Tomas Nichols

Don't go in expecting some modern open world game. This ain't that. The beauty of it is its appreciation for life's simple mundaneness. That's in having deep conversations with characters, in taking on jobs (fishing, forklift driving, wood-chopping, herb-collecting, etc.) as a means to an end, and in repeating actions (such as martial arts, which is the series' backbone) until they are perfect. It's a budget game, but for anyone invested in Ryo Hazuki's journey after Shenmue I&II, either longtime series fans or newcomers who picked up the remasters, it's a must play. My only REAL complaints - because, again, it is what it is - are the lack of throws in the fighting system and a somewhat oppressive stamina system...