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group=lower-alpha is an action-adventure game series created, produced and directed by . Shenmue (1999) and (2001) were developed by Sega AM2 and published by for the . Shenmue II was released in 2002 in Western markets on the Xbox. , developed by Suzuki's company Ys Net, was released for the PlayStation 4 and in 2019.

The Shenmue games consist of open-world 3D environments interspersed with brawler battles and quick time events. They include elements of role-playing, life simulation and social simulation games, such as a , variable weather effects, non-player characters with daily schedules and interactive elements, such as vending machines, arcades and . The story follows the teenage martial artist Ryo Hazuki as he travels through 1980s Japan and China in pursuit of his father's killer. The original Shenmue was the most expensive video game ever developed at the time, with an estimated production and marketing cost of US$47 to $70 million, though some of the development also covered Shenmue II.

Shenmue and Shenmue II received mostly positive reviews. Critics praised their graphics, soundtrack, realism and ambition, but criticized their controls, slow pace and voice acting, and the focus on mundane detail divided players. The games attracted a , appearing in several lists of the greatest video games of all time, and are credited for pioneering systems including quick time events and open worlds. However, they were commercial failures and further installments entered .

In 2004, Sega announced a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, , but it was not released. In 2010, a social game, , was launched in Japan; it was discontinued a year later. In 2018, Sega released high-definition ports of Shenmue and Shenmue II for multiple formats. Following a successful campaign, Suzuki developed Shenmue III independently. It was released for the PlayStation 4 and Windows in 2019, and received mixed reviews for its similarity to the earlier games. An of Shenmue, co-produced by and , premiered in February 2022. Suzuki has expressed his hope to develop Shenmue IV.


Gameplay
In the Shenmue games, the player controls the teenage martial arts pupil Ryo Hazuki as he investigates his father's murder. The player explores the Yokosuka, Hong Kong and Guilin , searching for clues, examining objects and talking to non-player characters for information. The games feature a 3D fighting system similar to Sega's 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.

Shenmue I and Shenmue II feature a level of detail considered unprecedented for games at the time of their release. Shops open and close, buses run to timetables, and characters have their own routines, each in accordance with the game's persistent clock. Ryo receives a daily allowance which can be spent on objects including food, raffle tickets, audio cassettes and . There are several ; for example, Ryo can throw darts or play complete versions of Sega arcade games, or earn money from including driving , gambling, arm wrestling, fishing and street fighting. The Dreamcast version of Shenmue II allows the player to import their save data from Shenmue, carrying over money, inventory items and martial arts moves.


Premise

Games
described Shenmue as a "revenge epic in the tradition of Chinese cinema". According to Suzuki, the three games cover around 40% of the story he has planned.


Main series

Shenmue
In 1986 , Japan, the teenage martial artist Ryo Hazuki returns to his family to witness a confrontation between his father Iwao and a Chinese man, Lan Di. Lan Di demands Iwao give him a mysterious stone artifact, the mirror. When he threatens to kill Ryo, Iwao tells him the mirror is buried under the cherry blossom tree outside. As Lan Di's men dig up the mirror, Lan Di mentions Zhao Sunming, whom Iwao allegedly killed in , China. Lan Di delivers a finishing blow and Iwao dies in Ryo's arms.

Ryo's investigation leads him to Master Chen in the Yokosuka harbor. Through Chen and his son Guizhang, Ryo learns that the dragon mirror taken by Lan Di is one of two mirrors. He locates the second, the mirror, in a basement hidden beneath his father's dojo. He defeats a local gang connected to Lan Di's organization, and Master Chen tells him to seek the aid of Master Xiuying in Hong Kong. Ryo boards a boat to China.


Shenmue II
In Hong Kong, Ryo finds Master Xiuying Hong, but she refuses to help him, considering his quest for vengeance reckless. Ryo teams up with a gang leader, Wuying Ren, a free-spirited motorcyclist, Joy, and a street boy, Wong, to find Yuanda Zhu, who sent Ryo's father a letter warning him of Lan Di's intentions.

Ryo and his allies locate Zhu in Kowloon Walled City, but are ambushed by the criminal Yellow Head organization and Zhu is kidnapped. Ryo rescues Zhu as Lan Di departs by helicopter. Zhu reveals that Lan Di killed Ryo's father because he believes Iwao killed his own father. Zhu also reveals that the mirrors will lead to the resurrection of the , the last imperial dynasty of China. Zhu advises Ryo to continue his search in the village of Bailu in , where Lan Di is also heading.

In Guilin, Ryo meets a teenage girl, Shenhua Ling, whose family is connected to the legacy of the dragon and phoenix mirrors. She leads Ryo to a stone quarry on the village outskirts to meet her father, but discovers he is missing.


Shenmue III
Ryo learns that Lan Di's father, Zhao Sunming, once visited Bailu with Ryo's father to train under the local grandmaster. Zhao died under mysterious circumstances several years later. Ryo also discovers that the phoenix and dragon mirrors were created by Shenhua's great-grandfather at the request of the Chinese emperor.

Ryo and Shenhua learn that Shenhua's father, Yuan, has been kidnapped by a local gang looking for the phoenix mirror. Ryo defeats two of the thugs, but is defeated by their boss, Yanlang. He convinces Sun, a local martial arts master, to teach him a powerful move, and uses it to defeat Yanlang. A village elder helps them discover a map to the treasure connected to the mirrors. Ryo fends off an attack from Chai, who reveals that Yuan and Xu have been taken to the city of Niaowu.

In Niaowu, Ryo and Shenhua learn that a local gang, the Red Snakes, is holding Yuan and Xu hostage. Shenhua is tricked by a Chi You Men leader, Niao Sun. Ryo and his allies infiltrate the Chi You Men's castle and rescue Shenhua and her father. Ryo confronts Lan Di, but Lan Di easily defeats him. Niao Sun betrays Lan Di, and has her men burn the castle. Ryo, Ren and Shenhua continue their journey along the Great Wall of China.


Development

Shenmue and Shenmue II
The creator of Shenmue, , joined Sega in 1983 and created several successful , including (1985) , (1986) and Virtua Fighter (1993). In comparison to arcade games, where the ideal experience was only a few minutes long, Suzuki wanted to make a longer experience. In 1996, he and Sega AM2 began developing a RPG based on the series.

In 1997, development moved to Sega's upcoming console, the , and the Virtua Fighter connection was dropped. By the time of the Dreamcast's release in Japan in November 1998, the game had been titled Shenmue. Sega advertised Shenmue as belonging to a new genre it termed "full reactive eyes entertainment" or "FREE". It became the most expensive game ever developed at the time, reported to have cost US$70 million; in 2011, Suzuki said the figure was closer to $47 million including marketing. The development also covered some of Shenmue II (2001), which was completed for a smaller figure, and possibly groundwork for future Shenmue games.

Shenmue was released on December 29, 1999, in Japan, November 8, 2000 in North America, and December 1, 2000, in Europe. Shenmue II was released for Dreamcast in 2001 in Japan and Europe only. An port followed in 2002 in Europe and North America. Despite attracting positive reviews and a , neither game made a profit and entered .


Shenmue Online and Shenmue City
Suzuki worked on various projects which failed to see release, including , a PC MMORPG announced in 2004. He established his own development company, Ys Net, in 2008 and left Sega in 2011. In 2010, Sega announced , a social game for the service. It was not released outside Japan and was shut down in December 2011.


Shenmue III and remasters
During Sony's presentation at the E3 conference on June 15, 2015, Suzuki announced a campaign for Shenmue III, having licensed the series from Sega. Shenmue III became the fastest-funded and the highest-funded video game project in Kickstarter history, reaching its initial $2 million goal in just over nine hours, and earning $6.3 million in total. It was released on 19 November 2019 for PlayStation 4 and .

Sega began developing remasters of Shenmue I and II featuring new models, textures and lighting, but it was canceled in 2017. Sega said that "working with original animations and characters but meshing them with enhanced HD visuals gave us a game that we felt would not meet the standards that Shenmue fans expect and deserve". Instead, in August 2018, Sega released high-definition for Windows, PlayStation 4 and . The ports include new graphics and control options, improved user interfaces, and Japanese and English voices. Some details, such as product placement, are omitted, and cutscenes are presented in their original aspect ratio due to technical limitations.


Later projects
In 2015, Suzuki said he hoped the series would cover four or five games. Shenmue III includes a letter to fans from Suzuki expressing his hope to develop Shenmue IV. In 2020, Suzuki told he had created Shenmue III "for the fans", and that he planned to give Shenmue IV more mainstream appeal. In 2024, fans purchased a 15-second advertisement on a video billboard to campaign for Shenmue IV.


Reception
The Shenmue series has received mostly positive reviews and has attracted a , with Shenmue I and II appearing in several "greatest video games of all time" lists. Shenmue III, released almost two decades later, received mixed reviews for its similarity to the earlier games. Some critics described it as outdated, while others praised its faithfulness to the franchise. The series has received praise for its graphics, soundtrack, realism and ambition, but criticism for its controls, slow pace and voice acting; its realism and focus on mundane detail has divided players.

Shenmue is credited for pioneering several game technologies. Its large environments, wealth of options and level of detail have been compared to later games including the Grand Theft Auto series, the Yakuza series, Fallout 3 (2008), and Deadly Premonition (2010).Brendan Main, Lost in Yokosuka , The Escapist Shenmue: Creator Yu Suzuki Speaks Out , Yu Suzuki , Shenmue is also credited for naming and popularizing the quick time event in modern games, which was featured in the Resident Evil, God of War, and series.Adam LaMosca, On-Screen Help, In-Game Hindrance , The Escapist


Music
Several Shenmue soundtracks have been released. A promotional album, Shenmue Juke Box, was packaged with the limited edition of the original game in Japan and North America, containing ten select tracks from the in-game cassette tapes. A soundtrack for the first game, , was released in 2000. In September 2015, Data Discs released the Shenmue soundtrack on vinyl in three separate colored editions. In March 2016, the music of Shenmue was voted into the Classic FM Hall of Fame in 144th place.


Television series
An adaptation of Shenmue was announced on September 4, 2020, at the virtual . It premiered on simultaneously on February 6, 2022, on the U.S. network 's programming block and the streaming platform Crunchyroll in English dub and Japanese sub, respectively. The series is directed by Sakurai Chikara, with Suzuki as executive producer, and adapts the events of the first two games. It was animated by Telecom Animation Film, with production management by Sola Entertainment.


Other appearances
Ryo Hazuki is a playable character in Sega's mascot racer Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. Ryo rides Naoyuki's motorbike and his special move features him driving a forklift, referencing his job at the Yokosuka Harbor.


Notes

External links

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