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[liger05]

I was one of those who imported. As soon as I saw the Screenshots it wasn't an option to wait for the pal release.

From what I remember the import shop actually had it on boxing day and my bro went and everyone was just watching the screen in awe with very few people buying it as the language barrier was too much of an issue.

Loved this game!!!

 

[Damon Bennet]

Shenmue truly is a one of its kind experience. All the hidden scenes, all the stuff you can do just for fun and those cheesy-awesome moments.

My biggest fear was, that Shenmue would have gotten too fantasy-based. The kamehameha and dragon versus phoenix stuff looked really shitty in the mmo-trailer

 

[IronicSonic]

2015 year of Shenmue

edit: That lucky hit game. So many memories :')

 

[JimiNutz]

I wasn't much of a gamer growing up and Shenmue was one of the first games that I actually sat down with and played all the way from start to completion.

For me it was such a huge eye opener for me in terms of what computer games were capable of. It was the first game to fully immerse me in its world. I actually felt like I lived in that village and knew those people. That I actually worked on the docks and fought those sailors. That I actually trained in my Dojo and played games in the arcade.
When I think back to Shenmue it actually feels as though it was a holiday for me. That was the first game to do that to me, and no game has done it since.

 

[Rymuth]

Something like this?

I love you for this <3

Might make it my avatar if Shenmue HD comes out.

 

[Breakage]

Also, the game quietly had perhaps the worst character in gaming history:

I honestly wanted to bathe in Tom's blood more than Lan Di's.

That Tornado kick tho.

 

[hodgy100]

I own both of them for the dreamcast. and stil need to finish them... its a sin i know gaf

 

[tanuki]

You couldn't get away with some of the stuff the game made you do anymore. Like waiting around for hours for an event to happen. I mean, they even fixed that one in Shenmue II.

And how many days did the game force you to drive a forklift for? So ridiculous.

Overall though, it was well ahead of its time. And the first hour of Shenmue II was magical. The opening shot of the boat on the sea, the enormity of Hong Kong compared to Dobuita, being mugged almost immediately, the game actually made you feel like a smalltown boy. I can't think of any other game that managed to achieve that effect.

 

[WAR recon zero]

Telltale should finish this thing and bring closure to the fans

I am not a fan but I appreciate what shenmue did for the industry

 

[openrob]

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the release of Shenmue in Japan! It was released on the Dreamcast on December 29, 1999. That's crazy to think about considering it's been my favourite game since. Thought I'd make a thread so we can acknowledge it! Bonus stuff:

GAF member shenhaZ made a pretty great Lucky Hit game you can play in your browser. You can also invest your winnings in to a virtual Shenmue III Kickstarter and borrow money from Ine-san. Requires Unity. Play it here: http://nagaiindustries.itch.io/lucky-hit-challenge

Shenmue Dojo are promoting a Shenmue documentary made by Adam Sipione and released this teaser with Corey Marshall who voiced Ryo Hazuki for the English version. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIaoXjzIARE

GAF member Orioto recently made this awesome Shenmue poster that's worth checking out.



Shenmue GAF Community Thread

Feel free to share your memories of Shenmue if you have them. Or post about wanting HD ports and Shenmue III. That's cool too.

Haha. Was waiting to post about Adam's documentary actually. He is hopefully making a more detailed teaser quite soon.

 

[Spaghetti]

No one would buy it, prob.

I really thought Shenmue was going to get an XBLA release at one point. Wasn't it on PartnerNet at some point?

it's not really fair to say it wouldn't sell when shenmue has one of the strongest cult fanbases in video games

fuck knows what those xbla screens were about though. might have been a hoax.

 

[Marceles]

The GOAT

 

[Shadowman16]

I can't believe its been 15 years already... I remember getting this game on release and it still stands up as my favourite game world ever. The fact that NPC's were unique and fully voiced (though the voice acting in the English version is hilariously bad for many characters) was mind blowing at the time. Also I really liked that certain minor NPC's had some funny dialogue depending the point you were in the game (talking to Mario was always entertaining). Also the relationship between the other flowershop owner and Kurita blossomed and burned out across the course of the game if you spoke to them at specific times.

I was also blown away by the NPC's all having their own routines, to the point where I stalked several of them for the hell of it! The atmosphere of the game was second to none, its still one of the few game worlds that truly felt alive for me. I even liked the mundane stuff like waiting for buses, working at the docks...

Plus I liked the combat in the game. Basically putting a blend of Virtua Fighter and Streets of Rage in an adventure game was the hook that pulled me into the game in the first place. The massive fight at the docks at the end of the game was a high point for me, as was actually beating the Chai arcade battle.

I'd kill for Shenmue III to become a reality but I don't ever expect the game to get made, I'm just glad I have the Yakuza series (while different in many ways, still has the awesome combat and strong story narrative) to numb the pain of no Shenmue III!

 

[CountAntonius]

One day Lan Di...you son of a bitch.

 

[openrob]

This has to be the year! (I say that every year but still...)
I really thought that we would get a re release in 2014.

It just feels like it's imminent.

I would also encourage everyone to join the Shenmue 500k Facebook group. Best community outside of the Dojo, pretty fun discussions.

Spoiler

(Pls join)

#SaveShenmue

I would also challenge anyone for the crown of biggest Shenmue fan on GAF. Only series I can say that about haha

 

[Cave Johnson]

Shenmue. Never have I felt a game so invoking, emotional and awe-inspiring. It is one of the very few 3D worlds that I was truly immersed with. It did Gone Home before it was even made - with a martial arts twist, deep engaging combat, nvestigation and a sense off adventure that visually arrests the soul. All of the elements were pushed so far that till his today, I have not found a game with more attention to detail than any other.

And it doesn't just stop at the interactive elements alone: Day/Night/Weather cycles modifies the behavior of certain NPC's; shops closes at designated times; the night life transition with all the neons give you a sens e of wonder that the world is very much alive.

And Guilin: Wow! From the dilipitaded city life of Kowloon to the forest area of China is a dramatic change of theme that makes you feel that the world is so tangible. If only, such ambition could be still matched, there will never be another game like Shenmue again.

And no, please do not compare this game to Yakuza. Yakuza has more in common with GTA where Shenmue has with Deus EX.

 

[UltraGunner]

So far there have been few games hat made me feel the same as Shenmue has. Everything about this game was just perfect.

 

[OverturePT]

14 years here in Europe. Damn, do I feel old. Everyday I would go into my neighbour's house to play this game as I didn't own a Dreamcast. It was glorious.


14 years and I still haven't killed that motherfucker.

 

[rockman zx]

Love both games to death, get your shit together SEGA and release them on digital platforms.

 

[Blunoise]

Remember, kids...Lan Di is somewhere in the Caribbean, drinking from a cocktail with a tiny umbrella in it.

Only videogame villain to actually get away with it.

yeah while Ryu is stuck in a never ending limbo, never to avenge his father or find out the secrets to the sword and talismans

 

[miku]

Sony please help fund Shenmue III ;_;

 

[SpotAnime]

Regarding the tech licensing issues, if they can't find who to pay they should just release Shenmue HD into the wild and see who comes after them, then negotiate the licensing fee.

Might be dumb, but better than chasing your tail.

 

[brett2]

So 15 years QTEs have been a plague I see.

I enjoyed Shenmue at the time but I will never forgive it for QTEs

I always thought that QTEs were a nice stop gap solution for their time to enable some limited user control over complicated action scenarios. It was a middle ground between simply showing a video and giving the user true control. It was tolerable for 1999. The fact that QTEs are still being heavily used 15 years later is embarrassing. I doubt Yu Suzuki would even utilize QTEs much if they made Shenmue III.

 

[flozuki]

These memories. I was so blown away when I received Shenmue as a christmas gift. It was snowing outside, no need to do anything for school, university or work. So much time to enjoy this masterpiece - best christmas ever =) Still have my Dreamcast-Versions and I would buy HD-Ports for full price - so come on Sega or whoever wants to make me happy. Finish the Saga

 

[Augemitbutter]

imported the japanese version. played for a few hours, was blown away. then decided to wait for an english release to give it a proper shot.

after countless games, this is still my top 3 experience. developers are slacking.

you got yakuza back. now it's time for shenmue.

 

[Maligna]

Pretty sure GameTrailers.com is going to be streaming Shenmue on twitch on the evening of January 2nd. We should all join along.

Huber is playing while Kyle Bosman is seeing it for the first time. They are on the third disc now as they have steamed a few times previously. It's fun to watch Kyle be amazed by the game and see all the viewer comments such as, "THIS is a Dreamcast game?"

 

[NogibTC]

I really need to play this series. Lets just say that it has been in the long-term backlog far too long.

 

[shenhaZ]

Pretty sure GameTrailers.com is going to be streaming Shenmue on twitch on the evening of January 2nd. We should all join along.

Huber is playing while Kyle Bosman is seeing it for the first time. They are on the third disc now as they have steamed a few times previously. It's fun to watch Kyle be amazed by the game and see all the viewer comments such as, "THIS is a Dreamcast game?"

wow, where I can see the schedule?

 

[Zafir]

wow, where I can see the schedule?

They usually list their schedule for the week on the gametrailers twitch page - http://www.twitch.tv/gametrailers

You have to keep checking back every week.