Shenmue 1 & 2 (PC, PS4, Xbox One – Aug. 21)
Shenmue 1 and 2 are considered some of the great titles that released on the Dreamcast at during the early 2000s. Players assumed the role of Ryo Hazuki as he goes out to avenge his father’s death and track down the man responsible for his murder. Of course, this means you’ll need to get your investigating hat on, kick some bad guy ass, and experience the engrossing story to be found within.
The overarching story of Ryo is actually split over the two games, so it makes sense to pick both games up in one collection. Whether you’re just looking for a trip down memory lane, or you’re wanting to dive into these titles for the first time ahead of Shenmue 3’s release coming sometime soon (hopefully?), there’s plenty of reason to revisit these games.
Shenmue 1 and 2 largely popularized the QTE (Quick Time Event) system found in most modern games, they were some of the first games to incorporate a true time and day/night cycle, and this all played into its investigatory gameplay. Need to find out where a building was? Well to find that out, you’ll need to speak with the old lady in the neighborhood, but she only shows up at the corner store at certain times.
Shenmue 1 and 2 may feel a little dated now, but there’s something satisfying in seeing where many of these modern-day gameplay features were truly brought into the spotlight.
