Was Shenmue The Sega Dreamcast's Crown Jewel?

[@byronhines8315]

To me shenmue for the Dreamcast was the same as BOTW was to the switch. Shenmue was so ahead of it's time and so immersive you had to show up to work on time learn martial arts get to bed by a certain hour. It really was amazing

[@johnnyflannigan136]

Sounds tedious and horrible... I have a feeling its not even in the same league as breath of the wild

[@bombjack2413]

@@johnnyflannigan136it was great in its day, but has not aged well.

[@byronhines8315]

@@johnnyflannigan136 back in the day that kind of gameplay was revolutionary, but you are right compared to today's standards its okay

[@pr6046]

​@@johnnyflannigan136gamers today prefer rinse-and-repeat holding my hand type games. It's sad

[@johnrowland8354]

I here it is great.

[@Parisiancollector]

I will never be able to comprehend people who don't love Shenmue, even if they discovered it 20 years later. Shenmue is the GOAT, it's a classic.

[@jinx20001]

shenmue is my favourite game ever, im 36 today and played it on release when i was 13 and nothing has ever hit me like that since and i play games daily on all kinds of systems. However i can absolutely comprehend why somebody wouldn't love it 20 years later because they would be playing it in a world full of extremely ambitious open worlds that have pushed the envelope way beyond what shenmue did, totally understandable why it wouldn't appeal to today's audience. You had to be there day 1 and in the lead up to its release when reading about it in magazines and such as im sure you was to.

[@dougr8646]

Hey im looking for some sailord

[@Timii240830]

Absolutely 💯!!

[@domls1317]

Got my first dreamcast and Shenmue in 2020 and love it

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

@@jinx20001 I wouldn't say that, however the game does require patience to complete but you can say the same exact thing about a game like Breath Of The Wild which is a bit too immersive for a lot of gamers.

[@xjaysonzx]

One of my Top 5 favorite games of all time. If you played this when it came out you were playing something wayyyy ahead of its time. I still go back to it on occasion to just walk around and "live" in the game world for fun. Makes you feel like you're exploring Japan as a virtual tourist.

[@ry8n1]

same, this game wont be as special to anyone unless they played it back then it was amazing. It will always be my favourite game of all time purely based on the nostalgia and that feeling of living in old school japan back then in a game was great.

[@jinx20001]

yep... its my number 1 game to be honest, nothing hit me like shenmue did, i was 13 at the time.

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

@@ry8n1 New gamers can appreciate it too if they have a brain and don't rely on the game to hold their hand.

[@staceymoore8542]

Has go down for me as one of best games i played when it came out as kid

[@Psmgamer]

I remember buying Shenmue at ToysRus for $20 and just being amazed at the open world and being able to eat, sleep, work, fight, plus drive a forklift. Truly ahead of its time for the Dreamcast.

[@BenRiley83]

I played Shenmue 1 on the Sega Dreamcast at release back in 1999 and to this day, it’s one of the greatest gaming experiences of my life! There are no words to describe how it felt to play it back then. Kids these days will never understand. It was equivalent to people watching black and white movies for decades and finally watching a movie that had colors! It was unforgettable!

[@jinx20001]

im 36 now and to this day shenmue is my favourite gaming experience ever... the hype leading up to its release was intense, reading about it in DC-UK magazine in the lead up as a kid things just stood out to me id never seen in gaming before, you were able to knock on every door to investigate, being able to shop and live a life day to day, it was just incredible and it absolutely lived up to the hype for me, i was 13 years old on its release and the game took me on a ride i never forgot, the world felt lived in, i loved how it was necessary to earn money in order to live an ordinary life in the world but besides that you was always digging into the underbelly of the world looking for well... sailors, there was always a sense that they are around living in the world doing something shady somewhere and you was on a mission to find them. nothing hit me like shenmue it really didn't. Absolutely SUCKS that shenmue 3 went the way it did, it could never hit the same way in a world full of ambitious open worlds it just couldn't match today.

[@grant3044]

I lived in Yokosuka for 3 years: after running around Yokosuka for about a year, and after the culture shock wore off, I realized I was living in Shenmue haha. Shenmue was so mystifying when it came out. It was the most simulationist role playing game at the time.

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

You're lucky. I would be hunting for Nozomi's cute little butt if I went to Yokosuka! 😍😍😁😁

[@Dec4AllTimeAlways]

Yu Suzuki revolutionized arcades in the 80s and 90s and then 3D fighters and open-world environments in the 90s. Daytona USA is still one of my favorite arcade racers. What a legend! I love Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. But I can't interact with the world the way I can with Shenmue. With Shenmue, I can enter stores and talk with anyone in it. I can buy food, toy capsules, cassettes, etc. I can go to the arcade and shoot darts 🎯. I never got that same immersion from AC or GTA. Even how much I love the underrated Twilight Princess, I still never got that same immersion that I got with Shenmue. I can take out a Saturn from a drawer in 1986 and I can play Space Harrier and Hang-On using it! The music was incredible for both games. Real orchestras were being used. My favorite is still Shenhua's theme. That was such a magical franchise.

[@Gabe_M]

Dude, this is just creepy. Literally restarted playing Shenmue yesterday! Playing this game back on the Dreamcast in its time was amazing. The life sim part was so fresh at that time. If you didnt play it then, you will never be able to appreciate it fully.

[@philipnapier3382]

I still love shenmue. I was addicted to that game when it came out on the dreamcast back in the day.

[@Mew_Stor]

I have regrets that I haven’t got a dreamcast back in the days to play Shenmue I have eventually play it on the ps4 I love it so much I got all three 100%

[@capcomfan82]

I remember seeing the early screenshots of shenmue in magazines and i was super hyped. The graphics looked incredible at the time.

[@DarkCynder]

Love the virtua fighter combat and the gameplay loop

[@dewinter1411]

Shawn, these Retro videos are dope, man. Keep ‘em coming.

[@RetrofIex]

It was a really fun, immersive and beautifully made game for the early 2000s. Very unique at the time

[@cesarpasheko3217]

Poco antes de la salida de shenmue al mercado yo habia perdido a mi hermano gemelo tenia 15 años y me sentia muy deprimido lo comenze a jugar y me di cuenta que rio despues de perder a su padre se levantaba decidido siempre valiente no le importaba nada solo su convivcion era tenaz inteligente y en el camino siempre se detubo a ayudar a otros y nunca se rindio. Apesar de todas las dificultades que tubo que pasar Aprendi mucho de eso y me ayudo a salir de mi depresion gracias yu susuki

[@matthewwonks2534]

Top 10 game of all time for me--it changed the way I looked at my own world.

[@ElRUMBODELATIERRA]

It change something within us

[@acekingsuitedak2777]

My fiancee told me about Shenmue 1 and 2 when we first started dating. We got the digitals cheap on PS4 and I loved them as we played through them together. I can look back as a lifelong gamer and appreciate so many games that learned from this that came afterwards.

[@ulrich5000]

I played this game recently.. and it holds up VERY well. Yes, the voice acting is dated.. but it's so expansive with what you can do. I love how every NPC has their own schedule. It's something that today's open world games don't do half of what Shenmue was able to do

[@jeremyscout3464]

I found Shenmue at a pawn shop back in 02. I had seen it being played before but 02 was my first experience with it hands-on. I was absolutely immersed in it. It was a game that made you feel like you were inside it's world. I've been considering picking it up on PS4. I did play the sequel on Xbox but I didn't get very far into it. There's such a minute attention to detail like how the weather in game reflects actual weather from the time that it is set in. Maybe it doesn't hold up all these years later but I still have fond memories of it.

[@Plow1000]

I discovered shenmue 1 and 2 on the re-releases on the ps4 and fell in love with the characters, the world, and how unlike any other game it really is. I bought the 3rd one but havnt felt the need to play it knowing what I know about it. It's a shame we will never get a proper continuation. Love the stash videos. Keep up the excellent content

[@victorgagnon5929]

Hmm...I loved the first two and played the third until a little bit past the village...I fell off there and have been wondering if I should pick it up again -- I don't really know what is to come later in the game, but it sounds like if I do decide to continue and finish it, I'll be sorely disappointed. Why produce and release S3 if it doesn't provide closure to the story? /:

[@shaggymcdaniel3216]

It’s arguably the greatest game ever made.

[@Jebbreh]

There is still very few today that even come close to that. The world, pretty much everything interactive. Every character has their own life, own schedules. So much to do. People really need to give this more attention and love.

[@schtive81]

The one thing that people seem to miss about Shenmue 1 and 2 is that the games were suppose to be all connected through the games calendar system. Like, starting Shenmue II on the Dreamcast with Shenmue I save file data will start the game a week after your Shenmue 1 completion date. The game defaults on February 1987 or something, but you could arrive in China months before, or later depending on your Shenmue I save file completion date, and it would change some smaller elements to the environment.

[@MagnusVideoGames]

YES! Shenmue!!!!!

[@da_jeezuss8922]

Shenmue is great because the fun part of the game is what progress the story. Its just a nice place to walk around, interact with things and talk to NPCs, so they made the story progress by doing those things. The fighting parts, QTEs and forklift races are fun extras that are few and far between so they always feel special.

[@InertMonster]

Still the only game where your character actually walks up stairs doesn’t float up them

[@ADukesJustice]

I wish RGG would make the next Shenmue. Or a Shenmue remake

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

Him, and many, many other Shenmue fans basically did make Shenmue 3 by donating money to the kickstarter. I don't like the whole crowdfunding to make a video game though. These video game developers and these rich guys in the video game industry should be the ones coming together to fund games like Shenmue not the fans.

[@tsg9256]

Shenmue was and still is an awesome game. You did mention the weather cycle, but from what I can remember is that the weather cycle is actually accurate to weather on those days in those actual parts of Japan at the time.

[@rpav85]

Also one of the Dreamcast games that I still own even though I haven’t had a Dreamcast in 20 years.

[@Josh-yj8tz]

I LOVE Shenmue. I first played Shenmue 2 on the original Xbox and loved it so much I bought a Dreamcast on ebay to play the first one

[@DatBoySax]

Would love to see the Shenmue Trilogy on the Switch

[@thelastgamurai]

My old friend foolishly sold me his Dreamcast along with Shenmue when I had never of either of those and man it was like dreaming all the time

[@spillrune]

Shenmue was so groundbreaking, had so many levels of gameplay styles (and no guns), extremely personal and emotional story.. to this date I have never played a game where I connect more to the characters and locations, Shenmue 1+2 is the definition of a videogame masterpiece.

[@SuperDuperGamimg]

I still haven't finished Shenmue, I picked it up with the Dreamcast back in the day and loved it, so I picked up 1 and 2 for the Xbox, think it's time I finish it.

[@TheZelda360]

I remember the first time playing it was on PS4 I fell in love with that, got Shenmue 1,2 and 3 on the PS4

[@edwardhasty1748]

I loved the game spent alot of time on it playing it over and over wish we could get closer on the story

[@chrisgideonrosario]

I rarely agree with RGT85 but he is spot on for this one. I agree 💯 P.S. The only crime was not talking about that sound track which was live 🔥

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

Greatest video game soundtrack of all time.

[@original2k]

Nice video RGT, Dreamcast is my favorite system of all time, there was just so much creativity at work during it's short lifespan. Shenmue was very much ahead of it's time and has definitely made an impact on the open world and rpg games that we know today. Keep it up!

[@DarioDAversa]

I never played this game, but I remember my friends had a Dreamcast back in the day, and they were crazy for this game. It was THE game to play. Never heard anyone dislike it.

[@jonmcfarland1209]

I played Shenmue 1 and 2 on my portable GPD Win 2. I like that game so much. I went and bought the game on the original Dream Cast. I still don't own a Dream Cast but I got that game still. It's one of the greatest of all time.

[@briandrumgold642]

Shenmue is one my favorite games of ALL TIME

[@NostalgiaFix81]

It was such a breath of fresh air. It took us to another part of the world and even though it made us drive a fork lift too much 😂 it had fun martial arts and great atmosphere.

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

Right. I HATED that part mostly because of the fact that the fork lift racing part got very repetitive, working at the docks and operating the forklift was actually pretty fun though!

[@r_apt_ure]

I think it was Omikron, also liked Dragon Riders: Chronicles of Pern for me, but Shenmue was definitely one of my favorites. I immediately bought the one and two pack on PS. I never thought driving a forklift in a game could be so addictive.

[@joshxx1]

That is still today the only "long" i have played and finished in one sitting in it's entirety , I was so captivated with the story mini games and mechanics , for me yes is the first open world game i played and it was a magic moment , oh and this was in a friends house 😅 , i never had a Dreamcast until much latter on .

[@Vulpas]

I like Shenmue, I think it was pretty groundbreaking. Majora's Mask was the only vaguely similar highly detailed world around then, but to a lesser degree.

[@justinputnam45]

I love Shenmue 1 and 2 my best friend introduced this game to me and the memories of it we still talk about today the soundtrack in shenmue 2 I listen to just to relax its incredible I hope they keep the series going!

[@c-power8393]

I used to play this game damn near everyday back in the day.

[@FinleysWorld]

Loved the game. Was ahead of it’s time.

[@patriciamorgan2521]

Skies of Arcadia will forever be the Dreamcast Crown Jewel for me. Top 5 game of all time imo.

[@bsimpson2288]

Beat Shenmue on the DC when it first came out. Then I started a new file that I’ve been playing on every once in a while over all these years. One day I’ll finally finish it again, hopefully before my DC gives out.

[@CarlyCatharsis]

Ine-San Was Iwao-San's Housekeeper & Caregiver, Whereas Fuku-San Was Iwao-San's Dojo Student.

[@CRedd9830]

Shenmue I & II changed my life when i first played them in 2015. The only Dreamcast games I love more are Sakura Wars 3 & Skies of Arcadia.

[@DukeJon1969]

It really was a unique experience when it came out. Amazing graphics, a living world where you could do so many things. I spent hours in the arcade. It was a game that really pushed boundaries.

[@fightrudyfight5799]

The first ever fork lift simulator game. I played this so much on my Dreamcast with JGR and Space Channel 5 and MvsC2. Shenmue is still amazing and was ahead of it’s time.

[@SpaghettiBeard_]

I absolutely loved the Shenmue games on my Dreamcast. I still have both copies. Luckily Europe did get Shenmue 2 released for the Dreamcast.

[@FresherDenamug]

shenmue is very special to me. i first learned as a video included on some sort of dreamcast magazine demo disc for pc. it was before dc launched, it was a disk with videos of games comming out, i bought it because i saw it contained crazy taxi my fav at the time. then i saw shenmue and became fascinated, what the hell was this game, it looked epic? i soaked up every tidbit of info before release and oh boy the game did not dissapoint an absolute masterpiece from the sega golden age, picked it up day 1. when the game ended and ryo is on the boat to hong kong and the old crazy man is looking laughing along with the epic music letting you know more is to come, i was emotional, def shed a tear. it was an epic story, beautifully crafted like few games acheive. its in the pantehon of classic such as FF7 and crono trigger. a game that stands above the rest in storytelling and sucking you into the atmosphere. like a good author paints the world in your mind, a game like this almost puts you in the game, just captivates your attention and imagination. the only game that captured me through story and ambience were shenmue and FF7. both absolute masterclasses that create more than a game but a world to experience and to feel. shenmue truly raises the bar of what a game can be and imo has yet to be topped im terms of immersion. Yu Suzuki is a genius and visionary and deserves recognition as a revolutionary story teller who truley understands how to make a game.

[@Dec4AllTimeAlways]

Shenmue II is the far superior game than the first Shenmue. Disc 3 in Kowloon was extraordinary. Ryo & Ren starting to feel like a buddy cop movie.

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

I just bought an OG Xbox and I'm waiting for Amazon to deliver my copy of Shenmue 3 this week haha. I can't wait, for some reason the PS4/PS5 version of Shenmue 2 just isn't as good as the OG Xbox so I had to buy it again!

[@Ramiryoooooooooo]

My favorite part was always just opening random drawers, picking up an orange and looking at it, and wondering why Ryo was so nonchalant about that cockroach in his kitchen cabinet 😭

[@eldj1306]

One of the best games ever made!! I have this game in every console, Ps5, Xbox and Steam. I’m playing on the steam deck at the moment. Hope to see the end of this amazing story. Let get Shenmue 4 !

[@scribe8630]

Dude give Shenmue 3 another chance, it’s a weird one that we all waited nearly 2 decades for the game (so it wouldn’t likely never fulfil everyone’s expectations due to that wait) and admittedly it didn’t push the story forward massively but it has the Shenmue feels, and you get to finally encounter Lan Di. Look at again perhaps with a diff perspective after the fact. And just chill in the environments. Remember this is the middle of the story too where sometimes there is a slight lull in most stories/series etc but if we all rally behind a Shenmue 4 it could be epic. Great video btw

[@tristangruener9571]

I love that sega went all out with shenmue, it’s such a perfect example of the Dreamcasts ambition

[@kentmaddox5714]

It is kinda weird that Shenmue I & II was never ported to the Switch. I would have bought it. Hell! It would have been triple dipping for me.

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

I hold back tears every time I think of Shenmue and the memories of playing that game. It is truly more than a video game, it is an emotional experience. Such a special f*cking game!

[@TheJayrivie94]

Such an underrated game! Loved it as well

[@UltraZelda64]

[spoiler alert] I can't *believe* that huge, freaking GIGANTIC plot twist only just over a minute into this video. I mean, who could have *ever* possibly guessed that you were talking about Shenmue?!? :O :O :O

[@TheLastLineLive]

I love Shenmue, wrinkles and all. It is not the best Dreamcast game but I would probably say it’s in my personal top 5 because of just how revolutionary it was and many open world games don’t even touch on the depth that Shenmue offers. I’m still not aware of a console open world game that offers quite as much detail in its interactions with the characters and environment. Open world games are just largely big maps with a bunch of quests and collectibles to find, but very shallow detail in the interaction.

[@DaBigCheeso]

When Shenmue came out on the Dreamcast I got sucked into that world hard. I was working almost full time then so didn't have a lot of time to get fully immersed in games like I wanted, but this game had me staying up late and staying in on weekends for about a month. It was SOOOOOO good...that being said, I've yet to touch 2 or 3.... They're on my list though.

[@aliens4582]

LOVE this game!!!

[@VirtuaBros]

I absolutely love shenmue. Even enjoyed 3. I'll never give up on shenmue 4.

[@slick_link7516]

I only played it for a few minutes way way back in the day. It’s on my list of games to play honestly though. I just wish it was on Switch since that’s my main way to play. I will try Shenmue 3 eventually on PS5 since I understand why that one is not on any other systems.

[@gerardomanzo3171]

Currently playing the ps4 version of shenmue and I’m loving it first time ever playing it reminds me of deadly premonition with night and day cycle

[@ryandonalog1431]

RVG stash the only Nintendo KZbinr I trust to cover other topics other than just Nintendo 👾

[@SkillJim]

Greatest video game and series of all time, and has a huge story that keeps growing and being built upon. You should do a video going deep into Shenmue 2 also, and discuss how insane the story branches out with so many different cruicial story beats that fans still don’t know the answers to that continue this overarcing narrative of 11 chapters with roughly only about half complete so far, so atleast 2 huge story heavy games will need to be produced in order to cover the bredth of story remaining to be told. Also Shenmue 3 isn’t a nightmare, play it again, it has flaws but it’s actually a great game and much much better than people make out.

[@gracey62uk]

I love shenmue 1 & 2. My wife and kids think it’s weird and don’t like it, but then they didn’t grow up playing this stuff so don’t appreciate it in the way I do. It’s got a certain charm to it, I love it!

[@Melodashg]

I always liked to think of Shenmue as a Japanese Noir Adventure Game. I wish they had kept the graphics the same for 3.

[@Trustyfilms]

Definitely with you on this one! I am proof that Shenmue holds up today. I only discovered it a month ago via emulation (playing on a handheld) and have since purchased every version I can get my hands on.

[@curtislinden9297]

I played this after I had already played GTA3, but I was still 12/13 years old -- and to this day this game holds a special place in my heart. Did you know the weather in the game is based on the historic weather pattern of that year/area? I loved having the forklift job as a 12 yr old kid, and back then QTE was just being born so I didnt mind it

[@Timii240830]

#LetsGetShenmue4❤🍻🥃 My favourite game ever….

[@TFx2TV]

Shenmue and Shenmue 2 are great! If you enjoyed the first I recommend trying Shenmue 2 with the English patched dub from the Xbox release of Shenmue 2. Its not that hard to do just look up Shenmue 2 English dub patch, its great! Can even play it on a real Dreamcast

[@olevet75]

Your favorite SegaDC YTber

[@sHART1780]

My favorite game of all time. No contest.

[@MakaveliThaDon]

Skies of Arcadia is the real jewel

[@Huddy40]

Skies of Arcadia was imo

[@SalM1]

Dude that intro is 🔥

[@sandman8920]

This is great I didn’t realise that you had another channel 👍

[@realnealvatn]

The rapping dude with the food truck was dope

[@podgiebear5903]

Loved them games. Just which it was finished of properly.

[@Mr.Hatchet224]

I remember playing this game at my buddy's house he was the only person I knew with a Dreamcast it's a shame it wasn't more popular in the USA

[@rokpogorelcnik9443]

For me Shenmue is the best game ever! I remember the feeling that Shenmue brought to me... Just incredible.... When Shenmue 3 (and Shenmue 1+2 HD) was announced, it brought me back to gaming...

[@DanielLion8]

This game did a lot for me when I was 16. I would cut class just to go home and play.

[@the_realJAMES]

The other day I heard someone say “the Dreamcast was the last gamer’s console.”

[@panizbehboudian1828]

The boldest thing I remember is the part-time job I got to move boxes around at the port in the game😂.

[@nikcumberbatch]

One of the best games ever made, loved the arcade, the story, everything!!, shenmue 2 wasn't the same with sub titles and Japanese voices, took away from the character of the game

[@MedalionDS9]

It becomes quite apparent that Sega had so many ideas that were ahead of their time, but the failure of Sega bowing out of the console race is how most people remember them.

[@wheskeraustere5642]

Upon rebuying as an adult I loved this game. The fighting mechanics took some getting used to though and wasn't super easy to master. Never wanted to train but finally did a certain areas hit tough. Could use more open world focusing on meaningful interactions.

[@LordVader.66]

I absolutely loved this on my DC. Pt 2 was hit or miss with me at times. Did enjoy it tho

[@JJHcars]

Yes

[@drewske1984]

I thought I heard that a lot of the Rockstar Games developers were strongly influenced by Shenmue and you can see it in their GTA series and Red Dead Redemption series. Even L.A. Noire I think had some inspiration from Shenmue.