After my ''5 things I love about Shenmue I'' post, I thought it was only right to post again, but this time on Shenmue II. I hope you enjoy this. Like the last time, spoilers are below for anybody that may be viewing this thread but haven't completed the game yet.
KEEP YOUR FRIENDS, THOSE YOU LOVE, CLOSE TO YOU
Shenmue II starts off in a lot more different circumstances than it's predecessor as Ryo is travelling to China alone. In the first game, he was surrounded by friends and lived with the people who were the only real ''family'' he had. He doesn't have Ine or Fukuhara looking out for him anymore. He is all alone in a vast, unknown place like Hong Kong, or at least he is at first anyway. I must say it was personally sad for me when Ryo rocked up at China all by himself after such an adventure in the first game where I, as the player, had gotten used to all of the characters and the Yokosuka neighbourhood in general.
Ryo starts off by meeting Joy. From when I first saw her and after the subsequent first interactions, I thought she was trouble. My suspicion grew further when the owner of the Come Over Guest House pretty much kowtowed to her once he knew Joy wanted Ryo to stay there. It lead me to think that she was the boyfriend of a gang leader and that they were setting Ryo up for a big fall. Then, another part of my mind wondered why would she want to do that? She doesn't really know Ryo or how much cash he possesses (very little, as it happens). She then helps Ryo get a job which went a long way to settling my nerves on her. I start to see her more as a confident young woman that is attracted to someone the same age as her, either looking for a boyfriend or just another friend in general. After all, it would appear that she isn't short of friends given her sway with Ren Dan (of the Come Over Guest House) and her relationships with Wong, Ren, etc. As time goes by, we learn that Joy's intentions are harmless and she turns out to be a good friend and one that Ryo cares for. I do wonder if I was alone or not with my original thoughts on her.
Wong is rather unlikable at first. After all, he ends up helping Cool Z, Sam and Larry steal Ryo's bag which not only contains money that Ryo, Ine and Fukuhara will have all undoubtedly worked hard for, but also the invaluable Phoenix Mirror. If that fell into the wrong hands of Lan Di, then who knows what he could do to the entire world, let alone little Wong and company. Anyway, let's just say Ryo and Wong got off on the wrong foot. Not too long after Ryo catches up with Wong, he does show him where the bag is but we have more bad news as all of Ryo's money has been stolen, but thankfully the Phoenix Mirror is still there. Wong ends up surprising me as he turns out to be one of Ryo's more useful allies during the game. I'm curious as to why he feels so obliged to help Ryo, especially when he starts to go out of his way to do so, like letting him stay on his boat, or helping him gain access to the Heavens' base. There must be initial guilt from their first encounter for sure. I do feel that Wong starts to see Ryo as an older brother that he never had. Wong has seemingly become accustomed to having the company of thieves and low lives. With Ryo though, it's a different kettle of fish for Wong. Here is somebody in Ryo that possesses equivalent if not greater strength of the likes of Ren, Cool Z, etc. but is a good man that tries to do the right thing. There's a moment where Ryo puts one of his hands on Wong's shoulder and tells him that a ''real man would understand'' when Wong pleads with Ryo not to enter the Yellow Head Building. I believe that's a show of Ryo's own affection for Wong, especially since Ryo is usually quite reserved, particularly around people he hasn't known for very long. After a certain point in time, I think Ryo becomes an inspiration for Wong and we might be seeing what Wong could be like when he becomes a young man: putting his resourcefulness to good use and finding better company to spend his time with.
''That guy'' Ren is such an interesting character. Now on one hand, he is a criminal... a thief. Anybody, especially those that have had their most valuable possessions stolen from them, know that feeling of resentment towards thieves all too well. Not just that, but it's annoying that at times Ren doesn't always put his body on the line when he has golden opportunities to fight alongside Ryo, but that all comes down to him looking after his own self-interests. On the other hand, there's parts of Ren that I can't help but like. His chemistry with Ryo is the main one, it's unlike any other relationship that Ryo has. I mean, I couldn't help but laugh whenever I messed up the QTEs during the Yellow Head Building adventure when Ren says ''idiot!". It made my numerous QTE failings all the more bearable, to say the least! That is just one of many examples. A lot of their interactions in general are humorous and the two have such a unique relationship. Ren is ultimately out for himself. He admits it when he says he can smell treasure and we see and hear these intentions and thoughts as recently as the climax of Shenmue 3. I'm so conflicted on him and I think that is one of the biggest appeals of Ren. It's so easy to like him, but you have to remind yourself that he is a thief and the only real reason why he helps Ryo is to gain a lot of wealth.
So, Ryo goes from entering Hong Kong friendless to having plenty by the time he heads to Guillin. Towards the end of the game, there is a scene at the table in Ren's Kowloon hideout. Ryo is joined by Ren, Wong, Shuqin Zhang and Joy as they plot to gain entry to the Yellow Head Building and rescue Yuanda Zhu. At this time, the plot is getting really exciting as we get closer to the end of the pursuit for Zhu. At that particular moment though, despite everything that's going on, I couldn't help but feel great camaraderie between all of the people at the table. Everybody, apart from Ren that is. The rest of the people are all working together to form a plan to infiltrate the Yellow Head Building despite their genuine concern for Ryo's well being. Ren however exemplifies his lack of wanting to put his body on the line again when he backs out due to the thought of opposing Lan Di. When you think about it, Joy and Wong have no business at that table from the point of view of looking for Zhu compared to Ryo and Shuquin. They are there though, and it probably tells you how much they like Ryo. It's special how Ryo went into this new country not knowing anybody, to making these friends and having a unique and different relationship with each one. Sadly he has to say goodbye to a lot of them which is a wrench, just like it was in the first game.
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND
A big difference between the first Shenmue game and the second one is that money holds far more importance in this sequel. In the first game, I didn't see much point in racking up cash until I had another playthrough to collect some PS4 trophies in the form of collecting capsule toys. Maybe I am missing something and that there is more I could do with the cash that I accumulated from all of those hard shifts at the harbour! Anyway, I digress. Earning money is far more important in Shenmue II.
I enjoy the fact that there is more than one way to earn money in the game as well. You can get a job, gamble or sell items. Now, when I first played Shenmue II I must confess that I ''save scummed'', if that's the right phrase to use. That's right, I gambled on ''Roll it on Top'', saved when I won, restarted when I lost. All because I rushed through the game and wanted to complete the story as quickly as possible. It didn't feel all that great, especially when Ryo's father Iwao's exact words were ''never cheat, even during a struggle''. Unfortunately, for me it was too much of a struggle with patience at that point and my love of the story overtook me in terms of wanting to complete it quickly. I perhaps redeemed myself in Shenmue 3 by not cheating and building the money normally!
The fact that without a certain amount of cash, whether it be needed to pay Ren, gain entry to fighting venues, etc. you can't progress the story, which makes making money an important aspect of the adventure. It's a great lesson for the player. In real life, we can't really live or survive without money, so to implement it into the game but in a different way was an excellent idea. You can either work hard for your money, gamble your money (which to me is usually the bad way) or invest it. This is my own personal belief, but in real life, when you work hard for your money, why gamble it? You could potentially lose it all. The same applies for Shenmue, you've shifted all of those boxes for no reason if you lose all of that cash by gambling it away. You have wasted minutes of your life (something I never apply to the Shenmue games in any other case, but I hope you get my point). It's a really clever addition to the game and adds further replay value, especially for somebody like myself who will most likely work their way to more money by shifting boxes, in my second time playing the game.
THE CHASE AND THE CATCH ARE EQUALS
Ryo's first step to finding Yuanda Zhu is finding Lishao Tao/Xiuying Hong, who as it turns out, doesn't want to help Ryo due to his lust for revenge. Although Xiuying's choice is very reasonable, somebody with Ryo's heart and desire will never accept it, and he ends up seeking help from Ren.
There are so many memorable moments in what eventually becomes a chase to find Zhu, but I will only name a select few since there are so many. The option to seek Ren's assistance in finding Zhu leads to confrontation with a powerful foe in Dou Niou. The leader of the Yellow Heads is a huge and intimidating man. When you hear his loud foot steps and bellowing voice when he is shouting towards Ryo and Ren, it really does become a game of ''cat and mouse'', due to the difference in size between Niou and both Ren and Ryo. If I thought that carefully scaling the wooden planks in the Ghost Hall Building alone was bad, it was even worse when I had Don Niou breathing down my neck! The whole link between Ren/Ryo/Zhu and Dou Niou/The Yellow Heads/Lan Di really is genius. Just to think, if Xiuying actually did directly help out then the pathway to Zhu would likely have been so much easier and straightforward, yet a lot less fun and dramatic. Plus, we would never have met Ren (is that a good or bad thing?!). Lastly, when does Ryo ever do things the easy way?
Yuan is such an interesting character and is used so well in the game. Although she is predominantly seen as weak at least in my own eyes, the part where she wields a chainsaw and chases Ryo and Ren in the Yellow Head Building just added to the excitement on a personal level. It also helps highlight the scary situation that Ryo has gotten himself into with these bad people. It was not too long ago that he was attending school, sleeping in the safety of his bedroom and sharing an intimate moment with Nozomi. Now he is close to being mutilated by a chainsaw inside a gang building. That's the reality of the situation and it also shows how Ryo's life has changed so drastically - we must remember that he is only 18! I was somewhat surprised to find out that Yuan is a man in women's clothing in the Japanese version of Shenmue II. I do wonder why the character wasn't a man for the English version of the game, but nevertheless that is one unique thing I never knew about Yuan and another interesting layer for the her and Dou Niou's character as well.
I like the fact that the chase to reach the rooftop of the Yellow Head Building is varied. When I mention the excitement taking the next step up with the chainsaw coming out, there was more of a feeling of intrigue and further depth to the gang and infrastructure of the building when we bump into Master Baihu (and then fight him to free Joy). When I first laid eyes on Baihu I wondered what the hell he was, and to be honest I still do. Is he a human? Is he wearing paint? Where did he get his clothing from? Who taught him? I guess he is a human and has probably painted his body, but the last two questions remain unanswered. We also don't know who he is affiliated with. He was a challenging opponent for Ryo and at the end he says he will remember Ryo's name, so I wonder if the two will meet again in a future game. He also has the same fighting style as Lan Di and Lan Di's father, which creates more intrigue. I don't believe this will be the last we have seen of Baihu if we do get more Shenmue sequels. When I say that the chase to the rooftop is varied, I must also mention the various QTE's, timing your running right to avoid the larger group of Yellow Head members, and also finding the missing keys. I was so close to running out of time when searching for the keyholder's room that it was a matter of seconds! Maybe it was designed that way. If so, it's more genius on the part of Yu Suzuki and his team to create such tension at critical moments.
After overcoming all of the various obstacles throughout the vast Yellow Head Building, we finally get to the rooftop where we battle Don Niou with notable characters such as Lan Di and Yuanda Zhu watching. Of course Ren is happy to let Ryo fight his main rival while he stands back and offers his words of encouragement... That guy! The battle itself is fairly easy to navigate through once you figure out the rhythm of the game plan required to beat Niou. This time, Ryo has no Xiuying Hong to bail him out of trouble as he once again faces death in the face of a rampaging Niou. It is Xiuying's words that appear in Ryo's thoughts that ends up inspiring him to defeat Niou and it's such an epic moment. If Hong was watching somewhere, then she would undoubtedly be proud in the knowledge that her words impacted Ryo so much so that he was able to overcome a near-insurmountable opponent.
The chase to saving Zhu was an epic journey and one of the most memorable parts of the game. Sitting Zhu down and actually finding out the information ended up being very worthwhile as well. His information leads Ryo to visiting Guillin and the rest as they say, is history.
WELCOME TO A DIFFERENT WORLD
I would be a liar if I said that the transition from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong to the peaceful and picturesque outskirts of Bailu Village didn't catch me by surprise. Ryo has gone from being almost cut in half by a chainsaw inside a notorious gang's building to enjoying more natural surroundings and taking in all of the sights, smells and sounds. It is here where he meets Shenhua when he saves her from drowning. Now, I must admit, I never played the passport disc on the Dreamcast version of the first game (I was introduced to the series by the remastered games). I didn't even know Shenhua's name until her and Ryo met one another. I had wondered: who is this mysterious girl that had appeared on not only the cover of the first game, but also in Ryo's dreams as well? At first I thought it could have been a transformed Nozomi, but surely not? It had to be a new character. I resisted the urge to check spoilers and I'm glad that I did, because it made the first encounter even more exciting and intriguing considering the anticipation for it.
The near 2-day journey back to Bailu Village is a great way for both characters to get to know one another. It's certainly unique, especially since both of them have only just met in-person following Ryo's dreams months prior. When I think about it, I wonder if Ryo appeared in Shenhua's dreams too? Anyway, the conversations that they have are interesting. The two are almost like polar opposites in the sense that Ryo is from a City and Shenhua only really knows life in a village and it's natural outskirts. When Ryo mentions how Goro went from being a bully to a reformed guy that helped him out and suddenly started calling him ''bro'' too, I personally couldn't help but laugh and Shenhua was the same. That conversation about Goro reminded me of the harbour and how far Ryo has travelled from that point in time. He's gone from his homeland to sleeping in a cave with this mysterious girl that he's only known for a very short period of time. He's literally in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country but he must already get a good feeling about Shenhua to believe that her intentions are to get them both to Bailu Village, and that there are no ulterior motives that would bring him harm. You could also argue that it is more naivety shown by Ryo, but thankfully on this occasion he has trusted the right person and the meeting was destiny.
Ryo has been through such an epic, mesmerising adventure in Hong Kong and Kowloon before he experiences these visually peaceful and zen-like surroundings. However, it isn't too long until he is even risking his own life towards the end of the journey to Balu Village in terms of some deep falls. The sense and/or threat of danger is never too far away when you are travelling with Ryo Hazuki and the same applies here. At the end of it all though, Ryo gets through this challenge and it does eventually lead him to the quarry where he and Shenhua discover the potential destiny that await them.
SOME PEOPLE ARE UNFORGETTABLE
When Ryo lands in Hong Kong, the only real name that he has to go by in finding Zhu is one ''Lishao Tao''. Now, I personally felt that Tao was a man but I didn't think too much of it either way, mainly due to the search for the person being interesting. The part where it's revealed that Tao is in fact a woman and then that she is named Xiuying Hong, was so good. It gave her a taste of how much Ryo despises Lan Di and helped set the precedent of one of the main talking points of their relationship: Ryo's lust for revenge.
We find out that behind Xiuying's incredible martial art skills and thought-provoking words is a story of sadness when Ryo discovers that she lost her brother from an early age. We may never have found this out if Ryo didn't unintentionally catch her in a private moment of grief. For somebody so talented and wise at such a young age, there was always going to be some curiosity as to what provoked her tears. When we hear the story of her brother, it totally aligns with why she consistently warns Ryo against revenge.
I did wonder what made Xiuying Hong like Ryo enough to first of all save him from danger (multiple times), be honest enough to tell him that his martial arts skill level are no match for Lan Di, and then train him, among other things. I personally believe that she was told about Ryo and his circumstance by Master Chen, prior to Hazuki's arrival at Man Mo Temple. From there, I think she wanted to have a gauge of Ryo by being around him without letting him know who she was. She then probably told Hanhui Liu to pass on the message about learning the four Wude. I believe that this was her way of seeing if Ryo was worth her tutelage, or not. From there, she saw that he was not only worth teaching, but she also saw a striking similarity between Ryo and her long-lost brother in terms of wanting revenge for the loss of loved ones. She didn't want another young man to go down that path due to her own personal experience and pain, and it drew her even closer to him. Although she lets Ryo stay in her apartment room for a short stint, she still keeps him honest by giving him the unpaid role of airing the library books at Man Mo Temple.
Keeping Ryo honest is another big part of the relationship between the two and unfortunately, it does lead to them parting ways at one point. Xiuying probably knows that she can't stop him from looking to achieve what he wants to do, and I have no doubt that it will annoy and worry her after what happened to her brother. She may even feel a degree of responsibility, even though from a neutral point of view it's clear that Ryo needs to take responsibility for his own actions. She still evidently cares for him throughout their down time, highlighted by when she saves him from certain death in the face of Dou Niu. When parting ways, she even gives Ryo the other half of the Yin Yang stone. That's such an emotional moment, given what it means to her. I'm not sure Ryo or in a way us ourselves as players will realise how big this moment was, but maybe we will if/when we find out who has the other half.
It's hard to forget Xiuying Hong, especially when she features in one of my own personal most memorable video game moments of all-time when her and her words appear in Ryo's mind/thoughts when he's figuring out how to defeat Dou Niu. She made a big impression on me, and is certainly one of the most memorable characters in the series, to date. Although she didn't appear in Shenmue 3, I have a feeling that this isn't the last we have seen of her. The thought crossed my mind that her long-lost brother could be Lan Di, but who knows? That seems a little too obvious, but something being obvious doesn't mean that it's necessarily a bad thing either. One thing that is certainly obvious: Xiuying Hong is unforgettable.
KEEP YOUR FRIENDS, THOSE YOU LOVE, CLOSE TO YOU
Shenmue II starts off in a lot more different circumstances than it's predecessor as Ryo is travelling to China alone. In the first game, he was surrounded by friends and lived with the people who were the only real ''family'' he had. He doesn't have Ine or Fukuhara looking out for him anymore. He is all alone in a vast, unknown place like Hong Kong, or at least he is at first anyway. I must say it was personally sad for me when Ryo rocked up at China all by himself after such an adventure in the first game where I, as the player, had gotten used to all of the characters and the Yokosuka neighbourhood in general.
Ryo starts off by meeting Joy. From when I first saw her and after the subsequent first interactions, I thought she was trouble. My suspicion grew further when the owner of the Come Over Guest House pretty much kowtowed to her once he knew Joy wanted Ryo to stay there. It lead me to think that she was the boyfriend of a gang leader and that they were setting Ryo up for a big fall. Then, another part of my mind wondered why would she want to do that? She doesn't really know Ryo or how much cash he possesses (very little, as it happens). She then helps Ryo get a job which went a long way to settling my nerves on her. I start to see her more as a confident young woman that is attracted to someone the same age as her, either looking for a boyfriend or just another friend in general. After all, it would appear that she isn't short of friends given her sway with Ren Dan (of the Come Over Guest House) and her relationships with Wong, Ren, etc. As time goes by, we learn that Joy's intentions are harmless and she turns out to be a good friend and one that Ryo cares for. I do wonder if I was alone or not with my original thoughts on her.
Wong is rather unlikable at first. After all, he ends up helping Cool Z, Sam and Larry steal Ryo's bag which not only contains money that Ryo, Ine and Fukuhara will have all undoubtedly worked hard for, but also the invaluable Phoenix Mirror. If that fell into the wrong hands of Lan Di, then who knows what he could do to the entire world, let alone little Wong and company. Anyway, let's just say Ryo and Wong got off on the wrong foot. Not too long after Ryo catches up with Wong, he does show him where the bag is but we have more bad news as all of Ryo's money has been stolen, but thankfully the Phoenix Mirror is still there. Wong ends up surprising me as he turns out to be one of Ryo's more useful allies during the game. I'm curious as to why he feels so obliged to help Ryo, especially when he starts to go out of his way to do so, like letting him stay on his boat, or helping him gain access to the Heavens' base. There must be initial guilt from their first encounter for sure. I do feel that Wong starts to see Ryo as an older brother that he never had. Wong has seemingly become accustomed to having the company of thieves and low lives. With Ryo though, it's a different kettle of fish for Wong. Here is somebody in Ryo that possesses equivalent if not greater strength of the likes of Ren, Cool Z, etc. but is a good man that tries to do the right thing. There's a moment where Ryo puts one of his hands on Wong's shoulder and tells him that a ''real man would understand'' when Wong pleads with Ryo not to enter the Yellow Head Building. I believe that's a show of Ryo's own affection for Wong, especially since Ryo is usually quite reserved, particularly around people he hasn't known for very long. After a certain point in time, I think Ryo becomes an inspiration for Wong and we might be seeing what Wong could be like when he becomes a young man: putting his resourcefulness to good use and finding better company to spend his time with.
''That guy'' Ren is such an interesting character. Now on one hand, he is a criminal... a thief. Anybody, especially those that have had their most valuable possessions stolen from them, know that feeling of resentment towards thieves all too well. Not just that, but it's annoying that at times Ren doesn't always put his body on the line when he has golden opportunities to fight alongside Ryo, but that all comes down to him looking after his own self-interests. On the other hand, there's parts of Ren that I can't help but like. His chemistry with Ryo is the main one, it's unlike any other relationship that Ryo has. I mean, I couldn't help but laugh whenever I messed up the QTEs during the Yellow Head Building adventure when Ren says ''idiot!". It made my numerous QTE failings all the more bearable, to say the least! That is just one of many examples. A lot of their interactions in general are humorous and the two have such a unique relationship. Ren is ultimately out for himself. He admits it when he says he can smell treasure and we see and hear these intentions and thoughts as recently as the climax of Shenmue 3. I'm so conflicted on him and I think that is one of the biggest appeals of Ren. It's so easy to like him, but you have to remind yourself that he is a thief and the only real reason why he helps Ryo is to gain a lot of wealth.
So, Ryo goes from entering Hong Kong friendless to having plenty by the time he heads to Guillin. Towards the end of the game, there is a scene at the table in Ren's Kowloon hideout. Ryo is joined by Ren, Wong, Shuqin Zhang and Joy as they plot to gain entry to the Yellow Head Building and rescue Yuanda Zhu. At this time, the plot is getting really exciting as we get closer to the end of the pursuit for Zhu. At that particular moment though, despite everything that's going on, I couldn't help but feel great camaraderie between all of the people at the table. Everybody, apart from Ren that is. The rest of the people are all working together to form a plan to infiltrate the Yellow Head Building despite their genuine concern for Ryo's well being. Ren however exemplifies his lack of wanting to put his body on the line again when he backs out due to the thought of opposing Lan Di. When you think about it, Joy and Wong have no business at that table from the point of view of looking for Zhu compared to Ryo and Shuquin. They are there though, and it probably tells you how much they like Ryo. It's special how Ryo went into this new country not knowing anybody, to making these friends and having a unique and different relationship with each one. Sadly he has to say goodbye to a lot of them which is a wrench, just like it was in the first game.
MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND
A big difference between the first Shenmue game and the second one is that money holds far more importance in this sequel. In the first game, I didn't see much point in racking up cash until I had another playthrough to collect some PS4 trophies in the form of collecting capsule toys. Maybe I am missing something and that there is more I could do with the cash that I accumulated from all of those hard shifts at the harbour! Anyway, I digress. Earning money is far more important in Shenmue II.
I enjoy the fact that there is more than one way to earn money in the game as well. You can get a job, gamble or sell items. Now, when I first played Shenmue II I must confess that I ''save scummed'', if that's the right phrase to use. That's right, I gambled on ''Roll it on Top'', saved when I won, restarted when I lost. All because I rushed through the game and wanted to complete the story as quickly as possible. It didn't feel all that great, especially when Ryo's father Iwao's exact words were ''never cheat, even during a struggle''. Unfortunately, for me it was too much of a struggle with patience at that point and my love of the story overtook me in terms of wanting to complete it quickly. I perhaps redeemed myself in Shenmue 3 by not cheating and building the money normally!
The fact that without a certain amount of cash, whether it be needed to pay Ren, gain entry to fighting venues, etc. you can't progress the story, which makes making money an important aspect of the adventure. It's a great lesson for the player. In real life, we can't really live or survive without money, so to implement it into the game but in a different way was an excellent idea. You can either work hard for your money, gamble your money (which to me is usually the bad way) or invest it. This is my own personal belief, but in real life, when you work hard for your money, why gamble it? You could potentially lose it all. The same applies for Shenmue, you've shifted all of those boxes for no reason if you lose all of that cash by gambling it away. You have wasted minutes of your life (something I never apply to the Shenmue games in any other case, but I hope you get my point). It's a really clever addition to the game and adds further replay value, especially for somebody like myself who will most likely work their way to more money by shifting boxes, in my second time playing the game.
THE CHASE AND THE CATCH ARE EQUALS
Ryo's first step to finding Yuanda Zhu is finding Lishao Tao/Xiuying Hong, who as it turns out, doesn't want to help Ryo due to his lust for revenge. Although Xiuying's choice is very reasonable, somebody with Ryo's heart and desire will never accept it, and he ends up seeking help from Ren.
There are so many memorable moments in what eventually becomes a chase to find Zhu, but I will only name a select few since there are so many. The option to seek Ren's assistance in finding Zhu leads to confrontation with a powerful foe in Dou Niou. The leader of the Yellow Heads is a huge and intimidating man. When you hear his loud foot steps and bellowing voice when he is shouting towards Ryo and Ren, it really does become a game of ''cat and mouse'', due to the difference in size between Niou and both Ren and Ryo. If I thought that carefully scaling the wooden planks in the Ghost Hall Building alone was bad, it was even worse when I had Don Niou breathing down my neck! The whole link between Ren/Ryo/Zhu and Dou Niou/The Yellow Heads/Lan Di really is genius. Just to think, if Xiuying actually did directly help out then the pathway to Zhu would likely have been so much easier and straightforward, yet a lot less fun and dramatic. Plus, we would never have met Ren (is that a good or bad thing?!). Lastly, when does Ryo ever do things the easy way?
Yuan is such an interesting character and is used so well in the game. Although she is predominantly seen as weak at least in my own eyes, the part where she wields a chainsaw and chases Ryo and Ren in the Yellow Head Building just added to the excitement on a personal level. It also helps highlight the scary situation that Ryo has gotten himself into with these bad people. It was not too long ago that he was attending school, sleeping in the safety of his bedroom and sharing an intimate moment with Nozomi. Now he is close to being mutilated by a chainsaw inside a gang building. That's the reality of the situation and it also shows how Ryo's life has changed so drastically - we must remember that he is only 18! I was somewhat surprised to find out that Yuan is a man in women's clothing in the Japanese version of Shenmue II. I do wonder why the character wasn't a man for the English version of the game, but nevertheless that is one unique thing I never knew about Yuan and another interesting layer for the her and Dou Niou's character as well.
I like the fact that the chase to reach the rooftop of the Yellow Head Building is varied. When I mention the excitement taking the next step up with the chainsaw coming out, there was more of a feeling of intrigue and further depth to the gang and infrastructure of the building when we bump into Master Baihu (and then fight him to free Joy). When I first laid eyes on Baihu I wondered what the hell he was, and to be honest I still do. Is he a human? Is he wearing paint? Where did he get his clothing from? Who taught him? I guess he is a human and has probably painted his body, but the last two questions remain unanswered. We also don't know who he is affiliated with. He was a challenging opponent for Ryo and at the end he says he will remember Ryo's name, so I wonder if the two will meet again in a future game. He also has the same fighting style as Lan Di and Lan Di's father, which creates more intrigue. I don't believe this will be the last we have seen of Baihu if we do get more Shenmue sequels. When I say that the chase to the rooftop is varied, I must also mention the various QTE's, timing your running right to avoid the larger group of Yellow Head members, and also finding the missing keys. I was so close to running out of time when searching for the keyholder's room that it was a matter of seconds! Maybe it was designed that way. If so, it's more genius on the part of Yu Suzuki and his team to create such tension at critical moments.
After overcoming all of the various obstacles throughout the vast Yellow Head Building, we finally get to the rooftop where we battle Don Niou with notable characters such as Lan Di and Yuanda Zhu watching. Of course Ren is happy to let Ryo fight his main rival while he stands back and offers his words of encouragement... That guy! The battle itself is fairly easy to navigate through once you figure out the rhythm of the game plan required to beat Niou. This time, Ryo has no Xiuying Hong to bail him out of trouble as he once again faces death in the face of a rampaging Niou. It is Xiuying's words that appear in Ryo's thoughts that ends up inspiring him to defeat Niou and it's such an epic moment. If Hong was watching somewhere, then she would undoubtedly be proud in the knowledge that her words impacted Ryo so much so that he was able to overcome a near-insurmountable opponent.
The chase to saving Zhu was an epic journey and one of the most memorable parts of the game. Sitting Zhu down and actually finding out the information ended up being very worthwhile as well. His information leads Ryo to visiting Guillin and the rest as they say, is history.
WELCOME TO A DIFFERENT WORLD
I would be a liar if I said that the transition from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong to the peaceful and picturesque outskirts of Bailu Village didn't catch me by surprise. Ryo has gone from being almost cut in half by a chainsaw inside a notorious gang's building to enjoying more natural surroundings and taking in all of the sights, smells and sounds. It is here where he meets Shenhua when he saves her from drowning. Now, I must admit, I never played the passport disc on the Dreamcast version of the first game (I was introduced to the series by the remastered games). I didn't even know Shenhua's name until her and Ryo met one another. I had wondered: who is this mysterious girl that had appeared on not only the cover of the first game, but also in Ryo's dreams as well? At first I thought it could have been a transformed Nozomi, but surely not? It had to be a new character. I resisted the urge to check spoilers and I'm glad that I did, because it made the first encounter even more exciting and intriguing considering the anticipation for it.
The near 2-day journey back to Bailu Village is a great way for both characters to get to know one another. It's certainly unique, especially since both of them have only just met in-person following Ryo's dreams months prior. When I think about it, I wonder if Ryo appeared in Shenhua's dreams too? Anyway, the conversations that they have are interesting. The two are almost like polar opposites in the sense that Ryo is from a City and Shenhua only really knows life in a village and it's natural outskirts. When Ryo mentions how Goro went from being a bully to a reformed guy that helped him out and suddenly started calling him ''bro'' too, I personally couldn't help but laugh and Shenhua was the same. That conversation about Goro reminded me of the harbour and how far Ryo has travelled from that point in time. He's gone from his homeland to sleeping in a cave with this mysterious girl that he's only known for a very short period of time. He's literally in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country but he must already get a good feeling about Shenhua to believe that her intentions are to get them both to Bailu Village, and that there are no ulterior motives that would bring him harm. You could also argue that it is more naivety shown by Ryo, but thankfully on this occasion he has trusted the right person and the meeting was destiny.
Ryo has been through such an epic, mesmerising adventure in Hong Kong and Kowloon before he experiences these visually peaceful and zen-like surroundings. However, it isn't too long until he is even risking his own life towards the end of the journey to Balu Village in terms of some deep falls. The sense and/or threat of danger is never too far away when you are travelling with Ryo Hazuki and the same applies here. At the end of it all though, Ryo gets through this challenge and it does eventually lead him to the quarry where he and Shenhua discover the potential destiny that await them.
SOME PEOPLE ARE UNFORGETTABLE
When Ryo lands in Hong Kong, the only real name that he has to go by in finding Zhu is one ''Lishao Tao''. Now, I personally felt that Tao was a man but I didn't think too much of it either way, mainly due to the search for the person being interesting. The part where it's revealed that Tao is in fact a woman and then that she is named Xiuying Hong, was so good. It gave her a taste of how much Ryo despises Lan Di and helped set the precedent of one of the main talking points of their relationship: Ryo's lust for revenge.
We find out that behind Xiuying's incredible martial art skills and thought-provoking words is a story of sadness when Ryo discovers that she lost her brother from an early age. We may never have found this out if Ryo didn't unintentionally catch her in a private moment of grief. For somebody so talented and wise at such a young age, there was always going to be some curiosity as to what provoked her tears. When we hear the story of her brother, it totally aligns with why she consistently warns Ryo against revenge.
I did wonder what made Xiuying Hong like Ryo enough to first of all save him from danger (multiple times), be honest enough to tell him that his martial arts skill level are no match for Lan Di, and then train him, among other things. I personally believe that she was told about Ryo and his circumstance by Master Chen, prior to Hazuki's arrival at Man Mo Temple. From there, I think she wanted to have a gauge of Ryo by being around him without letting him know who she was. She then probably told Hanhui Liu to pass on the message about learning the four Wude. I believe that this was her way of seeing if Ryo was worth her tutelage, or not. From there, she saw that he was not only worth teaching, but she also saw a striking similarity between Ryo and her long-lost brother in terms of wanting revenge for the loss of loved ones. She didn't want another young man to go down that path due to her own personal experience and pain, and it drew her even closer to him. Although she lets Ryo stay in her apartment room for a short stint, she still keeps him honest by giving him the unpaid role of airing the library books at Man Mo Temple.
Keeping Ryo honest is another big part of the relationship between the two and unfortunately, it does lead to them parting ways at one point. Xiuying probably knows that she can't stop him from looking to achieve what he wants to do, and I have no doubt that it will annoy and worry her after what happened to her brother. She may even feel a degree of responsibility, even though from a neutral point of view it's clear that Ryo needs to take responsibility for his own actions. She still evidently cares for him throughout their down time, highlighted by when she saves him from certain death in the face of Dou Niu. When parting ways, she even gives Ryo the other half of the Yin Yang stone. That's such an emotional moment, given what it means to her. I'm not sure Ryo or in a way us ourselves as players will realise how big this moment was, but maybe we will if/when we find out who has the other half.
It's hard to forget Xiuying Hong, especially when she features in one of my own personal most memorable video game moments of all-time when her and her words appear in Ryo's mind/thoughts when he's figuring out how to defeat Dou Niu. She made a big impression on me, and is certainly one of the most memorable characters in the series, to date. Although she didn't appear in Shenmue 3, I have a feeling that this isn't the last we have seen of her. The thought crossed my mind that her long-lost brother could be Lan Di, but who knows? That seems a little too obvious, but something being obvious doesn't mean that it's necessarily a bad thing either. One thing that is certainly obvious: Xiuying Hong is unforgettable.
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. I wholeheartedly agree. Surely we must see Xiuying resurface in a future title - I would be shocked if we don't. I felt she was worth ''putting on last'' to end the post due to the impact that she made in the game.
