- Joined
- Aug 4, 2018
Well, I didn't know anything about Shenmue prior to it's release. Let's first go back a little farther though and put the Dreamcast in the frame...
In the UK growing up, everyone either had a SNES or a Megadrive. Then, PlayStation was absolute king, I knew a few people with an N64, but it felt like EVERYONE had a PS. Then I remember, playing in the street one day as a kid, I was around 9 or 10. Some other kids were talking about a new Sega console. It was going to be called "the Sega Dolphin" they said, and apparently "the graphics were going to be so good on it that it would hurt your eyes!" That was the word on the streets. Naturally I was very excited.
I don't really recall the Dreamcasts actual launch, but Europe got some really really weird adverts for it, that were just bizarrely out of context (look them up on YouTube) So I don't think it had a great promo in the UK, and I didn't know anyone that owned one.. Besides my cousin who got one at launch.
It was 1999 in the summer and I went to stay at his house, and he showed me his new system. I was mesmerised, the VMU was incredible, he had online Internet connection. And we were only 11 and 10 at the time but I think we may have been the first Internet griefers. He had this social online disk, it wasn't dream key, I forget now, it was like a planet, and you could talk to people. We sent awful, awful, messages to someone called Darren over the keyboard. Sorry Darren. Anyway, I digress.
All the games my cousin had were cool, but a game called Shenmue really caught my eye. Instead of one plastic jewel case, the game comprised of 2 in a nice cardboard sleeve, the cover and rear of which were really interesting. I had literally just been introduced to martial arts movies. And here was this video game. Perfect. We booted it up, and we're instantly reeled in to the opening cinematic...
The graphics were fantastic. I remember not long before this experience, I and my best friend played metal gear solid for the first time, and I looked at him and said "graphics can't possibly get any better than this!". I was very wrong. Shenmue was visually incredible, and I specifically recall staring in wonder at the cutlery in the kitchen drawer of the Hazuki residence. (Take a look, they're so shiny!) The soundtrack was incredible and I remember the sense of immersion but also freedom the game gave us. Everything I had played prior to this felt very linear, A to B, kill, next level. Here though, I was more than happy to slowly work my way through the sleepy town, speaking to every NPC, following their daily routines, marvelling at what could be picked up. I loved so much that you could actually practice and improve your move techniques, I loved that Tom's hair looked like those little pipe cleaners. We would giggle at Ryo's lines, and Fuku-sans name like beavis and butthead. But we also fell into the serious tones when the game called for them. The game is my favourite of all time, it changed the way I looked at games and felt, forever. I am now a forklift driver (all those hours of simulation payed off!)
I always feel a little sad, despite there being a great community on here, no one else as a kid I knew experienced the game at the time. I eagerly await the new releases!
Sorry for veering off topic at times, my head is a little jumbled right now. Thanks everyone.
In the UK growing up, everyone either had a SNES or a Megadrive. Then, PlayStation was absolute king, I knew a few people with an N64, but it felt like EVERYONE had a PS. Then I remember, playing in the street one day as a kid, I was around 9 or 10. Some other kids were talking about a new Sega console. It was going to be called "the Sega Dolphin" they said, and apparently "the graphics were going to be so good on it that it would hurt your eyes!" That was the word on the streets. Naturally I was very excited.
I don't really recall the Dreamcasts actual launch, but Europe got some really really weird adverts for it, that were just bizarrely out of context (look them up on YouTube) So I don't think it had a great promo in the UK, and I didn't know anyone that owned one.. Besides my cousin who got one at launch.
It was 1999 in the summer and I went to stay at his house, and he showed me his new system. I was mesmerised, the VMU was incredible, he had online Internet connection. And we were only 11 and 10 at the time but I think we may have been the first Internet griefers. He had this social online disk, it wasn't dream key, I forget now, it was like a planet, and you could talk to people. We sent awful, awful, messages to someone called Darren over the keyboard. Sorry Darren. Anyway, I digress.
All the games my cousin had were cool, but a game called Shenmue really caught my eye. Instead of one plastic jewel case, the game comprised of 2 in a nice cardboard sleeve, the cover and rear of which were really interesting. I had literally just been introduced to martial arts movies. And here was this video game. Perfect. We booted it up, and we're instantly reeled in to the opening cinematic...
The graphics were fantastic. I remember not long before this experience, I and my best friend played metal gear solid for the first time, and I looked at him and said "graphics can't possibly get any better than this!". I was very wrong. Shenmue was visually incredible, and I specifically recall staring in wonder at the cutlery in the kitchen drawer of the Hazuki residence. (Take a look, they're so shiny!) The soundtrack was incredible and I remember the sense of immersion but also freedom the game gave us. Everything I had played prior to this felt very linear, A to B, kill, next level. Here though, I was more than happy to slowly work my way through the sleepy town, speaking to every NPC, following their daily routines, marvelling at what could be picked up. I loved so much that you could actually practice and improve your move techniques, I loved that Tom's hair looked like those little pipe cleaners. We would giggle at Ryo's lines, and Fuku-sans name like beavis and butthead. But we also fell into the serious tones when the game called for them. The game is my favourite of all time, it changed the way I looked at games and felt, forever. I am now a forklift driver (all those hours of simulation payed off!)
I always feel a little sad, despite there being a great community on here, no one else as a kid I knew experienced the game at the time. I eagerly await the new releases!
Sorry for veering off topic at times, my head is a little jumbled right now. Thanks everyone.