Shenmue Preview

The detail in the game is amazing. When you see people in a store, they may look at you and smile or frown and look away. Younger people will have a younger appearance (smooth skin) and older people will look older (wrinkles, lighter colored hair). There are also over 1200 rooms to explore in the game, which means just about any door you see, you can open. The people also can interact based on what you do, or if they donât like you. If so the people will talk or yell to you. There are no bars to read, all 500+ characters can talk normally in real time.

One of the rooms you can explore has arcade games, that you can play! To get money for the games or to be able to buy something, you need to get a job or even go gambling.

The game has multiple genres, to satisfy any gaming interests. It includes regular fights which are free roaming, and a "Dragon Lair" style fighting or action scene. During the "Dragon Lair" style, you have to press the button that appears on the screen, in time. If your to late one thing will happen, and different outcomes will occur if youâre right on or early, with the movement.

The "Dragon Lair" style also comes in to play when you may need inf. from someone, and they start running away from you. In this case itâs the same, but your chasing someone.

You can explore anyplace that you want to. If you see a phone, pick it up and call someone. When you want a soda, just put some money in the soda machine, and out comes a nice cold refreshing coke.

Shenmue is a very impressive looking game. Look for Shenmue to release in Japan by November, and in the US before Christmas.