Shenmue, a genre-busting work from Sega, is transcendent for both its beauty and its innovative gameplay. In a convergence of role-playing, fighting, and adventure elements, you play as Ryo, a young man who's come home to witness his father being fatally beaten by thugs.
The harrowing event immediately sparks in Ryo a quest for both revenge and an investigation into the mysterious jade amulet the thugs stole. You'll have to play detective to gather clues, such as possible motivations and whereabouts, from non-playing characters. Not all of the people you question will be happy about you nosing around, so be prepared to fight and keep fighting. You'll need money for the quest, and there's plenty of mini game-style ways to get it--from forklift driving to casino gambling.
The game features vibrant 3-D graphics, which are nearly photo-realistic in their astounding attention to even subtle detail. For example, the sky background changes slowly to denote the passing daylight.
-Story-based 1-player game
-Incorporates elements of role-playing, fighting, and adventure-game genres
-Astoundingly realistic, free-roaming 3-D world
-Direct Ryo's quest for revenge and answers
-Many inventive minigames, including full arcade versions of Hang On and Space Harrier
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