The brainchild of famous Sega designer Yu Suzuki, Shenmue proved somethingof a curiosity when it was first released for the Dreamcast. Having promised to revolutionise, the title received a rather lukewarm reception, and went down in legend as one of the most expensive project disasters ever to grace the videogaming world.
It isn't hard to be critical of Shenmue in retrospect, considering what was pledged during the pre-release hype. Indeed, initial stages of play feel nothing other than an empty graphical showcase, and it's hard to shake off the feeling that style is dominating substance. Following a long introduction (during which Ryo's father is killed by a mysterious man), the game finally opens in a family house where apart from repeatedly pressing the A button, there isn't much else to do.

But impressions can be deceptive, especially as Shenmue isn't particularly accessible or an immediately inviting experience to get into. Patience and a willingness to partake an explorative philosophy are required to wring the most from the game. One of the main attractions is that Sega has provided an intricate and believable world to interact with, flooded in detail and choice. Phone your friends, gamble, or simply visit the local arcade. Outside of the story, it's up to you what to do.
Thankfully a simple interface allows for the action to be presented in a clear and concise manner. Labelled FREE (Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment), the meat of the game consists of exploring locales in a typical RPG fashion, with people revealing snippets of information to move the plot forward when questioned. Impressively, a vibrant town atmosphere is captured through a significant amount of movement present on-screen, not to mention sound effects such as varying crowd chatter. People follow their own routine and will generally go on about their business whether you are there or not. It's this mode which has been given the most attention then, and consequently the most depth. However many of the options available to the player appear redundant when considered in terms of pure gameplay progression.
Herein lies Shenmue's beauty though, for what at first appear small and irrelevant matters, eventually gain importance the more you're sucked into the game. Want to visit Ryo's girlfriend Nozomi to see how she's feeling? How about looking after an injured cat? No problem. There's a touching subtlety that unfortunately is missing from many of today's more explosive titles. But this isn't to say there isn't any action. The other two gameplay modes more than cover this department, and are often used as placeholders to up the pace and keep the storyline interesting.
Free Battle is a variation of the Virtua Fighter engine, and lets the player compete in a wide variety of fights against numerous opponents. There's a large selection of moves to learn or master, and the system can be adapted to specific fighting styles. For example, you're allowed to train and level-up as you see fit by developing kicks, punches or throws.
The other mode is called QTE (Quick Timer Event). Here cutscenes are partially interactive through timed on-screen button presses. Although they're relatively simple, these parts also offer some of the more exhilarating moments via a selection of brilliantly choreographed set pieces, many of which wouldn't look out of place in a Hong Kong action flick. It's unfortunate that it takes until the later half of the game for the action to heat up though, as much of the opening is focused on revealing new environments for exploration. And occasionally, transference between each of the three gameplay modes feels jarring and doesn't run as smoothly as it could have.
In terms of storyline, Shenmue was originally designed to be part of a series incorporating sixteen chapters, and so this game likes to tease as the plot is unravelled slowly, with little resolved even during the closing segments. It could then be argued that by focusing on what are essentially side-characters to the main saga, Shenmue as a stand alone experience doesn't quite have the epic feel of other titles in the RPG genre. This will no doubt put some players off, but for those looking to engross themselves in a world more concentrated on relationships rather than an overblown plot, you're in for a treat. There aren't any hit points or energy bars to monitor, neither are there a variety of menus to cycle thorough to find the right item. Both the gameplay dynamic and storyline benefit from clarity and a lack of over complication.

Replay value is improved as a result of a pseudo non-linear structure, for although the player is essentially guided through the game, they are mostly free to choose when and how to find information. One example of this choice is when Ryo is forced to search for the location of a telephone number. Here, the player can phone directory enquires, look through a listing book, or ask someone in town for help. There are numerous routes and cut scenes available depending on what the player does. Disregarding the storyline, FREE mode essentially lets the player live Ryo's existence by their own choice.

Following a time structure roughly akin to real life, events unfold gradually and it could be argued this helps to create an awkward sense of pacing. But over due course, and partly because of the small environments involved, it's hard not to develop a fond association with the places and people Ryo regularly visits. Seeing the same faces everyday, allows the characters to flourish outside of the linear storyline. It's a flawed idea, harmed even further by poor English voice acting, and yet it works. Character traits become recognisable as time progresses, and this behaviour helps them to appear more close and lifelike. Effectively, the result is that there is more impact in terms of drama, as mundane aspects are mixed with the extraordinary. Spending an afternoon investigating what appears to be a dead end lead, and by the end of the night participating in a full scale bar room brawl, help create a contrasting balance.

A large part of Shenmue's pull then is that it mimics reality with authenticity, and provides a great example of what the Dreamcast could do when it was placed in the right hands. Remarkably, compared to many late next generation offerings, the game still manages to stand up well. Textures are meticulous, draw distance is vast and frame rate (for the most part) is solid. But the most striking element is the evident technique in artistry. Everything, from a breathtaking theme tune to the wondrous animation, speaks volumes about the effort which has gone into the overall production.

This is perhaps a game that's unfairly misunderstood by the majority of the press and public alike, and shouldn't be compared to franchises such as Final Fantasy or Metal Gear Solid. Those looking for usual adventure and RPG fare are probably going to be disappointed, as Shenmue can't easily be defined or categorised.For such an important project, the fact that it harbours ambitions to try something new is somewhat of a surprise. And for the most part, it succeeds.

A review by Ben Mottershead