Shenmue II

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Shenmue II
File:Shenmue II.jpg
European Dreamcast slipcover
Developer(s) Sega AM2
Publisher(s) Sega (DC)
Microsoft Game Studios (Xbox)
Director(s) Yu Suzuki
Shinichi Yoshino
Yoshihiro Okabayashi
Producer(s) Yu Suzuki
Artist(s) Takehiko Mikami
Writer(s) Yu Suzuki
Masahiro Yoshimoto
Composer(s) Takenobu Mitsuyoshi
Yuzo Koshiro
Ryuji Iuchi
Takeshi Yanagawa
Satoshi Miyashita
Koji Sakurai
Masataka Nitta
Shinji Otsuka
Fumio Ito
Megumi Takano
Osamu Murata
Shinichi Goto
Platforms Dreamcast, Xbox
Release date(s) Dreamcast
      Xbox
          Genre(s) Open world (Sandbox)
          Action-adventure
          Role-playing video game
          Mode(s) Single player

          Shenmue II (シェンムー II Shenmū Tsū?) is an open-world action-adventure video game developed by Sega AM2, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki and published by Sega for the Dreamcast in 2001. It is the second game in the Shenmue series, a "revenge epic in the tradition of Chinese cinema",[1] which Suzuki plans to cover at least four games.

          Like the original Shenmue, Shenmue II consists of open-world 3D environments interspersed with brawler battles and quick time events. It features a day-and-night system, variable weather effects, non-player characters with daily schedules, and various minigames. The story follows the teenage martial artist Ryo Hazuki as he arrives in Hong Kong in 1987 in pursuit of his father's killer.

          Some of Shenmue II was developed alongside the original Shenmue, the most expensive video game ever developed at the time; Shenmue II was completed for "a much more reasonable sum". Microsoft secured exclusive North American rights for the game for its Xbox console, and the Dreamcast version was only released in Japan and Europe. The enhanced Xbox port was released in North America in 2002 and other territories in 2003.

          Despite positive reviews and appearances in several "greatest video games of all time" lists, Shenmue II sold poorly and the series entered a period of development hell lasting over a decade. 2015, Suzuki and his company Ys Net began developing Shenmue III for PlayStation 4 and PC following a successful crowdfunding campaign, having licensed the series from Sega.

          Plot

          In 1987, teenage martial artist Ryo Hazuki arrives in Wan Chai, Hong Kong from Japan on the trail of his father's killer, Lan Di, of the criminal Chi You Men organization. He searches for Master Lishao Tao, the only link to the whereabouts of Yuanda Zhu, a martial arts expert who sent Ryo's father a letter warning him of Lan Di's intentions. When Ryo finds Tao, whose real name is Xiuying Hong, she refuses to help, considering his quest for vengeance reckless. The two part ways, but Xiuying continues to monitor Ryo's progress.

          Ryo encounters Wuying Ren, the wily leader of a street gang. Ren decides to help Ryo after deciding there may be money to be made in Ryo's mysterious phoenix mirror; Lan Di took the second mirror, the dragon mirror, when he killed Ryo's father. Wong, a street boy who admires Ren, and Joy, a free-spirited motorcyclist, assist Ryo in his journey.

          Ren informs Ryo that Zhu is hiding from the Chi You Men in Kowloon Walled City. They locate Zhu there but are ambushed by the criminal Yellow Head organization, and Zhu is kidnapped. Ryo and his allies infiltrate the Yellow Head headquarters, but Wong and Joy are captured. Ryo rescues Joy by defeating a powerful martial artist. On the rooftop of the Yellow Head building, Ryo rescues Wong and Zhu from the Yellow Head leader, Dou Niu, as Lan Di departs by helicopter.

          At Ren's hideout, Zhu reveals that Lan Di killed Ryo's father because he believes Iwao killed his own father. He also reveals that the mirrors will lead to the resurrection of the Qing Dynasty, the last imperial dynasty of China. Zhu advises Ryo to continue his search in Bailu Village in Guilin, where he says Lan Di is also heading.

          File:Shenmue 2-main-charechters.jpg
          Ren (left), Ryo (center) and Joy (right)

          In the mountains of Guilin, Ryo meets a young woman named Shenhua Ling, whom Ryo previously saw in dreams. Shenhua's family is connected to the legacy of the mirrors, and she seems to have magical abilities. She brings Ryo to her family home, where a tree named Shenmue (Chinese for "spirit tree") is in bloom, and explains that her name means "flower of the Shenmue tree". The pair go to a stone quarry on the village outskirts to meet Shenhua's father, but find he is missing. They discover a cryptic note and sword; Ryo combines the sword with the phoenix mirror, triggering a device that reveals a large mural of the dragon and phoenix mirrors.

          Gameplay

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          See also: Shenmue § Gameplay

          Like the original Shenmue, the player controls teenage martial artist Ryo Hazuki in his journey for revenge. Most of the game is spent exploring the game's open world, searching for clues, examining objects and talking to non-player characters for information. The game features a 3D fighting system similar to Sega's Virtua Fighter series; Ryo can fight multiple opponents at once, and can practice moves to increase their power. In quick time events, the player must press the right combination of buttons at the right moment to succeed.[2][2]

          Shenmue II adds several gameplay features. Ryo can ask for directions from passers-by, and fast-forward the game's clock when waiting for a shop to open, for example, or a character to arrive.[2] Unlike the first Shenmue, taking a job is not part of the main story, and the player can choose how to earn money - for example, by gambling, arm wrestling, street fighting or running a pachinko stand.[2][3] Like Shenmue, Ryo can spend his money on things including capsule toys or arcade games, and Shenmue II includes the 1987 game After Burner.[2] The Dreamcast version of Shenmue II also allows the player to import their save data from Shenmue, carrying over money, inventory items and martial arts moves.[3]

          Development

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          See also: Shenmue § Development

          Like the original Shenmue, Shenmue II was developed by Sega AM2 and directed by Yu Suzuki, who had created several successful Sega arcade games including Hang-On, Out Run and Virtua Fighter.[4] Some of Shenmue II was developed in tandem with the first Shenmue, which was most expensive video game ever developed at the time, reported to have cost Sega $70 million; in 2011, Suzuki said the figure was closer to $47 million including marketing.[5] Shenmue II was "completed for a much more reasonable sum".[6]

          Release and Xbox port

          Shenmue II was released for Dreamcast in 2001 in Japan and Europe and 2002 in North America. The Japanese version includes a "Virtua Fighter 4 Passport", promoting Sega's upcoming Virtua Fighter 4.[7] The Dreamcast version was only released in Japan and Europe; Microsoft secured the exclusive North American rights for Shenmue II and released the game for its Xbox console on October 28, 2002.[8] The Xbox version features an additional camera mode, optional filter effects, an improved frame rate and lighting, and English-language voice acting.[3] It also contains Shenmue: The Movie on a standard DVD, comprising cutscenes from the original game edited into a film. The film was previously released in Japanese theaters.[3]

          Reception

          Reception
          Aggregate score
          Aggregator Score
          GameRankings (DC) 89.63%[9]
          (XB) 82.26%[10]
          Review scores
          Publication Score
          Famitsu 32 / 40[11]
          G4 5/5 stars [12]
          Game Informer 8 / 10 [13]
          GamePro 4.5/5 stars [14]
          GameSpot 8.7 / 10 [15]
          GameSpy 9 / 10 [16]
          IGN 8.3 / 10 (Xbox)[17]
          PALGN 9 / 10 [18]
          Cheat Code Central 5/5 stars [19]
          Gaming Age A [20]
          Gaming Target 9 / 10 [21]
          Kikizo 9 / 10 [22]
          Official Dreamcast Magazine (UK) 94%[23]
          RPGamer 9 / 10 [24]
          Xbox World 10 / 10 [25]
          Thunderbolt 9 / 10 [26]

          The Dreamcast version of Shenmue II received positive reviews.[27] Gamespot found that it was "so much better than its predecessor, refining nearly every aspect of the original", with improved pacing and an "epic feel".[2] Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer felt it was "probably the best swansong the Dreamcast could hope for" and "pushes Sega's final console to the very brink of its capabilities".[28] By 2003, the Dreamcast version had sold 100,000 copies, a tenth of the original game's sales.[29]

          Reviews of the Xbox version were more mixed. IGN praised the game's story, but criticized the English-language voice acting and found the graphics lacking compared to other Xbox games.[3] Eurogamer's Martin Taylor criticized it as a "lazy port" and concluded: "your perseverance with the sluggish pacing can be rewarding, but Shenmue 2 consistently proves itself an ageing game with ageing looks."[30]

          In 2008, Shenmue II was voted the tenth best game of all time in the IGN Readers' Choice "Top 100 Games of All Time" poll.[31] In April 2013, Den of Geek ranked it and Shenmue the joint-best Dreamcast games.[32] In August 2014, Empire ranked Shenmue II the 51st best game of all time.[33]

          Sequel

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          Main article: Shenmue III

          Suzuki plans the Shenmue story to cover at least four games.[34] After the first two Shenmue games failed to recoup their development cost, Shenmue III entered a period of development hell lasting over a decade.[35] On June 15, 2015, Suzuki announced a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Shenmue III during Sony's E3 conference, having acquired the series rights from Sega. In just over nine hours, the campaign reached its initial $2 million goal.[36] On July 17, 2015 Shenmue III became the fastest-funded and the highest-funded video game project in Kickstarter history, earning 6.3 million USD.[37]

          References

          1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          11. ↑ ドリームキャスト - シェンムーII. Weekly Famitsu. No.915 Pt.2. Pg.47. June 30, 2006.
          12. ↑ [1][dead link]
          13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          15. ↑ [2][dead link]
          16. ↑ [3] Archived March 25, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
          17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          18. ↑ [4] Archived September 5, 2006 at the Wayback Machine
          19. ↑ [5][dead link]
          20. ↑ [6][dead link]
          21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          25. ↑ [7][dead link]
          26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          34. ↑ http://www.polygon.com/2015/6/20/8818097/shenmue-3-story-11-chapters-kickstarter-yu-suzuki Shenmue creator: Story has 11 chapters, ideally '4 or 5 games' in the series
          35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
          36. ↑ http://kotaku.com/shenmue-3-just-hit-2-million-setting-a-new-kickstarte-1711615103
          37. ↑ http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/07/20/shenmue-3-kickstarter-closes-with-over-63-million

          External links

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