The only other topic on this forum appears to have been started by someone looking to upset what few Shenmue fans are here so I figured I'd start another thread, maybe get a head count of how big the community is on Giant Bomb! I'm putting my bets on about five! Most Shenmue community hubs tend to be full of insane people, which is completely okay (especially since you have to be kind of insane to have waited this long), but I like the level-headed nature of GB and its community. Figured I'd reach out here.

Personally, I've been a Shenmue fan since about 2000 or 2001. I was very young, which probably magnified the effect it had on me. Age aside, the game just blew me away. Loved every second, never seen anything like it. I loved Shenmue 2 even more (which I got on Xbox). I've probably played it about six or seven times and am going to be starting another playthrough very soon. There was a potent mix of exploration, mystery and atmosphere that I've been chasing in other games ever since. I can acknowledge the flaws the games had, but they just don't outweigh how much good is in there.

I could go on but I have stupid real-world responsibilities to get to. So, anyone else here want to share? :)

p.s. I just ask that nobody be antagonistic or overly sarcastic/diminishing towards other people, especially because Shenmue fans are easy targets and make the temptation great. I'd like to gently remind some folks to respect other peoples' interests and let them be insane in peace. Thanks!

I played the 2nd on Xbox after hearing how cool the 1st one was. I didn't really like it, and i didn't really get intrigued by the story either.

I'm really confused by the hype for this series, is it just for the completion of the story? Sounds like the Yakuza games are pretty much what Shemue was gameplay wise. So are the Shemue story hooks that good ans something i missed?

I love the Shenmue series and i never thought in a million years that we would get a sequel.i like you was pretty young when i played them originally. I have always been a big fan of stories in games all the better if the world you play in is detailed and immersive. I feel like it was a game way ahead of its time. The fighting system was awesone, the soundtrack was incredible, the story was so interesting and expansive, and the attention to detail was revolutionary. One of my favorite series of all time.

Shenmue is always going to have a special place for me. But trythfully, I'm the friend of that real Shenmue fan who probably almost cried a little at that announcement.

Absolutely love them. Admittedly haven't played them since they were released, but for what it's worth, I consider Shenmue one of my top ten games ever.

I mostly saw Shenmue through my older brother, he probably played it when I was about ten. I respect Shenmue 1 for being unique (though not necessarily very much fun to play), but I would say that I am a fan of Shenmue 2. I am looking forward to seeing Shenmue 3, though I admit my expectations are low.

I really think a lot of the appeal of Shenmue is what some people today call a "walking simulator," or the aspect that it's a realistic simulation of an urban Asian environment, and you want to walk to all the stores and buy capsule machine toys and go to the food mart and play the raffle and play all of the arcade machines and open up all of the cupboards or whatever. I realize Yakuza features a lot of these things as well, but with how often you have to fight for no reason, I kind of think of Yakuza as a 3d beat-em-up.

Of course you were a fan. You were young and didn't know better.

@basketsnake: That may be and I was pretty young when I played Shenmue myself but I'm gonna sit here and tell you that game made finding batteries in a drawer fucking magic. Of all the games I played as a kid that don't hold up the scrutiny, Shenmue is one of the few that I'm happy I played when I did to gloss over some of its flaws and have my good memories of it. I'm probably someone who would appreciate what Shenmue's about anyway but playing that thing as a young man with my Dreamcast hooked up to a tube TV; that's a goddamn time and place.

For whatever reason the Dreamcast of all systems is the one that I'm the most nostalgic for despite having systems before and since.

Also since there was so much of it, it's fun to joke about all the weird stuff in that game, especially among people who know that game well.

I think I might be a Shenmue fan (?), but hell if I know whether a Shenmue game in this day and age makes any sense. I also am loathe to go back and play the original Shenmue, but I might have to do it and see if it still gels with me (I really only played a few hours of them on the first go-round).

You're looking at number 7 in the world at QTE Title on the Dreamcast, via the Passport disc, right here.

I love Shenmue.

I haven't played Shenmue or Shenmue 2, I have both for dreamcast and the first one on Xbox.

I've had them for yearss, collected and ready to go on the consoles.

I need to get a life and play them, ugh.

Having just returned from Guizhou province, the province next to Guilin, Shenmue 3 really resonates with me and I think it's the most fun I have with a video game since Shenmue! The environmental details evoke my time exploring Zhaoxing. Thank you Yu Suzuki!

Played Shenmue 1 and 2 back in the day and they utterly blew me away. Had seen nothing like it at all. Loved the games, loved the story. For many years, (until recently really) I considered Shenmue to be in my top 10 games ever. I haven't got to play 3 yet but will do eventually and look forward to it.

Shenmue has meditative qualities to it. Yu Suzuki made this for people going through hard times. Such an uplifting therapeutic experience

Ah man, second location is a real drag after beautiful and serene Bailu village