Random Shenmue Thoughts

[Sergeynest]

Yu Suzuki

 

[bcdcdude]

The embargo for Lost Judgement is up (can't wait for this!) and it's getting good reviews which is pleasing. However a lot of comments have been made at how slow paced it can be...

As Shenmue fans, this sounds exciting. Why does slow have to be considered a negative? As I get older, i've realised that non-stop ADHD-esque bombardment actually dulls the senses to the point it's hard to concentrate (you get this a lot with superhero films too).

That said IGN gave it 7/10...didn't they give Deathloop 10/10? Not that I care, IGN has long since stopped being relevent.

 

[Tsukuyomimagi99]

The embargo for Lost Judgement is up (can't wait for this!) and it's getting good reviews which are pleasing. However, a lot of comments have been made about how slow-paced it can be...

As for Shenmue fans, this sounds exciting. Why does slowly have to be considered a negative? As I get older, I've realized that non-stop ADHD-Esque bombardment dulls the senses to the point it's hard to concentrate (you get this a lot with superhero films too).

That said IGN gave it 7/10...didn't they give Deathloop 10/10? Not that I care, IGN has long since stopped being relevant.

It seems you are psychic because I was about to post my opinion on my enjoyment of Shenmue's slow pace. In all honesty, I do not know why an individual would dislike slower-paced games. All I will say is that you are not alone in your enjoyment of slower-paced entertainment. As an introvert, I do not like being rushed into deciding as I will make very poor decisions that way. This is why I tend to prefer turn-based battle systems in role-playing games to action ones.

Also as I get older, there is simply a charm to entertainment that displays mundane life. All of this is not to say that I dislike the fantastical or entertainment that is action-packed, but I love to have a reprieve from all that now and then. So do not concern yourself with such matters and just embrace the qualities that make you unique. And on a side note, with video games like Spirit Farer, Animal Crossing, Flower, etc, there is a market for those who enjoy slower-paced games.

In any case, the unpopular opinion I wanted to post was that I am not a fan of the time skip feature in Shenmue II and III. Part of the reason I became so immersed with Shenmue Chapter One: Yokosuka was because of how 'real' it felt. The later iterations, made me feel as though I was playing a video game and not living in this world if that makes any sense. Do not get me wrong, I think it is a great feature but it did ruin the immersion for me a little bit.

 

[~ ひかり ~]

I don't have a problem with the wait moments in Shenmue One, i love that it is this way, in Shenmue III when this appear i prefer to choose the "Stay" option, why do i prefer to choose this option? look at this view... Ryo is in a such a simple and peaceful place. I want to enjoy the view and the road to the village.

I love that the Shenmue series have a ZEN/calm vibe. That was one of the things that made me fall in love with the Shenmue series, that made me a Shenmue fan.







i love that Shenmue one is a slow pace game, when i play Shenmue one i really feel like i'm in Yokosuka, the homely feel of the game is perfect, when i play it feels like home to me, it is amazing, i even talked about this things yesterday in the thread Random Shenmue IV thoughts, there i reflected if Shenmue IV will change a lot about the Shenmue experience.

I love the Shenmue experience, i don't have problems with the voice acting with NPCs (I play more in japanese) i don't have problems with the scenes where we can see Ryo taking off his shoes and putting his shoes, i don't have problems when he always do the bow before entering in the dojo, i don't have problems with the parts in Niaowu where Ryo have to walk instead of running and much more.

I love that the Shenmue series is like a detective series that to learn more about everything and what to do next we need to ask the NPCs, then Ryo writes the things and sometimes even his feelings in his notebook, i love that the characters have different routines and personalities and much more, am i the only Shenmue fan that enjoy 100% of the Shenmue experience in the recent days? a good game will always be a good game in my opinion.

For example... let's imagine that i bought RPG maker to make an RPG in a old style like the old Final Fantasy games or the old Phantasy Star games, i'm doing something wrong because i'm doing in a old style? of course not is just a different style of gameplay

Another example, Visual Novels have a different style of gameplay, i love Visual Novels style, i think a lot of people here in the west are not interested with this type of story telling but in Japan is super popular, it is wrong to do it like this? of course not, is just a different style, games today have to be all in the same style? i don't agree with this things, diversity and different styles are good for the game industry in my opinion.

When Shenmue III was released many critics said "Shenmue III ignores 20 years of evolution" they talked as if the fact that Shenmue III have the same style of gameplay of Shenmue I and II is a bad thing to do today and i really don't agree with this, i really don't agree because it is just a different style of gameplay, there is nothing wrong about doing a game with this gameplay style.

Lost Judgment looks really good, i want to play both games of this series, looks amazing.

Some of the best games of all time to me are slow pace games, i love Shenmue because of this unique and special things.

 

[WuyingRen]

When I was younger I didn’t mind waiting around. These days, however, I don’t have as much free time to play games and so am not really a fan of it. Perhaps if I was experiencing the game for the first time it wouldn’t be an issue, but when I just want to playthrough again to re-experience the story, I do find it pretty frustrating.

 

[red]

When I was younger I didn’t mind waiting around. These days, however, I don’t have as much free time to play games and so am not really a fan of it. Perhaps if I was experiencing the game for the first time it wouldn’t be an issue, but when I just want to playthrough again to re-experience the story, I do find it pretty frustrating.

same. i also prefer shorter games, for eg 10-15h vs 30-80hour games. maybe it's something about getting old lol

 

[Truck_1_0_1_]

When I was younger I didn’t mind waiting around. These days, however, I don’t have as much free time to play games and so am not really a fan of it. Perhaps if I was experiencing the game for the first time it wouldn’t be an issue, but when I just want to playthrough again to re-experience the story, I do find it pretty frustrating.

While I still don't mind waiting around, I do try to avoid long games, also due to lack of time in my everyday life.

I'll make an exception for the RGG series, however

 

[~ ひかり ~]

We are all Shenmue fans but we all have different opinions about the series and that’s okay, at the end of the day is all about the tastes people have about entertainment and art.

To me everything about the Guilin part in Shenmue II is perfect, one of my favorite moments in the history of video games, but some people don’t like this part that much and it’s okay.

I love the forklift part in Shenmue one and i don’t have problems with this part but some people don’t like this part, people have different opinions and that’s okay.

As i said before i love that Shenmue have a ZEN/calm vibe, it is a unique and special vibe, it is the different, unique and special things about Shenmue that fascinates me, this is one of the reasons why i became a Shenmue fan.

The Shenmue series changed my life, i can even say that the Shenmue series saved me, as i said before Shenmue is like a therapy to me, it even helps me dealing with my Mother’s death and other losses i had in my life, in 2021 i lost another important person to me, she was like a mother figure to me, another mother to me, like Ine-san is for Ryo.

The Shenmue series will always be a masterpiece to me.

 

[bcdcdude]

Apologies as this is a bit of a stream of consciousness post~

See this is interesting, because (and i'm not sure if it's an aspergers trait), but I cram so much in *every* day that I get upset if I waste time. Since lockdown, I listen to about 8 hours of music a day, 2 hours of gaming, watch a movie and do a 2 mile walk every day. It's for that reason that stopping to smell the roses is more of a treat.

I struggled with Shenmue III in places because I was so desperate to know what was happening, it went against the vibe of the game. Having re-played the games again recently, it's just lovely spending an hour not really doing anything. I do struggle at times and the time skip is something i'll always use, but what i'm having fun doing is the opposite of what the game wants me to do. For example, in Shenmue II, when told to meet in the basement at lunchtime, I wanted to see what would happen if I turned up an hour later! I felt the result wasn't worth the wait, but it's still a joy to find out.

On a side note, I watched the original Ghost in the Shell again and I forgot how well paced it is; the action is in fits and bursts with lots of quieter bits, but it made the action more intense. If it was non-stop noise and action, i'd barely remember it. Shenmue II is brilliant in that there is lots of action, but it's spread out nicely.

As for game lengths, i'll use the same methodology as I talk about cinema; a great 3 hour film can feel like 90 minutes. A terrible 90 minute film can feel like 3 hours. I put 140 hours into Persona 5 Royal, 105 in Yakuza 0, 150 across the Mass Effect Trilogy, but it never felt that long as the games were fantastic. On the other hand, I put an hour into Balan Wonderworld and it felt so much longer (such a shame; I really wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt. I can put up with a lot of the clunkiness, it was the abstract nature of the game I couldn't get on with...and this is coming from someone who adores NiGHTS into Dreams!)

So, I do enjoy the giddy thrill of a dopamine hit as much as the next person, but as I get older, taking your time is a joy in itself. A highlight of a day can be watching a gentle sunset with little more than birdsong in the background. I can't keep up with modern living!!

 

[Tsukuyomimagi99]

When I was younger I didn’t mind waiting around. These days, however, I don’t have as much free time to play games and so am not a fan of it. Perhaps if I was experiencing the game for the first time it wouldn’t be an issue, but when I just want to play through again to re-experience the story, I do find it pretty frustrating.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree here. Because if we are being honest, Shenmue is not a series that one can rush through to get the full benefits of it. If all you want is the story, why not just watch clips off of YouTube? Video Games as a medium for the most part demand a significant amount of your time and money. They are not music, literature, theatre, television, film, or radio.

I understand where you are coming from and I apologize for not understanding your situation, but I just can not agree.

 

[WuyingRen]

Guess we will have to agree to disagree here. Because if we are being honest, Shenmue is not a series that one can rush through to get the full benefits of it. If all you want is the story, why not just watch clips off of YouTube? Video Games as a medium for the most part demand a significant amount of your time and money. They are not music, literature, theatre, television, film, or radio.

I understand where you are coming from and I apologize for not understanding your situation, but I just can not agree.

Don’t get me wrong, I explored every nook and cranny of Yokosuka and Hong Kong in my younger days and enjoyed every second of it. To some extent, I could say the same of Niaowu and Bailu Village as well. After finding all of the hidden secrets, however, I don’t find myself inclined to do so again in subsequent playthroughs. A lot of that is down to time limitations, but even if I were unemployed and had all the time in the world, I feel like the long waits in Shenmue 1 would still annoy the hell out of me.

I’ve personally never been a big fan of watching others play video games on YouTube and don’t feel I’d be getting the full experience without the controller in my hands. I suppose you’d probably counter that by saying that the waiting is part of the full experience, and while you may be right, I’d argue that it’s far from an essential part. At least not for me, anyway.

 

[bcdcdude]

I must admit that waiting around in Shenmue 1 was a rude awakening upon replaying it in 2018 after over a decade (especially the Asia Travel Company telling me to come back next day when I visit at 9am!). It was fine for an in-game hour or so, but as someone who knows the game almost inside out, it was a bit difficult these days. However, i'd leave the game running and read a book or surf the internet or something haha.

 

[xatruio]

I must admit that waiting around in Shenmue 1 was a rude awakening upon replaying it in 2018 after over a decade (especially the Asia Travel Company telling me to come back next day when I visit at 9am!). It was fine for an in-game hour or so, but as someone who knows the game almost inside out, it was a bit difficult these days. However, i'd leave the game running and read a book or surf the internet or something haha.

When I'm impatient for just trying to grab footage or screenshot assets I don't have a nearby save file for, I *think* practice mode accelerate time EVER SO SLIGHTLY. While I'm chilling on checking email or twitter etc I'll simply leaving Ryo standing on the action selector in the parking lot haha

As for real play-throughs, the older I get the more I'm able to appreciate the downtime and simply do EVERYTHING possible due to being lighter on features than Shenmue 2. Never used to play Neo Darts, Space Harrier or QTE Title (Excite, darts and Hang On were my staples) nor did I collect many gachas as an impatient preteen/teenager. Now though the past decade once I entered my 20s I'm all about sitting for hours finishing the collection and playing all arcade games. Passes the time pretty damn well enough for me.

 

[~ ひかり ~]

Like i said the other day, we live in a world where people prefers GTA and other games where everything is fast all the time, big explosions all the time, fights and guns all the time and much more.

I like this type of games too but i love slow paced and calm games as well, different gameplay styles and stories are good for the game industry, i'm glad Shenmue is so different and unique, this things are a big reason why i became a Shenmue fan.

I think that this will continue because it is part of the essence of Shenmue in my opinion, for example Ryo have no desire to carry weapons, Shenmue is a martial arts story, makes sense that it is like this, for Ryo is only his fists and i love this detail. Another part of the essence of Shenmue to me is Ryo like a detective having to ask the NPCs and after that writing on his notebook. i hope that this will continue in Shenmue IV and V.






Maybe an unpopular opinion, this scene is one of my favorite moments in the Shenmue series, i love everything about this scene, like i said before the Guilin part in Shenmue II is one of my favorite moments in the video game history.

 

[MrHazuki]

If Ryo would finally kill Lan Di, would the story end there or would it continue?

 

[bcdcdude]

So i've just finished the bit where you fight Master Baihu and I still find it astonishing in the way he looks and the fact that there is no context as to why he looks like that, why he fights 5 floors underground and what his purpose is. On the one hand, it feels like something that was cut, but on the other hand, he is just so mysterious that I find it really rather fascinating.

I was also mucking around and purposefully failing QTE's and there is one floor where Dou Niu captures you and you fall to the floor. What I didn't realise was it would create a new fight. I then moved back to see what would happen if I was near Dou Niu and to my surprise, he catches me! I wish I did it again and won the fight to see what happens next, but I accidentally completed it and couldn't do it again.

20 years on and the games still surprise me :)

 

[Sergeynest]

So i've just finished the bit where you fight Master Baihu and I still find it astonishing in the way he looks and the fact that there is no context as to why he looks like that, why he fights 5 floors underground and what his purpose is. On the one hand, it feels like something that was cut, but on the other hand, he is just so mysterious that I find it really rather fascinating.

I was also mucking around and purposefully failing QTE's and there is one floor where Dou Niu captures you and you fall to the floor. What I didn't realise was it would create a new fight. I then moved back to see what would happen if I was near Dou Niu and to my surprise, he catches me! I wish I did it again and won the fight to see what happens next, but I accidentally completed it and couldn't do it again.

20 years on and the games still surprise me :)

Master Baihu is inspired in a character from tradicional Chinese Opera.


Master Baihu is a Formidable opponent but he is also overly confident of himself and his martial arts skills. His style is powerfull and dangerous, but at the same time is also very flashy and somewhat artistic wish goes in tune with the character wich he is inspired in.

I believe that he is not a true martial artist and is suposed to represent that he fundamentaly lacks JIE; One of the Four wude that Ryo learns, wich teachs to judge yourself without conceit and do not show moves thoughtlessly.
This is something that we see when we fight with Master Baihu; he is constantly trowing flashy moves repeatedly giving away his fighting Style wich ultimatly becomes is weackness.
The fight even ends with him wanting to show Ryo is ultimate move; a move that Ryo sees him perform on the adversary he had fought previously.

 

[Tsukuyomimagi99]

Don’t get me wrong, I explored every nook and cranny of Yokosuka and Hong Kong in my younger days and enjoyed every second of it. To some extent, I could say the same of Niaowu and Bailu Village as well. After finding all of the hidden secrets, however, I don’t find myself inclined to do so again in subsequent playthroughs. A lot of that is down to time limitations, but even if I were unemployed and had all the time in the world, I feel like the long waits in Shenmue 1 would still annoy the hell out of me.

I’ve personally never been a big fan of watching others play video games on YouTube and don’t feel I’d be getting the full experience without the controller in my hands. I suppose you’d probably counter that by saying that the waiting is part of the full experience, and while you may be right, I’d argue that it’s far from an essential part. At least not for me, anyway.

Well like I said, my opinion is the unpopular one. In either case, it is not my place on what elements in Shenmue you enjoy. Also, I do not know your life situation and even if I did it still does not give me the right on how you enjoy your entertainment. So I apologize if I came across as haughty.

@Hiki Ryo practicing Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan in Shenmue II is one of my favorite scenes too. I think you would understand when I state that I find the Shenmue saga to be one of the most spiritually enriching video game franchises I have ever played. If one practices martial arts in real life or studies Asian philosophy you will appreciate the series even more.

I ended up in this wonderful paradox where the more I appreciated Asian philosophy the more I appreciated Shenmue and then Shenmue reciprocated by making me want to know more about Asian philosophy and culture.

Much like you, I find the series to be very meditative. As I get older, I sometimes just want a calmer peaceful vibe. This is why iyashikei-type anime has become more appealing to me. Or ambient music and videos.

 

[~ ひかり ~]

Well like I said, my opinion is the unpopular one. In either case, it is not my place on what elements in Shenmue you enjoy. Also, I do not know your life situation and even if I did it still does not give me the right on how you enjoy your entertainment. So I apologize if I came across as haughty.

@Hiki Ryo practicing Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan in Shenmue II is one of my favorite scenes too. I think you would understand when I state that I find the Shenmue saga to be one of the most spiritually enriching video game franchises I have ever played. If one practices martial arts in real life or studies Asian philosophy you will appreciate the series even more.

I ended up in this wonderful paradox where the more I appreciated Asian philosophy the more I appreciated Shenmue and then Shenmue reciprocated by making me want to know more about Asian philosophy and culture.

Much like you, I find the series to be very meditative. As I get older, I sometimes just want a calmer peaceful vibe. This is why iyashikei-type anime has become more appealing to me. Or ambient music and videos.

I'm a calm, introvert and reserved person, i think this is one of the reasons why i appreciate Shenmue so much, i appreciate the Asian philosophy as well, asian culture always fascinated me since i was a kid, i agree with you. I hope that in Shenmue IV we can get a meditation part like Sergeynest said one time.

Please, someone contact Yu Suzuki and tell him about this idea, this idea is wonderful.


The thing is that we live in a such complicated world where a lot of things are fast, where some people work with the things they don't like, they work in this jobs just because they need money to survive, to pay the bills, and sometimes people have bad bosses that treat them in a bad way and much more, this is really sad in my opinion.

A lot of people don't even have time for themselves, for their children and much more, i don't like this lifestyle, i'm not saying that other lifestyles are wrong, i'm just saying that the fast type lifestyle is not for me.

I know one person that is traveling around the world on a sailboat with other people, this is amazing and the person that i know will probably always remember this experience. I also want to travel around the world somehow too, i want to live a journey as well.

I like a calm and peaceful lifestyle, i hope one day i can travel around the world for a year or two, i really want to have different experiences that i will always remember, i hope someday i can visit all the Shenmue locations, and i hope one day i can live in a calm and peaceful place.

 

[Tsukuyomimagi99]

A part of me wonders if the mirrors have the power to interact with one's subconscious. When Ryo first attained the Phoenix Mirror is when he started having dreams about meeting Shenhua. Or maybe it is a mix of Shenhua's abilities and the mirrors. Maybe I am reading too much into this but I think the mirrors have multiple functions.