Shenmue

released on Dec 29, 1999

"He shall appear from a far Eastern land across the sea. A young man who has yet to know his potential. This potential is a power that can either destroy him, or realize his will. His courage shall determine his fate. The path he must traverse, fraught with adversity, I await whilst praying. For this destiny predetermined since ancient times... A pitch, black night unfolds with the morning star as its only light. And thus the saga, begins..." This first chapter of Shenmue kicks off Yu Suzuki's cinematic Dreamcast tour-de-force, an exploration-heavy adventure that has players immerse themselves in Yokosuka, Japan. Players slip into the role of a young martial artist named Ryo Hazuki, who is on the trail of his father's killer. On the way, players must talk with hundreds of characters, engage in martial arts battles, and marvel at the realistic depiction of the Japanese coastal town.


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Shenmue broke me
Its a very unique game and one that was impressive for the time, hell the graphics are still pretty good today. But god damn, did I NOT like doing a 9-5 for the latter half. I really liked the more realistic parts of Shenmue up UNTIL that point. Since, for the most part, if I was waiting for somebody, I could at least drink a soder and play QUICK-TIME-EVENT the iconic arcade game.

Another comfort game. I love when a game is fully committed to making you engage in really mundane tasks. Walking down the hill from your home, passing all the other houses on your way into town, maybe trying your luck with the gacha along the way, making sure to grab some cat food on the way back home, slowly crossing things off your checklist. This shit is exciting to me. Shenmue nails all of that perfectly. Over the course of the game, I became intimately familiar with Yokosuka and its denizens. It almost felt like a second home. It’s one of my favourites. I love it.

Ho pareri discordanti su questo gioco. Ma anche nostalgia.

i wanted to exact revenge on my father's murderer, not be part of slave labor and get a job (but became forklift verified)

A flawed game with a lot of needless friction, but also a sublime realization of some insane ambitions. If you’re willing to accept it for its faults, Shenmue is the pinnacle of janky perfection and an experience unto itself.

Great music, but holy shit, is it miserable to actually play.