This area is all about Shenmue. Shenmue is a video game for the Sega Dreamcast. But it is much more than a video game. It is a totally immersive experience. As Ryo Hazuki, you venture in the city of Yokosuka, in pursuit of your father's murderer, Lan Di, and the Phoenix Mirror. The Phoenix Mirror is an ancient artifact, which when combined with the Dragon Mirror, is said to bring a great evil upon the earth. You need to ask many people for their help during your journey, and most of them will help you. But some will even ask for your help. If you help them, good things may happen later. The interesting aspects in Shenmue lie in five different areas: the music, the weather, QTE's, Free Battles, and alternate story lines. The music in Shenmue is absolutely wonderful. It is mostly orchestrated, but with a hint of Japanese music. This combination proved to be pure genius, as the music has been rated very good by many, even those who didn't like the game. The music changes as events occur. During sad moments, the music slows down, and during powerful moments, the music becomes inspiring and courageous. The weather is another interesting feature. One of the more advertised abilities, Shenmue's weather is constantly changing, and no two games' weather will be the same. The weather will also affect people's actions. For example, when it starts raining, people take out umbrellas and stand underneath buildings. QTE's, or Quick Timer Events, keep the game exciting. A QTE is when buttons are flashed on screen, and the player is expected to press these buttons immediately. A QTE can occur any time, and can include complex combinations sure to test the fastest reflexes. The last aspect in Shenmue is Free Battle. In Free Battle, Ryo can be expected to fight up to five enemies at once. It's a good thing that Ryo is trained in the martial arts. He has approximately 50 moves at his disposal, and learns more from moves scrolls and other characters. Free Battles are completely unpredictable, but with a little practice, anyone can win. In fact, the strength of a move increases when it is executed during Practice Mode. It is stressed in the game to practice every day. Shenmue also contains numerous story lines, which give it great replay value. Different events can occur based on the weather, and interactions with other characters. Alternate story lines can also be triggered by exploring areas on a different date and time. These five aspects, and many more, make Shenmue a great game to play for years to come.
