Shenmue (video game)
| Shenmue | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Sega AM2 |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Designer(s) | Yu Suzuki |
| Platform(s) | Sega Dreamcast |
| Release | November 8, 2000 |
| Genre(s) | Action, RPG, FREE |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Shenmue (莎木 or シェンムー) (2000) is a story-based action/RPG for the Sega Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki of Sega AM2. Suzuki coined a new genre title, FREE (Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment), for the game, based on its unparalleled interactivity and freedom, as well as the innovative real-time and weather systems.
Story
Note: Italics are taken from the North American Shenmue game manual
The year is 1986, the place is Yokosuka, Japan. The normally tranquil day-to-day life of Ryo Hazuki is suddenly and irrecoverably shattered by uninvited visitors. A man wearing dark green Chinese clothes appears at the Hazuki family home with two black-suited thugs. This man uses a powerful style of martial arts, the likes of which Ryo has never before seen, to engage his father Iwao in fierce battle. Ryo attempts to intervene and help his father, but the obvious disparity in power is too much. Ryo is beaten down and taken hostage as the man questions Iwao,
"Where is the mirror?"
Having no other recourse, Iwao reluctantly tells him. Once this mysterious object is in the man's possession, he again attacks Iwao.
"Do you remember Zhao Sun Ming..."
From these words Ryo learns of a shocking truth from the past. His father was responsible for killing someone long ago. And then, Iwao is knocked down in defeat. Ryo pulls his father close and feels him take his last breath.
"Lan Di"
The man with the ominous embroidery of a glittering dragon on his back, the responsible. What of the stolen mirror? Who is this Lan Di? Vowing to seek revenge, Ryo embarks on a journey to unravel the mystery surrounding his father's death and deliver justice to the man responsible...
Shenmue is based in and around Yokosuka, Japan, in 1986, while its sequel (Shenmue II, 2001) is based in 1987 in Hong Kong, Kowloon Walled City, and Guilin, China. Template:Spoiler Please note: The game's title is derived from a specific tree that makes a cameo near the ending of the second installment in the series. The tree is located, both literally and figuratively, at the center of the prophecy that is a constant thread throughout the saga (and which is featured in the cinematic intros to both games). It is also worth noting that the Shenmue tree resides in the same small village (Bailu, which is located in Guilin) that spawned both Shenhua and the game's notorious stone mirrors.
Gameplay
Gameplay is diverse; while most of the game is spent walking around the atmospheric, lifelike Japanese locations in a third-person 'chase cam' mode (talking to people, searching for things, solving puzzles, and so forth), it is interspersed with dozens of 'mini-games', including forklift and motorcycle races, bar fights, chases down crowded alleys, full versions of Sega arcade games Space Harrier and Hang-On, dart games and 'free fighting' sequences.
The free fights pits Ryo against one or more enemies in a cross between Virtua Fighter and Final Fight; Ryo has a large list of martial art techniques, almost worthy of a full one-on-one fighter, but he fights many enemies at once instead of just one. The culmination of the game involves a gigantic brawl between Ryo, an ally, and exactly seventy enemies.
Fights can also take place in QTE (Quick Time Event) sequences, in which a button can flash on screen briefly and the player must press the relevant button to trigger Ryo's moves. The player's success or failure in these scenes can affect the flow of gameplay as well as the current cutscene, and they were reminiscent of Laserdisc games such as Dragon's Lair. This style of interactive movie was also used more recently by Capcom in Resident Evil 4. It is also expected to play a role in Gears of War.
Notes
Shenmue was called Virtua Fighter RPG while in early (pre-Dreamcast) development, and this is reflected not only in the VF-like fights and RPG elements, but in the variety of toys and posters relating to that game which Ryo finds. Upon completion of Shenmue II, a clip of Shenmue for the Sega Saturn is unlocked, allowing fans to see how the game would have looked had it been released on that system, with elements of Shenmue II even present at that stage (e.g. Ren).
It is notable for entering the Guinness Book of Records as the most expensive video game ever developed ($40-60 million).
It was voted the "Best. Game. Ever." by GameFAQs in March 2000.
In 2003, music from Shenmue (composed by Streets of Rage composer Yuzo Koshiro) was performed live at the first Symphonic Game Music Concert, taking place in Leipzig, Germany.