You're Tearing Me Apart, Shenmue!

Shenmue, at the time of it's release on Dreamcast in 1999, was an amazing game. It's been a while since I've played it but I bet it's still pretty good. The graphics were sleek, the story was deep, and the action was intense. Sure it had its what the fuck moments, but it also had its moments of absolute win, like the 70 man battle, which at the time was one of the most amazing things I've ever witnesses and been part of in a video game. 

Shenmue was supposed to be a multi-chapter story. Unfortunately it's life did not last beyond Shenmue II. So, one of the best and most influential series of it's time was left incomplete. No one knows exactly why Shenmue III never went into production, somewhere between poor sales forecasts, budget issues, and clashes between developer AM2 and Sega, it looked like the Shenmue series was dead. Until last night, when the latest installment of Shenmue has been announced.

Calm down, it's not Shenmue III. It's not even close. It's social game for Japanese exclusive service Yahoo! Mobage called Shenmue City. So, you follow up one of the deepest and most involving games of it's day with Shenmue Farmville? You gotta be kidding me. The fan outrage, the petitions, the letters to Sega, the crying into my pillow at night, all for naught.

It ain't all bad though. It's been 10 years since we've last seen a Shenmue game. It's good to know Sega hasn't forgotten about it. For all we know, this could be a test of the waters. If Shenmueville does well with Japanese PC social gamers, maybe it will outgrow Yahoo! Mobage. Maybe if sales are good and interest in high, development will begin on Shenmue III for this generation of consoles. Anything can happen, I mean Duke Nukem Forever is being released after 14 years in limbo, maybe we'll finally get closure on the Shenmue series after all!

Or maybe I'm tripping balls. I don't expect another Shenmue to be released. I had forgotten about it for a good long time and maybe I should continue to do so. As much as I'd love to get Shenmue III, it probably won't ever happen. So to the Japanese gamers out there, enjoy Shenmueville.