Game Review: Shenmue is a story of revenge with very little fighting involved

Shenmue 1 & 2
Rating:
Developer: Sega
Publisher: Sega
Platform: PC, PS4
Price: PC: R2,749;
PS4: Rs 3,000

Shenmue is a unique game in its own right. While the overall story is of revenge, there is actually very little fighting involved. There is a huge focus on the story and the tale unfolds slower than you would expect. Rather than an open world martial arts fighting game, it feels more like an adventure game, where you go around asking questions and investigating stuff. This concentration on the story and the relaxed pace is a common theme between the two Shenmue games.

The new Shenmue game releases are technically not a remaster, but merely a way to experience the game on newer consoles before the new one, which will be out in 2019. There are a few minor cosmetic changes, but overall the game is exactly like the original with all the flaws and good bits kept intact.

Most of the game is spent exploring an open world setup where there are no maps and you have to rely on your memory and street signs to get you around. Considering we are so used to games having mini-maps, navigating here takes a little getting used to. Give it a few hours though, and you will memorise every street corner easily. The first game happens in 1986, where the protagonist Ryo Hazuki's dad is murdered at their family dojo for a mystical mirror. The game then has you investigating the streets of Yakosuka, Japan, in search of clues to the killers. You have to go back and forth between people as the investigation unfolds. Along the way, you can also help the town's folks, work or play some classic Sega games in the arcade. It is remarkably mundane, but charming.

For the second game, the developers went with Hong Kong - it is much bigger than the sleepy town of Yakosuka and being in a completely new location means Ryo does not know the locals by their names and does not share a rapport with them. It is an interesting change in the game and you really do get the sense of a bumpkin in the big city. The city has different locations, each with their own type of crowd. The game retains a lot of the gameplay from the original and you will have to walk around here to talk to people and investigate, but there are some helpful non-player characters (NPCs) around that guide you along the way, unlike the first game where you are completely on your own.

As mentioned, the game is merely a port with flaws - this means a lot of the old control system flaws are just carried forward. One that we particularly found annoying was the choppiness of the controls to move around - using the left joystick on the PS4 controller felt cumbersome making it hard to move around. If there was anything that could have made the game feel better, it could be upgrading the feel of the controls.

Considering Shenmue 1 and 2 are considerably old (1999 and 2001 respectively) and Sega has just ported the game with minor adjustments, it still plays pretty well. The insistence on doing everything like a normal human sets Shenmue apart and that's the charm, which we can only hope Shenmue 3 preserves. While there are flaws particularly with the control system, the game is very engaging and you will often find yourself spending time exploring your environment in both Yokusuka and Hong Kong. Even though the graphics are passable by todays remaster standards, it is not something you will notice, as the game will have you too distracted. This might be worth a look, if you can deal with the slow pace of the game.

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