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Hi, RM18 here, proud owner of a new Xbox. One of my main reasons for purchasing one was the lure of my favourite game of all time, the Shenmue series. Chatting to Your Honour the other day, I was surprised to read that he didn’t think highly of the series. Whether that’s down to bad word of mouth, lack of exposure to the game (it was on Dreamcast, after all) or lack of knowledge about it, I thought I’d enlighten you lot to the delights of this Yu Suzuki classic. This post is pretty long, and taken up with quite a lot of info I included in my reviews, but I hope it informs you a little more about the series, it’s pros and cons, and why I think its an essential purchase.
Shenmue represents Yu Suzuki's magnum opus - a vision realised of an ambitious dream. Shenmue has a sprawling game world complete with different environments and a cast of hundreds, all fully interactive. The dramatic, almost cinematic beginning sets the tone for an adventure of gigantic proportions. Shenmue is excellent in both its graphical superiority and its innovative gameplay. In a seamless convergence of fighting, role-playing, adventure and even driving (!) elements, you play as Ryo, a young man who's come home to witness his father's death at the hands of the enigmatic Lan Di, all because of a mysterious artefact. You don’t know who he is; you don’t know why he’s there. All you know is that you want revenge.
The next day you wake up, and that’s it. You have no clues, no leads, no ideas. Its up to you to find Lan Di and unravel the story. And that is what I loved about this game. There is a real sense of freedom, a feeling that was entirely new to me in a videogame were my inquisitiveness was usually blocked by memory restrictions and technological constraints. For me, the sense of freedom was when I was rummaging through a chest of drawers in Ryo’s room and I came across a photo of Ryo and his friends. It didn’t serve a purpose in the game, but it made the experience more real.
This creation of a ‘real’ world is undoubtedly the most realistic yet. Even getting a drink is remarkably lifelike. The town’s inhabitants are fully interactive and assist in your quest for clues. True to real life, you even make friends and through trial and error realise who can help and who is likely to be unhelpful (take that PS2 with your fancy ‘Emotion Engine’). If you wanted to, you could follow someone on their daily routine and watch them go to work in the morning and then cycle home at night. Your own day could be equally fancy free if you want to. At the start of the game I was down the arcade, blowing my daily allowance on Hang On and toys. Then I started knuckling down to the task in hand. The sense of freedom really is unparalleled.
Undoubtedly Shenmue's graphics are the best seen yet on Dreamcast, and good enough to rival the wave of first generation Playstation 2 games flooding the market. A major drawback is the amount of slowdown in some areas (particularly noticeable when there's a lot on-screen) but you will probably be too emerged in the storyline to notice. That’s not to say they are not of a high quality, oh no. Shenmue’s excellent graphics heighten the believability that you are in a real world. The sound is also superb in creating that atmosphere. Even simple things such as snow crushing under your feet or the crackling of leaves make it less of a game and more of an experience. The voice acting, while of a slightly dubious quality, is of sufficient quality, and the music is effective in creating a mood of tension, drama etc. Similarly, the variety of sounds you hear when entering a different shop is hugely entertaining.
This world is supplemented by a fantastic story. While the age-old tale of revenge isn’t totally new, you can almost sense Ryo’s anger, as he has to go through Japanese small time mafia in a desperate search for Lan Di, as well as the persistent annoyance of the presence of the enigmatic Chai. You get a job (which is surprisingly fun), you go to sleep, you practice on karate (which has to be done if you are to stand any chance at the end battle, but I’ll leave that for you to discover), you even get an allowance (which, just like real life, never seems to be enough).
This game isn't an addition to the bursting-at-the-seams genre of RPGs - it creates its own. It’s that good.
After that came the much anticipated Shenmue 2, but to speed up the release date, some fundamental changes. How did they improve it? Well, throw another 700 odd characters into the mix, add 4 huge environments, sprinkle with an innovative new control system and garnish with arm wrestling and what are you left with? Well wouldn’t you know, it’s the follow up to Shenmue 1, the imaginatively titled Shenmue 2!
Shenmue 2 follows of (unsurprisingly) where you left off in Shenmue 1, sailing on a boat to Hong Kong, still searching for that ponytailed father killer - and all-round bad egg - Lan Di. The game starts with you arriving in Hong Kong, armed with only the Phoenix Mirror, a green backpack (presumably filled with white T-shirts, brown leather jackets and blue jeans) and a solitary contact. So what do you do? In true Shenmue style, you start asking questions, of course! So you walk up to someone and ask, ‘Excuse me, where is…wait a second! They’re not speaking English! Welcome to the first (and one of the most fundamental) changes in Shenmue 2 – characters will only speak in Japanese (don’t worry, English subtitles included). Now before you start criticising Yu Suzuki and the lovely people at Sega, this change actually enhances the experience. Not only does it mean you aren’t subjected to lame dubbing and below-par voice overs, but it also serves to make the game more authentic and you really get the feeling you are setting foot in a foreign land.
Another thing you will instantly notice is the size. Put simply, this is the biggest game world ever. Spread over 4 GD-ROMs, there are the two huge cities of Wan Chai and Kowloon, a port and the mountain region of Gullin. Luckily, this is split into quarters and maps are available. Another new feature is the ability to follow people, handy when you are lost in the mazy streets and desperately searching for a particular location. If you are a Shenmue veteran it is manageable but newcomers to the series will be particularly daunted. Shenmue veterans will also notice a change in the control system. One of the more annoying aspects in the first game was asking different people the same question over and over again. Thankfully this has been rectified. You can now ask people about money or whatever question suits your circumstances, a real tangible improvement from the first game.
So what other changes are there? The fighting system has altered slightly. QTE’s make a welcome return, as well as the arrival of a new ‘freeze’ QTE, where you have to tap out a sequence quickly. The free battle mode returns as well as a new first person mode. This variety freshens up the fight sequences and when it comes to Disc 3’s ending (which is the best disk of the series so far) the sheer diversity of action sequences becomes apparent. Also, there is a much greater emphasis placed on money. There’s no sugar granny like Ine-san to provide you with cash, you’ve got to sing for your supper. Luckily there are many ways you can earn money. You can earn about $60 an hour lifting crates at the harbour, you can arm wrestle (!), you can work at a Pachinko stall (which is great fun for anyone who’s played that game with falling monkeys…ok, that’s just me), or you can gamble. If like me, you discard the virtue of an honest day’s work in favour of a flutter or twenty, you can bet on dice games, Pachinko, or my personal favourite, Big or Small (I’ll leave you to find out about that little money spinner).
Shenmue has always been about the story and this game is no different. In this game (which include Chapters 2-6 of the saga) you’ll make lots of new friends (look out for Joy, Ren and Wong), get involved with the Hong Kong mafia (including that behemoth Don Nui) and tackle the Hong Kong mountains, to name but a few experiences. Do you meet Lan Di? I’ll leave that for you to discover. Expect plenty of plot twists and turns in an amazing plot which is more akin to a Hollywood movie. This is supplemented by some of the strangest minigames ever seen in videogames, such as cleaning the inside of a temple or carrying books from a library. Mad, but they are integral to the game and break up the monotony of the inevitable frequent question asking. The hugely detailed graphics are as splendid as ever. However, slowdown is noticeable when there is a lot on screen and due to the expansion of cities the ability to pick up items, a selling point of the first game, has been sadly sacrificed.
So is it worth £30 of your hard earned dosh? Critics of the series have lamented at its slow pace and infrequent action. Well, that’s their view. In my opinion, if you’re looking for a game that has gorgeous graphics, diverse gameplay, an engrossing story and arm wrestling, look no further than Shenmue 2, ‘cos it has all this and more.
Shenmue is all about getting caught up in the story and living the life of Ryo. Whilst its ‘go anywhere, do anything remit’ didn’t quite live up to its expectations, there is freedom in the way you go about your life as Ryo. Want to work all day to earn cash? You can do that. Want to do gamble it all away? You can do that do – its entirely down to you.
I can’t recommend this highly enough – it’s a fusion of a lot of different styles, and if you looking for an action game, this has it in spurts, but is mainly slow paced detective style work. I actually found myself interested in a lot of Japanese culture after playing this and was intrigued by the lifestyle as well. Websites are dedicated to the Shenmue universe, rumours abound about the characters and direction of the storyline, amongst other things. The scope of it is huge, as you will discover, and with two out of sixteen chapters planned of this huge saga, it should only get better.
However, whether it does is down to you. I bought an Xbox because of Shenmue 3, but the lack of fanfare for it and the demise of the DC has left Yu Suzuki in doubts over whether to continue, which would be a major disappointment to the legion of fans, to which I count myself one of. So buy it when it comes out!
I hope this answers your questions, feel free to ask me others.
Thanks for reading! (if you’re still awake)
Russell
:D
Shenmue represents Yu Suzuki's magnum opus - a vision realised of an ambitious dream. Shenmue has a sprawling game world complete with different environments and a cast of hundreds, all fully interactive. The dramatic, almost cinematic beginning sets the tone for an adventure of gigantic proportions. Shenmue is excellent in both its graphical superiority and its innovative gameplay. In a seamless convergence of fighting, role-playing, adventure and even driving (!) elements, you play as Ryo, a young man who's come home to witness his father's death at the hands of the enigmatic Lan Di, all because of a mysterious artefact. You don’t know who he is; you don’t know why he’s there. All you know is that you want revenge.
The next day you wake up, and that’s it. You have no clues, no leads, no ideas. Its up to you to find Lan Di and unravel the story. And that is what I loved about this game. There is a real sense of freedom, a feeling that was entirely new to me in a videogame were my inquisitiveness was usually blocked by memory restrictions and technological constraints. For me, the sense of freedom was when I was rummaging through a chest of drawers in Ryo’s room and I came across a photo of Ryo and his friends. It didn’t serve a purpose in the game, but it made the experience more real.
This creation of a ‘real’ world is undoubtedly the most realistic yet. Even getting a drink is remarkably lifelike. The town’s inhabitants are fully interactive and assist in your quest for clues. True to real life, you even make friends and through trial and error realise who can help and who is likely to be unhelpful (take that PS2 with your fancy ‘Emotion Engine’). If you wanted to, you could follow someone on their daily routine and watch them go to work in the morning and then cycle home at night. Your own day could be equally fancy free if you want to. At the start of the game I was down the arcade, blowing my daily allowance on Hang On and toys. Then I started knuckling down to the task in hand. The sense of freedom really is unparalleled.
Undoubtedly Shenmue's graphics are the best seen yet on Dreamcast, and good enough to rival the wave of first generation Playstation 2 games flooding the market. A major drawback is the amount of slowdown in some areas (particularly noticeable when there's a lot on-screen) but you will probably be too emerged in the storyline to notice. That’s not to say they are not of a high quality, oh no. Shenmue’s excellent graphics heighten the believability that you are in a real world. The sound is also superb in creating that atmosphere. Even simple things such as snow crushing under your feet or the crackling of leaves make it less of a game and more of an experience. The voice acting, while of a slightly dubious quality, is of sufficient quality, and the music is effective in creating a mood of tension, drama etc. Similarly, the variety of sounds you hear when entering a different shop is hugely entertaining.
This world is supplemented by a fantastic story. While the age-old tale of revenge isn’t totally new, you can almost sense Ryo’s anger, as he has to go through Japanese small time mafia in a desperate search for Lan Di, as well as the persistent annoyance of the presence of the enigmatic Chai. You get a job (which is surprisingly fun), you go to sleep, you practice on karate (which has to be done if you are to stand any chance at the end battle, but I’ll leave that for you to discover), you even get an allowance (which, just like real life, never seems to be enough).
This game isn't an addition to the bursting-at-the-seams genre of RPGs - it creates its own. It’s that good.
After that came the much anticipated Shenmue 2, but to speed up the release date, some fundamental changes. How did they improve it? Well, throw another 700 odd characters into the mix, add 4 huge environments, sprinkle with an innovative new control system and garnish with arm wrestling and what are you left with? Well wouldn’t you know, it’s the follow up to Shenmue 1, the imaginatively titled Shenmue 2!
Shenmue 2 follows of (unsurprisingly) where you left off in Shenmue 1, sailing on a boat to Hong Kong, still searching for that ponytailed father killer - and all-round bad egg - Lan Di. The game starts with you arriving in Hong Kong, armed with only the Phoenix Mirror, a green backpack (presumably filled with white T-shirts, brown leather jackets and blue jeans) and a solitary contact. So what do you do? In true Shenmue style, you start asking questions, of course! So you walk up to someone and ask, ‘Excuse me, where is…wait a second! They’re not speaking English! Welcome to the first (and one of the most fundamental) changes in Shenmue 2 – characters will only speak in Japanese (don’t worry, English subtitles included). Now before you start criticising Yu Suzuki and the lovely people at Sega, this change actually enhances the experience. Not only does it mean you aren’t subjected to lame dubbing and below-par voice overs, but it also serves to make the game more authentic and you really get the feeling you are setting foot in a foreign land.
Another thing you will instantly notice is the size. Put simply, this is the biggest game world ever. Spread over 4 GD-ROMs, there are the two huge cities of Wan Chai and Kowloon, a port and the mountain region of Gullin. Luckily, this is split into quarters and maps are available. Another new feature is the ability to follow people, handy when you are lost in the mazy streets and desperately searching for a particular location. If you are a Shenmue veteran it is manageable but newcomers to the series will be particularly daunted. Shenmue veterans will also notice a change in the control system. One of the more annoying aspects in the first game was asking different people the same question over and over again. Thankfully this has been rectified. You can now ask people about money or whatever question suits your circumstances, a real tangible improvement from the first game.
So what other changes are there? The fighting system has altered slightly. QTE’s make a welcome return, as well as the arrival of a new ‘freeze’ QTE, where you have to tap out a sequence quickly. The free battle mode returns as well as a new first person mode. This variety freshens up the fight sequences and when it comes to Disc 3’s ending (which is the best disk of the series so far) the sheer diversity of action sequences becomes apparent. Also, there is a much greater emphasis placed on money. There’s no sugar granny like Ine-san to provide you with cash, you’ve got to sing for your supper. Luckily there are many ways you can earn money. You can earn about $60 an hour lifting crates at the harbour, you can arm wrestle (!), you can work at a Pachinko stall (which is great fun for anyone who’s played that game with falling monkeys…ok, that’s just me), or you can gamble. If like me, you discard the virtue of an honest day’s work in favour of a flutter or twenty, you can bet on dice games, Pachinko, or my personal favourite, Big or Small (I’ll leave you to find out about that little money spinner).
Shenmue has always been about the story and this game is no different. In this game (which include Chapters 2-6 of the saga) you’ll make lots of new friends (look out for Joy, Ren and Wong), get involved with the Hong Kong mafia (including that behemoth Don Nui) and tackle the Hong Kong mountains, to name but a few experiences. Do you meet Lan Di? I’ll leave that for you to discover. Expect plenty of plot twists and turns in an amazing plot which is more akin to a Hollywood movie. This is supplemented by some of the strangest minigames ever seen in videogames, such as cleaning the inside of a temple or carrying books from a library. Mad, but they are integral to the game and break up the monotony of the inevitable frequent question asking. The hugely detailed graphics are as splendid as ever. However, slowdown is noticeable when there is a lot on screen and due to the expansion of cities the ability to pick up items, a selling point of the first game, has been sadly sacrificed.
So is it worth £30 of your hard earned dosh? Critics of the series have lamented at its slow pace and infrequent action. Well, that’s their view. In my opinion, if you’re looking for a game that has gorgeous graphics, diverse gameplay, an engrossing story and arm wrestling, look no further than Shenmue 2, ‘cos it has all this and more.
Shenmue is all about getting caught up in the story and living the life of Ryo. Whilst its ‘go anywhere, do anything remit’ didn’t quite live up to its expectations, there is freedom in the way you go about your life as Ryo. Want to work all day to earn cash? You can do that. Want to do gamble it all away? You can do that do – its entirely down to you.
I can’t recommend this highly enough – it’s a fusion of a lot of different styles, and if you looking for an action game, this has it in spurts, but is mainly slow paced detective style work. I actually found myself interested in a lot of Japanese culture after playing this and was intrigued by the lifestyle as well. Websites are dedicated to the Shenmue universe, rumours abound about the characters and direction of the storyline, amongst other things. The scope of it is huge, as you will discover, and with two out of sixteen chapters planned of this huge saga, it should only get better.
However, whether it does is down to you. I bought an Xbox because of Shenmue 3, but the lack of fanfare for it and the demise of the DC has left Yu Suzuki in doubts over whether to continue, which would be a major disappointment to the legion of fans, to which I count myself one of. So buy it when it comes out!
I hope this answers your questions, feel free to ask me others.
Thanks for reading! (if you’re still awake)
Russell
:D
Page:
Just read on another forum on another website that a Sega representive said that Shenmue 3 would appear on the platform which has the best user base. :(
Hopefully it was rumour crap on all forums but I would be understandable to have the game on PS2, as finincially Sega are in a bad state. It would make even more sence to have the game on ALL platforms however, reacing the maximum amount of gamers possible.
Hopefully it was rumour crap on all forums but I would be understandable to have the game on PS2, as finincially Sega are in a bad state. It would make even more sence to have the game on ALL platforms however, reacing the maximum amount of gamers possible.
RM18 wrote:
> I hated that toy thing, I had been collecting it for ages. Believe me,
> after that I lost faith in money and wasted it away gambling on Big or
> Small. :D
>
> One shame about the demise of the DC is connected to something you
> mention i.e. using your VMU to carry on the data from your first game
> to your second game, so you have the same money, toys etc.
>
> Hopefully that feature will be implemented on the Xbox, especially
> becuase of the hard drive capabilities.
Yes, all you'd have to do would be to upload your VMU file to the internet, and download it onto your XBox HDD.
> I hated that toy thing, I had been collecting it for ages. Believe me,
> after that I lost faith in money and wasted it away gambling on Big or
> Small. :D
>
> One shame about the demise of the DC is connected to something you
> mention i.e. using your VMU to carry on the data from your first game
> to your second game, so you have the same money, toys etc.
>
> Hopefully that feature will be implemented on the Xbox, especially
> becuase of the hard drive capabilities.
Yes, all you'd have to do would be to upload your VMU file to the internet, and download it onto your XBox HDD.
I hated that toy thing, I had been collecting it for ages. Believe me, after that I lost faith in money and wasted it away gambling on Big or Small. :D
One shame about the demise of the DC is connected to something you mention i.e. using your VMU to carry on the data from your first game to your second game, so you have the same money, toys etc.
Hopefully that feature will be implemented on the Xbox, especially becuase of the hard drive capabilities.
One shame about the demise of the DC is connected to something you mention i.e. using your VMU to carry on the data from your first game to your second game, so you have the same money, toys etc.
Hopefully that feature will be implemented on the Xbox, especially becuase of the hard drive capabilities.
I've got a friend coming round today, and I want to conince him that Shenmue is the best series ever. I've got Shenmue 1+2. Should I start him off on Shenmue 1, or should I show him the Shenmue "Digest" movie and get him started on Shenmue 2, which after all, is the more impressive at the beginning, with all the bright colours and the many people of Aberdeen?
I think Sega will try to bring out Shenmue 3 on as many consoles as poss. Shenmue is such a good series, it deserves a very wide audience. I think the best version will be the XBox one, because of its power and HDD. Maybe, they should include a feature whereby if you own Shenmues 1+2 on DC, you get something extra. Then people would be encouraged to play the first two before no. 3, which is better, since it sets up the story for the third game.
As for the number of games there will be, I don't think it's really possible to wrap up Shenmue in one extra game. I mean, there are so many loose ends at the end of Shenmue 2, and it takes a while to tie them together, if you know what I mean.
One tip for those getting Shenmue 2: when you arrive in Hong Kong, spend ALL of your money on collectable toys. Your money gets stolen, but your collection doesn't. You can sell the toys later on at a pawn shop.
I think Sega will try to bring out Shenmue 3 on as many consoles as poss. Shenmue is such a good series, it deserves a very wide audience. I think the best version will be the XBox one, because of its power and HDD. Maybe, they should include a feature whereby if you own Shenmues 1+2 on DC, you get something extra. Then people would be encouraged to play the first two before no. 3, which is better, since it sets up the story for the third game.
As for the number of games there will be, I don't think it's really possible to wrap up Shenmue in one extra game. I mean, there are so many loose ends at the end of Shenmue 2, and it takes a while to tie them together, if you know what I mean.
One tip for those getting Shenmue 2: when you arrive in Hong Kong, spend ALL of your money on collectable toys. Your money gets stolen, but your collection doesn't. You can sell the toys later on at a pawn shop.
Yeah, there is a similar movie on the Dreamcast edition of Shenmue 2.
It was taken from excerpts of Shenmue: The Movie, which detailed the entire first adventure - only released in Japan, mind.
It was taken from excerpts of Shenmue: The Movie, which detailed the entire first adventure - only released in Japan, mind.
I love shenmue. Easy to see that it was the most expensive game ever, costing like 37million to produce I read.
I'll probably get shenmue 2x thanks to this thread. Stirred up some merories I had of the game. Shenmue 3 could be a work of art if optimised for Xbox but as Sgea missed finincial targets a PS2 version would sell better and at the end of the day thats what sega really want.
RM18, did you know shenmue 2x in america came with a free DVd showing all the cutsceens + more from shenmue 1? You could catch up on the entire first adventure in cutsceen form. A very nice extra which I hope we get.
I'll probably get shenmue 2x thanks to this thread. Stirred up some merories I had of the game. Shenmue 3 could be a work of art if optimised for Xbox but as Sgea missed finincial targets a PS2 version would sell better and at the end of the day thats what sega really want.
RM18, did you know shenmue 2x in america came with a free DVd showing all the cutsceens + more from shenmue 1? You could catch up on the entire first adventure in cutsceen form. A very nice extra which I hope we get.
RM18 wrote:
> I'm glad to have found someone who's a genuine fan. Have you read the
> online rumours and stuuf about the storyline - eg. Lan Di is actually
> Ximing's brother?!
I must admit I've not kept up to speed with all the storyline rumours. I've not played or thought about Shenmue for a while, and as a consequence I've forgotten who's who to a certain extent.
When I first played the 4th disc of Shenmue II, I thought that Shenhua's long lost brother (can't recall his name) was in fact Lan Di.
> I'm glad to have found someone who's a genuine fan. Have you read the
> online rumours and stuuf about the storyline - eg. Lan Di is actually
> Ximing's brother?!
I must admit I've not kept up to speed with all the storyline rumours. I've not played or thought about Shenmue for a while, and as a consequence I've forgotten who's who to a certain extent.
When I first played the 4th disc of Shenmue II, I thought that Shenhua's long lost brother (can't recall his name) was in fact Lan Di.
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