Destructoid recommends the Shenmue remake:

Should you play Shenmue 1+2 Hd?

Should you give Shenmue your time in 2018? After the huge announcement of Shenmue 3 at the PlayStation E3 conference in 2015, Shenmue had a huge resurgence in popularity and many fans and newcomers alike began begging for a re-release in HD all over again, fans had asked for an HD collection ever since the release of Yakuza 2  in 2006 which featured a fighting system that was considered incredibly advanced for its time and was the first time Sega put a lot of attention into the audio production of one of their key video games.
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There are many reasons to be excited about Shenmue 1+2 HD whether you're a hardcore fan, a casual fan, or a Yakuza fan just looking to see where the series began since Yakuza is a spiritual successor to Shenmue and it's not unrealistic to think had the series continued under Sega that Ryo would've joined the Yakuza maybe even fight alongside Kazama Kiryu. My final verdict is Yes, You should absolutely play Shenmue 1+2 HD  and give Shenmue your time in 2018! It's also a much more affordable way to catch up on the Shenmue series before the release of the long-anticipated Shenmue 3 in 2019!