With the recent release of the Shenmue 1+2 HD Collection, a huge swath of gamers have the chance to experience the classic series for the first time. As impactful as Shenmue was, it’s certainly a game of its time, meaning newcomers to the series will likely be lost to its odd and sometimes dated systems. A lot of things go unsaid in Shenmue, making it difficult to jump into. I wrote this piece to help people who want to get into the series, but are finding it difficult to get started. Here are the most important tips and tricks to get the most out of Ryo’s first adventure.
Pay Attention to the Time
One of the ways in which Shenmue was ahead of its time is in its time system. Time goes by throughout all of Shenmue, with each hour of the day is around a minute in real time. Every character has their own schedule that they regularly follow, with certain businesses opening and closing at different times of the day. You should keep a close eye on the time throughout the game, as your progress depends on how you spend the day. You can’t wait around to speed up time, so if you have an activity later in the day, you’ll have to kill time. You can hang out and play games at the arcade, complete side-quests, collect toys, and more.
Use Your Journal Religiously
Shenmue doesn’t have traditional maps or waypoints, meaning you’ll have to find your way around its world on your own. This can make remembering objectives and finding places difficult, though I find this to be part of the game’s appeal. Ryo’s ridiculously-maintained journal is always but a click away, and it lists all pertinent info for the main story. Phone numbers, directions, meeting times, and more are all kept in the journal, so give it a peek whenever you feel confused.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Combat in Shenmue is quite similar to Virtua Fighter, with some QTE battles tossed in. Ryo’s no master though, as even he needs to practice different techniques. Ryo can practice at almost any time by going to a parking lot, a children’s park, or your own dojo. From there, you need to glance at your moveset and see what skills have yet to be mastered. Performing moves over and over is the only way to strengthen them, so you’ll have to repeat the same attacks over and over to improve them in combat. It’s a bit archaic, but at least it feels like an actual training session. You’ll be doing a decent amount of fighting throughout Shenmue, so make sure to practice when you can- it will make a world of difference.
Fast Travel as Little as Possible
This Shenmue collection gives you the ability to fast-travel from Ryo’s front door. While this is certainly a great feature to add, I’d highly recommend avoiding it if you aren’t in a rush. Walking around different locations at different times will trigger events, side-quests, and more, meaning you could miss out on something by fast-travelling. In a game where smaller stories and character interactions are part of the appeal, fast-travelling is more counter-intuitive than anything.
Save Some Cash
As tempting as it is to spend a ridiculous amount of money on Sonic toys in gachapon machines, make sure you save a decent chunk of yen for a rainy day. There are times where you’ll need to take the bus, call people, or buy items for side-quest. You don’t necessarily need to be stingy, but I’d say to keep between 2,000 and 3,000 yen on you at any given time.
Don’t Procrastinate With Side-Quests
Near the beginning of Shenmue, a confused old woman asks you to help her find a specific person’s house. Ryo agrees and tells her to wait for him in the nearby park. If you don’t look for the house and find it pretty soon after this conversation, the lady bails and the sidequest is lost. Some of Shenmue’s most fun and charming moments come from its side-quests, so the time sensitive nature of them means you should make them a priority once you get them.
Lost? Talk to Someone!
Ryo has a bit of a one-track mind, meaning he’ll ask everybody the same question when he has something on his mind. If you can’t figure out where to go or who to find, talk to anybody and everybody. Talking to people will often give you new ideas or leads, meaning the solution to your problems is often only a small chat away.
Miscellaneous
-Examine the cupboard beneath the TV in Ryo’s house to find a hidden Sega Saturn, which you can eventually play Space Harrier on.
-Buy cassettes from the Tomato Convenience Store to have a chance at winning prizes, from rare capsule toys to a boombox.
-You can find a flashlight in the cupboard beneath the phone in Ryo’s house. Grab it.
-Megumi’s cat likes dried fish and milk. Don’t give it the tofu at the beginning, and don’t try to name it Sasuke.
-Go to the Fortune Teller and ask her about “Gamble”. The number she gives you is your lucky slot machine for the day. Using that machine in the casino will heighten your chances of getting more tokens and the elusive “777” that grants you special items.
-You can buy new fighting moves from the antique store.
And that’s about it! Hopefully this small guide helped you out, but feel free to leave any questions in the comments. If you want to know our thoughts on the game, look out for our review of the Shenmue 1+2 Collection next week.
