Shenmue ~ Fighting Games ~
In the games, Ryo often found himself in numerous battles, whether it was to safeguard innocent people, protect himself, or draw closer to Lan Di. Throughout his journey, Ryo encountered a variety of fighters, some of whom became his allies, while others remained his adversaries.
Shenmue is fundamentally a martial arts tale, making it a natural fit for the Shenmue franchise to delve into the realm of fighting games. In this blog post, I'll delve into my vision of what a Shenmue fighting game could look like. This includes discussions on the fighting system, game modes, character roster, stages, potential downloadable content (DLC), and more.
~ The fighting System and Gameplay ~
Shenmue I & II features the Virtua Fighter fighting system, which is truly fantastic. When envisioning a Shenmue fighting game, I picture the use of the Virtua Fighter (VF) fighting system, particularly one akin to VF 5 Ultimate Showdown. I imagine a captivating gameplay experience similar to VF, but I'm open to the possibility of them choosing a different fighting system for the Shenmue fighting game.
~ Arcade Mode ~
In Arcade mode, the player would select a character and engage in battles with other characters until reaching the ultimate showdown with Lan Di. However, considering that Tentei seems to be positioned as the final villan of the story, it might make more sense for Tentei to be the final adversary in the Arcade Mode. It's worth noting that Tentei hasn't made an appearance in the main series thus far, so it's more likely that Lan Di would serve as the final boss for this mode.
~ Story Mode ~
In the Story mode, players select a character and engage in battles against other characters. Depending on the character you choose, the final battle varies. For instance, if you pick Guizhang, your ultimate opponent will be Terry. If you choose Ryo, the final showdown will be against Lan Di. This dynamic changes based on your character selection.
In this mode, before the first battle, players are treated to an opening story scene unique to each character. Once the player emerges victorious in the final battle, they are presented with the ending story scene corresponding to their character. I envision this being akin to the storytelling approach found in games like Tekken.
~ Adventure Mode ~
When players access the Adventure Mode menu, they will find an option to experience the story of all Shenmue games through Ryo's perspective. Additionally, there will be another option to see the story from Lan Di's point of view, offering insights into how the characters' narratives intertwine.
In this mode, players will have the opportunity to explore various locations within the Shenmue world and engage in numerous activities similar to the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm adventure mode.
This will allow them to not only experience the story through Ryo's eyes but also gain a unique perspective by seeing it through Lan Di's eyes. While the main games primarily focused on Ryo's journey, this approach would offer players a fresh and intriguing way to delve into the world of Shenmue.
~ Online Mode ~
In the Online Mode, I envision the inclusion of casual matches, ranked matches, and tournaments. I also imagine implementing a ranked system akin to that in Virtua Fighter games, which I believe would be a fantastic addition.The prospect of playing a Shenmue fighting game with fans from all around the world sounds incredibly enjoyable. I truly hope that we'll have the opportunity to see this game come to fruition someday.
If I come up with more ideas for modes in the Shenmue Fighting Game, I'll update this post accordingly.
~ Characters ~
Shenmue boasts a wealth of wonderful and distinct characters. When I envision a Shenmue fighting game, I picture a sizable roster, including characters who we haven't seen engage in combat in the main series, such as Nozomi, Wong, Ine-san, Shenhua, Fangmei, and many others. I believe that YSNET could craft engaging and even humorous fighting styles for these characters within the Shenmue universe.
For example Fangmei can have combos using her broom.
To kick things off, I believe a strong roster might include...
. Ryo
. Shenhua
. Iwao
. Fuku-San
. Nozomi
. Lan Di
. Chai
. Guizhang
. Goro
. Terry
. Tom
. Jianmin Tao
. Xiuying
. Ren
. Joy
. Chunyan
. Dou Niu
~ Stages ~
Shenmue features numerous fantastic locations. When I consider the stages for the game, I envision a wide range of places from all the Shenmue games. This includes iconic locations like the Hazuki Residence, Yamanose,Sakuragaoka, Dobuita, and even some stages set inside various shops. Additionally, stages like The Harbour, Man Mo Temple, one near Shenhua's house with the Shenmue tree, and another near the Niaowu hotel would be great additions. The possibilities for creating wonderful stages are abundant.
~ DLCs ~
DLCs have become quite common in today's gaming landscape, and many fighting games offer additional content through DLC. In my view, it would be a welcome addition to have more content available for the Shenmue Fighting game.
The DLCs I envision for the game include:
New Characters
New Stages
New Outfits
Potentially, new storylines that could expand upon the Shenmue Universe, such as the boat chapter, Joy's relationship with Guizhang, Lan Di's past, and many more aspects of the Shenmue lore.
~ Final Thoughts ~
In my opinion, the concept of a Shenmue fighting game is not only wonderful but also quite promising. Could someone kindly convey this idea to Yu Suzuki and YS NET? it would be amazing.
Such a game could potentially introduce Shenmue to a new and broader audience, similar to how the Shenmue I and II HD remasters and the anime have done.
It's disheartening to see that the Shenmue franchise often doesn't receive the level of love and support it truly deserves in terms of game releases and merchandise. Many of us have various creative ideas for Shenmue projects, and it's unfortunate that some of these ideas may never officially see the light of day, much like the concept of a Shenmue fighting game.
We've seen the success and positive reception of the Shenmue anime, which was a fantastic addition to the series. Considering this, the idea of an official Shenmue Fighting Game is not out of reach. I sincerely hope that YS NET and SEGA can turn this promising idea into a reality. I believe that having a Shenmue fighting game series would be a fantastic addition to the franchise.
I hope someday we can at least get a fanmade Shenmue Fighting game, it would be amazing.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the concept of a Shenmue fighting game series. How do you envision these games? Which characters would you like to see included, and what about the stages and game modes? Please share your opinions in the comments below. Thank you all for reading, and remember to cherish and keep those you love close to you. I look forward to seeing you in my next blog post.
Happy Halloween, bye bye ~ Hikari ~ (Hiki)
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