Should Suzuki remake the first two Shenmue games?

L

LittleBoShenmue

What a great time to be a Shenmue fan
Joined
Nov 12, 2019
Location
Slovenia/Croatia
Favourite title
Shenmue III
Currently playing
Pokemon GO, WWTBAM app, Virtua Pet Chobu Chan
Hello again!
This just came to my mind: would it be a good idea to remake the first two games using UE and Shenmue 3 mechanics? Let's see, what you guys think, oh and no poll this time, just thoughts and discussions.
 
Shansun95 said:
Hello again!
This just came to my mind: would it be a good idea to remake the first two games using UE and Shenmue 3 mechanics? Let's see, what you guys think, oh and no poll this time, just thoughts and discussions.
Click to expand...
It a tough one as a re-make, while decent in that most of the voices etc could maybe be re-used it would still come at considerable cost to re-shoot the cutscenes in the new engine. I'd love one though

A re-make almost happened... see here:
 
Yeah, you're right about the costs Spud. But according to a recent interview, Suzuki-san said that with the possibility of Shenmue 4, he would like to create appeal to a much broader audience, and a remake of either of them could be a really nice start. Never say never.
 
Hell no.

I thought the re-release was great. The only issue I had were that the controls still aren't great.

Focus on moving forward.
 
Thomasina said:
Hell no.

I thought the re-release was great. The only issue I had were that the controls still aren't great.

Focus on moving forward.
Click to expand...
Assuming Yu Suzuki is focussing on Shenmue 4 for a moment, what if Sega did it? As in full ground up remake or would your stance be the same?
 
Personally, I don't think we need remakes of the first two games.
Maybe that's my nostalgia speaking but if it ain't broke, don't mess with it.
I'd rather Yu remained focused on the rest of the series.
 
It'd be extremely interesting to see full remakes of I & II -- I'd buy them in an instant -- but I don't think they're completely necessary, especially if it means taking anything away from S4.

If the idea is to entice newcomers and introduce modern touches while retaining what made the originals great, well that's a very delicate balancing act. Not impossible by any means, but a tough job to pull off. And if the fan reception to I & II HD (and to a lesser extent, the scrapped remake) has taught us anything, it's that this community (while mostly great) can become very petty, very quickly, if something isn't exactly as it was before.
 
Honestly, I don't want it.

Unless you were gonna completely reboot the franchise and start over with a fresh outlook and a fresh method that wasn't the formula we already know then I honestly don't want those games touched.

I think SII is still one of the best looking games of its generation. Those games aged pretty well in my books in terms of visuals. So no, unless you were going the full reboot method and starting fresh with the series then no, don't want it.


Besides, SEGA won't do it. Just look what happened with the proposed HD Make Over that got cancelled before re-releasing the games as straight ports. I think it's pretty clear that SEGA doesn't want to go and spend too much money on Shenmue.
 
danielmann861 said:
Honestly, I don't want it.

Unless you were gonna completely reboot the franchise and start over with a fresh outlook and a fresh method that wasn't the formula we already know then I honestly don't want those games touched.

I think SII is still one of the best looking games of its generation. Those games aged pretty well in my books in terms of visuals. So no, unless you were going the full reboot method and starting fresh with the series then no, don't want it.


Besides, SEGA won't do it. Just look what happened with the proposed HD Make Over that got cancelled before re-releasing the games as straight ports. I think it's pretty clear that SEGA doesn't want to go and spend too much money on Shenmue.
Click to expand...


On top of that, it'd be a waste of money.
Remaking Shenmue I and II means nearly as much as making a new entry. That'd mean redubbing those games. Remaking the environnements, cutscenes and such. Even if a lot could be reused, we're talking about a serie that isn't over and isn't guaranteed to be over. Shenmue is never going mainstream. It didn't with III's Kickstarter. It didn't with I and II ports. It didn't with III. It's never going to be mainstream. At this point, it's all about being sustainable to be finished.
 
The only thing Shenmue 1 & 2 needs is a retexture work, besides that the games can remain just like they are. Replaying them year after year always feels like returning home from a long vacation.
I have some retexture mods installed in my Pc version and they make Shenmue look great, just check this guy's work.

shenmuehdretextured.wordpress.com

Shenmue HD: The Retexture project (by Streamer2k)

A project to retexture Shenmue with awesome HD textures!
shenmuehdretextured.wordpress.com shenmuehdretextured.wordpress.com
 
Nah, we already played his version. If Shenmue is remade I want someone else to do it.
Even if it isn't a remake/reboot I hope that we eventually get to see another director do something with the IP. Maybe once Suzuki has been retired for a few years so they don't offend him/hurt his ego.
 
Yeah, I guess you guys are right. Since Suzuki created his own studio, with SEGA handing the IP to him, developing remakes of the first two would be fund and time consuming, especially when you have plans to hire more staff and expand the whole studio premises.
 
Shansun95 said:
Yeah, I guess you guys are right. Since Suzuki created his own studio, with SEGA handing the IP to him, developing remakes of the first two would be fund and time consuming, especially when you have plans to hire more staff and expand the whole studio premises.
Click to expand...
Besides, there was a huge hiatus between 2 and 3, and YS Net obviously doesn't want us to wait that long again.
Edit: whoops, a double post. Won't happen again I promise.
 
Last edited:
Sergeynest said:
The only thing Shenmue 1 & 2 needs is a retexture work, besides that the games can remain just like they are. Replaying them year after year always feels like returning home from a long vacation.
I have some retexture mods installed in my Pc version and they make Shenmue look great, just check this guy's work.

shenmuehdretextured.wordpress.com

Shenmue HD: The Retexture project (by Streamer2k)

A project to retexture Shenmue with awesome HD textures!
shenmuehdretextured.wordpress.com shenmuehdretextured.wordpress.com
Click to expand...
Wellllll, don't forget the voices 🤭

To me, the "perfect version" of I & II would be the port we got, but with:
  • higher-res textures (similar to the mods available -- no normals, shaders etc.)
  • ambient occlusion, to give that extra sense of depth
  • re-recorded music
  • re-recorded dialogue
  • perfected control schemes, both "classic" and a "new" option, for proper analogue movement
  • perfected arcade game emulation
And maybe some special features. I think I'd prefer that package over a full remake. What we got was 80% of the way there, and a very enjoyable way to play.
 
A remake would be pointless in my humble opinion. Shenmue 1 and 2 are perfect the way they are. Besides that Shenmue are still more modern and innovative than some modern games.

It would also be a waste of money. The money is better used for the sequels.
 
The only way the idea of a full remake would make sense is if they heavily changed what the game is about.

They could release a "Rebuild of Shenmue", more akin to the original Saturn project, which was supposed to be a much more concise RPG game, telling the full 11 chapters in about two games focusing on locations, story and combat, and ditching the open world and slice of life elements.

It feels like a sacrilege to say it, but such a game would fit with Yu's intention of appealing to mass market, much more than a straightforward "Shenmue IV" sequel. If they fit all the story and the game was good, maybe we, the longtime fans would also be happy, about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top