Shenmue II
Shenmue II is a direct sequel to Yu Suzuki's cult Japanese adventure game, which on the Sega Dreamcast introduced a costly and ambitious concept of simulating everyday life intertwined with investigation and a combat system. After the Dreamcast's demise, Sega released the second installment in the West exclusively for Xbox, making it the only legitimate way for many fans to play the game, while in Japan it was released simultaneously on Dreamcast as well. Ryo Hazuki continues his search for his father's killer, and his journey takes him from Japan to bustling Hong Kong and the Kowloon district, rendered with extraordinary attention to detail.
The player can enter almost every building, talk to dozens of characters going about their own daily routines, and watch time and weather pass, with shops and arcades keeping opening hours and some characters appearing only at certain hours. Combat draws on the system from studio AM2, which also made Virtua Fighter, complemented by action scenes controlled by quick reactions to button prompts at precisely timed moments. Besides the main storyline, the game offers a whole range of side activities, from odd jobs and gambling minigames to training combat techniques with street masters. This emphasis on a believable, living open world was years ahead of its time and is now retrospectively seen as one of the earliest roots of the modern open-world genre.
Although Shenmue II did not commercially meet high expectations, and the planned third installment only arrived fifteen years later thanks to crowdfunding, as an Xbox exclusive it represents one of the most ambitious ports of the generation. Its extensive dialogue trees and the system of optional responses, through which the player builds Ryo's relationship with those around him, were among the most elaborate of their time and are still cited as proof of how far ahead Yu Suzuki's vision was. The slow pace demands patience today, but it's precisely that pace that gives the Hong Kong on screen its peculiar, melancholic weight.
Game 50 of 176 for Microsoft Xbox
The same title elsewhere (1)
The 2001 Dreamcast version was released only in Japan and Europe and carries Yu Suzuki's original visual style, with atmospheric lighting across the streets of Hong Kong. The 2002 Xbox version also reached North America, ran on stronger hardware, and delivered steadier framerates with a sharper image; it also added a bonus disc recapping the plot of the first Shenmue for players who had never played it. Many fans, however, still prefer the color grading and atmosphere of the original Dreamcast release, which the Xbox port altered slightly. If you want the experience closest to the original, pick the Dreamcast version; if you want smoother, more convenient play, choose Xbox.
