BBC Show Click wants to know your most influential video games of all time

spud1897

spud1897

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Spencer Kelly, host of BBC tech show Click is asking twitter for the most influential video games of all time.


Let's point him in the direction of 1999 and the day Shenmue changed the landscape of video games forever!


 
Personally I think Shenmue was more inspirational than influential. I see the latter as something that "shows the way", and sets standards. For instance Halo being the blueprint for how an FPS should control on a console. Shenmue however seems to be more of that creative spark in people that makes them sit up and think "fucking WOW! This is the kinda thing I wanna do!"

But that's just how I see it.
 
No, I don't think it is. Maybe I haven't explained it well. There are people and stories that inspire me on, I suppose a "spiritual level" or some shit like that, but my influences have a direct impact on what I do/how I approach things.

Same applies to this kinda thing. I find Papers, Please! inspirational in the sense that it was pretty much the work of one single guy, and it's a wholly original and absorbing experience. I'd say SEGA Mega Drive and Dreamcast games are more influential on me though as I try to emulate their approach in terms of style and delivery.

Having a kid can change your world, but it isn't world-changing (unless of course they're a mutant freak with God-like powers)
 
Have any developers ever directly referenced Shenmue as being an influence?

I remember CDProjectRed saying something along the lines to Yu Suzuki but even before that, either I'm out of the loop or I don't remember many devs citing it. Out of my own curiosity.

I've seen aspects of Shenmue in other games, but I've never seen anyone embrace it fully or try to do what it did. It still feels incredibly one of a kind to me.

I like to think it had influence, but if you look at open world games, they're basically still following the GTA 3 blueprint to a tee. It does make me wonder how much influence it truly had?

I'm sure there were developers that took a long hard look at it and I'm sure there are developers that took something from it...but as a whole? I've yet to see a single game match it or try to replicate it in terms of doing what it does.

I've seen aspects of it in other games:

-- Red Dead 2 is the closest Rockstar has gotten to giving me something Shenmue like but even then it isn't quite Shenmue.

-- I still wonder if the day to day schedule in Persona 3 through 5 is at all related to Shenmue? That's one of the things that drew me to Persona 4. I loved the day to day schedule. It's something that open world games really don't do but I kind of wish did. I always liked the day to day routine in Shenmue and it's one of the things that drew me to Persona 4 so I do wonder if it was at all a influence taken from Shenmue?

-- Yakuza takes bits and pieces...mostly in the side content department moreso than anything else. The in-game arcades surely had to come from Shenmue. I mean the Darts game alone might as well be a nod to Shenmue.

-- I noticed a touch of Shenmue in Final Fantasy VII Remake. The darts mini game. Johnny and his "Bro" antics might as well be Goro (even down to Cloud actively getting annoyed by being called Bro). Even the fact that it ends on the same note as the original Shenmue setting up a grand adventure. There was more Shenmue in FFVII remake than I ever expected. Or maybe it's just coincidence.

But I am curious, what other games can you think of that maybe took influence or what other games can you see bits and pieces of Shenmue within?
 
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danielmann861 said:
Have any developers ever directly referenced Shenmue as being an influence?
Click to expand...

Daniel Vávra (Mafia, Mafia II, Kingdom Come: Deliverance) wrote on Twitter: "Shenmue was one of the key games that influenced me during Mafia development and proven that my design philosophy could work. Happy that the sequel is finally here and glad that I had the chance to meet Suzuki san personally."

Dojo thread about his tweet:
 
danielmann861 said:
But I am curious, what other games can you think of that maybe took influence or what other games can you see bits and pieces of Shenmue within?
Click to expand...
Postal 2 has "seasons" and the NPCs that roam around, although not as intricate, seem alive. You can not talk to them, so much as bump into them and get cussed out. ^^! But near Halloween they had it where everyone or most everyone was dressed up as Trick or Treaters, which was absolutely amazing! I assume other events will happen at other times of the year. Also certain people, although it may just be random, seem to have their own homes. Not sure if there is a set schedule or they just roam randomly though.

When it rains people use umbrellas. In the colder parts they seem to wear jackets. And they go a step further and their NPCs can wear random bits of clothing and or accessories. That is a cue Shenmue could even use. Besides the umbrellas and not really sure around Christmas time when there is snow on the ground, meaning it is cold outside, the NPCs and even the main character could stand to have a few changes of clothing. I was hoping that could be modded into Shenmue 1 & 2 on Steam. That and the stores and the NPCs for the stores are already there. Why not mod in buying clothes and what not?
 
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