Revisiting Shenmue 2

[Max M]

Although I always liked the first Shenmue more (My favourite game of all time), I also had a soft spot for it's Dreamcast sequel, so recently I've started playing through the Xbox version.

Obviously it's interesting to see what English voices work well (Jianmin) and what ones don't (Delin), but what I really love about the Shenmue games is how different things are progressing this time! While most adventure games will have you seeing the same things each time you play through, I've discovered so many different things by taking things easy or just looking in different places or saying different things to people.

Some of the things I've seen time around include different shops, a cut scene where I have to help make a sign straight for some guy who reminds me of Fuku-San, a duck racing thing for Fangmei's birthday, a second fortune teller who reads your palm, Guixiang Lee (The creepy old lady) teaching me a new move, opening up a secret area of the arcades (!) and a strange tiny cut scene where Ryo saw a plane flying above him (What could this mean?).

I've also discovered that the parts where you're able to ask people a specific question (Like when you can ask people about Xiuying Hong) is a wonderful way of finding more about each individuals personality. One issue I had with Shenmue 2 compared to the first game was the fact that there were so many people, but thanks to him just asking directions most of the time you could never really find their unique personalities, so I'm finding all this very interesting.

All in all, I'm still amazed at what a fascinating game world and struture Shenmue 2 gave us. All this just makes me want Shenmue 3 even more. The problem for us Shenmue fans is there's really nothing else out there like it.

Oh well, I'm sure AM2 will continue the story again. In the meantime, why not play through one of the games again as well, and try taking a slightly different route through? You might be surprised...

[Adam]

Already been through it about 5 times mate Quality game and I agree with everything you've said. Both games are so similiar, yet you don't feel like your just repeating things from the first game. I remember in the first game you could only ever talk to people about your current goal, for example "where can I find some sailors?" but with the inclusion to ask people multiple questions in II you can learn alot more from people.

Check out the FAQ I wrote if you wanna see some other stuff

[Max M]

Check out the FAQ I wrote if you wanna see some other stuff

Nice ascii art...

[Max M]

Nobody wants to talk about Shenmue.

[Magnakai]

I adore Shemue 2.
I keep meaning to go back to it. I stopped at the point where you had to get $500, but I'm going to go back and play it again v. soon. It's a wonderful game. There was a little something about Shenmue 1 that's unique to that title, but there's a LOT to Shenmue 2 that's unique to it. It's ... such an accomplishment of game design and ambition.

[Adam]

Did anyone stalk NPCs? It was well good, especially in the first game. Finding out where people live and what time they head home from work is lots of fun. You could even see what the cats and dogs got upto

[Max M]

Did anyone stalk NPCs? It was well good, especially in the first game. Finding out where people live and what time they head home from work is lots of fun. You could even see what the cats and dogs got upto

I did that. You know the little fat boy in Shenmue 1 who's obsessed with the toy machines and has a really weird voice? I found out his dad is the drunkard who walks around Dobuita. :-D

I used to like those women who gossiped at the phonebox! The first game definately had more personalities IMO.

[mr_sockochris]

I've had it sitting on my shelf unopened for ages now. Everytime i get the feeling to start it a new game comes out and that takes preference. I dare not start it any time other than a quiet month because Shenmue1 took over my life like few other games ever had.

[Olympichero]

I adore Shemue 2.
I keep meaning to go back to it. I stopped at the point where you had to get $500, but I'm going to go back and play it again v. soon. It's a wonderful game. There was a little something about Shenmue 1 that's unique to that title, but there's a LOT to Shenmue 2 that's unique to it. It's ... such an accomplishment of game design and ambition.

Thats where I stopped too, I cant be bothered working and the gambling where you are gives crap odds. I won about $350 but cba to get the rest.

I will finish it one day though, maybe in time for Shenmue 3

[Adam]

Did anyone stalk NPCs? It was well good, especially in the first game. Finding out where people live and what time they head home from work is lots of fun. You could even see what the cats and dogs got upto

I did that. You know the little fat boy in Shenmue 1 who's obsessed with the toy machines and has a really weird voice? I found out his dad is the drunkard who walks around Dobuita. :-D

I used to like those women who gossiped at the phonebox! The first game definately had more personalities IMO.

haha thats his dad?? that man is funny as hell "huhuhu just you wait women hurr"

[dataDave]

I've borrowed the Jap. DC version from a friend so I'll be playing it through shortly.

For some reason I prefer playing Shenmue games in Japanese. Don't know why.

[Max M]

Can you read Japanese? If not, I'd have thought Shenmue would be nearly impossible with no subtitles.

[huxley]

I never did finnish it on the DC so when it came out on the Xbox I had to have it and swore to make it to the end but I`m stuck at the warehouse with the missing floor sections and the mean women.

[Smeghead]

cud never b arsed to finish the DC ver as I kept gettin interupted in key scenes so missed what was goin on,

now that the Xbox ver is dropping in price is it worth lookin into? Fancy the Shenmue the Movie DVD anyway

[Concept]

You know the little fat boy in Shenmue 1 who's obsessed with the toy machines and has a really weird voice? I found out his dad is the drunkard who walks around Dobuita. :-D

I used to like those women who gossiped at the phonebox! The first game definately had more personalities IMO.

I think that's the whole point though. The atmosphere in Shenmue is supposed to feel more intimate. Ryo lives in a small town, and generally people know who each other are, so the whole vibe feels more connected/enclosed.

Whereas, in Shenmue II, Ryo is travelling to a new land, a new culture...

A large city with thousands of people. We're supposed to feel like just another face amongst an endless sea of unfamiliar faces.

It's all part of Ryo's journey of growing up and moving on. If you play both games back to back, you'll find both their different subtle natures compliment each other, especially with how Ryo advances as a character.

Dobuita, Yamanose etc. are meant to feel like home... Being tied to one location means we begin to develop a fond affection and association with our surroundings. The differenct faces, people and mannerisms in Shenmue are also more pronounced, marking out individualised distinction. You are right, people are given more personality. But I think that is also partly because in context of the narrative, Ryo knows more people.

I believe this is intentional, to reflect his outlook of the world. The way in which we see the world is from our character's viewpoint... I've said it before and I'll say it again, for me Shenmue is a unique first-person based game.

We live Ryo's life in a very intimate fashion and never see the world out of his (and our own) scope. The Ryo in Shenmue is naive, trusting and more connected with his surroundings. Consequently I feel it is possible for us to develop a similar level of emotional connection with the places and people, because what happens to our character also happens to us. This is simply because we are tied to Ryo's perception, which itself is tied to a consistent game clock, i.e. we are allowed to move through each day and get to know the characters. So although ironically the interaction and response systems in Shenmue can be very stilted/linear, the way in which they operate is also very organic in sense of time. We don't get herded or removed from one scene to the next which happens in many games. No. We live a life in a slow, methodical manner.

Shenmue II's iconography is used to reflect the thematic focus of the story in my opinion. Have you noticed how some people seem to be wearing traditional Chinese dress? Maybe that's how Ryo sees this new culture... Something different back from what he is used to in Japan. And the use of presenting similar faces and figures over and over again to make the crowd up.... In real life, travelling to a huge new place can be scary. Until, you've gotten used to a new way of life it is no doubt a bewildering experience. I think Fangmei even asks him that question at one point:

"Have you got used to Hong Kong yet?"

Shenmue II captures that brilliantly from the start for me. It overwhelms and confuses with it's size, just as how a large city in a different country might if we arrived there without much preparation in real life.

So again, I think the 'colder' feel of Shenmue II is specifcally designed to make us miss Dobuita, especially if you play both games back to back in order of narrative. We grow along with our character...

And ultimately in Shenmue II, that 'colder' feeling slowly changes the more we get to know people. Cleverly, when you have to leave Hong Kong for the walled city of Kowloon, we are made to say goodbye to everyone we've met...

And I remember such a thing happening at the end of Shenmue too. However, at this point in the sequel, such a task provides a revelation that even in a big city it's possible for Ryo to hook up and get to know people more. And these newly acquired friends are dsitinguished from the crowd with unique characterisation, whether it be through presentation or personality. The rest of the city crowd isn't really given that attention. But ask yourself this... When you walk about a busy place in real life, can you honestly remember all those faces from those which you actually do know?

Again, I think Shenmue II's different atmosphere works in conjunction with the original, especially when conveying the advancement of Ryo's character growth.

It's a quality game - Truly mind-boggling epic. I could look at it forever on a gameplay level, but I think I'll leave it there for tonight.