I use Time rxs pedals, but to be honest look, time and shimano are all comparable, each has their quirks all are crap to walk in..
As for shoes, i like sidi, but i would really really advise trying the shoes on. You will be wearing them a while and niggles will become a pain, literally. Something i have been meaning to sort out are proper insoles, i have used Confomable in the past and they do make a difference over the cheap crap most shoes some with.
As for action similar but different is the best way i can describe it, the thing to watch is you can only clip in on one side, but most road pedals are weighted to account for this.