@shingro: No need for self-flagellation but a little humility would be nice. The whole series has already been recorded so the point is moot but I would think that if you want to try and enjoy the game rather than constantly bang your head against it you should have the self-awareness to admit your mistake and adjust your play style. I guess we'll see if they choose to do so in the upcoming episodes.
You know, I'm sort of coming around on this game. I don't know if I could deal playing it without a guide, and it's rough as hell and poorly acted, but it's occasionally really onto something here and there. The actual disappointing part of them overlooking so much of the stuff that isn't the main story isn't out of some weird notion that one mustn't tarnish Shenmue's purity, but rather, that the game is at its most compelling when it's kind of mundane. A lot of the important dialog is extremely bad, for example, but that little interaction with the cat, though a bit janky like the rest of the game, was a sincerely touching moment of establishing Ryo's character.
You're right on the money. The manual frequently emphasizes taking your time to do whatevs and not to rush the main story.
@edmundus: It's readable. It actually triggers a short voiceover cutscene. There are a handful of other scenes and flashbacks you can trigger around the house that aren't essential but do a nice bit of characterization on Ryo and his relationship with his father. It helps flesh things out.
@smarri: It seems pretty obvious to me. Interact able stuff is rendered in 3D and isn't a flat texture. But whatever, it's just strange that Vinny of all people isn't experimenting with every little thing like he usually does in adventure games.
@gregalor: Yes, and even more to the point, Liu explains in your first interaction with him that he is 2nd generation Chinese. As the son of immigrants, it's perfectly natural that he's not quite fluent in Chinese the way his father/older Chinese people would be.
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