"Do you remember... that day?"
"The day it snowed?"
NO! The day I got it right as it came out. A Friday after school and I played for like 4 hours straight. Yes! I remember THAT day!
Half Life 2 did but in a different way.
Maybe when a game just leapfrogs what's been thought of as cutting edge and you're so amazed that you forget that you're playing a game.
I'm not sure if my fascination for Japan started with Shenmue but it certainly grew from there. I was so happy to visit for the first time last year.
Just saw this reply, but I agree with this statement 100%! Next time I'd like to take a trip out to Yokosuka and check out the real-life areas.
So much of the game was still there IRL though, from the gacha machines to the neighborhood hole-in-the-wall arcades