Sega is ready to release HD updates of cult Dreamcast classics Shenmue and Shenmue 2, according to a new report.
Shenmue HD and Shenmue 2 HD will be released on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade, Gamerzines claimed.
Indeed development of both titles has been finished for over a year, an anonymous source said. The hold up was due to Sega working out the future of the Shenmue franchise, apparently. "Namely, whether or not Shenmue 3 would ever see the light of day," said the report.
If true, Shenmue's HD revamp follows similar efforts with other cult Dreamcast games. Sega recently announced Jet Set Radio HD, due out this summer.
Sega issued Eurogamer the following statement: "The games that were mentioned are definitely among the most requested re-releases. We can't go into specifics about our future releases, but we are excited to see so much passion surrounding our Dreamcast-era games."
It's great that a new generation of gamers will be able to experience these classics. Also, once they reach that cliffhanger, there should be some more voices added to the clamour for Shenmue 3.
I'm with you, although I personally won't be investing unless they make it either into physical format or Shenmue 1 has a Japanese audio/subtitle option.
Estebang wrote:They better have the Japanese voices for Shenmue II.
Shenmue is a shit art game. Fuck the haters.
Just kidding ^_~
My Shemue 1 disc 1 froze during the cutscene where Ryo becomes gay for sailors and watches some guy get beaten up. Why do you guys like this game and why should I buy it? I'm curious.
If there's one thing Shenmue can't be accused of, it's "trying to be art."
It certainly tries to be both a movie and a life sim, with mixed results. There was even a "Shenmue The Movie" that was just all the cutscenes spliced together.
Estebang wrote:If there's one thing Shenmue can't be accused of, it's "trying to be art."
It certainly tries to be both a movie and a life sim, with mixed results. There was even a "Shenmue The Movie" that was just all the cutscenes spliced together.
Why do you guys like this game and why should I buy it? I'm curious.
I don't like it all that much, to be honest! It's mostly a kitsch value thing, though the staggering level of detail and amount of stuff to do in both games are still kind of amazing. There's probably a special place in hell for it for inventing the QTE.
For me, Shenmue 2 was one of the most immersive, enjoyable and downright awe inspiring gaming experiences I've ever had. The Yakuza series are the only titles to have come close since. Anyway, I'm looking at this as getting OutRun and Space Harrier for the 360, with the rest thrown in.
I'd probably play through them again even though I have little time these days. They were fun. Game made while Sega was still creative and the games industry didn't suck, set during the 80's? I'm in! I've played through both a few times each. Still enjoy them.
Pretty sure people are basing this on the fact that something was leaked on one of the dev networks...same as JSR HD well over a year ago. Three cheers for dip shit interns.
RegalSin wrote:New PowerPuff Girls. They all have evil pornstart eyelashes.
I absolutely love the Shenmue games. The first one didn't grab me right away, I liked it vaguely at first--amused at some of its novelties. But digging deeper into the game it really immerses you in Ryo's role-- and the absurd amount of voice work is hilarious.
Will definitely be getting these re-releases.
STG Weekly!, 1cc's, twitch, XBL: DJ Aquazition The in-game papers prove that being the paperboy is actually a position of the greatest importance,
ranking alongside top elected officials for notoriety. -Ed Oscuro
TLB wrote:Why do you guys like this game and why should I buy it? I'm curious.
There's a reason why this series is so divisive among players. It takes one of the old pulp action adventure standards (You killed my father, prepare to die) and weaves it into what was, and in some ways still is, one of the most detailed and convincing game worlds ever created. Rather than go the action movie route of just cutting to the chase, Shenmue forces you to live Ryo's life and do the legwork to find your father's killer. This divides players into two camps: those who tire of the drudgery, and those become invested in Ryo's life and struggles through the effort required to make progress in his search. I'm one of the latter.
I'd like the latter more if he seemed to give a shit about the hot lass who spends the game fawning over him whilst he just sits around with a face like a slapped arse. If you've got time in your quest for vengeance to race forklifts, you've got time for some lovin'!
I really enjoyed the first one - playing the prize draw game and getting Space Harrier & Hang On CDs to play on the Saturn at Ryo's house was really cool. And that scrolling beat-em-up section towards the end of the game was amazing. Ultimately that was Shenmue's main flaw - it had a pretty cool fighting engine but you barely used it. That and chronic overuse of "is that so?"
Second one I enjoyed less so... all your money gets stolen at the beginning and I didn't have a full set of figurines to trade, so I spent hours cursing the phrase "you would like to try a game of lucky hit?". Then I got stuck in an area - I couldn't leave until I completed some challenge but I couldn't do said challenge until the next day, so it was a case of waiting around for the clock to roll. I never did some back to it.
TransatlanticFoe wrote:I'd like the latter more if he seemed to give a shit about the hot lass who spends the game fawning over him whilst he just sits around with a face like a slapped arse.
You obviously don't realise that's a completely accurate portrayal of Japanese gender relations.
The part that made the cutting room floor was when Ryo walks into a back room to find her getting porked by a gaijin on a pool table, humbly apologises for his intrusion, and leaves.
I liked it b/c they recreated a small Japanese neighborhood so well. Not sure what it was like in the 80s, but for the hardware at the time, I thought it was a great representation. That was what stood out for me the most.
RegalSin wrote:New PowerPuff Girls. They all have evil pornstart eyelashes.
I'm with you, although I personally won't be investing unless they make it either into physical format or Shenmue 1 has a Japanese audio/subtitle option.
Did Ryu carry around that Space Harrier cabinet in his pocket? the answer is no, suck it up
Well, I guess if there's a new fight tacked onto the end, or *spoilers* RYU DIES, then we'll know how it ended.
TransatlanticFoe wrote:Second one I enjoyed less so... all your money gets stolen at the beginning and I didn't have a full set of figurines to trade, so I spent hours cursing the phrase "you would like to try a game of lucky hit?".
There's a trick to save a good chunk of your money:
Spoiler
buy Zippos, you can resell them later. Just be sure to get legit ones, the fakes will be nearly worthless.
