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[Dineren]

Training with

Spoiler

Jianmin

is the training surrogate, along with the street fights you unlock later on, but you don't really need to train in II because of the frequency of the fights and the XP you win off those.

Ah that's right. Shenmue 2 generally keeps you pretty busy so I've never really thought about it.

You train with Jianmin. It's fun to hit him (very rare). Moves train so much faster in 2 as well. When you get to Kowloon you can go to the

Spoiler

street fights

and haul ass. Training in 1 is actually good when you can spar with Fuku but you can't after a certain point and it sucks.

In III you must have a training partner. If it's a solo thing again I'll tear my hair out. I want daily sparring with a martial artist. What southern Chinese Kung fu style would be good for sparring?

Yeah I remember it now. I really need to play through 2 again, it's been way too long.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

I think the dude working two jobs is kinda great; he's got the only bad voice acting that works for the character. Sounds exactly like an exhausted, bored teenager trying to make a wage. But yeah, it's a nice bit of background texture finding out about your co-workers.

But yeah, Yokosuka in Shenmue is like a classic example of Japanese towns that suffered from economic downturn. That's why a lot of stores are shut up, why only the red light district is thriving, etc. I think a poster on here did a good little series about stuff like that around the time of the Kickstarter last year on Kotaku's Talk Amongst Yourselves space.

The guy with the blue jean jacket has the WORST VOICE OMG.

Ree yoh.

Oh my god Yu did you pick this guy off the street or what??

 

[Spaghetti]

In III you must have a training partner. If it's a solo thing again I'll tear my hair out. I want daily sparring with a martial artist. What southern Chinese Kung fu style would be good for sparring?

A partner would be nice, but considering the game takes place over three geographical locations that might not be easy.

Then again, III is supposedly taking a more traditional RPG approach to experience and skills, so there will probably be new methods of gaining fighting XP that we've not seen in the series previously.

For example, they could do a QTE training sequence with a wooden dummy.

 

[Kiske]

Training sucks in 1. Doing the same move over and over in an empty parking lot is atrocious.

Well, it's still useful and I remember spending more than a reasonable time in a parking lot training my favorite moves. (The XP increasing of the moves was a good incentive, imo)

PS. Always found practising my Karate Katas boring to be honest

 

[Spaghetti]

The guy with the blue jean jacket has the WORST VOICE OMG.

Ree yoh.

Oh my god Yu did you pick this guy off the street or what??

Japan is a haven for bad English speaking voice actors. If you can speak the language natively you basically become instantly qualified to do English voice acting in Japan.

Which is weird, considering Eric Kelso lives in Japan and gives the best English performance in the series as

Spoiler

Ren

.

Well, it's still useful and I remember spending more than a reasonable time in a parking lot training my favorite moves. (The RPG like increasing of the moves effectiveness was a good incentive, imo)

PS. Always found practising my Karate Katas boring to be honest

The training with Fuku-san is a more entertaining training method, IMO. Shame you can only really do it during a limited period, but I can see why you wouldn't be allowed to do it on Disk 2 and 3 given the stuff with the puzzle solving in the Dojo, and the hours of the forklift job.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Pretty good episode. I liked their denial about having to wait, but yeah that should be the last time. And I guess Nozomi just finds the cat if you don't.

 

[Spaghetti]

Pretty good episode. I liked their denial about having to wait, but yeah that should be the last time. And I guess Nozomi just finds the cat if you don't.

Yeah, and y'know, cats who wander off will usually come back anyway if they associate it with warmth, shelter, food, safety, etc.

 

[Vampire On Titus]

Japan is a haven for bad English speaking voice actors. If you can speak the language natively you basically become instantly qualified to do English voice acting in Japan.

Which is weird, considering Eric Kelso lives in Japan and gives the best English performance in the series as

Spoiler

Ren

.


The training with Fuku-san is a more entertaining training method, IMO. Shame you can only really do it during a limited period, but I can see why you wouldn't be allowed to do it on Disk 2 and 3 given the stuff with the puzzle solving in the Dojo, and the hours of the forklift job.

Can you spar with the old man on Disk 2 & 3? I'm pretty sure he mentions something about being in an abandoned warehouse sometimes.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Can you spar with the old man on Disk 2 & 3? I'm pretty sure he mentions something about being in an abandoned warehouse sometimes.

I've never actually found him him in the warehouse at lunch, I'm curious if anyone else has.

 

[dlauv]

Can you spar with the old man on Disk 2 & 3? I'm pretty sure he mentions something about being in an abandoned warehouse sometimes.

You can train in the warehouse alone. I'm not sure if you can trigger and event or not. Old man teaches you

Spoiler

moves

tho.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Can you spar with the old man on Disk 2 & 3? I'm pretty sure he mentions something about being in an abandoned warehouse sometimes.

You can't. You can train in a warehouse as Dlauv says.

 

[Vampire On Titus]

That's a shame it'd be fun to get in a real fight with him.

best sparring partner in II (minor spoilers)

 

[Spaghetti]

Can you spar with the old man on Disk 2 & 3? I'm pretty sure he mentions something about being in an abandoned warehouse sometimes.

I've never actually found him him in the warehouse at lunch, I'm curious if anyone else has.

I don't think you can. I've never seen him anyway.

It's kind of pointless training of Disk 3, though, because of the frequency of the fights. Even if you've never engaged with the training before, the XP out of the story fights should at least put you up to intermediate on most moves and see players through to the endgame stuff pretty easily.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

That's a shame it'd be fun to get in a real fight with him.

best sparring partner in II (minor spoilers)

Spar? That's a full on death match. Hardest fight in the series.

 

[Spaghetti]

Spar? That's a full on death match. Hardest fight in the series.

Damn right.

I was doing that side quest the other night and I got my ass beat so many times. Sarah's moveset in VF is pretty damn hardcore, let alone when applied to high level and aggressive AI like they did with

Spoiler

Izumi

in Shenmue II.

I still had fun though. It was cool that I had to decide between "hit and move" tactics and straight up getting in her face with strategic use of the dodge/counter button, risking the punishing QTE sequence each time. TBH, the QTE method is easier, because the command never changes, and when you know it's coming you can complete it pretty easily. She also totally crumbles against stuff like the Double Storm Kick. Dat Akira moveset.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

That's a shame it'd be fun to get in a real fight with him.

best sparring partner in II (minor spoilers)

Izumi is awesome, fighting AND duck racing. What's not to love?

 

[adamsapple]

Poor Vinny dies a little bit more on the inside each time the game asks him to come back the next day ..

its so glorious

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Watching the episode and I gotta say going to the harbor just to get a job to find the Mad Angels is fucking stupid and the guys are right. Worst Christmas ever.

 

[Cave Johnson]

You train with Jianmin. It's fun to hit him (very rare). Moves train so much faster in 2 as well. When you get to Kowloon you can go to the

Spoiler

street fights

and haul ass. Training in 1 is actually good when you can spar with Fuku but you can't after a certain point and it sucks.

In III you must have a training partner. If it's a solo thing again I'll tear my hair out. I want daily sparring with a martial artist. What southern Chinese Kung fu style would be good for sparring?

What? You can HIT him???.?

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

"Meet me at noon tomorrow -"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

ahahahaha

"Don't listen to him."

 

[Spaghetti]

What? You can HIT him???.?

He can counter/hit you back too.

It's incredibly rare that you can break his guard though, like seriously. I think I've only really managed it a handful of times, and never in succession.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Guys. The npc at 10:12.

WHO IS THAT.

I've never seen him! His voice is so creepy too! Like he sounds like a serial murderer or something. What the fuck!

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I die right with him because fuck this game for making me come back tomorrow for everything. If I were the boss of every douchebag in this game who asked folks to come back tomorrow for the simplest fucking task I'd fire them

 

[Chuck]

I love the shenmue defenders that refuse a timeskip idea will go and suggest you instead go and talk to all the people in town to pass time.

The ones that ALL tell you to kindly go fuck yourself.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

So I was looking at another Shenmue run, and apparently Goro (pompadour dude) suddenly becoming your pal can actually happen way earlier in the game: GBE got into New Warehouse 8 by pushing a box and sneaking in through a second floor window, but if you spend the day just exploring the harbor and come back the next day, then Goro will appear, start acting all chummy, and will help Ryo by distracting the guards outside so Ryo can slip in.

There's also a bit where if you go to the lunchbox stand, you'll see some squabble between the woman running it and her younger sister. You can talk to the lunchbox woman and offer to help her with her sister running with the wrong crowd. Track them down and you'll find her hanging out with the mean schoolgirls in the blue sailor uniforms. One of them comes at Ryo with a fucking razor blade, and Ryo responds by disarming her and karate chopping her in the fucking neck. Then he tells the sister to be more considerate toward her older sister, and when you go back to the lunchbox stand, the owner will mention she delivers lunches to the old warehouse district, but there's always 12 lunches even though there are 10 guards (the other two are for Chen and Gui Zhang, I guess?) Ryo offers to deliver the lunches and it automatically cuts to a scene of him going to that front gate with the guard in the shack, overhearing the times when he has to come in and do the stealth sequence.



I noted this because apparently both Goro and the sister show up together on Disk 3 so if you're wondering who the random girl is, there you go



(Also wow, they really did miss a bunch of Nozomi scenes)

 

[Fantastapotamus]

I love Alex' naivety, thinking they can somehow circumvent waiting another day by searching the foreman.

Spoiler

I assume that's not how it works.

I love the shenmue defenders that refuse a timeskip idea will go and suggest you instead go and talk to all the people in town to pass time.

The ones that ALL tell you to kindly go fuck yourself.

People also told them to do that raffle thing and look how much fun that turned out to be!

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

I love the shenmue defenders that refuse a timeskip idea will go and suggest you instead go and talk to all the people in town to pass time.

The ones that ALL tell you to kindly go fuck yourself.

Um.

II already has a time skip feature and pretty much all of us think 1 would be better with it.

Also, no one is saying the game couldn't use a time skip feature. Just that because it doesn't allows an opprtunuty to explore the game. It's definitely a flaw but one you deal with as you play the game. Either you grit your teeth and try to push forward or you accept it, take it slow and allow the games pace to sink in.

 

[LiK]

why is every ep only 30+ minutes now. too short.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

So I was looking at another Shenmue run, and apparently Goro (pompadour dude) suddenly becoming your pal can actually happen way earlier in the game: GBE got into New Warehouse 8 by pushing a box and sneaking in through a second floor window, but if you spend the day just exploring the harbor and come back the next day, then Goro will appear, start acting all chummy, and will help Ryo by distracting the guards outside so Ryo can slip in.



(Also wow, they really did miss a bunch of Nozomi scenes)

Whoa, never knew about that Goro bit. And yeah, they've missed about every Nozomi scene they could.

 

[Human Trashcan]

People saying the fighting is bad?? Shenmue has a better combat system than Witcher 3.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

So I was looking at another Shenmue run, and apparently Goro (pompadour dude) suddenly becoming your pal can actually happen way earlier in the game: GBE got into New Warehouse 8 by pushing a box and sneaking in through a second floor window, but if you spend the day just exploring the harbor and come back the next day, then Goro will appear, start acting all chummy, and will help Ryo by distracting the guards outside so Ryo can slip in.

There's also a bit where if you go to the lunchbox stand, you'll see some squabble between the woman running it and her younger sister. You can talk to the lunchbox woman and offer to help her with her sister running with the wrong crowd. Track them down and you'll find her hanging out with the mean schoolgirls in the blue sailor uniforms. One of them comes at Ryo with a fucking razor blade, and Ryo responds by disarming her and karate chopping her in the fucking neck. Then he tells the sister to be more considerate toward her older sister, and when you go back to the lunchbox stand, the owner will mention she delivers lunches to the old warehouse district, but there's always 12 lunches even though there are 10 guards (the other two are for Chen and Gui Zhang, I guess?) Ryo offers to deliver the lunches and it automatically cuts to a scene of him going to that front gate with the guard in the shack, overhearing the times when he has to come in and do the stealth sequence.



I noted this because apparently both Goro and the sister show up together on Disk 3 so if you're wondering who the random girl is, there you go



(Also wow, they really did miss a bunch of Nozomi scenes)

I've karate chopped the girls - posted the scene earlier - but never delivered the lunches. Neat.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

why is every ep only 30+ minutes now. too short.

I assume it's because they're starting to hit more "lol wait for the next day" bullshit where there's only one thing worth doing each day.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

why is every ep only 30+ minutes now. too short.

This should change for most the rest of the run. They'll be doing stuff the vast majority of the day with no opportunity to save until night.

People saying the fighting is bad?? Shenmue has a better combat system than Witcher 3.

then again most games do.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Witcher 3 has a waiting mechanic

 

[Human Trashcan]

Witcher 3 has a waiting mechanic

Yeah but is it as good as MGSV's waiting mechanic? I didn't think so.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Witcher 3 has a waiting mechanic

Shenmue 2 beat it by 14 years!

 

[sechsterangriff]

Witcher 3 has a waiting mechanic

Witcher 3 wasn't around in 1999 though...

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Shenmue 2 beat it by 14 years!

Witcher 3 beat Shenmue 3 in getting a third one out.

Point, Europe.

 

[tchocky]

why is every ep only 30+ minutes now. too short.

Looking at the lengths of the videos on previous ERs 30 minutes seems to be pretty normal for non dungeon or boss episodes. I personally think the perfect length is about an hour.

 

[Spaghetti]

People saying the fighting is bad?? Shenmue has a better combat system than Witcher 3.

Honestly, Shenmue still has a more involved combat system than a lot of melee-focused games. I kind of hope Vinny figures out the counter stuff before the end, but I dunno.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Witcher 3 beat Shenmue 3 in getting a third one out.

Point, Europe.

You got me this time!

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Can one even buy shenmue 2 for Xbox? Wouldn't mind buying that so I can play it before 3. Assuming these guys beat 1 so I get the basic plot points

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Witcher 3 beat Shenmue 3 in getting a third one out.

Point, Europe.

I haven't played Witcher 3 and waiting for the ps4 goty edition to drop.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

I haven't played Witcher 3 and waiting for the ps4 goty edition to drop.

It's pretty damn outstanding.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Can one even buy shenmue 2 for Xbox? Wouldn't mind buying that so I can play it before 3. Assuming these guys beat it.

It's on Xbox 360 marketplace on xbox live.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

It's on Xbox 360 marketplace on xbox live.

I sold my 360 but have a bone zone.


Poetic Justice? Maybe I'll buy the copy from the 360 marketplace and just find a way to play it.

 

[Cindi Mayweather]

It's pretty damn outstanding.

Apparently goty edition is already out.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K6010FM/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Welp.

I'm already busy with a long rpg (DQ7) so I'll get it in December. It better be good!

Spoiler

I'm sure it is.

I really wish CPR would put Witcher 2 on ps4.

I sold my 360 but have a bone zone.


Poetic Justice? Maybe I'll buy the copy from the 360 marketplace and just find a way to play it.

My suggestion?

Psst. Come here so Emcee doesn't see.

Spoiler

Emulate the dreamcast version.

 

[Spaghetti]

So I was looking at another Shenmue run, and apparently Goro (pompadour dude) suddenly becoming your pal can actually happen way earlier in the game: GBE got into New Warehouse 8 by pushing a box and sneaking in through a second floor window, but if you spend the day just exploring the harbor and come back the next day, then Goro will appear, start acting all chummy, and will help Ryo by distracting the guards outside so Ryo can slip in.

There's also a bit where if you go to the lunchbox stand, you'll see some squabble between the woman running it and her younger sister. You can talk to the lunchbox woman and offer to help her with her sister running with the wrong crowd. Track them down and you'll find her hanging out with the mean schoolgirls in the blue sailor uniforms. One of them comes at Ryo with a fucking razor blade, and Ryo responds by disarming her and karate chopping her in the fucking neck. Then he tells the sister to be more considerate toward her older sister, and when you go back to the lunchbox stand, the owner will mention she delivers lunches to the old warehouse district, but there's always 12 lunches even though there are 10 guards (the other two are for Chen and Gui Zhang, I guess?) Ryo offers to deliver the lunches and it automatically cuts to a scene of him going to that front gate with the guard in the shack, overhearing the times when he has to come in and do the stealth sequence.

They got so close to that stuff. Like within touching distance of triggering it. Oh well.

I didn't know the thing about Goro. Actually, I've recently been finding out there are more alternative progression paths/failure states in both games than I'd realised.

Like, the opening quest of Shenmue II. I knew the quest would continue/change dynamically to three paths depending on success or failure in certain parts, but I didn't realise you could fail certain parts within those paths and pick them up again another way. Sounds weird, but this video kind of explains it better.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Can one even buy shenmue 2 for Xbox? Wouldn't mind buying that so I can play it before 3. Assuming these guys beat 1 so I get the basic plot points

Amazon has decent prices on some used copies. It also comes with a copy of Shenmue: the Movie*.


* - under no circumstances should anyone attempt to watch this movie.

 

[LiK]

I assume it's because they're starting to hit more "lol wait for the next day" bullshit where there's only one thing worth doing each day.

yea, i think it's that altho i wish they just kept going for another half hour. hopefully later eps aren't so short.