6. Shenmue
Developer: AM2
Publisher: Sega
Format: Dreamcast
Year:
2000
As I
mentioned when talking about the slightly inferior sequel, Shenmue was a gobsmacking leap forward in videogaming
ambition. Its obsessive levels of detail
still impress today – for instance, it’s set in a specific part of Japan in
1986. So the game’s geography is closely
linked to that part of the world, albeit with a few modifications. Fine.
But then there’s the weather. The
game plays out with predetermined weather patterns that roughly match up with
the plot – but after you complete the game, you get the option to play it with
“real” weather. The actual weather data
for that part of Japan at that time in history.
For no reason, just ‘cos they
could programme it in. Ridiculous.
Of course, lunatic levels of detail are no
good if the game’s bobbins. So it’s just
as well that Shenmue is a gloriously
enjoyable adventure, with only one slightly irritating stealth bit letting it
down – and it’s a game from the late ‘90s/early ‘00s, so it’s bound by law to
have one slightly irritating stealth bit so that doesn’t matter. Flipping from placid adventure (walk around,
talk to people) to well-made fighting game (the game was originally intended to
be a spin-off from the Virtua Fighter
series, starring its various characters, so the VF engine is called in) with consummate style, it’s masterfully
made. While some might complain at the
work sections, or the QTEs, I rarely found it less than deep, thoughtful and
wonderful. Also, you can name and feed a
kitten, just because. Love.
MAGIC MOMENT: poking round Ryo’s house
at the beginning and slowly realising just how much work’s gone into this.
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