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Shenmue, for the Sega Dreamcast, was a revolution in gaming at the time of its release. Written, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki - it is touted by many as a masterpiece.
Overview
Shenmue is an adventure game set in Yokosuka, Japan. It was developed by Yu Suzuki and first released in 1999. The game was praised at the time for its unparalleled interactivity and freedom leading Suzuki to coin the term "FREE"; standing for Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment. The game was followed by a Dreamcast sequel released in 2001 only in Europe, and was later ported to the Xbox in 2002 for all territories.Story
The story begins with Ryo Hazuki returning to his family Dojo only to discover his father, Iwao Hazuki, fighting with a mysterious man (whose name is later revealed to be Lan Di), who demands that he hand over an object called the "Dragon Mirror". Ryo attempts to intervene during the fight but is easily struck down by Lan Di. He then takes this opportunity to get the information he wants and lifts Ryo off the ground, threatening to kill him if his father does not reveal the location of the mirror.Seeing his son in danger prompts Iwao to yield and he reveals that the mirror is buried underneath the Cherry Blossom tree.
As Lan Di's henchmen retrieve the mirror outside, he questions Iwao if he knows of a man named "Sunming Zhao" and then promptly finishes off Iwao. Lan Di then departs with the Dragon mirror in hand, leaving Ryo to grieve for his father's death.
Gameplay
The game play in Shenmue is fairly diverse; most of the game has you walking around Japanese locations in a third-person perspective (talking to various people, looking for clues, solving puzzles, etc.) along with several mini-games including a motorcycle chase, driving a forklift, multiple QTE situations, full versions of classic Sega Arcade games and fighting sequences.
Free Quest
The majority of the game is spent in the Free Quest game play mode with Ryo exploring the city and looking for leads that will progress the story further. These important clues will often come from talking to the local people of Yokosuka. If the player desires, they may explore the immensely detailed city of Yokosuka without progressing through the story. There are several activities and events to be found throughout the game that don't impact the game's narrative.Free Battle
Free Battle pits Ryo against one or several enemies in a style similar to fighting games and beat 'em ups. Ryo's fighting style (Hazuki Style) is heavily influenced by Virtua Fighter's Akira Yuki (a game also developed by Yu Suzuki) and utilizes many of the moves from Hakkyoku-Ken. Through out the game, Ryo has many opportunities to add new moves to his arsenal; either through scrolls bought in stores or learning them from various people he encounters around the city.
| Game Name | Shenmue |
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| Original US Release |
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