Shenmue I & II

Segas Cult Classic Returns To Xbox.

- Warren Brown

Long-time fans will surely be pinning their hopes on this re-release in anticipation of Yu Suzuki’s upcoming third instalment. Sega surprised all by announcing that the two previous titles will get the HD treatment.

But has fan patience paid off and will rose-tinted memories meet heightened expectations? Well, that depends on one thing: were you there taking those first tentative steps in the emerging open-world genre alongside protagonist Ryo almost 20 years ago? If the answer’s yes then it’ll be hard to resist as this budget-priced release contains both games upscaled to suit modern tellys, but first let’s start with what this re-release isn’t.

A remaster this certainly is not, and not by a long shot, as Sega hasn’t implemented any changes to either the core story or the ageing mechanics. Anyone expecting quality along the lines of Halo Anniversary will be disappointed, but if it’s the ability to relive the original experience in HD rather than digging out a dusty Dreamcast, then this is a solid piece of fan service.

The story starts at the protagonists’ family residence, where Ryo stumbles upon a trio of intruders that have incapacitated his family and confronted his father within his Karate Dojo. Events quickly escalate and Ryo witnesses his father’s murder at the hand of Lan Di, a member of a Chinese black market cartel. Ryo attempts to uncover the motives of those responsible, with everything apparently connected to two artefacts with a mystical significance: the twin Dragon and Phoenix mirrors.