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Hands On: Shenmue II

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/360/360328p1.html

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When Shenmue first arrived on Dreamcast, it was promoted as just the first in an epic series that could span four to six massive games. The original was really just a prequel to the true adventure of Ryu, a young man looking to avenge his father's death. Shenmue II was always meant to be the beginning of Ryu's journey, with the first installment there to help ease gamers into Ryu's world. Unfortunately, the Dreamcast went the way of the Dodo and the sequel to Shenmue only managed an appearance in Japan and Europe. Finally, American gamers will be able to join Ryu on his journey of revenge. Gamer's unfamiliar with the original need not worry. Shenmue II will have a short recap of the first Shenmue. The real adventure begins now, and hopefully there will be several Shenmues to come.

The story thus far
Shenmue begins with the murder of Ryu's father by a mysterious man named Lau. Ryu, young and inexperienced, sets out to find the truth about Lau and his father's death. Along the way, Ryu hones his martial arts skills, discovers Lau's desire to rule the world, and leaves his home in Japan for the island of Hong Kong.

The demo
Shenmue II is a deep, interactive world where almost every cupboard and door can be opened and every person can hold a conversation. Though AM2 would like to call it a "FREE" game, it is still basically an RPG. Which is good, because the Xbox is in need of a few and Shenmue looks be a quality title. There are two things in Shenmue II that stand apart from other RPGs -- Quick Time Events (QTEs) and the fighting engine.

QTEs
Quick Time Events are used much more heavily in Shenmue II than in the orignal. Players watch the game in action and much press buttons as they flash on the screen. In the demo, the QTE was a large fight in an alley with several thugs. Hitting the button within a second or two of it flashing on screen offers a positive action, while pressing the wrong button or mistiming the action leads to something negative. For example, the button may flash B and if the B button is pressed in time, Ryu will dodge the swing of a fist. However, if the wrong button is hit, the punch will connect, sending the QTE down a slightly different path.

Most QTEs are not fights, but can be chases or other actions. The QTEs were far too few in the original Shenmue and need to be much more frequent in the sequel, which they appear to be. Failing a QTE doesn't cause something negative in the game. Instead, you get to retry it most times. At least, that was how the first Shenmue worked and how the demo worked as well.

Fighting engine
The fighting engine is real-time and fluid like any good 3D action-title. Ryu can learn new combos or buy scrolls with new moves on them. Ryu rarely fights one on one and is often crowded by others. This requires gamers to learn to block and position themselves properly. The fighting is much smoother than in the original and more enjoyable.

Graphics and sound
Shenmue II looks better than its Dreamcast incarnation, but not enough to make it really next-gen. The game looks good, but could have done more with the power of Xbox. The music remains incredible within the game and from what little was heard of dialogue, it seems the voice-overs won't be as stiff as the original.

Screen shots (some look bad, because of the glare):

Shenmue II Trailer running on Xbox

From those screens at least, it doesn't look much improved over the DC version, which was hella good to begin with.

But have they added anything since the DC version, or is it the same game?

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Originally posted by gekko
From those screens at least, it doesn't look much improved over the DC version, which was hella good to begin with.

But have they added anything since the DC version, or is it the same game?

I believe the graphics have been pumped up a little bit, and the sound improved for the Xbox. But nothing really major mentioned.

Oh yeah, thanks for replying to all my Xbox E3 topics gekko. Unfortunately no one else seems to have much interest.

Well when 50 million Nintendo things go on, you can't expect them to.

They are all having good shows this year, unlike last year where Xbox sucked ass. Hmm... wonder if they got CT3 setup...

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Originally posted by gekko
Well when 50 million Nintendo things go on, you can't expect them to.

They are all having good shows this year, unlike last year where Xbox sucked ass. Hmm... wonder if they got CT3 setup...

I hope you mean Crazy Taxi 3...

In any case it will be at E3, just no information on it has been released.

Ya, I meant Crazy Taxi 3. I've read quite a bit about it. I just want to know if it's as good as the last 2. Been waiting years for this.

I couldn't see any real differences between these screens and Shenmue I, but I can tell that the faces are much more detailed. Once I get an XBox, I'm definetly picking this one up since I couldn't get a hold of a DC copy.

Haha, I already completed this game. Even in japanese it was great.

Those first few shots are from disc 1 and 2. Then we have some nice pretty 3D renders thrown in. And then those other shots are from right near the end of disc 3.

Trust me guys, if you played the first Shenmue then you really want to get this. It reveals so much more about the storyline about Lan Di and why he killed your father. You find out more about the mirrors. You also find out who the person your father killed was.

Oh and for the record, the guy aint called Ryu (thats the bloke from Street Fighter) he's called Ryo, get it right.

I'll post again when I have seen the video.

Well I have seen the video and the graphics are of the exact same standard as the Dreamcast version from what I can gather. Not surprising really since Shenmue is the most graphically superb game on the market IMO.

There are points of game slowdown and you cant see people and objects in the distance, they kinda fade in on the Dreamcast version. The X-Box will probably go some way into remedying this I would imagine.

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Graphics and sound
Shenmue II looks better than its Dreamcast incarnation, but not enough to make it really next-gen. The game looks good, but could have done more with the power of Xbox. The music remains incredible within the game and from what little was heard of dialogue, it seems the voice-overs won't be as stiff as the original.

Twat, thats bias fanboy crap IMO. Disagree if you wish but I think that is a completly stupid comment. I agree however that the voice acting could be imperoved in places.

Oh and that press release calls Lan Di, Lau (thats a guy from Virtua Fighter) ????

TWAT???? LOL!!!!:D :D :D :D

Ric, I think that term has a COMPLETELY different definition in Australia than it does in the US!!!

LMAO!!!!:eek: :D

As for Shenmue 2, I really couldn't care less if the graphics were a little better or worse here and there. What made this game great was that it was so completely immersive. It started out slow, with you answering a lot of questions (which got annoying I'll admit), and then slowly built to fever pitch of action and intrigue.

It takes a level of commitment that I have never experienced in a game before, and thats a good thing.

I can't wait for this game to be released.:D

Oh ya didnt think of it like that, over here twat has a multiple meaning, if you call someone a twat basically you are just calling them an idiot or a moron. Then theres that other meaning :stud:

Oh and for the record whoever was fighting the 'Men In Black Suits' in that video is crap at fighting. My skills as Ryo could kick their arses.

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Originally posted by Ric
Oh ya didnt think of it like that, over here twat has a multiple meaning, if you call someone a twat basically you are just calling them an idiot or a moron. Then theres that other meaning :stud:

Oh and for the record whoever was fighting the 'Men In Black Suits' in that video is crap at fighting. My skills as Ryo could kick their arses.

Sure sure..:rolleyes:
You would do alot of things wouldn't you?? But your not at E3 and you don't have an Xbox. :p

Oh man I want to play this game so bad( that Panzer Dragon)...but I don't have a money to buy an Xbox yet...in fact I'm broke :(

Oh well this always makes me feel better

*Kicks Ric in the nuts*
hahahahaha

Ok then what I mean is, in Shenmue you could pretty much win every fight py pressing L and A and doing that kick. In Shenmue 2 most opponents appear to learn your tactics so you have to learn lots of different moves. Dodging outta the way helps a lot aswell. Shenmue 2 greatly improves your skills as a player IMO. And it did mine, especially when fighting... well wait till you get to Kowloon on disc 3 thats all I am saying.

Oh and before I forget,
*kicks fingersman in the balls*
*knees him in the face*

Muh huh huh huh huuuuuuuuuu.

If Sega can't make the X-Box version of this game look a lot better than the DC version... there is a serious problem.

I guess Ric was right before, I just overestimated Sega... makes me wonder how all Sega's Other rehashes will look.

No no no, what I mean is Shenmue looks damn good as it is, I don't see how it can be improved graphically that much, perhaps better textures could be introduced and there wont be the game slowdown in places. Also as I mentioned earlier the objects in the distance fading in and out, perhaps an X-Box would give the game more depth, allow you to see further if you get what I mean.

Also you have to remember this is a reasonably quick port, translating language and voices is all they have to do for the game, I dont think they would try to improve it graphically, probably have to wait for Shenmue 3 for that, however when you play the game you will see that it is a graphical masterpiece anyway. (Except for the few things I mentioned if you want to be pickey.)

The biggest graphical improvements that could be maade are in lighting and particle effects. Lighting has become such an important aspect of gaming for me since getting the Box. Sometimes I just play Wreckless on the nighttimes levels to see the reflections on the car.

Plus, in Halo... firing your machine gun in the dark? Need I say MORE?:D

Granted lighting effects could be improved, inside buildings though, not outside, unlike Shenmue there is about 1 lite switch on Shenmue 2 so yes that coule be changed. Also interactivity is lessened because of the larger environments in Shenmue 2, that too could be improved.

The lighting effects at the end of the game are pretty damn good as they are though. And thats all I am saying I dont wanna ruin anything for you.

As I said before though I dont think they will make these changes for Shenmue 2, that will probably wait until Shenmue 3.

Isn't this just a port or something?? :confused:

Well I'm sure Sega could improve the drawing distance so people dont magically pop up ....hehehe....maybe they could get more men on the screen and improve the textures before the release date...but meh, who knows.

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Originally posted by fingersman
Isn't this just a port or something?? :confused:

Well I'm sure Sega could improve the drawing distance so people dont magically pop up ....hehehe....maybe they could get more men on the screen and improve the textures before the release date...but meh, who knows.

Basically it's a port, but the graphics and sound are spoused to be improved from the Dreamcast version.

Takes em a year to port it. What BS. Something's up. Either MS wants it for the fall sales, or Sega's planning to show some Shenmue III soon after, and want the hype to be there.

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Originally posted by gekko
Takes em a year to port it. What BS. Something's up. Either MS wants it for the fall sales, or Sega's planning to show some Shenmue III soon after, and want the hype to be there.

I agree. This should only take a few months. Yet it is taking over a year. Either Sega is adding more features, or Microsoft is doing something special with it.

I dont think you understand quite how complex many aspects of Shenmue 2 actually are you guys.

First and foremost there's the language and voice acting. There are literally hundreds of people in the game and they all have to be re-voice acted. Not only that but they all usually have quite a lot of different things to say. That in itself will take months.

Another thing is the toy collection, there are something like 20 different capsule toy shops in the game all buying different collections and paying different amounts of money. On top of that there are hundreds of different collections and single toys. That in itself will take some re-working.

Then we have the scores of minigames and different jobs you can do which I wont go into so I dont spoil anything for you.

I am sure there are a bunch of other things that need doing aswell so give them some credit, it's well worth the wait. You are probably right about a little purposeful delay too.

They don't have to redo the voice acting, they can just leave it.

And Capcom remade Resident Evil is less time than this.

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Originally posted by gekko
They don't have to redo the voice acting, they can just leave it.

And Capcom remade Resident Evil is less time than this.

:mad2: Yes they do you fool, everyone in the Dreamcast Version of Shenmue 2 spoke Japanese, the only English part was the text, they need to convert all the voice acting. Thats gonna take a fair while to do.

You silly monkey.

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Originally posted by Ric

:mad2: Yes they do you fool, everyone in the Dreamcast Version of Shenmue 2 spoke Japanese, the only English part was the text, they need to convert all the voice acting. Thats gonna take a fair while to do.

You silly monkey.

I think Ric brings up a good point. I would like to hear something that I can understand. :D

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But they left it that was for a reason. If they wanted it English, they should've changed it back with the DC version.

I see your point, the reason it wasn't fully converted for the Dreamcast version was because Sega wanted to get it out before they became 3rd party so they didn't finish the translation fully.

How long did it take Shenume 2 (for dreamcast) to develop alltogether? Then take away 3/4 the ime it took to make the cities and to put together the game engine, and to make all the player models and the story...

It's a PORT... too many aspects of developing a port get knocked off (unless it's to or from Ps2).

If they are taking this much time to do a simple port, there is a problem. Voice acting is the only thing they have to create for this game, everything else is re-made.

I've seen developers make games from the ground up faster than this port... plus this port is to a system that is nearly twice as powerful, and it is showing very little improvement.

Shenume can be the biggest technical wonder ever, but when it's coming to (a LOT) better hardware and it has this much time to be ported, it should look noticably better than the the first game.