What is this b*11$h1t with the post-story game?!

[SpaghettiCat]

So I just finished Shenmue 1 on the Dreamcast till the credits... it throws me back to the Main Menu... and now it says I can't load a "Cleared Save File"..... ?!?!?!

1) Why would they add so much bonus and extra content to do on the side of the main game like Toy Capsules, Slot House, etc. if they're going to literally end the game after the story so that all that content cannot be fully enjoyed and explored? What was even the point of me collecting all those Toys if I can't even browse them now.

2) There are all these collectibles and raffles that cost money, but why did they only give you a proper source of income when you start the forklifting job: where you MUST finish the game within the next 6 days. I'm supposed to go through all the bonus content on the 5 buttons that Ine-san gives me every day?! That's stupid.

3) I didn't even get to experience the whole game, like I didn't know what you're supposed to do in the Slot House, or you have to feed the cat tuna or you can re-visit the Heartbeats Bar, or play some of the mini-games and arcade machines that I haven't tried.

4) Even if I want to start the new game to experience everything it's going to be slow as s**t because you can't skip these damn cutscenes.

Why did the game punish me for buying into the story and feeling compelled to do the quests instead of spending in-game weeks exclusively focusing on the bonus content?

This is the stupidest design decision I've seen in a game, what a disappointment.

Is there a way to hack the save file or something to enable me to continue playing my save?

 

[xatruio]

... just make separate save files at certain points of the game? They are 20 years old, after all.

 

[SpaghettiCat]

... just make separate save files at certain points of the game? They are 20 years old, after all.

I'm not sure what 20 years old has to do with it?

I didn't know that you're compelled to finish the game once you start forklifting because I don't spoil myself with walkthroughs before playing a game.

And then what am I supposed to do before the forklifting job? Spend hours and hours and hours collecting that slow trickle of 500-yen a day stipend?

 

[Jibby]

I do kinda see where you're coming from, but it's a life simulator. By nature, you're not really supposed to experience everything that the game has to offer in a single playthrough.

Keep in mind as well that you're supposed to transfer your save data into the second game so that all of your collectables come with you and you can pick up where you left off.

 

[spud1897]

But you enjoyed the main game right?

I mean this was made 20 years back when NG+ wasn't really a thing so you were bound to miss stuff. Also the re-releases didn't come with the passport disc which gave hints around additional stuff. Additionally there's also loads of cutscenes you miss if you run through the story quickly, which again the passport disc showed you in leaving blank slots that filled as you went into the game itself.

Also the general point of to was to allow you make the decision to choose what you did with the money. I mean I tip my hat to anyone who made 100% files because it isn't easy to do so but it really isn't the be all and end all. It's not attached to a trophy other than upto 50 capsules I think so it doesn't impact that side either.

Like I get the frustrations but it isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things surely?

EDIT: As said above and below you can use your save for the second game and carry on collecting

 

[Rikitatsu]

You're supposed to use that Save File to start Shenmue 2, your collectables transfer to the sequel

 

[xatruio]

I'm not sure what 20 years old has to do with it?

Only meant New Game+ wasn't around yet at the time.

 

[SpaghettiCat]

Keep in mind as well that you're supposed to transfer your save data into the second game so that all of your collectables come with you and you can pick up where you left off.

Do I get to go back to Dobuya to play the minigames that I missed? And get those rare toy capsules like Dural Gold for 1st prize?

Also, I was burned once, why would I play Shenmue 2 when I expect it to be just as broken and render my save file unplayable when it ends. Maybe the series holds you hostage like this with every installment: wait for the sequel to access your save file again.

What's the point even collecting the toys if I can't even browse them now because the save file won't load.

there's also loads of cutscenes you miss if you run through the story quickly

I didn't go through it quickly, I explored and did loads of side stuff and spent lots of in-game hours on the raffles and toys and still probably collected only half of them. There's a lot of content in the game but not enough time to experience all of it unless you ignore the story for weeks, and then still you don't even have enough money for it.

Only meant New Game+ wasn't around yet at the time.

I don't want NG+ nor expected it. With so much bonus content the game should carry on. It would've been as simple as giving the player the option to go to the harbour to the boat once they're prepared and ready for the journey to see the cutscene/credits.

 

[Spaghetti]

sir this a wendy's

 

[Jibby]

Do I get to go back to Dobuya to play the minigames that I missed? And get those rare toy capsules like Dural Gold for 1st prize?

Yeah pretty much. I believe the only minigame Shenmue II doesn't have is the billiards, but you only get one chance to play that in Shenmue I anyway. Rare capsules like the Dural Gold among others are also obtainable in II fwiw.

Also, I was burned once, why would I play Shenmue 2 when I expect it to be just as broken and render my save file unplayable when it ends.

Because it's a good game? Not sure why you'd write it off completely just because there's no post-game content.

I really am trying to sympathise with you here, but I just don't understand getting this worked up and upset over something so inconsequential.

 

[SpaghettiCat]

Yeah pretty much. I believe the only minigame Shenmue II doesn't have is the billiards, but you only get one chance to play that in Shenmue I anyway. Rare capsules like the Dural Gold among others are also obtainable in II fwiw.

Hmm well I checked a few FAQs and I don't see the Dural Gold toy being obtainable in Shenmue 2, that it's Shenmue 1 only, along with other toys. If this is missing, imagine how much other stuff is missing.

Because it's a good game? Not sure why you'd write it off completely just because there's no post-game content.

I really am trying to sympathise with you here, but I just don't understand getting this worked up and upset over something so inconsequential.

Because yesterday evening I spoiled myself and read that the Slot House has prizes, I had no idea what the tokens did prior. I was so excited to login and play the slots and raffles all evening now that I actually have money to spend and I'm free from being stuck at the harbour until 6PM onwards. Then I finished the game and it kicked me out of my save file, basically ruined it. It feels like getting cock blocked before finishing.

 

[Jibby]

Hmm well I checked a few FAQs and I don't see the Dural Gold toy being obtainable in Shenmue 2, that it's Shenmue 1 only, along with other toys. If this is missing, imagine how much other stuff is missing.

You can win it at certain Lucky Hit stands I believe. Spoilers for Shenmue II locations, but see here for more info: https://shenmue.neoseeker.com/wiki/Dural_Gold

Because yesterday evening I spoiled myself and read that the Slot House has prizes, I had no idea what the tokens did prior. I was so excited to login and play the slots and raffles all evening now that I actually have money to spend and I'm free from being stuck at the harbour until 6PM onwards. Then I finished the game and it kicked me out of my save file, basically ruined it. It feels like getting cock blocked before finishing.

I do get you. Shenmue is very much a game that isn't afraid to take you through it at it's own pace and I suppose it can be a bit jarring when it suddenly sweeps you to the end. I guess the only thing I can suggest is saving in multiple slots if you do decide to revisit it one day.

I do hope you give Shenmue II a try though. It's a really great game that builds on the original in just about every way possible. Also, fwiw it does do a better job at notifying the player before they're about to majorly progress the story.

 

[9dragons]

The things you criticise has nothing to with bad design choices. The first Shenmue was one of the first games of it's kind. Theyy were no rules or guidelines how to design such game. Because the designers had no privious games for orientation.

You really need to make different save slots in order to explore everything you want.

 

[SpaghettiCat]

The things you criticise has nothing to with bad design choices. The first Shenmue was one of the first games of it's kind. Theyy were no rules or guidelines how to design such game. Because the designers had no privious games for orientation.

What are you talking about? Look:

• Crash Bandicoot (PS1) didn't shutdown your save when you finished the last level and the story ended: it let you replay previous levels to get all the gems, time trials and unlock bonus levels.
• Spyro the Dragon (PS1) didn't render your save unplayable when you beat the final boss: it let you replay past levels to get all the gems, eggs and unlock secret content.
• Pokemon (Gameboys) didn't ruin your 50-hour save where you're trying to collect pokemon when you beat the Elite Four. It let you travel the land, collect more Pokemon and do any side quests you forgot to do.
• Tokyo Xtreme Racer (DC) didn't ruin your save and all the cars you've built and customised when you beat the last rival: they let you ride the highways and fight past rivals and buy new cars.

All these games were years before Shenmue; it's such a basic thing.

 

[Kenzo130]

What are you talking about? Look:

• Crash Bandicoot (PS1) didn't shutdown your save when you finished the last level and the story ended: it let you replay previous levels to get all the gems, time trials and unlock bonus levels.
• Spyro the Dragon (PS1) didn't render your save unplayable when you beat the final boss: it let you replay past levels to get all the gems, eggs and unlock secret content.
• Pokemon (Gameboys) didn't ruin your 50-hour save where you're trying to collect pokemon when you beat the Elite Four. It let you travel the land, collect more Pokemon and do any side quests you forgot to do.
• Tokyo Xtreme Racer (DC) didn't ruin your save and all the cars you've built and customised when you beat the last rival: they let you ride the highways and fight past rivals and buy new cars.

All these games were years before Shenmue; it's such a basic thing.

"they let you replay previous levels... " the thing is shenmue doesnt have "levels" its an open wold aventure game they are not the same type of games tbh ... so the comparison doesnt stand (sorry for my bad english btw

 

[Sonoshee]

I don't really see the big issue here.
Just play through the game again to see the stuff you missed? You'd have been doing that in a NG+ anyway.

 

[the_phoenix_mirror]

Funny enough, I remember beating Shenmue and being surprised that I couldn't go back and walk around, as every other game I've played until Shenmue let you walk around the world once you beat it. I didn't really care about it, but it really wouldn't make sense as the game has a time limit.

 

[WuyingRen]

I’d never really given it much thought until now because I’ve never been compelled to collect all of the capsule toys myself, but I do think this is a valid criticism. For a game that seems to pride itself on giving the player freedom, forcing them to finish the game within a set amount of time after starting work at the harbor seems a little crappy. I mean… it makes sense to a certain degree as Ryo has left Yokosuka, but there was nothing stopping them from adding a free roam section prior to Ryo meeting Master Chen and Guizang at the harbor and allowing players to choose when they triggered the ending.

Even so, to the OP, I think you’d be doing yourself a massive disservice by skipping S2. It’s a much better game. If you do play, however, just keep in mind that a couple of the arcade machines are missable. S2 does handle the above a little better than the first game though, as it allows players to choose when they leave the first area and gives them a full day and a half to wrap things up in the second. Arcade games, street fights and other things that players find while playing the game can also be replayed by reloading a completed save file.

 

[~ ひかり ~]

I don't really see the big issue here.
Just play through the game again to see the stuff you missed? You'd have been doing that in a NG+ anyway.

I feel the same way about this, i really don't see the big issue here.

When i finished the game for the first time i did not complete the capsule toys, cassette tapes, i missed a lot of clues and much more.

All of this was an incentive for me to play the game again, i finished this game 4 times and i’m still seeing and learning new things in the game and this is wonderful. This is one of the strengths of the game to me, this game have a lot of details, the attention to details in this game is amazing.

In my last playtrough i even got the Dural Gold for the first time and i was so happy, in my last playtrough i even played with a guide so i could get all the clues in the notebook. I haven't done a save with all the toy capsules yet but i have plans to do it one day, this is an incentive for me to play the game again.

In this playtrough i even saw some scenes, dialogues and much more that i never saw in other playtroughs, and i was so happy to see all of this things for the first time.

For a game that was released in 1999 and that was the first open world game Yu Suzuki and the team did an awesome job, it was so ahead of its time and will be forever a masterpiece to me.

 

[Mittens2317]

Mate, Shenmue II is the post-story game.

The environment changes with the time, and the NPCs progress with the story. It makes zero sense to just plonk you back into a static world just so you can collect a few toys.

I know people like to call Shenmue an open world game for some baffling reason, but it's not, it's more akin to point-and-click adventure games. Once the story's done, replaying it comes in two flavours: reload an old save or start again. It may taste bitter now, but the latter gets sweeter every time you lick its sexy face

I may have lost track of that metaphor, but the point remains.