Shenmue 2 to be subtitled (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Kleist]

Hurray! No more stinky dubbing! For once, low DC sales are an advantage

Jeff Kleist

 

[Graeme Clark]

I'm sure the dialog will be just as bad though.
"My father?"
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[Morgan Jolley]

The first one wasn't that great, though it did have a lot to do (like learn all the techniques for fighting and meet every person and such). The dialogue will probably sound better in Japanese though. I might get this one, unless its announced for another platform.

 

[JasonK]

That is good news. I enjoyed the first one, though some of the running around got kinda tedious. I won't pick this up right away, since it seems like most DC games hit the clearance bins pretty quickly nowadays. Thanks for the news, Jeff.

 

[Calvin Watts III]

I actually liked Shenmue,and I plan on picking this up. Guys,remember though what Sega did the last time a system they had went under.
The last four games made by them for it were released here in limited quanities. So keep that in mind...
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"Never give up!!! .......... Never surrender!!!!!!!!!."

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Does anyone know what console the Shenmue series will be continued on? I will have all the next-gen consoles anyway, I'm just curious.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

That's a good question right now. The problem is the Shenmue engine is VERY Dreamcast specific, and will require extensive reprogramming for another system. Right now, I'd say X-Box is the prime canidate given it's the closest technologically to DC. I have also heard rumors that there will be some sort of DC emulator for X-Box and that the drive has been tweaked to read GD-ROMs.
However, AM2 is heavy on PS2 at the moment, so it could go there as well.
Either way, Shenmue is one of the best games I've ever played. No other game has made me SMELL a place like Shenmue did. I've been to Yokosuka in Japan, at that time of year and I could smell the air. Fantastic game

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I think that Shenmue would make an excellent MMORPG because of how beautiful it is and how extensive the gameplay can be, but with less than 20 hours of gameplay across multiple GDs and a somewhat badly designed time system, the game left me empty. If they had tweaked it so you had more control over time or didn't have to practice moves and such, I would have liked it more. I will get the sequel though, since I heard it will be longer, look better, and be technically improved.
I could see Shenmue on X-Box. Why? Because its not the type of thing I could see on the GCN and Sega has put a lot of its "hardcore" series' on the X-Box already. I would love to see what they are able to do on more powerful hardware. Maybe they could have entire crowds of people on-screen at once instead of just a few. That would be sweet.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Well Morgan, you're in luck because every one of your wishes is in Shenmue 2. You can now "fast forward" time, the game I believe is about 30 hours (so much time went into engine development the last time) w/o fast forwarding. I believe that your skill set from your previous save file will be retained, and the footage I've seen has as many as 20 people on-screen at once, which at these resolutions is pretty spiffy
It's not Sega putting it's hardcore stuff on X-Box, it has to do with the teams. It's obvious Hitmaker is assigned X-Box, AM2 PS2, and Sonic Team GameCube. I'm sure they'll cross over, but that's how it stands right now
Jeff Kleist

 

[Dan Brecher]

So, will there be sailors in the sequel?
This fast foward function sounds good. I enjoyed the original for its design and atmosphere. Be nice to pick up the sequel in the knowledge that I wont have to run round the block about 20 times until the bars open.
Dan (UK)

 

[Graeme Clark]

So, will there be sailors in the sequel?

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[Dan B]

Tonight Link Removed reports from their hands-on of Shenmue II in Japan that it "surpass(es) every other game on the two year newer PS2". I'm not sure if that was entirely serious, and if it refers merely to technical acheivements or gameplay or whatever...but there you go.
-Dan
believes in the Power of Sega

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Care to cut&Paste the article for those of us w/o a subscription? Thanks!
Jeff Kleist

 

[Dan B]

Jeff,
There are not detailed impressions of the game in the article, it's simply a "what's goin' on in Japan this week" report. It would be unethical to post more, anyways.
-Dan
an ethical kinda guy

 

[Dan B]

Jeff, for complete and free coverage of the game, (well...except for movies which are no longer free there either) check out Segaweb. They've got a 5-part story, and if it's anything like the last game, they'll end up with another 20 parts over the next few months.
SegaWeb Shenmue II coverage Part One
-Dan