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.
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