Shenmue II
Encyclopedia
is a adventure game
for the Dreamcast and Xbox
. It is the sequel to Shenmue
, and was produced and directed by Yu Suzuki
of Sega AM2.
Due to exclusivity rights obtained by Microsoft
, the North American Dreamcast version was cancelled. Because of this, no English
dub
was recorded for the Dreamcast version of Shenmue II. The European release instead featured the original Japanese audio with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Shenmue II incorporates three chapters of the Shenmue saga
.
told the story of the first chapter of the saga, the second game tells the story of the second, third, and fourth chapters. Many consider the second chapter to occur between Shenmue and Shenmue II during Ryo Hazuki's trip from Yokosuka
to Hong Kong
and is referred to during the beginning of the game. However, this is not canonical. The "Boat Chapter" is available as a comic book as an extra in the Xbox version of the game.
The second chapter of the saga begins when Ryo, the main protagonist of the series, arrives in Hong Kong in order to locate Master Lishao Tao, as he was instructed to do by his friend and confidant
, Master Chen Yao Wen, at the end of the series' first chapter. This mysterious and elusive individual is Ryo's only possible link to Lan Di, the Chinese
man who murder
ed his father. After a difficult search, Ryo finally meets Master Lishao Tao, a woman named Xiuying; but she is unwilling to assist him in what she considers a futile quest for vengeance. The two part ways, although Xiuying continues to monitor Ryo's progress and they continue to meet on occasion. Through his continued search, Ryo discovers another individual who may be able to assist him in locating Lan Di.
Wuying Ren, commonly referred to as Ren throughout, is the leader of a gang named The Heavens, who engage in a variety of illegal activities. After initially attempting to wile Ryo, Ren decides to assist him in his quest after discovering that there are large sums of money tied up in the mysterious and ancient Phoenix Mirror. A young boy who holds Ren in high regard (considering him like a brother, although they are not related by blood) named Wong, and an adventurous and free-spirited woman named Joy also befriend and assist Ryo in his continued search for Lan Di.
The third chapter of the saga takes place in Kowloon
, as Ryo attempts to locate Yuanda Zhu, a martial arts expert who sent Iwao Hazuki a letter warning of his impending murder, a warning that arrived too late. At this juncture, several confrontations ensue between Ryo and his allies and the dangerous Yellowheads organization, who are aiming to kidnap Yuanda Zhu on behalf of Lan Di.
After following several clues, Ryo and Ren finally find Yuanda Zhu; however, the meeting is cut short when they are ambushed by the Yellowheads leader, Dou Niu, and Yuanda Zhu is kidnapped in the resulting encounter. Wong and Joy are also held captive, although Ryo later ensures their release through his victory against a powerful martial artist. In the climactic scene that follows, Ryo and his allies enter the building in which Yuanda Zhu is being held, and after Ryo does battle with Dou Niu for the final time they are able to prevent Lan Di from receiving a captured Yuanda Zhu as originally planned; Lan Di escapes during this altercation. Yuanda Zhu provides Ryo with crucial information regarding the true purpose of the Dragon and Phoenix Mirrors—the mirrors will lead to the resurrection of an ancient order known as the Qing Dynasty. Ryo is advised to continue his search in Bailu Village, in remote Guilin
. He parts ways with Ren, Wong and Joy, continuing his journey and heading for the same destination as Lan Di.
The fourth chapter takes place in Guilin. Shortly after arriving, Ryo encounters a young woman named Ling Shenhua. She previously appeared to Ryo through several dreams throughout the first chapter of the series. As the two converse, it is revealed that the Shenhua family is connected with the legacy of the dragon and phoenix mirrors. Shenhua leads Ryo to a stone quarry on the outskirts of the village to meet with her father, but he is nowhere to be found. The episode comes to an ambiguous end when the pair discover a cryptic note and sword, which Ryo combines with the Phoenix Mirror and unwittingly sets off a device revealing a huge depiction of the two mirrors. At the game's cliffhanger
ending, the sword is seen to float in mid-air.
and the only playable character. As the player progresses through the game, Ryo encounters a variety of new characters as he travels through Hong Kong and Guilin in search of Lan Di. Early on in the story, Ryo meets flirtatious Hong Kong socialite, Joy. She will later become a more important character in the story through her association with Wuying Ren (more frequently referred to as Ren). He is the leader of a gang, known as The Heavens, which is primarily involved with petty crime in the local area. Ren, however, seeks fame and fortune; both of which serve as his main incentive for assisting Ryo in his quest to begin with. Ren's charisma
and charm is greatly admired by Wong who sees Ren as an older brother and aspires to be like him. Although she refuses to assist Ryo in his quest, which she considers to be immoral and dangerous, Hong Xiu Ying (aka Master Tao Li Shao) offers him valuable advice and several important martial arts skills. Thoughtful and elegant, a lifetime of sacrifice and sorrow appears to be hidden behind her beautiful eyes. She is a motherly figure to adopted Fangmei Xun, who is physically attracted to Ryo and is frequently bashful around him.
As the story develops, Ryo seeks and eventually finds Zhu Yuan Da; an old acquaintance of Iwao Hazuki who attempted to warn him of his impending murder. Once an owner of a wealthy trading
company, he is kidnapped by The Yellowhead corporation, who act on behalf of Lan Di. The powerful underground corporation is headed by Dou Niu, although Ryo has more involvement with his eccentric sidekick, Yuan. Yuan is referred to as a female
(and voiced by a female actress in the English voiceover) in the Western and European releases of the game, but in the original Japanese edition is established as a cross-dressing male
. The final major character that Ryo meets is Ling Shenhua. Though pure and compassionate, Shenhua also has great strength. She previously appeared to Ryo through his dreams and there is an implied mystic connection between them both that would always ensure their meeting.
. The final chapter of the game takes place in Guilin
, located in China. The environments found in Shenmue II are loosely based upon the geography
of locations in and around Hong Kong. The environments found in the game are much larger than those found in the first title of the series. It has been noted that the settings of Shenmue II are somewhat less intricately detailed than those of Shenmue. The first environment of the game is Aberdeen Harbour, where Ryo arrives after travelling from Japan
via ship. Aberdeen is an underprivileged area, and in addition to the various dock
s and drinking establishments, there are several gambling
parlour
s where players can take part in QTE-based games of chance
. Ryo meets a variety of dangerous individuals here, but also future allies including Joy, Wong and Wuying Ren. On the outskirts of Aberdeen is Queens Street, a pleasant area that is lined with brownstone houses
, reflecting Hong Kong's British
governors
.
Wan Chai
is a mostly working-to-middle class and metropolitan area
of Hong Kong. The game's depiction of Wan Chai mostly eschews the skyscrapers and financial district the area is famous for, relegating these to a far off inaccessible area viewed across the harbor and from the edge of one of the quarters. Instead, Ryo's adventures take place in areas that reflect working class Hong Kong life, small businesses, dai pai dong
s, the religious and martial arts communities, and the gang underworld. The first of these is Green Market Quarter, which contains several points of interest including the Come-Over Guest House, where Ryo stays for an extended period before meeting with Hong Xiu Ying. The area also houses a bustling market
and a pawn shop where players can trade items for Hong Kong Dollar
s. Beyond are the residential quarters South Carmain and Wise Men's, they are of little interest overall although the latter is the setting for several meetings between Ryo and various martial arts masters, who can teach him new techniques and fighting moves if the player so wishes.
The vibrant Golden Qr. is lined with various stores
and boutique
s, including the Tomato Convenience Store; a branded chain of supermarket
s that appear in the previous installment of Shenmue. There is also a Video arcade
, which allows the play of Space Harrier
and Outrun, two popular hits produced by Yu Suzuki. The Lucky Charm Qr. contains various stores, most of them dealing in consumer electronics
; and several bar
s and restaurant
s. Another area of Wan Chai is the White Dynasty Qr an area with a large market which also contains quite a few bars. The final area is an attractive hamlet
known as Scarlet Hills, it is pretty small and is most notable for the Man Mo Temple
, where Xiu Yung is the resident master.
Kowloon Walled City
, an urbanised area of northern Hong Kong is the final district of the city that Ryo visits before leaving for Guilin
. It is loosely based on the real walled city of Kowloon, which still existed at the time the game takes place. It is surrounded by eight peaks, the most famous of them being Lion Rock
(see etymology of "Kowloon
"). Ryo arrives in the area via bus. This densely populated city is visually dominated by its many high reaching skyscraper
s, which are in varying degrees of disarray. Whilst here, Ryo's home is Ren's hideout, located on the outskirts of the city. In addition to the locations that progress the narrative of Shenmue II, Kowloon also contains a variety of gambling
, video game and retail
establishments for the player to enjoy. The Yellowhead Building, where Ryo and his allies do battle against Lan Di's dangerous associates for the last time, is in the very center of the city.
Ryo's final destination in Shenmue II is Guilin, home to Ling Shenhua. This subtropical region is surrounded by the Lijiang River
and several mountains, the most notable being Elephant Trunk Hill
. Arriving here via boat, Ryo meets several locals of a small riverside village before traversing deeper into the surrounding forests and meadows. A substantial point of interest within Guilin is the frequently foreshadowed ancient tree from which the saga's title is derived. Located in the garden of the Shenhua residence, this ancient blossom tree is, both literally and figuratively, at the centre of the prophecy
that runs as a continuous thread throughout the Shenmue series. The game's final scene takes place in a setting based upon the Seven-Star Cave
.
Much like with Yokosuka in the first game, the locations of Hong Kong that are reflected in Shenmue 2 are inaccurate in terms of geographical placement. Aberdeen is on the other side of Hong Kong Island
, which means there is supposed to be a mountain blocking Wan Chai from Aberdeen and vice versa. The Man Mo Temple is actually located in Sheung Wan
, which is a long way away from Wan Chai, but could still be considered part of the Central district along with it. Beverly Hills is located in Happy Valley
, and not in Aberdeen. The recreations of real cities in Shenmue are not intended to be reproductions of the real cities, but rather a backdrop for the game to be connected through interlinked level design and vehicles for the underlying cultural themes. Therefore, the Hong Kong depicted in Shenmue is an idealized version of old style Hong Kong buildings and markets which still exist, but even in the 1980s were being supplanted by new buildings and developments. This theme of journeying through areas facing impending societal change is continued from Yokosuka, where traditional Japanese small town life was gradually giving way to American influences, and foreign criminal syndicates controlled the harbor, and extended in Kowloon Walled City, a city which was demolished shortly after the game's chronology. These urban settings reflect Yu Suzuki's particular interests in traditional Chinese culture, as well as the underlying series motif of internal conflict and cultural identity.
, with Corey Marshall reprising his role as Ryo Hazuki (芭月 涼 Hazuki Ryō) from the first game. There are two new gameplay features – a Snapshot mode to take pictures of gameplay or cutscenes to store on the Xbox's hard disk
and Filters to alter the color filters used on the entire screen. The graphics were improved by the Xbox's more advanced hardware (bloom lighting during the night hours, better looking water, among other features), the lengths of the load times were slightly reduced, Dolby Digital 5.1 support was added for the game's cutscenes, and the frame rate
now ran at a much more consistent 30 frames per second with less loss in characters on-screen (the Dreamcast version used an aggressive character LOD that caused pedestrians to fade in and out of plain view in very crowded scenes). This was all done without many sacrifices to the original game design, with only one instance (the Worker's Pier,) of noticeable pedestrian reduction from the Dreamcast version. The Xbox version also used Quincunx Anti-Aliasing (like many Xbox games) and although the technique reduced "jaggies" associated with aliasing, fans are generally split down the middle as to whether this and the new nighttime bloom lighting effects hurt the image quality in the Xbox version of the game giving it a somewhat "blurry" or "washed out" look.
There are also many other graphical differences, mostly involving the signs on buildings, labels on jukeboxes, signs on gates, etc. having been changed or simplified from the Dreamcast version.
Also added was a mode to view the player's snapshots and six side stories that could be unlocked by taking an in-game snapshot of certain characters. These side stories took the form of manga
and four of them expand on areas of the story that the main game touches on, while the remaining two contain bonus art.
While the original Dreamcast version came on four GD-ROM
s, the Xbox version is on one DVD
and came bundled with Shenmue: The Movie on a separate DVD for play on a standard DVD player. The film is composed entirely of scenes from the first game.
One feature the Xbox version lost was the ability to import a save file from a completed Shenmue game, allowing the player to bring items and money collected in the first game to the second. However, since the player could not import his or her inventory, the Xbox port started the player off with (nearly) every item obtainable in the first game, including a majority of the capsule toys and other collectibles, though the cassettes (amongst a select few other items that can be re-obtained in this installment) are mysteriously missing. This is identical to starting the Dreamcast version without a cleared Shenmue save file.
When the Xbox version reached Europe, Microsoft chose not to utilize Sega's European localization, choosing instead to do a straight conversion from the North American release. Because of this, the European Xbox release only supports English, whereas the EU Dreamcast release features support for multiple languages.
One marked difference in this installment of the game series is the abundance of action sequences, mostly relying heavily on the use of cinematic QTE events in lieu of free battles (whereas the first installment had a fair balance of the two). In Shenmue, there was often a certain character who Ryo had to talk to in order to advance the story line; in Shenmue II, often many characters will be able to help Ryo reach his destination, allowing the game to progress at a much quicker pace, and there's often only one solution, while in the first title there were several different paths Ryo could have gone down as far as his investigation was concerned. Despite Shenmue IIs more linear nature, however, there are still moments of non-linear plot progression; for example, at several points Ryo must make a hidden sign at certain restaurants, and depending on which restaurant the player chooses, different events will occur. Occasionally a QTE will make use of this as well; in the first Shenmue, failure of a QTE meant the player would simply be allowed to retry it, whereas in Shenmue II, although rare occurrences, there are QTEs which result in a branching story path. Shenmue II also features a "question system" where the player can choose from a variety of different questions to ask non-playable-characters. Money plays a much bigger role in Shenmue II as well; unlike the first game, where Ryo was given money at the start of each day, Shenmue II requires the player to find a part time job or to gamble in order to earn cash. Shenmue II also boasts a bigger selection of playable retro arcade games than its predecessor. Hidden cutscenes, however, which took place when a player happened to be on a certain street at a certain time on the correct day, have largely been sacrificed from this sequel.
Whereas the first Shenmue consisted of a single world with an immense amount of detail (for example, the ability to open almost every drawer in Ryo's house and often pick up the contents inside), Shenmue II consists of several worlds with less intricate detailing, although much more to explore. Despite the tighter pacing and more eventful storyline, however, Shenmue II keeps the basic formula of its predecessor, which essentially involves the player wandering through a virtual world, talking to people and receiving clues that lead Ryo deeper into the mystery surrounding the murder of his father.
The Dreamcast version of Shenmue II has a data transfer feature in which players can import their game-save data from Shenmue
, carrying over in-game money, collected items, and martial arts move sets.
This is largely due to the fact that given the high price of the Xbox and availability of a European Dreamcast version, a significant proportion of the fanbase (largely the market of Dreamcast owners) did not own an Xbox to buy it for. The rest of the market responded poorly due to poor marketing and lack of exposure to the series, resulting in a lack of awareness or interest in the heavily story driven game, which commences on a cliffhanger from a game that was not available to those who had not owned a Dreamcast. Without an installed fan base on the console it was exclusive to, the sequel failed to have any word of mouth promotion and did not find more than a niche audience. Sega and Microsoft did not release an Xbox version in Japan.
Since the release of the second installment, Shenmue III has been announced for development and cancelled at least twice. In August 2005, Kikizo.com stated that Shenmue III would be a compilation of the first and second installments plus the final chapters. This, too, has apparently fallen by the wayside, as Kikizo later stated that Shenmue III is "worth forgetting about." After some time, a new Shenmue project was underway, later revealed to be Shenmue Online
. Despite an announcement declaring the project canned, series creator Yu Suzuki has expressed interest in reviving the project and asserts that it is in a "pending" state.
The entire storyline of the Shenmue saga is already finished, yet the final chapters (which would have made up its sequels) never went into production. Fans petitioned for Shenmue IIIs development, which included a high profile (yet short lived) campaign issued by videoGaiden
, but nothing official has been announced so far. Most recently, Suzuki was quoted as saying, "Regarding Shenmue 3, we're not carrying on relative development yet, and I can't give you any further information for the time being." Similarly, Simon Jeffery (former President of Sega of America) was asked whether Sega was ever going to release Shenmue III, to which he responded "There are no plans for [Shenmue III] right now." He also noted that it was "definitely one of the most requested fanboy games." In January 2010, a Famitsu
360 interview with Sega took place, and the possibility of Shenmue 3 was discussed. Sega said that though sales are a big factor, they would "love to do it" if the opportunity presented itself.
It was revealed on October 7, 2010 that a new Shenmue game currently named 'Shenmue City
' is due to be released in Japan only for mobile phones. Though little is known about this game, it is expected to run on Yahoo’s Mobage Town social network. .
During an interview in November 2010, Sega West president Mike Hayes discussed the possibility of Shenmue 3, saying "While at present we have no plans for the franchise [on next-gen consoles]...the Shenmue legacy ignites a lot of passion among fans. Never say never."
On December 8, 2010, Yu Suzuki discussed the concept of Shenmue III and how the game in-speech interactive will be like. Yu Suzuki did not say those concepts were in the game, however he just wanted to show what Shenmue III would come to be if it was ever going to happen.
On March 2, 2011, Yu Suzuki appeared at the Game Developer's Conference 2011 (marking his first appearance in America). When he was asked about Shenmue 3, he said: "I think SEGA will let me make it…it's a matter of budget…we have to make it in an affordable way." Later that month, Mega64
created a humorous skit titled How Shenmue Was Supposed to End with Yu Suzuki himself participating in the video.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
for the Dreamcast and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
. It is the sequel to Shenmue
Shenmue
is a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player...
, and was produced and directed by Yu Suzuki
Yu Suzuki
is a Japanese game designer and producer who has spent his entire career with Sega Enterprises. Often referred to as Sega's answer to Shigeru Miyamoto, he has been responsible for the creation of many of Sega's most important arcade games such as Hang-On, Out Run, After Burner II, Virtua Fighter,...
of Sega AM2.
Due to exclusivity rights obtained by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
, the North American Dreamcast version was cancelled. Because of this, no English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
dub
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
was recorded for the Dreamcast version of Shenmue II. The European release instead featured the original Japanese audio with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Shenmue II incorporates three chapters of the Shenmue saga
Shenmue (series)
Shenmue is an interactive cinema open-world adventure video game series created, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki, and developed and published by Sega. Shenmue was listed in the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive video game produced for its time, with a production budget of...
.
Story
Shenmue II begins shortly after the first installment concluded. While ShenmueShenmue
is a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player...
told the story of the first chapter of the saga, the second game tells the story of the second, third, and fourth chapters. Many consider the second chapter to occur between Shenmue and Shenmue II during Ryo Hazuki's trip from Yokosuka
Yokosuka, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²...
to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and is referred to during the beginning of the game. However, this is not canonical. The "Boat Chapter" is available as a comic book as an extra in the Xbox version of the game.
The second chapter of the saga begins when Ryo, the main protagonist of the series, arrives in Hong Kong in order to locate Master Lishao Tao, as he was instructed to do by his friend and confidant
Confidant
The confidant is a character in a story that the lead character confides in and trusts. Typically, these consist of the best friend, relative, doctor or boss.- Role :...
, Master Chen Yao Wen, at the end of the series' first chapter. This mysterious and elusive individual is Ryo's only possible link to Lan Di, the Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
man who murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed his father. After a difficult search, Ryo finally meets Master Lishao Tao, a woman named Xiuying; but she is unwilling to assist him in what she considers a futile quest for vengeance. The two part ways, although Xiuying continues to monitor Ryo's progress and they continue to meet on occasion. Through his continued search, Ryo discovers another individual who may be able to assist him in locating Lan Di.
Wuying Ren, commonly referred to as Ren throughout, is the leader of a gang named The Heavens, who engage in a variety of illegal activities. After initially attempting to wile Ryo, Ren decides to assist him in his quest after discovering that there are large sums of money tied up in the mysterious and ancient Phoenix Mirror. A young boy who holds Ren in high regard (considering him like a brother, although they are not related by blood) named Wong, and an adventurous and free-spirited woman named Joy also befriend and assist Ryo in his continued search for Lan Di.
The third chapter of the saga takes place in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, as Ryo attempts to locate Yuanda Zhu, a martial arts expert who sent Iwao Hazuki a letter warning of his impending murder, a warning that arrived too late. At this juncture, several confrontations ensue between Ryo and his allies and the dangerous Yellowheads organization, who are aiming to kidnap Yuanda Zhu on behalf of Lan Di.
After following several clues, Ryo and Ren finally find Yuanda Zhu; however, the meeting is cut short when they are ambushed by the Yellowheads leader, Dou Niu, and Yuanda Zhu is kidnapped in the resulting encounter. Wong and Joy are also held captive, although Ryo later ensures their release through his victory against a powerful martial artist. In the climactic scene that follows, Ryo and his allies enter the building in which Yuanda Zhu is being held, and after Ryo does battle with Dou Niu for the final time they are able to prevent Lan Di from receiving a captured Yuanda Zhu as originally planned; Lan Di escapes during this altercation. Yuanda Zhu provides Ryo with crucial information regarding the true purpose of the Dragon and Phoenix Mirrors—the mirrors will lead to the resurrection of an ancient order known as the Qing Dynasty. Ryo is advised to continue his search in Bailu Village, in remote Guilin
Guilin
Guilin is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of far southern China, sitting on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city...
. He parts ways with Ren, Wong and Joy, continuing his journey and heading for the same destination as Lan Di.
The fourth chapter takes place in Guilin. Shortly after arriving, Ryo encounters a young woman named Ling Shenhua. She previously appeared to Ryo through several dreams throughout the first chapter of the series. As the two converse, it is revealed that the Shenhua family is connected with the legacy of the dragon and phoenix mirrors. Shenhua leads Ryo to a stone quarry on the outskirts of the village to meet with her father, but he is nowhere to be found. The episode comes to an ambiguous end when the pair discover a cryptic note and sword, which Ryo combines with the Phoenix Mirror and unwittingly sets off a device revealing a huge depiction of the two mirrors. At the game's cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
ending, the sword is seen to float in mid-air.
Characters
As in the first chapter of the series, Ryo Hazuki is the main protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
and the only playable character. As the player progresses through the game, Ryo encounters a variety of new characters as he travels through Hong Kong and Guilin in search of Lan Di. Early on in the story, Ryo meets flirtatious Hong Kong socialite, Joy. She will later become a more important character in the story through her association with Wuying Ren (more frequently referred to as Ren). He is the leader of a gang, known as The Heavens, which is primarily involved with petty crime in the local area. Ren, however, seeks fame and fortune; both of which serve as his main incentive for assisting Ryo in his quest to begin with. Ren's charisma
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
and charm is greatly admired by Wong who sees Ren as an older brother and aspires to be like him. Although she refuses to assist Ryo in his quest, which she considers to be immoral and dangerous, Hong Xiu Ying (aka Master Tao Li Shao) offers him valuable advice and several important martial arts skills. Thoughtful and elegant, a lifetime of sacrifice and sorrow appears to be hidden behind her beautiful eyes. She is a motherly figure to adopted Fangmei Xun, who is physically attracted to Ryo and is frequently bashful around him.
As the story develops, Ryo seeks and eventually finds Zhu Yuan Da; an old acquaintance of Iwao Hazuki who attempted to warn him of his impending murder. Once an owner of a wealthy trading
Trader (finance)
A trader is someone in finance who buys and sells financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, commodities and derivatives. A broker who simply fills buy or sell orders is not a trader, as they are merely executing instructions given to them. According to the Wall Street Journal in 2004, a managing...
company, he is kidnapped by The Yellowhead corporation, who act on behalf of Lan Di. The powerful underground corporation is headed by Dou Niu, although Ryo has more involvement with his eccentric sidekick, Yuan. Yuan is referred to as a female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
(and voiced by a female actress in the English voiceover) in the Western and European releases of the game, but in the original Japanese edition is established as a cross-dressing male
Male
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
. The final major character that Ryo meets is Ling Shenhua. Though pure and compassionate, Shenhua also has great strength. She previously appeared to Ryo through his dreams and there is an implied mystic connection between them both that would always ensure their meeting.
Geography
Shenmue II initially takes place in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. The final chapter of the game takes place in Guilin
Guilin
Guilin is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of far southern China, sitting on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city...
, located in China. The environments found in Shenmue II are loosely based upon the geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
of locations in and around Hong Kong. The environments found in the game are much larger than those found in the first title of the series. It has been noted that the settings of Shenmue II are somewhat less intricately detailed than those of Shenmue. The first environment of the game is Aberdeen Harbour, where Ryo arrives after travelling from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
via ship. Aberdeen is an underprivileged area, and in addition to the various dock
Dock (maritime)
A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
s and drinking establishments, there are several gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
parlour
Parlour
Parlour , from the French word parloir, from parler , denotes an "audience chamber". In parts of the United Kingdom and the United States, parlours are common names for certain types of food service houses, restaurants or special service areas, such as tattoo parlors...
s where players can take part in QTE-based games of chance
Game of chance
A game of chance is a game whose outcome is strongly influenced by some randomizing device, and upon which contestants may or may not wager money or anything of monetary value...
. Ryo meets a variety of dangerous individuals here, but also future allies including Joy, Wong and Wuying Ren. On the outskirts of Aberdeen is Queens Street, a pleasant area that is lined with brownstone houses
Brownstone
Brownstone is a brown Triassic or Jurassic sandstone which was once a popular building material. The term is also used in the United States to refer to a terraced house clad in this material.-Types:-Apostle Island brownstone:...
, reflecting Hong Kong's British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
governors
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
.
Wan Chai
Wan Chai is a metropolitan area situated at the western part of the Wan Chai District on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, in Hong Kong. Its other boundaries are Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street to the west and Bowen Road to the south. The area north of Gloucester Road is often called...
is a mostly working-to-middle class and metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
of Hong Kong. The game's depiction of Wan Chai mostly eschews the skyscrapers and financial district the area is famous for, relegating these to a far off inaccessible area viewed across the harbor and from the edge of one of the quarters. Instead, Ryo's adventures take place in areas that reflect working class Hong Kong life, small businesses, dai pai dong
Dai pai dong
Dai pai dong is a type of open-air food stall once very popular in Hong Kong. The government registration name in Hong Kong is "cooked-food stalls", but dai pai dong literally means "restaurant with a big license plate", referring to its size of license which is bigger than other licensed street...
s, the religious and martial arts communities, and the gang underworld. The first of these is Green Market Quarter, which contains several points of interest including the Come-Over Guest House, where Ryo stays for an extended period before meeting with Hong Xiu Ying. The area also houses a bustling market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
and a pawn shop where players can trade items for Hong Kong Dollar
Hong Kong dollar
The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
s. Beyond are the residential quarters South Carmain and Wise Men's, they are of little interest overall although the latter is the setting for several meetings between Ryo and various martial arts masters, who can teach him new techniques and fighting moves if the player so wishes.
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
and boutique
Boutique
A boutique is a small shopping outlet, especially one that specializes in elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewelry. The word is French for "shop", via Latin from Greek ἀποθήκη , "storehouse"....
s, including the Tomato Convenience Store; a branded chain of supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s that appear in the previous installment of Shenmue. There is also a Video arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
, which allows the play of Space Harrier
Space Harrier
is a third-person rail shooter game, released by Sega in 1985. It was produced by Yu Suzuki, responsible for many popular Sega games. It spawned several sequels: Space Harrier 3-D , Space Harrier II , and the spin-off Planet Harriers ....
and Outrun, two popular hits produced by Yu Suzuki. The Lucky Charm Qr. contains various stores, most of them dealing in consumer electronics
Consumer electronics
Consumer electronics are electronic equipment intended for everyday use, most often in entertainment, communications and office productivity. Radio broadcasting in the early 20th century brought the first major consumer product, the broadcast receiver...
; and several bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
s and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s. Another area of Wan Chai is the White Dynasty Qr an area with a large market which also contains quite a few bars. The final area is an attractive hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
known as Scarlet Hills, it is pretty small and is most notable for the Man Mo Temple
Man Mo Temple
A Man Mo Temple or Man Mo Miu is a temple for the worship of the civil or literature god Man Tai / Man Cheong （文昌） and the martial god Mo Tai / Kwan Tai . The two gods were popularly patronized by scholars and students seeking progress in their study or ranking in the civil examinations in the...
, where Xiu Yung is the resident master.
Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City
Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated, largely ungoverned settlement in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Originally a Chinese military fort, the Walled City became an enclave after the New Territories were leased to Britain in 1898....
, an urbanised area of northern Hong Kong is the final district of the city that Ryo visits before leaving for Guilin
Guilin
Guilin is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of far southern China, sitting on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city...
. It is loosely based on the real walled city of Kowloon, which still existed at the time the game takes place. It is surrounded by eight peaks, the most famous of them being Lion Rock
Lion Rock
Lion Rock, or less formally Lion Rock Hill, is a famous hill in Hong Kong. It is located between Kowloon Tong in Kowloon and Tai Wai in the New Territories, and is 495 metres high...
(see etymology of "Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
"). Ryo arrives in the area via bus. This densely populated city is visually dominated by its many high reaching skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s, which are in varying degrees of disarray. Whilst here, Ryo's home is Ren's hideout, located on the outskirts of the city. In addition to the locations that progress the narrative of Shenmue II, Kowloon also contains a variety of gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, video game and retail
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
establishments for the player to enjoy. The Yellowhead Building, where Ryo and his allies do battle against Lan Di's dangerous associates for the last time, is in the very center of the city.
Ryo's final destination in Shenmue II is Guilin, home to Ling Shenhua. This subtropical region is surrounded by the Lijiang River
Lijiang River
The Li River or Lijiang River is a river in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.-Background:The Li River originates in the Mao'er Mountains in Xing'an County and flows in the general southern direction through Guilin, Yangshuo and Pingle....
and several mountains, the most notable being Elephant Trunk Hill
Elephant Trunk Hill
The Elephant Trunk Hill is a landmark and tourist attraction in Guilin, Guangxi, China.Elephant Trunk Hill is the symbol of the city of Guilin. It got its name because it looks like an elephant drinking water...
. Arriving here via boat, Ryo meets several locals of a small riverside village before traversing deeper into the surrounding forests and meadows. A substantial point of interest within Guilin is the frequently foreshadowed ancient tree from which the saga's title is derived. Located in the garden of the Shenhua residence, this ancient blossom tree is, both literally and figuratively, at the centre of the prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
that runs as a continuous thread throughout the Shenmue series. The game's final scene takes place in a setting based upon the Seven-Star Cave
Seven-Star Cave
Seven-Star Cave is an extensive limestone cave complex in Seven-Star Park, both of which are popular tourist attractions in the city of Guilin in Guangxi province in China. The park and cave's name derive from the fact the main karst limestone peaks roughly resemble the stars of the Big Dipper...
.
Much like with Yokosuka in the first game, the locations of Hong Kong that are reflected in Shenmue 2 are inaccurate in terms of geographical placement. Aberdeen is on the other side of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, which means there is supposed to be a mountain blocking Wan Chai from Aberdeen and vice versa. The Man Mo Temple is actually located in Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan
Sheung Wan is an area in Hong Kong, located in the north-west of Hong Kong Island, between Central and Sai Ying Pun. Administratively, it is part of the Central and Western District...
, which is a long way away from Wan Chai, but could still be considered part of the Central district along with it. Beverly Hills is located in Happy Valley
Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Happy Valley is a mostly residential suburb of Hong Kong, located in the northern part of Hong Kong Island. Administratively, it is part of Wan Chai District....
, and not in Aberdeen. The recreations of real cities in Shenmue are not intended to be reproductions of the real cities, but rather a backdrop for the game to be connected through interlinked level design and vehicles for the underlying cultural themes. Therefore, the Hong Kong depicted in Shenmue is an idealized version of old style Hong Kong buildings and markets which still exist, but even in the 1980s were being supplanted by new buildings and developments. This theme of journeying through areas facing impending societal change is continued from Yokosuka, where traditional Japanese small town life was gradually giving way to American influences, and foreign criminal syndicates controlled the harbor, and extended in Kowloon Walled City, a city which was demolished shortly after the game's chronology. These urban settings reflect Yu Suzuki's particular interests in traditional Chinese culture, as well as the underlying series motif of internal conflict and cultural identity.
Differences between the Xbox and Dreamcast versions
When the U.S. Xbox version was released in 2002, it brought some changes and enhancements to the original with it. The most significant difference is the inclusion of a full English dubDubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
, with Corey Marshall reprising his role as Ryo Hazuki (芭月 涼 Hazuki Ryō) from the first game. There are two new gameplay features – a Snapshot mode to take pictures of gameplay or cutscenes to store on the Xbox's hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
and Filters to alter the color filters used on the entire screen. The graphics were improved by the Xbox's more advanced hardware (bloom lighting during the night hours, better looking water, among other features), the lengths of the load times were slightly reduced, Dolby Digital 5.1 support was added for the game's cutscenes, and the frame rate
Frame rate
Frame rate is the frequency at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames. The term applies equally well to computer graphics, video cameras, film cameras, and motion capture systems...
now ran at a much more consistent 30 frames per second with less loss in characters on-screen (the Dreamcast version used an aggressive character LOD that caused pedestrians to fade in and out of plain view in very crowded scenes). This was all done without many sacrifices to the original game design, with only one instance (the Worker's Pier,) of noticeable pedestrian reduction from the Dreamcast version. The Xbox version also used Quincunx Anti-Aliasing (like many Xbox games) and although the technique reduced "jaggies" associated with aliasing, fans are generally split down the middle as to whether this and the new nighttime bloom lighting effects hurt the image quality in the Xbox version of the game giving it a somewhat "blurry" or "washed out" look.
There are also many other graphical differences, mostly involving the signs on buildings, labels on jukeboxes, signs on gates, etc. having been changed or simplified from the Dreamcast version.
Also added was a mode to view the player's snapshots and six side stories that could be unlocked by taking an in-game snapshot of certain characters. These side stories took the form of manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and four of them expand on areas of the story that the main game touches on, while the remaining two contain bonus art.
While the original Dreamcast version came on four GD-ROM
GD-ROM
GD-ROM is the proprietary optical disc format used by the Dreamcast games console, as well as its arcade counterparts and the Sega/Nintendo/Namco Triforce arcade system...
s, the Xbox version is on one DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and came bundled with Shenmue: The Movie on a separate DVD for play on a standard DVD player. The film is composed entirely of scenes from the first game.
One feature the Xbox version lost was the ability to import a save file from a completed Shenmue game, allowing the player to bring items and money collected in the first game to the second. However, since the player could not import his or her inventory, the Xbox port started the player off with (nearly) every item obtainable in the first game, including a majority of the capsule toys and other collectibles, though the cassettes (amongst a select few other items that can be re-obtained in this installment) are mysteriously missing. This is identical to starting the Dreamcast version without a cleared Shenmue save file.
When the Xbox version reached Europe, Microsoft chose not to utilize Sega's European localization, choosing instead to do a straight conversion from the North American release. Because of this, the European Xbox release only supports English, whereas the EU Dreamcast release features support for multiple languages.
Gameplay
Shenmue II features gameplay similar to that of its predecessor, Shenmue; however, there are many additions and changes, and many fans consider it to be a completely different experience.One marked difference in this installment of the game series is the abundance of action sequences, mostly relying heavily on the use of cinematic QTE events in lieu of free battles (whereas the first installment had a fair balance of the two). In Shenmue, there was often a certain character who Ryo had to talk to in order to advance the story line; in Shenmue II, often many characters will be able to help Ryo reach his destination, allowing the game to progress at a much quicker pace, and there's often only one solution, while in the first title there were several different paths Ryo could have gone down as far as his investigation was concerned. Despite Shenmue IIs more linear nature, however, there are still moments of non-linear plot progression; for example, at several points Ryo must make a hidden sign at certain restaurants, and depending on which restaurant the player chooses, different events will occur. Occasionally a QTE will make use of this as well; in the first Shenmue, failure of a QTE meant the player would simply be allowed to retry it, whereas in Shenmue II, although rare occurrences, there are QTEs which result in a branching story path. Shenmue II also features a "question system" where the player can choose from a variety of different questions to ask non-playable-characters. Money plays a much bigger role in Shenmue II as well; unlike the first game, where Ryo was given money at the start of each day, Shenmue II requires the player to find a part time job or to gamble in order to earn cash. Shenmue II also boasts a bigger selection of playable retro arcade games than its predecessor. Hidden cutscenes, however, which took place when a player happened to be on a certain street at a certain time on the correct day, have largely been sacrificed from this sequel.
Whereas the first Shenmue consisted of a single world with an immense amount of detail (for example, the ability to open almost every drawer in Ryo's house and often pick up the contents inside), Shenmue II consists of several worlds with less intricate detailing, although much more to explore. Despite the tighter pacing and more eventful storyline, however, Shenmue II keeps the basic formula of its predecessor, which essentially involves the player wandering through a virtual world, talking to people and receiving clues that lead Ryo deeper into the mystery surrounding the murder of his father.
The Dreamcast version of Shenmue II has a data transfer feature in which players can import their game-save data from Shenmue
Shenmue
is a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player...
, carrying over in-game money, collected items, and martial arts move sets.
Reception
The Dreamcast version received very positive reviews, and was commended for improving on criticisms of the first game, such as pacing issues which were resolved with the time skip feature, as well as the faster pace of the plot and larger proportion of action sequences. The Xbox version, though still garnering solid marks, received complaints from some critics about the English voice conversion and only minute visual upgrades.Sales
While the Japanese version sold relatively well (in the limited Dreamcast market) and the European version sold many units due to the high import demand, the long delayed American release on the Xbox sold poorly.This is largely due to the fact that given the high price of the Xbox and availability of a European Dreamcast version, a significant proportion of the fanbase (largely the market of Dreamcast owners) did not own an Xbox to buy it for. The rest of the market responded poorly due to poor marketing and lack of exposure to the series, resulting in a lack of awareness or interest in the heavily story driven game, which commences on a cliffhanger from a game that was not available to those who had not owned a Dreamcast. Without an installed fan base on the console it was exclusive to, the sequel failed to have any word of mouth promotion and did not find more than a niche audience. Sega and Microsoft did not release an Xbox version in Japan.
Sequel
Sega originally planned to release Shenmue III, but over the years many have speculated that the game may never see the light of day. Various unconfirmed reasons for its delay include budget issues, poor sales of Shenmue II, and creative differences between Yu Suzuki and the more conservative management Sega installed after restructuring. Although Suzuki is still employed with Sega, he has not been involved in a major console title for years, and was not involved in the newer versions of series he pioneered, like Virtua Fighter 5.Since the release of the second installment, Shenmue III has been announced for development and cancelled at least twice. In August 2005, Kikizo.com stated that Shenmue III would be a compilation of the first and second installments plus the final chapters. This, too, has apparently fallen by the wayside, as Kikizo later stated that Shenmue III is "worth forgetting about." After some time, a new Shenmue project was underway, later revealed to be Shenmue Online
Shenmue Online
Shenmue Online was an announced MMORPG where players participate in scenarios from Shenmue II, joining one of three clans, led by Shen Hua, Xiu Ying, and Wu Ying Ren, all significant characters from the story....
. Despite an announcement declaring the project canned, series creator Yu Suzuki has expressed interest in reviving the project and asserts that it is in a "pending" state.
The entire storyline of the Shenmue saga is already finished, yet the final chapters (which would have made up its sequels) never went into production. Fans petitioned for Shenmue IIIs development, which included a high profile (yet short lived) campaign issued by videoGaiden
VideoGaiden
VideoGaiden is a Scottish computer games television show broadcast by BBC Scotland. Its creators and presenters, Robert Florence and Ryan Macleod, are responsible for the internet-distributed videogaming show Consolevania, upon which the show is based...
, but nothing official has been announced so far. Most recently, Suzuki was quoted as saying, "Regarding Shenmue 3, we're not carrying on relative development yet, and I can't give you any further information for the time being." Similarly, Simon Jeffery (former President of Sega of America) was asked whether Sega was ever going to release Shenmue III, to which he responded "There are no plans for [Shenmue III] right now." He also noted that it was "definitely one of the most requested fanboy games." In January 2010, a Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
360 interview with Sega took place, and the possibility of Shenmue 3 was discussed. Sega said that though sales are a big factor, they would "love to do it" if the opportunity presented itself.
It was revealed on October 7, 2010 that a new Shenmue game currently named 'Shenmue City
Shenmue City
Shenmue City is a new entry in the Shenmue series that will be released for the PC in Japan. Unlike the first two installments in the series, Shenmue City is not a sequel, but rather a social games service for Yahoo! Mobage service...
' is due to be released in Japan only for mobile phones. Though little is known about this game, it is expected to run on Yahoo’s Mobage Town social network. .
During an interview in November 2010, Sega West president Mike Hayes discussed the possibility of Shenmue 3, saying "While at present we have no plans for the franchise [on next-gen consoles]...the Shenmue legacy ignites a lot of passion among fans. Never say never."
On December 8, 2010, Yu Suzuki discussed the concept of Shenmue III and how the game in-speech interactive will be like. Yu Suzuki did not say those concepts were in the game, however he just wanted to show what Shenmue III would come to be if it was ever going to happen.
On March 2, 2011, Yu Suzuki appeared at the Game Developer's Conference 2011 (marking his first appearance in America). When he was asked about Shenmue 3, he said: "I think SEGA will let me make it…it's a matter of budget…we have to make it in an affordable way." Later that month, Mega64
Mega64
Mega64 is a low-budget series of comedy skits centered on video games.-Premise:In the not too distant future, a sinister scientist named Dr. Poque creates the most powerful video game console ever assembled...
created a humorous skit titled How Shenmue Was Supposed to End with Yu Suzuki himself participating in the video.