Random Video Game Series Review - Shenmue

 

Yes, believe it or not, I have actually found another video game series that has some kind of connection to Christmas and it's one that has been around for quite some time. Most of you may know it by just that one time when the Kickstarter for the third game was announced. Others, like me, will actually remember the games that came before it. Never played them growing up, but do remember them well from what others told me about them and recently, I managed to buy them on Steam to be able to play and review them. So let's take a look:

Shenmue

Teenage martial artist, Ryo Hazuki (voiced by Corey Marshall), returns to his family dojo one night where he bears witness to his father being killed by a mysterious Chinese man. Swearing revenge on this man, he investigates his whereabouts and soon begins his training to take on this man and finally bring his late father some kind of peace and closure. Much of the game has you explore an open world to investigate everything tied to the Chinese man. This involves finding clues, talking to NPCs and examining objects. Virtua Fighter style fights can take place, but Ryo can practise his moves outside of combat to increase his power. There are quick time events which I won't explain because by now, most of you will know how they play out. Much like any life simulation game, the open world has its own schedule of events such as when shops open and close, where characters go and so forth. You get a daily allowance to spend on collectibles, arcade games and more. So I guess when this came out, all the stuff in it were unheard of at the time whereas now, there are plenty of games that play out just like this one. Far from perfect, but worth checking out on occasion just to experience the open world and all you can do within it. 8/10

II

Picking up from the first game, it's 1987 and Ryo continues his search for the man who killed his father. His search leads him to Hong Kong as he ventures into the city, then to Kowloon and then finally the mountains of Guilin where he meets a girl that is part of his destiny. Gameplay largely remains the same here with investigating, exploring open worlds, talking to NPCs and so on. The second game also adds some new stuff, such as asking for directions and moving the clock rather than wait for the system clock to catch up. You also this time can choose how to earn money, instead of been given a job as part of the main story like it was in the previous game. This is once again a sequel game done right. Everything is refined, there is a bit more freedom in the open world, and there is a sense of epicness in how you go about the story. Yes, pretty good going for this one. 9/10

III

This one took a while to come out. Part of that was because of the commercial failure of the first two. But a cult following and a successful kickstarting campaign, made this long awaited third game a reality. Set in the 90s, Ryo continues his search for his father's killer as he ventures in the Guilin mountains, this time with company in the form of Shenhua Ling (played by Brianna Knickerbocker), a new friend he has made. Gameplay remains the same once again, with the added feature of a stamina bar which gradually declines as Ryo continues exploring, but is regained when sleeping and eating. One of the disappointing things about this game is it just kind of feels like the last several years didn't happen. It tries to be too similar to the original two games without offering anything new or innovative in an industry where the things that the first two had, are now in most games that come out these days. It's good to see it continue the story, but I get the feeling it's far from over. 7/10

Yeah, a bit of a mixed bag for this series of games. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed playing them. But three games in and with very little on offer in the way of innovation, I would expect better. But at least SEGA allowed the developers to keep the rights instead of keeping it for themselves and not do anything with it, which is always a good thing, I'd say. 8/10

Oh, and where Christmas comes in is between the 15th and 25th December where it starts snowing and the characters in the original game, start being a little festive.