Information
Developer: d3t
Publisher: SEGA
Download Size: 10.35 GB
v1.01 Patch Size: 2.1 GB
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Release Dates: 21st August | 22nd November (JP)
Genre: Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment / Action-Adventure / Ryo Hazuki Simulator
Original Developer: SEGA-AM2 Co., Ltd.
Original Format: Shenmue (1999/2000) Dreamcast, Shenmue II (2001) DC [JP/EU], Xbox [US]
Developer: d3t
Publisher: SEGA
Download Size: 10.35 GB
v1.01 Patch Size: 2.1 GB
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Release Dates: 21st August | 22nd November (JP)
Genre: Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment / Action-Adventure / Ryo Hazuki Simulator
Original Developer: SEGA-AM2 Co., Ltd.
Original Format: Shenmue (1999/2000) Dreamcast, Shenmue II (2001) DC [JP/EU], Xbox [US]
He shall appear from a far eastern land across the sea,
A young man who has yet to know his potential,
This potential is a power that could either destroy him or realize his will,
His courage shall determine his fate,
The path he must traverse, fraught with adversity, I await whilst praying,
For this destiny predetermined since ancient times,
A pitch black night unfolds with the morning star as its only light,
And thus the saga… Begins…
~
Shenmue is/was, by nature, a very polarizing game. To appreciate what it is, you have to appreciate the genius of Yu Suzki - an industry legend long denied his rightful place for creating game-changing paradigms such as Space Harrier, Fantasy Zone, Thunder Blade, G-Loc, Virtua Fighter & many others.A young man who has yet to know his potential,
This potential is a power that could either destroy him or realize his will,
His courage shall determine his fate,
The path he must traverse, fraught with adversity, I await whilst praying,
For this destiny predetermined since ancient times,
A pitch black night unfolds with the morning star as its only light,
And thus the saga… Begins…
~
This was a man who looked at Pole Position in the early 80's and decided people should be able to sit down on a motorcycle to play Hang-On, or experience a dogfight in After Burner with a cabinet offering force feedback & flight controls, a sit-down cabinet car with pedals for OutRun, etc. It's important to note that while attention to realistic detail was definitely a focus, Suzuki masterfully perfected marrying that aspect with fun, pick-up-and-play arcade sensibilities. You knew it was an AM2 joint because it felt real, but it also felt fun.
Shenmue - a series originally intended for the Saturn, and also intended to tie up quite a while back - was clearly his magnum opus. On the surface, it's a personal tale of revenge/justice told like a classic Shaw Brothers kung-fu flick, but spending any time beyond the intro reveals the truth: it's about a living world going on around Ryo's quest, and how the player chooses to spend their time & experience that.
The first game is essentially prologue: the pacing is deliberately slow, and therefore is absolutely not for everyone...you should know that going in. If you, like Ryo, view everything but the main quest as something to be endured, you're going to have difficulty at some parts and most certainly tedium at others. If, however, you open yourself to the experience, there's so much to see & do - you can practice your moves in the park & be more prepared for the game's Virtua Fighter-esque engine. You can take on jobs, look for trouble, play arcade games, spend time with friends...or discover secrets, like scenes/flashbacks only arrived at if you're at the right place at the right time to trigger said memories. Dobuita honestly isn't a large area - certainly not by today's standards - but it's possible to take your time & still miss secrets.
Shenmue II is one of my all-time favorites, and has areas seemingly larger than the whole of part I. I really don't want to spoil anything for those of you getting into it for the first time, but man, if you enjoy the first part, you're in for an amazing ride - the likes of which I honestly haven't seen in the many years since. I know it sounds weird, but that game takes you places that I miss.
Some of us waited for this moment since Sega tragically exit the hardware scene back in '01. Many of y'all are newcomers wanting to see why these cult classics had so many of us enduring years & multiple forums of LET IT GO gifs: it was for this moment. In a time where open-world games are the norm - and far too many feel vast but barren - here was a game from the turn of the millennia, where its own internal clock had villagers up at dawn to bring fresh fish to the market; where shops closed when the sunset, but the seedy bars opened their doors.
Welcome - now let's nail Lan Di & the Chiyoumen. and maybe have some fun along the way. and yes, meet some sailors as well.
List of changes bitten wholesale from reddit:
These are all the official pre-release videos straight from SEGA's YouTube channel. Ranging from the announcement trailers to promo videos narrated by Corey Marshall himself, these providing insight for newcomers, into the age old question: "What is Shenmue?"
Aside from the digital versions of the game, you can either do as Ryo on a cold Winter morning and visit your local store, or you can wait for your parcel to arrive.
Standard Edition
PS4/XB1: $29.99 / £29.99 / €34,99
Steam: $26.99 / £24.99 / €34,99
In the west, only the standard edition is available. The physical edition includes:
- Copy of the game
- Double-sided poster
- Reversible cover art
Limited Edition (Retail)
The PlayStation 4 Limited Edition is exclusive to Japan, and releases on November 22nd, over 3 months from the original launch. It includes:
- Copy of the game
- 40-track "sound collection" spanning 2 discs
- Double-sided poster
Fortunately for those outside of Japan, a couple of import options are available:
Note: Every physical copy of the game will include a double-sided poster for you to adorn the walls of your home (or dojo).
Q: Am I missing out on anything from the Dreamcast versions?
A: There was a neat VMU game, and the Passport disc at the time was really cool - you could see a weather forecast for the next few days, and how you ranked in a big 100-man fight & such. Nothing essential, mind; just cool details.
On the plus side: it should be infinitely easier to carry over your data this time!
Q: How many chapters will this series include?
A. Shenmue II alone is supposed to be several "chapters", but Suzuki has already said the series proper won't tie up with part III. Hopefully IV? We'll see!
Q: Did this game really sink Sega?
A: No, the budget you might have read was for more than one installment...really, pretty much everything Sega did since the Genesis sank them. And i loved all those things, too.
Q: What's this I hear about duck racing
A: they're real, and they're spectacular
Q: Father's Heaven?
A: Nine Dragons
Warehouse 8
Q: What's the deal with "What's Shenmue"?
A: Details are here, but it was basically a pre-order/giveaway japan-only demo disc, with a small area of Doubita and the goal of finding/helping former Sega senior managing director, Yukawa.
Q: What's the best way to play the originals?
A: Part 1 isn't too pricey (last i looked), and the dub is charming but not-so-good, though an undub version is floating around. Part 2 is infinitely cheaper on Xbox (and looks nicer), but I much prefer the EU release of the Dreamcast version for the subs & all. It sadly doesn't come cheap these days though, but you really can't beat that loud loading sound, you know?
Q: Is Lan Di really the bad guy here, though?
A: Beefy pls
Q: How about a game of Lucky Hit?
A: I want to try it.
Since the release of Shenmue II in 2001, discussions about the future of the Shenmue series continued and rumors circulated on and off about Shenmue III being in production. It was said that it would or could never happen. Shenmue was seemingly destined to remain a relic of the past kept alive by emulation and its biggest advocates. Or so it seemed...
After 14 long years, and with the unrelenting passion and efforts from the various Shenmue communities including Shenmue Dojo, Team Yu and Shenmue 500K, a historic moment had arrived.
At the Sony E3 press conference on June 15th 2015, Adam Boyes invited Yu Suzuki on stage to announce what could only be described a dream come true. Shenmue III was officially announced for PlayStation 4 and PC, and was going to be happening along with an initial Kickstarter campaign to help fund the game was launched during the conference. It has gone on to raise over $7 million towards its budget, and in the process, smash the Guinness World Record for being the "fastest videogame to raise $1 million in pledges on a crowdfunding platform".
So, when you've finished playing through Shenmue I & II in this wonderful collection, prepare to kick your hype thrusters into overdrive because this is not the end of the story.
Ryo and Shenhua will exit the cave in 2019; their journey will continue...
Review Thread: To Be Added...
Official Site: English | Japanese
Where To Buy: PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam
DF Retro: Shenmue - A Game Ahead Of Its Time
DF Retro: Shenmue 2 - A Masterpiece Revisited
Shenmue Community |OT| The day the snow turned to rain
Shenmue Documentary: Kickstarter
Shenmue III: Official Site
Shenmue Dojo | Team Yu | Shenmue 500K | Shenmue Master
Open World Fatigue & Shenmue III: A Gaming Pioneer's Answer To Growing Homogeneity (light spoilers)
Official Site: English | Japanese
Where To Buy: PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam
DF Retro: Shenmue - A Game Ahead Of Its Time
DF Retro: Shenmue 2 - A Masterpiece Revisited
Shenmue Community |OT| The day the snow turned to rain
Shenmue Documentary: Kickstarter
Shenmue III: Official Site
Shenmue Dojo | Team Yu | Shenmue 500K | Shenmue Master
Open World Fatigue & Shenmue III: A Gaming Pioneer's Answer To Growing Homogeneity (light spoilers)
much love to the shenmoo community at large (Sappharad & Sectorseven helped here!), and a massive thank you to Iwao for the image work & several of the writeups here, he's the true MVP of this thread!
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