know what will be a problem with your computer, but a few small or weird glitches were really awful for me.I couldn't get downstairs in one place, something crucial disappeared in another.

Learning factor:4, had a tutorial level which maybe I wouldn't find too confusing with the experience I have now in games, but I really wish it had been more clear and specific.

Product materials:5,a nice start, decent book, but really quite incomplete.

Chore factor:2, well, you know, so many rooms of so many monster things to really get anywhere.I really did feel burdened.

Difficulty:3, kind of already discussed but I'll add that everything seemed either kind of hard to kill or quite hard to kill, it would have been nice and even appropriate if some things had been very easy too. I will repeat I might have lasted longer with an easy or moderately easy setting, but it still would've gotten to me in the end.

Game saves:7,a pretty good save anytime system only flawed by an inability to save in combat, which, if I recall, could sometimes sneak up on you and then it was too late.

Conclusion:I find when I write negative reviews of really popular and respected games (gta vice city is a good example) people tend to say its not helpful, and if I like them its very helpful,but sometimes I think they maybe already played the game and think it's some kind of contest these reviews (then of course, maybe they just think its not a very informative review).I'm just telling you my reaction here and my thoughts. A lot of people gave this classic game 5 stars. I really think this game could've been alot better.

Baldur's gate made me think maybe I don't like rpgs too much, but I am currently pretty far along in star wars knights of the old republic and very much like it.

Not verymuch changed...luckily
Baldur's Gate is a first-class game, so why change the formula in the sequal? Yea, you can fight with two weapons at a time now, but who cares? I still use only one. Graphics didn't change that much in my eyes, so it's actually the same game with another story-line. But the story - because of that I fell in love with BG - is again very good. I saw someone complaining that the bad guy (I forgot his name) is too evil..well, did you expect that the bad guy just sold illegal armor or something? I didn't really like that beginning part - there in those underground mines - but the rest is again amazing. Someone complained you don't know how strong the monsters are if you want to attack... doesn't that make it more real. It's kind of silly if you see a number above his head or something.. It's an addictive game and I wished my copy of it didn't brake (just like my copy of BG1). I love this game (maybe because it's one of the few games I'm really good at), it's perfect just like the first BG. Buy it, the game is cheap these days..

Best Game Ever
If I could make ambrosia, If I could create the very divinity of all that ever existed in gaming, and if I could program, I would have made Baldur's Gate.
Even as someone who frequents First Person Shooter games, Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, is still the best game I have ever played.
If you enjoy plot that actually matters, a game that ISN'T Completely hack&slash, a game where you can become a god (Well, in the expansion at least...) and if you enjoy games that will make you actually think, then BG2 is an awesome game for you.
And even if you don't normally enjoy those types of games, Get BG2 anyway.
While it is recommended that you play the first game before the second, it is not necessary. The first one was a bit on the boring side anyway.
You start as a captive in the dungeon of Jon Irenicus, an evil mage who has captured you to further his own cause, whatever that cause may be. You must escape his lair, to enter the city of Athkatla. And then? Then the game has only just begun.
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn is a very open ended game, but the main plot is still quite evident, so you don't get too lost.
Some will be the Barbarian leader who captured a Keep by force, others will be a Sorcerer who took control of a Planar Sphere.
There are no limitations.

This game will blow your mind.

One of the best RPGs I've ever played...
Final Fantasy? Good, but not great.
Diablo? Not even worth mentioning.
Divine Divinity? Good, but not really noteworthy.
Planescape: Torment? The only game better than this.

Baldur's Gate II has it all.

Beautiful landscapes. Detailed locations. Absorbing gameplay. Realistic characters. Twisted enemies. Entrancing music. Tens of thousands of items, both mundane and magical. Hundreds of spells.

Seven races. Eleven classes. Many sub-classes. The ability to change your class later or start with multiple ones. Skills. Stats. Resistances. Proficiencies. In short, nigh-on ultimate control over the customisation of your character.

Barbarian? Sorcerer? Perhaps a Monk or a Bard... and unlike Neverworking Nightmares, you can actually have a party! Six characters and up to five summoned creatures at a time makes for a mini army to challenge your enemies with (and believe me, you've got a lot of them).

See that demon there? He's after you. Emphatic Manifestations of the hatred of a bunch of worshippers chasing you around temples dedicated to dead gods. Character-specific curses. Turnip-obsessed Gnomes.

And through it all, your god-blood is as much a curse as it is a blessing, for there are quite a few plot twists revolving around your father... ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Last Express allows you to move freely through the rich and detailed 3-D environment of the world's most luxurious train, circa 1914, during its final European crossing prior to the outbreak of WWI.

Game play involves interacting with characters, exploring objects, engaging in action sequences, and uncovering multiple story threads--with your perspective shifting from first person to third person for maximum dramatic effect.

Information gained is used to piece together a series of interrelated puzzles, which advance you through the story. If you are clever enough, you ultimately discover the shocking secrets of The Last Express ... before it's too late! ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Lame
The stereotypes are only mildly irritating. Germans are fat, French are snobs, Brits are chatty, etc. The American is Indiana Jones of course (what else?)

The real nuisance came at the end. If you don't catch a roach and trade it for a stupid whistle in mid game, the game continues but will prevent you from winning. It doesn't get any lamer than this.

The best computer game ever?
I've owned this game for two years, and still play it on my iMac. It is timeless and THAT good, with excellent characterizations, well-thought out plots and timelines. The game is so unusual, as it has separate timelines going on at the same time; i.e. depending where you are on the train as Robert Cath, you may/may not hear certain conversations and interactions between characters. The characters will interact with each other and go about their business regardless of whether you are in "ear-shot" or not, yet if you approach characters to interact, you may get different responses, depending on what you have done or haven't done in the game, etc. A beautifully conceived game by Jordan Mechner, creater of the Prince of Persia games. Although this game won accolades upon release, it wasn't incredibly well-received, and the Smoking Car Productions (Mechner) that produced the game folded quietly after the game's release.

Fans of this game can also purchase the excellent CD Soundtrack through amazon, as well as the "how-to" player's guide through amazon. One can only hope for a sequel by Mechner if there is enough interest....

Very good game for person sick of pointless puzzles
I liked this game a lot. It had an interesting storyline, I really felt for the charcters in the end, I haven't felt that way since Gabriel Knight 2. I had to save a lot in the game but I really had no complaints about that. Some people found it tedious to go back a redo sections of the game if they missed a crucial conversation. I guess if you like to finish games quickly then this game is not for you. I liked that you got to know each character in the game, and the dual love stories added romance. I liked the historical background and the artwork of the movie. It was probably one of the best adventure games I have played.

The Last Express is one of a kind
This game is truly one of a kind.There is absolutely no other game that can come close to it. I bought this game in 1997 and have played it as recently as today! It's that entertaining. Beautiful visuals aside, the story of The Last Express is breathtaking.Although a sequel had been planned, Smoking Car Productions has sadly disbanded, ending the deal. However, I have exciting news that a movie version is in the works, with both Jordan Mechner and Tomi Pierce supervising. My advice is to buy this game and then go see the movie:) More game developers need to take their cue from this game, if more games came close to this one I'd buy them as fast as they could make them.

Europe, Trains, Murder, Romance - The perfect adventure game
I would highly recommend this game for those history buffs who like trains and like to solve murder mystries on them. The soundtrack for this game is nothing short of classic Hollywood. The game takes to you inside The Orient Express. Europe is literally on the brink of World War I. You are a young American doctor who is invited by a close friend to join him on a trip to Constantinople. Before you even board the train certain events have transpired, which affect the rest of your journey.
The story revolves around the charcters on the train.
And you meet several interesting ones - a German industrialist, a Russian anarchist, a young and innocent Russian girl and her grandfather, a remnant of the Czar, a Serbian rebel couple, a North-African tribal chief, just to name a few. In all, about 30 charecters. You really have to understand each character, their mannerisms, and their movements and behavior in general. They all play an intricate role in making the story.

There are lots of death-defying stunt fights, magic, romance and great music. This game is nothing short of the Indiana Jones Trilogy. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A 3-D action-adventure game starring everyone's favorite webhead,Spider-Man is quite a rarity--a superhero video game that's worth playing.Featuring an original story jam-packed with characters and locations from thecomics, and, more importantly, gameplay that does our hero justice, this is onetitle that won't disappoint Spidey fans.

While Spider-Man's story line (told via a slide show of comic book panels)is linear, there's great freedom of movement within the game's 3-D indoor andoutdoor environments. True to comic book form, you can climb walls and travelabout webswinging, although the former can be disorientating in terms ofpoint-of-view, and the latter is often a leap of faith, as the game's shoddygraphics (even with the optional Expansion Pak) create a restricted field ofvision. In addition to being able to do all sorts of nifty things with yourwebspinners, Spidey's superstrength, superagility, and spider-sense (for whichyou'll want a Rumble Pak to feel the patented tingle) are also accounted for. Asfor his superhuman reflexes, well, that one's really up to you. --JoeHon

Pros:

• Gameplay that actually does Spider-Man justice
• Simple in-game display; solid controls
• Lots of secrets unlock in records and gallery modes
• Kid mode simplifies controls and gameplay for younger players

• Shoddy graphics can cause Spidey to go splat
• Point-of-view can be disorienting at times
• PlayStation version features much-improved graphics and sound

Reviews (40)

Go Spidey!
I only tried this game on Ps2 but on that system it was very good.

Fun But Falls Three Too Many Web Zips behind
This game has awesome gameplay.This gets it 4 Stars.

This game has below average graphics for the N64's power. 1 1/2 Star.

The Plot Line is great and includes other marvel characters like Human Torch, Captain America, and the Punisher. 4 Stars

The Fact that I beat it 6 times in 5 days makes it run out of webs in the middle of a 100-foot off the ground web sling. 0 Stars.

Average: 2 stars

I recommend Spider-Man: The movie which is out for GCN, PS2, and The X-Box.

It passes the time... and that's all I ask
What surprised me most when I first popped this cartridge into my system and turned on the unit, was how much of a likeness that the game bore to 'Maximum Carnage,' the title that was Spider Man's foray into Sega Genesis. Although it's been awhile since I've played 'Maximum Carnage,' I distinctly remember how Spidey and Venom looked in that game, as well as how the story went. It seemed as if attempts were made to just simply adapt 'Carnage' to Nintendo 64, Sony Playstation, and Game Boy Color. The only differences I could see between the games, other than the more straight-out fighting style and lack of big name villains, was the fact that 'Carnage' was only a partially 3-D game with more of an emphasis on battling villains then on travelling throughout the three dimensional background and swinging from building to building. Even a few of the early villains look a bit similar.

What I next noticed was just how of an all-around solid game it was. I was completely enamored for the first three or four levels before I began to notice the occasional flaws and inconsistencies. The first level, just a really simple swing from building to building, is a testament to not only the beauty of the graphics, but how smooth the game runs, and just how fun it is. Even the voices of the characters were done beautifully, and original Spider Man creator Stan Lee's commentaries at the beginning of each level ('Looks like everyone's favourite wallcrawler is in a bit of trouble') was just a real cool touch.

From there though, I began to discover little things about the game that just bothered me a bit. First was the occasional glitch in the game. Although their occurences were few and far between, they did ruin the mood of the game. Most of these glitches occured while using the dome of webbing to protect Spidey. Oftentimes the webbing would just randomly float in mid-air, just sitting there. But, no biggie, no games are perfect.

Second was the weak storyline. I found it a little hard to understand what was going on throughout the game. The story just seemed to jump at random from being attacked by Rhino to fighting off symbiotes with the help of Venom. I was pretty confused at a couple points in the game, even after playing through a second and third time.

Thirdly is how easy the game was. I had the game set on easy, so I can't make any conjectures on how the medium and hard settings are, but I was finished with the game in less then a day. I rented it Wednesday morning at noon, and had it beat after only about 5 or 6 hours of playing. However, even though it was pretty easy to beat, some replay value is given in attempting to go back through the levels and collecting classic issues of 'Spider Man' comic books in hidden spots.

And finally, my last and biggest complaint is the cut scenes. Since I had seen the ending for the PSX version of the game while hanging around in 'Electronic Boutique' (some guy had no life and just had to go through and beat it all - surprisingly it only took him a half hour, because other people had already reached the point he sta