Shenmue 3 got Major Exposure

[Dietsoap]

Anybody remember the original shenmue commercial?


Let's hope Deep SIlver's ad campaign isn't like... that.

It was a different time...

 

[jsh020]

Anybody remember the original shenmue commercial?


Let's hope Deep SIlver's ad campaign isn't like... that.

I adore old terrible 90's ads so this is wonderful to me

 

[B-Man]

I've been shilling yakuza since its debut, I never saw the shenmue comparisons till like the 3rd game, I don't even know how you can compare it to yakuza 1 to be honest theres like no overlap and even back then the way yakuza 1 handled traversal was so much more heavily geared to being a normal rpg that just happened to have action combat even down to no camera control in traversal similar to alot of rpgs on the ps2. Like I can at least humor the comparison for 3 and up a bit but for 1, hell nah that's a massive stretch almost all the things people use to compare yakuza to shenmue weren't even really present in that game, even the minigames were pretty much just gambling and a batting cage it wasnt even humoring a interactive world.

Back then it was all about that Japanese gta comparison, an equally confusing and frustrating comparison based on absolutely nothing, but that one was worse cause thats how sega advertised the game

I'm talking about before the game was even released, and we were just going on screenshots, promotional art, and previews from gaming websites. There was enough superficial similarity to make some angry that Sega was making this game but not Shenmue. I believe there also were some posters that were interested in playing the game because of its seeming similarity to Shenmue.

Agree with it or not, the comparisons to Shenmue were there from Yakuza's earliest days.

 

[danielmann861]

I've been shilling yakuza since its debut, I never saw the shenmue comparisons till like the 3rd game, I don't even know how you can compare it to yakuza 1 to be honest theres like no overlap and even back then the way yakuza 1 handled traversal was so much more heavily geared to being a normal rpg that just happened to have action combat even down to no camera control in traversal similar to alot of rpgs on the ps2. Like I can at least humor the comparison for 3 and up a bit but for 1, hell nah that's a massive stretch almost all the things people use to compare yakuza to shenmue weren't even really present in that game, even the minigames were pretty much just gambling and a batting cage it wasnt even humoring a interactive world.

Back then it was all about that Japanese gta comparison, an equally confusing and frustrating comparison based on absolutely nothing, but that one was worse cause thats how sega advertised the game

Pretty much this, I've been playing Yakuza since the PS2 (back when they were trying to make it out to be the Japanese take on GTA; even though it really wasn't)...when Yakuza first came out, I felt the comparison was way more trying to be made to GTA than Shenmue...it wasn't until after Yakuza 2 that I first started hearing the Shenmue comparisons...and they weren't anywhere near as vitriolic as they are today. It was more like; "It's less like GTA and more like Shenmue"

As a fan of both, I saw the differences right away. Yakuza for the PS2 felt more like Onimusha meets River City Ransom/Streets of Rage with maybe a little bit of open world feel to it (although not much of an open world as Kamurocho was really quite limited in the first game in terms of side activities; it really wasn't until the PS3 era that they started going crazy with that stuff with the more open ended side activity stuff.)

But yeah. Back when it first released, I don't remember anyone comparing Yakuza to Shenmue...it was more so trying to make it out as being the Japanese take on GTA.

Yakuza and Shenmue are vastly different games...always have been, always will be. I never got the hate between both fanbases...enjoy them both for their differences. I enjoy them both as separate products...always have, always will.

I want to live in a world where both co-exist and don't always have to be constantly compared to one another but rather stand on their own feet doing different things.

But alas, we can't go 5 seconds without hearing "Yakuza is Shenmue done better" or some crap comment in that vein.

 

[jsh020]

Pretty much this, I've been playing Yakuza since the PS2 (back when they were trying to make it out to be the Japanese take on GTA; even though it really wasn't)...when Yakuza first came out, I felt the comparison was way more trying to be made to GTA than Shenmue...it wasn't until after Yakuza 2 that I first started hearing the Shenmue comparisons...and they weren't anywhere near as vitriolic as they are today. It was more like; "It's less like GTA and more like Shenmue"

As a fan of both, I saw the differences right away. Yakuza for the PS2 felt more like Onimusha meets River City Ransom/Streets of Rage with maybe a little bit of open world feel to it (although not much of an open world as Kamurocho was really quite limited in the first game in terms of side activities; it really wasn't until the PS3 era that they started going crazy with that stuff with the more open ended side activity stuff.)

I do vaguely recall seeing a couple people bring up the comparison around 2 as well but it was like you said, less its like shenmue and more just used as a way to debunk the whole japanese gta thing, though I largely think the reason it started popping up around there was cause 2 actually was when they slowed the pacing down, yakuza 1 is all killer no filler in its pacing pretty much, like you have a couple asides here and there with haruka but for the most part kiryu was going around smashing faces in left and right with going from point a to point b on the hub world being the only real reprise, 2 was so much more character focused and embraced alot of what would make the series work going foreword. Part of why its probably my 2nd fav in the series.

But yeah it reaaaally wasnt till 3 that people started to say shenmue, hell its the only entry that actually vaguely kind of was since its entire first 40% was basically a slice of life at the oprhanage in a quaint seaside town, still nothing like it gameplay wise but its the only time its really ever felt like the comparison had weight. At least until the game goes balls to the walls stupid in the 2nd half with a pseudo illuminati and cia twin brother......3 was a weird game.

I'm talking about before the game was even released, and we were just going on screenshots, promotional art, and previews from gaming websites. There was enough superficial similarity to make some angry that Sega was making this game but not Shenmue. I believe there also were some posters that were interested in playing the game because of its seeming similarity to Shenmue.

Agree with it or not, the comparisons to Shenmue were there from Yakuza's earliest days.

I'll take your word for it but I really can't imagine that was all that many people then, especially when the first thing ever shown of the game was this trailer featuring fake combat to really hammer home how early this was, like I don't know how youd even begin to say this looks like Shenmue cause this doesn't even make any indication its anything but an action game, which 1 kind of was.


I think we are getting a bit side tracked though for what this thread is even about though, lets just leave it at this comparison is detrimental to both series and theres no need to egg on people telling them to play shenmue cause yakuza sucks or something cause that will do Shenmue 3 absolutely no favors

 

[Dmitriy1]

FFX was less impressive than MGS2 to me. Honestly, it looked good for the hardware and the time, but the image quality was crap running on an actual PS2. I fully admit I'm a massive DC fanboy, but to this day I still don't think anything on that console looked as good as SA2 or Shenmue 1.

In a straight forward way compare FFX to Skies of Arcadia for me then. We both know Skies was to compete with it. So was Shenmue, but that one actually did that and more. PS2 had beautiful deep games. They each looked different, but each looked and played great. Some shot for realism, and succeded. Some had chars moving so smoothly looking realistic they put my favorite Shenmue to shame. None were as detailed as Shenmue

This pretty much confirms my suspicion that a lot of the "it looks like a PS2 game" people (the ones that aren't trolls) are kids who aren't even old enough to have played on an actual PS2 or haven't played on one since they were toddlers. To them, any game that doesn't aim for photorealism must look like a PS2 game. They have no idea how primitive the graphics in PS2 games really are because they've been looking at Xbox 360/PS3-level graphics or better for most of their lives. The irony is that the graphics in the first two games were so mind-blowingly good for the time that they almost seemed photorealistic.

Also, I love that trailer. I don't understand why so many of you dislike it.

I don't dislike it. I think it's wrong for grabbing the maximum amount of people who don't know what Shenmue is at all. For myself, anything at all Shenmue 3 coming out was great, any tiny bit more to see...

 

[Dmitriy1]

Anybody remember the original shenmue commercial?


Let's hope Deep SIlver's ad campaign isn't like... that.

But that's a cool one. I don't even remember it, but it's great. The ending is very realistic. Photo realistic you might say. They still should have shown more martial arts. You know though their campaign will stink, it's up to us. Post videos of your favorite parts in discussions of all 2019 games. Post comments explaining what it is.

 

[Dmitriy1]

Pretty much this, I've been playing Yakuza since the PS2 (back when they were trying to make it out to be the Japanese take on GTA; even though it really wasn't)...when Yakuza first came out, I felt the comparison was way more trying to be made to GTA than Shenmue...it wasn't until after Yakuza 2 that I first started hearing the Shenmue comparisons...and they weren't anywhere near as vitriolic as they are today. It was more like; "It's less like GTA and more like Shenmue"

As a fan of both, I saw the differences right away. Yakuza for the PS2 felt more like Onimusha meets River City Ransom/Streets of Rage with maybe a little bit of open world feel to it (although not much of an open world as Kamurocho was really quite limited in the first game in terms of side activities; it really wasn't until the PS3 era that they started going crazy with that stuff with the more open ended side activity stuff.)

But yeah. Back when it first released, I don't remember anyone comparing Yakuza to Shenmue...it was more so trying to make it out as being the Japanese take on GTA.

But yeah, Yakuza and Shenmue are vastly different games...always have been, always will be. I never got the hate between both fanbases...enjoy them both for their differences. I enjoy them both as separate products...always have, always will.

I want to live in a world where both co-exist and don't always have to be constantly compared to one another but rather stand on their own feet doing different things.

But alas, we can't go 5 seconds without hearing "Yakuza is Shenmue done better" or some crap comment in that vein.

My personal recent favorite. "Shenmue is Yakuza for retards" That of course added even more to my fond memories of actually playing Yakuza, and my foot in the mouth here in this thread.

 

[Dmitriy1]

It's funny. This is an unpopular opinion now, but I remember there being quite a bit of resentment and anger toward Sega on here way back when Yakuza was first announced because it looked similar to Shenmue, except it wasn't Shenmue. I think it's a lot easier for Shenmue fans to accept its existence and enjoy it for what it is now that we're finally getting Shenmue III.

I keep trying to remember when I first found this site. It was in the early 2000s. I kept going every freaking week. Where's my Shenmue 3. Then just kept googling it. I remember reading essays here on just why there'll never be a Shenmue 3. Back then I was not the type to post anything. I'm just glad they were all so wrong. As far as Yakuza, no I didn't see it here first. It was Amazon, and bought on Amazon. Who knows, their later versions might grow on me if I try them.

 

[B-Man]

Pretty much this, I've been playing Yakuza since the PS2 (back when they were trying to make it out to be the Japanese take on GTA; even though it really wasn't)...when Yakuza first came out, I felt the comparison was way more trying to be made to GTA than Shenmue...it wasn't until after Yakuza 2 that I first started hearing the Shenmue comparisons...and they weren't anywhere near as vitriolic as they are today. It was more like; "It's less like GTA and more like Shenmue"

As a fan of both, I saw the differences right away. Yakuza for the PS2 felt more like Onimusha meets River City Ransom/Streets of Rage with maybe a little bit of open world feel to it (although not much of an open world as Kamurocho was really quite limited in the first game in terms of side activities; it really wasn't until the PS3 era that they started going crazy with that stuff with the more open ended side activity stuff.)

But yeah. Back when it first released, I don't remember anyone comparing Yakuza to Shenmue...it was more so trying to make it out as being the Japanese take on GTA.

But yeah, Yakuza and Shenmue are vastly different games...always have been, always will be. I never got the hate between both fanbases...enjoy them both for their differences. I enjoy them both as separate products...always have, always will.

I want to live in a world where both co-exist and don't always have to be constantly compared to one another but rather stand on their own feet doing different things.

But alas, we can't go 5 seconds without hearing "Yakuza is Shenmue done better" or some crap comment in that vein.

I do vaguely recall seeing a couple people bring up the comparison around 2 as well but it was like you said, less its like shenmue and more just used as a way to debunk the whole japanese gta thing, though I largely think the reason it started popping up around there was cause 2 actually was when they slowed the pacing down, yakuza 1 is all killer no filler in its pacing pretty much, like you have a couple asides here and there with haruka but for the most part kiryu was going around smashing faces in left and right with going from point a to point b on the hub world being the only real reprise, 2 was so much more character focused and embraced alot of what would make the series work going foreword. Part of why its probably my 2nd fav in the series.

But yeah it reaaaally wasnt till 3 that people started to say shenmue, hell its the only entry that actually vaguely kind of was since its entire first 40% was basically a slice of life at the oprhanage in a quaint seaside town, still nothing like it gameplay wise but its the only time its really ever felt like the comparison had weight. At least until the game goes balls to the walls stupid in the 2nd half with a pseudo illuminati and cia twin brother......3 was a weird game.




I'll take your word for it but I really can't imagine that was all that many people then, especially when the first thing ever shown of the game was this trailer featuring fake combat to really hammer home how early this was, like I don't know how youd even begin to say this looks like Shenmue cause this doesn't even make any indication its anything but an action game, which 1 kind of was.


I think we are getting a bit side tracked though for what this thread is even about though, lets just leave it at this comparison is detrimental to both series and theres no need to egg on people telling them to play shenmue cause yakuza sucks or something cause that will do Shenmue 3 absolutely no favors

For an example of what I'm talking about, check out this thread from September 2006 that I found with a quick search.

There were definitely people comparing them to each other before and after the release of the original Yakuza, at least here on the Dojo forums.

 

[That Guy.]

Anybody remember the original shenmue commercial?


Let's hope Deep SIlver's ad campaign isn't like... that.

I do remember. This silly commercial gave me the impression that this game was some generic martial arts drama mixed with romance. It did nothing to advertise the real high points of this game outside of fighting, but I guess it was one of the better ways to market it to a wide gaming audience since it did show off plenty of action and all. I only got it because of the cover art and it being $22 brand new back in 2002 along with getting games for the Dreamcast I just bought a few months prior. When I played the game the first few times, wow way better than the commercial made it out to be.

 

[Dmitriy1]

I do remember. This silly commercial gave me the impression that this game was some generic martial arts drama mixed with romance. It did nothing to advertise the real high points of this game outside of fighting, but I guess it was one of the better ways to market it to a wide gaming audience since it did show off plenty of action and all. I only got it because of the covert art and it being $22 brand new back in 2002 along with getting games for the Dreamcast I just bought a few months prior. When I played the game the first few times, wow way better than the commercial made it out to be.

Goes to show you just how different people are. I thought they should have started with lots of action in free battles, then let him investigate at will, look around at will. I thought action had to be emphasized in the ad too. Goes to show you in this day and age they need a few trailers. Do you think doing it on TV would do anything now? Or should they just do it online?

 

[B-Man]

The same idiot who said Shenmue III is "just an old PS2 game" and "still looks like Sega graphics" was freaking out with excitement over that Pokemon game and how great the graphics look. ??‍

 

[darksniper]

I do vaguely recall seeing a couple people bring up the comparison around 2 as well but it was like you said, less its like shenmue and more just used as a way to debunk the whole japanese gta thing, though I largely think the reason it started popping up around there was cause 2 actually was when they slowed the pacing down, yakuza 1 is all killer no filler in its pacing pretty much, like you have a couple asides here and there with haruka but for the most part kiryu was going around smashing faces in left and right with going from point a to point b on the hub world being the only real reprise, 2 was so much more character focused and embraced alot of what would make the series work going foreword. Part of why its probably my 2nd fav in the series.

But yeah it reaaaally wasnt till 3 that people started to say shenmue, hell its the only entry that actually vaguely kind of was since its entire first 40% was basically a slice of life at the oprhanage in a quaint seaside town, still nothing like it gameplay wise but its the only time its really ever felt like the comparison had weight. At least until the game goes balls to the walls stupid in the 2nd half with a pseudo illuminati and cia twin brother......3 was a weird game.




I'll take your word for it but I really can't imagine that was all that many people then, especially when the first thing ever shown of the game was this trailer featuring fake combat to really hammer home how early this was, like I don't know how youd even begin to say this looks like Shenmue cause this doesn't even make any indication its anything but an action game, which 1 kind of was.


I think we are getting a bit side tracked though for what this thread is even about though, lets just leave it at this comparison is detrimental to both series and theres no need to egg on people telling them to play shenmue cause yakuza sucks or something cause that will do Shenmue 3 absolutely no favors

I first saw Yakuza in a gaming magazine and the first thing I thought was that it was a new Shenmue game. Not because of namesake or even environments, but to me the character models looked very Sega-like. Even without knowing what it was, you could immediately tell that it was a Sega game based off the models and facial expressions. I think that's why the Shenmue comparisons started raining in.

Once I realized that it wasn't Shenmue, I angrily boycotted Yakuza until we got a Shenmue III. Eventually I caved in and enjoyed the hell out of those games and Yakuza is my favorite series NOT named Shenmue of all time.

 

[chaikilla]

The same idiot who said Shenmue III is "just an old PS2 game" and "still looks like Sega graphics" was freaking out with excitement over that Pokemon game and how great the graphics look. ??‍

There isn't much of a difference between the last 3ds pokemon title and the one on the switch. I feel like this guy saw the trailer before, read the comments about it looking like a ps2 game and bandwagoned. A lot of these kids are robots without opinions of their own.

Also, f the Fine bros. I really didn't want to click but I got reeled in

 

[Dietsoap]

The same idiot who said Shenmue III is "just an old PS2 game" and "still looks like Sega graphics" was freaking out with excitement over that Pokemon game and how great the graphics look. ??‍

Fucking hell, I give up.

 

[B-Man]

There isn't much of a difference between the last 3ds pokemon title and the one on the switch. I feel like this guy saw the trailer before, read the comments about it looking like a ps2 game and bandwagoned. A lot of these kids are robots without opinions of their own.

Also, f the Fine bros. I really didn't want to click but I got reeled in

Yeah, seriously. Shenmue I on Dreamcast with VGA output is more visually stimulating to me than that Pokemon game, let alone Shenmue III.

I wonder if you're right and he really was just regurgitating the same crap he saw all the trolls say. It was pretty weird that he literally used that exact tired "It looks like a PS2 game" line.

And yeah, I know what you mean about those Fine Bros. videos. I always watch them out of morbid curiosity and I always end up frustrated and feeling old. This one was even worse for making me feel old than the ones with the little kids. I was a senior in high school the first time I played Shenmue. These people are older than I was then. And here I am, calling them "kids" and getting pissed off at their ignorance.

Somebody get me my arthritis meds. ??

 

[danielmann861]

For an example of what I'm talking about, check out this thread from September 2006 that I found with a quick search.

There were definitely people comparing them to each other before and after the release of the original Yakuza, at least here on the Dojo forums.

Oh I don't doubt you that there were probably people here and elsewhere making those comparisons...but in general mainstream media, I felt the comparison at that time was way more GTA focused than Shenmue...it wasn't until Yakuza 2 that I first started hearing the Shenmue comparisons personally.

 

[danielmann861]

The same idiot who said Shenmue III is "just an old PS2 game" and "still looks like Sega graphics" was freaking out with excitement over that Pokemon game and how great the graphics look. ??‍

Hypocrisy is a wonderful thing :) Best not to take these people seriously.

 

[hyo_razuki]

I first saw Yakuza in a gaming magazine and the first thing I thought was that it was a new Shenmue game. Not because of namesake or even environments, but to me the character models looked very Sega-like. Even without knowing what it was, you could immediately tell that it was a Sega game based off the models and facial expressions. I think that's why the Shenmue comparisons started raining in.

Once I realized that it wasn't Shenmue, I angrily boycotted Yakuza until we got a Shenmue III. Eventually I caved in and enjoyed the hell out of those games and Yakuza is my favorite series NOT named Shenmue of all time.

This whole Shenmue vs. Yakuza thing is stupid and maybe we make it out to be bigger than it actually is. You can see it here on the Dojo, a lot of us are also Yakuza fans. The Yakuza thread is one of the biggest threads on the Dojo. I'm a big fan of both series (Shenmue is still number 1 for me by a couple of light years, but Yakuza is one of my favorite franchises ever, maybe even number 2 behind Shenmue).

I first heard about Yakuza in 2005 or 2006 and I became interested because gaming media here in Germany were talking about Sega working on a "spiritual successor to the Shenmue series" which is what got me interested in the game.

Anyway, the fan bases of both games are in an age demographic which has their own money and doesn't have to choose one specific game their parents will buy them for Christmas or their birthday anymore. There is enough of a market for both franchises to co-exist.