If you are new to Shenmue, first of all... welcome! I have no doubt that this will not be a game for everyone, and if you don't click with it, that's alright. I'm just pleased you gave it a try. But I do hope some of you will fall in love with it as legions of devoted fans have for nearly two decades! The main purpose of this guide is to introduce newcomers to the historical context behind and nature of Shenmue, as well as to provide very general information on the series as a whole, the reasons for certain things, and a primer for people who have never laid eyes on the games prior to this.

There will also be a general gameplay tips section below to help new players get started and understand the game, althogh that is not the guide's focus.

I hope you will find this guide informative and even if Shenmue isn't a game you personally love, that you can appreciate its history and importance to game design after reading it. Thanks and, again, welcome!

This is not a gameplay guide. That said, here are some general tips and suggestions which may help you.

• You can play this game with mouse and keyboard, however I strongly recommend an XInput compatible gamepad/controller instead, if you're comfortable doing so.
  
• Save often, especially until certain outstanding technical issues are patched, to avoid losing progress.
  
• At least when it comes to moving Ryo, think in terms of the old Resident Evil games' "tank" controls, not modern third person action games.
  
• Try to think also in terms of point and click adventures. Not mechanically, but in terms of "spirit." By that I mean, you can hold the left trigger to zoom in on your surroundings, and look around carefully using the left stick. If there is anything of interest there, the camera will lock into position. You can then press the action button to interact (e.g. open a drawer, pick up an object, etc.) if possible. This sense of "looking at everything" is at the very heart of Shenmue.
  
• You can use this zoom and lock on feature while exploring the world, as well. If you are searching for a specific location, zooming and aiming at the small signs beside doors, or the banners on shops, will reveal the name of those locations.
  
• That is also how shops work. Interacting with the clerks alone is not how you buy items. Instead, you must zoom in, lock on to the shelves, and then move left, right, up, and down, to pan around the items. Then select the ones you wish to buy.
  
• To use an item in your inventory or to give it to someone, go into your inventory while facing them, select the item, then press the action button again. This is also how you solve many puzzles, so experiment.
  
• When speaking to NPCs, don't assume there's nothing more for them to say just because dialogue appears to end. After each exchange, if there's more to say, the green talk icon will continue to be highlighted. Keep pressing it to progress the dialogue. If you wait long enough, the game will take you back out of the NPC interaction, so keep pressing it when silence happens to be sure you've seen all of it.
  
• Similarly, many NPCs will appear to not have useful information, only to later end up being a potential key to progression. So talk to them repeatedly at different times, on different days, and at different points in the story. Never assume an NPC is unimportant based on earlier interactions.
  
• Many events, conversations, and scenes only happen if you do certain things, or at certain times, or even in certain weather conditions. So experiment and do different things at different times and at different points in the story. Just because an NPC said one thing at one point, doesn't mean they won't say something else or open up whole new gameplay opportunities for you on another date or in another place. This isn't like other games where once you've heard all an NPC's dialogue you can be sure that's all there is. Keep checking and experimenting. Experiment with the phone occasionally, too (both at home, and payphones.) Sometimes interesting things may happen.
  
• In the same vein, this is a very slow paced, patient, methodical game. It's all about talking to people, gathering clues, checking your journal entries, experimenting, looking at every detail, etc.
  
• There are maps in the game. If you see one, it too can be zoomed in on and locked on to. Then use the analog stick to pan slightly and get your bearings, complete with a "you are here" red dot.
• Look at and try to interact with everything. I mean it - everything. You never know what you'll find.
  
• Try walking into playgrounds, parks, and parking lots. You may initiate practice mode, which allows you to train. Training levels up your moves through repetition. Choose which moves to focus on, and try to pick those which match your fighting playstyle. This will not always trigger upon entering the areas, so keep trying periodically.
  
• When returning home at night to sleep (the earliest you can do so is 8 PM in game,) approach your bed (or just wait until it becomes so late at night that you are automatically returned to your room) and select training and what to emphasize. You can choose all moves, arm moves, leg moves, etc. Then select a move to focus on from the list which appears. Then the next day, seek out the areas where you can train (the parking lot, for instance.) As you repeat moves that you have chosen to train, you will "level up" your moves. This allows you to specialize somewhat. Your moves will eventually evolve ...
  
• Don't worry about this right away, take your time... but eventually, try to figure out which moves you find most useful for your playstyle. Develop your own combat style, in essence, by focusing on certain moves.
  
• Combat in the game only happens at certain points, and is arguably not even the main focus of the game. Don't worry about it too much, but do try to explore it enough to come to grips with it, as it will become necessary the further into the game you get. In particular learn how to dodge and block.
  
• You can learn new moves in a variety of ways. Just experimenting with inputs will unlock some. But you can also find or purchase scrolls which will allow you to learn new moves once you read them from within your inventory.
  
• After a certain point in the story, you can go into the dojo and spar with Fuku-san. This is a valuable means of gaining experience and practicing combat.
  
• In combat, directional inputs are not left and right per se, but rather towards away from your opponent and towards your opponent. Remembering this when camera angles change will allow you to pull off moves without pressing strictly left or right. Also, the button inputs must be pressed at the same time as the final directional input. E.g. > > A actually means "Towards opponent, towards opponent+A simultaneously.
  
• Immerse yourself in the world. Don't worry too much about progressing right away. Explore, talk to everyone, take your time. Experiment. Dial the phone numbers in your journal to see what happens. Follow NPCs around and watch their day-night schedules. Live the Shenmue life.
  
• Don't be afraid to waste a little bit of money on collectibles and other fun things. The game provides ways to recoup losses.
  
• If you get stuck, don't seek out a guide right away. Instead, read your journal, explore and talk to every NPC. Lots of different routes to progress exist. Seek them out. There is also a fotune teller. Try talking to her when you find her if you're ever stuck...
  
• A huge variety of classic guides that are still applicable today (other than the specific button prompts of course) are available online. Seek them out only if you get truly stuck. This is a game best enjoyed slowly, blindly, and methodically, without worrying about succeeding or failing.

Most of the above suggestions also supply, however note that:

• In Shenmue II, while the same button used to talk and interact works, there are also context sensitive buttons for different kinds of interaction. Using an Xbox 360/Xbox One controller: X = shop/interact/open door/etc. A = talk. Y = Ask for ways to make money. B = map mode.
  
• In map mode, you can place map markers using different colors (corresponding to the button colors on an Xbox controller.) To remove a marker, move to the location of the marker, press B to enter map mode, and then press all four colored face buttons simultaneously.
  
• There is not a practice or training mode in Shenmue II. There will be opportunities through fights and sparring to increase your move levels.
  
• You can ask NPCs for directions. Some will actually lead you to your destination.
  
• Sell items at pawn shops for make money in addition to jobs.
  
• In Shenmue II, you can skip time/wait for story events rather than waiting in real time.
  
• Some of your move commands are different.

Official manual: shenmue.sega.com/manual-pc

Here are some well maintained and comprehensive sources of information pertaining to the history of the Shenmue games, their development, and more.

Shenmue Dojo's excellent history page with tons of resources: http://shenmuedojo.net/new/history.html (Note - SPOILERS are to be found in the Shenmue: The Movie section, so enter with caution.)

TeamYu's exhaustive timeline of Shenmue's development, history, release, and - in particular - the decade plus efforts of fans around the world to resurrect the franchise, which finally achieved victory in 2015 (with Shenmue 3's announcement) and 2018 (with the originals' re-release announcement): https://teamyu.net/Shenmue.III?action=timeline

Some selected videos (credit to Shenmue Dojo for convenient links to these, and Shenmue Fans' Youtube channel for the videos themselves) pertaining to Shenmue's history:

G4 Icons: Yu Suzuki (a decent introduction to the games' director and producer's legacy prior to Shenmue and his importance to the industry back in the day):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZVtRSAvr2o

The Making of Shenmue (Japanese TV Special) (Turn on subtitles for English or other languages.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbrSmqnegIk


What's Shenmue?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv471El3al0

Shenmue Dreamcast Magazine trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu-uhpN1oTM

Original Shenmue trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US-lyfBSK9I

Shenmue 2 Promo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L9sdZ8r-Kg

I recommend this video as a great introduction to what made Shenmue special, and still does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCGxaBBrCmo

Check out these comments from the Shenmue community at large in response to precisely this question. http://shenmue500k.net/why-should-i-buy-shenmue-i-ii/

As well as this article on why Shenmue matters nearly 20 years after its original release: http://www.consolemonster.com/features/the-importance-of-shenmue-19-years-later/

For a general overview of the game's story premise, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh5ZxQWCocw

And this video focusing on its characters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsM_-HWDRa4

Finally, a short video concerning combat and mini games:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drSnBazHVnI

One of the most unique things about Shenmue - indeed, arguably the one thing that it still excels in even compared to modern games - is its NPC simulation. Virtually every NPC in Shenmue I & II is a character to some extent, rather than a generic filler. They have names, lives, and their own personal stories, some of which make up backstory for Ryo, and others of which play out and change slightly over the course of the games.

You can follow them, see where they live, where they go to work, watch as they sweep the streets in front of their places of work, shut their shops at the end of the day, what they do at night, etc. They will open umbrellas when it rains, wear heavier coats when it's cold, dress differently on holidays, carry bags after shopping, and more. Some will share their problems with Ryo. Nearly all will have unique dialogue for whatever stage Ryo is at during his saga, even if it's as rudimentary as, "I'm sorry. I don't know anything about that. Ask someone else." All are fully voiced.

Needless to say, spoilers are contained in the following links. But if you'd like to know more about Shenmue's rich cast of supporting characters, as well as Ryo, check out the following wikis!

Shenmue I Characters: http://shenmue.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Shenmue_I_Characters

Shenmue II Characters: http://shenmue.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Shenmue_II_Characters

(Gamespot and RPGFan's were the lowest I could find, so I included them in the interests of objectivity and offering a broad range of opinion):

http://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/04/shenmue

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shenmue-review/1900-2540599/

http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/10/29/shenmue-ii-review

https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/shenmue-ii-review/1900-2896254/

https://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/shenmue/Shenmue-2.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mJXGR-kGW4

More Reviews: http://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/198621-shenmue/articles.html and http://www.gamerankings.com/dreamcast/458064-shenmue-ii/articles.html


https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/02/shenmue-sega-classic-14-years-too-late

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEvHCUgu3ko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_wbpofXKkM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5bSkggI5Ps

I have to offer these negative contemporary critiques as well in the interest of fairnes and objectivity:

Jeff Gerstmann's (hilarious, but honest) impressions of Shenmue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27uRpf3U0Lo

Funhaus being bored to tears by Shenmue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QzyBfzdcXA

• Choice of Japanese or English speech in both games, with multi-lingual subtitles.
  
• Save anywhere in both games.
  
• HD resolution rendering (1080p, 16:9 gameplay, 4:3 cut scenes, up to 4K resolutions on PC.)
  
• Updated UI, with UI size scaling option.
  
• New post processing effects such as bloom for both games (can be turned on or off on console - on PC the options are Off, Low, and High.)
  
• Controller support with dual analog (move with left, look with right.) Or just use the D-pad as in the originals.
  
• Full Achievement support for both games on all platforms. Steam trading cards.
  
• No official licensed in-game brands. All have unfortunately been removed for licensing reasons. (Does not apply to the in-game arcade games, which are all fully intact, with the exception of some issues needing patched atm.)
  
• Load times massively improved (effectively a couple of seconds.)
  
• Area jump sequences can be turned on or off.
  
• Enhancements from the (old) Xbox port of Shenmue 2, such as enhanced animated water textures, lens flares, true stencil shadows, among other things, are present in the Shenmue 2 port.
  
• PC exclusive features: adjustable super-sampling up to 200%, higher resolution options (including 4K) Fullscreen, Windowed, or Borderless, downsampling, FXAA, forcible graphics settings via GPU control panels and third party software, unofficially supported modding, and adjustable post processing effects e.g. bloom (as opposed to just on or off, as on console.)

D3T have worked with the original source code to resurrect Shenmue I & II. As such, like the original games, the ports are limited to 30Hz. (This has nothing to do with your display refresh rate, and playing on higher Hz displays will not be an issue.)

For more information on D3T's work with the games, please see: https://www.pcgamer.com/how-sega-brought-shenmue-back-to-life-on-pc/

Why couldn't D3T and Sega produce a 60 fps, fully 16:9 and even ultrawide compatible (in cutscenes, not just gameplay as is currently the case,) port of the game if you've heard emulators can achieve this?

The answer to this question is complicated, but known. In the case of cutscenes being 4:3 (gameplay is 100% 16:9 compatible) there is some room for debate, as hex editing by modders (more on that later) has achieved widescreen for cutscenes within reason. The framerate is a much more cut and dried, hard and fast limit, however.

Emulators are not technically running the game at 60 fps, either. They're using frame duping/interpolation to create the illusion thereof. Every attempt by modders within the Shenmue fan community - some of whom are intimately familiar with the code - has met with technical hurdles, and the community has conceded for many years that the game is hard coded to run at 30 fps.

This is, in fact, the case. The game's engine and scripting have hard coded assumptions which require a 30Hz update in order to properly function. Addressing this is far more complex an issue than simply "tweening." Simply interpolating everything on screen introduces other issues, unless the renderer knows what to interpolate and what not to, which Shenmue's was never designed to do.

For instance: When a camera is panning, you would want interpolation, whereas when it merely changes positions, you wouldn't. The renderer can't magically delineate between the two unless it was designed to do so... which it wasn't, in these games built nearly 20 years ago. Texture UV and even some vertex coordinates are another thing you might want interpolation for in some cases, but not in others. So you can't just blanket interpolate everything. They would have had to redesign or at least substantially alter the renderer to make what people are asking for possible, such that it could "know" when and where to use interpolation. This is problematic for a number of reasons, not least because of common techniques used when these games were developed.

So could they have re-built the renderer and scripting to get around these issues? It's dubious, but with enough time and money, it's probably not insurmountable. But then you have to ask yourself this: If you're Sega, and you aren't doing anything to change the game other than adding new post processing effects, a new save option, and a few other minor alterations, and the game functions perfectly well as it is, is it worth spending a disproportionate amount of time and money just to get the game to 60 fps when it's a 20 year old game and you aren't changing anything else about it substantially? The answer, pragmatically, even if we may not like it, is "Probably not."

To reiterate: there will be absolutely no technical problem with using modern higher Hz displays with this game. 60Hz displays existed when these games were made, and the games will run as they did back then.

That said, as you will read in the "Why Not A Full Remake?" section below, this was never going to be addressed, as Sega appears to have not wished to take on much financial risk or time investment in these re-releases.

Remaking Shenmue from scratch would be a MONUMENTAL undertaking. Shenmue, until very recently, was regarded internally by Sega as a niche cult classic with limited market appeal, and thus a huge financial risk. More complex to remake (by many orders of magnitude) than Crash or Spyro, but less well known and beloved than something like FFVII, or even the recent Yakuza remasters which have been far more visible compared to Shenmue until recently.

It has recently come to light that Sega did actually originally intend to do more of a remake, at least graphically, for the re-releases. Unfortunately, for reasons of both time and money, this plan was scrapped in favor of the re-releases now we have now. Reports have also emerged of Sega not even providing the most rudimentary support to the development team, i.e. they did not give them Japanese speaking/reading contractors or other resources, despite much of the game's original code and engine notes consisting of Japanese. In many respects, Shenmue I had to be reverse engineered from Shenmue II. This was far from an ideal circumstance, and something Sega could have addressed with less time constraints and more willingness to risk funding on the project.

If these re-releases do well, and if Shenmue 3 does as well, it's far more likely Sega will see money both in more sequels (which is important, as Yu Suzuki's original vision for the saga is five games, and he recently said he still wants to do "one or two" more,) and potentially in more substantial remakes. However, even I must concede that Sega's stance toward these re-releases, at least thus far, has disappointing. I urge people to remain constructive about this, and not to attack the D3T devs for these shortcomings. They have worked miracles with what they were given.

This will always be completely subjective, obviously. I can only attempt to give you my personal opinion, in as comprehensive and hopefully informative a manner as possible. This part of this guide is, obviously, merely my own personal opinion. I should clarify that, for me, the game will always hold up. But I am trying to intentionally be as critical as possible for newcomer

Things that arguably don't hold up:

1) The voice acting is downright cringey by today's standards, especially in English. Almost to the original Resident Evil degree AT TIMES, but not quite that bad. It gets the job done and has a certain charm, but it can be hilariously bad at points. At other points however, it can be quite impressive. It varies considerably. If you want an example of how it can be cringe inducing... check out this amusing video from "Video Game Theater." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiQ5HbDzHvQ Perhaps even more irksome for newcomers, the audio quality in dialogue is based on the original games' release, rather than the uncompressed masters, and thus it is incredibly tinny and sometimes has a grainy quality. Everything is audible, but it's not ideal. We fans are used to it, and even love it or find it amusing and charming. You may find it bothersome.

2) The QTEs. Some people have really grown to hate QTEs in video games in general, and Shenmue literally created them and the term QTE. I don't mind this personally, because the particular use of QTEs in Shenmue is at least more cinematic (more akin to Quantic Dream style games, almost.) But still a chore if you happen to be someone who hates QTEs. And they are of the old fashioned button sequence variety, rather than timed ring closure variety (e.g. press X, B, up, vs, say, something like the modern Sonics or Xenoblade Chronicles where you just have to time a single press.)

3) World scale. People going into this hearing "open world" and comparisons to games like Yakuza could be extremely disappointed. The size of these games' worlds are more akin to small towns with lots of narrow streets separated by loading screens than the sandboxes people have come to think of when hearing "open world."

4) Tedium and repetition. More on this below as I actually think this is a good thing when it comes to Shenmue's design goals, as they are born of the simulation aspects of the game. (Or as I affectionately call it, "Shenmuelation.") But for many contemporary gamers, it will be seen as incredibly slow, boring, and repetitive. Even downright tedious. And newcomers should know that going in.

5) Some may find the presence of pop in (more like "Fade in") particularly of NPCs on longer streets distracting.

6) "Tank" controls, janky walk-run animation switches and halts, and auto-centering camera. It adds to the immersion for some of us, but it's likely to be seen as a real chore for some newcomers.

What DOES hold up

1) The aforementioned simulation ("Shenmuelation") nature of the game. This isn't a game concerned with thrills, pacing, or grand scale freedom. This is a game obsessed with minutia, up close detail, the mundane, and day to day life simulation. It seeks to recreate, to a ridiculously high standard for its time, and a still pretty good standard for today, real world locations, weather (on a date by date and season by season basis, which was a system called MAGIC Weather developed specifically for the game,) for a finite and specific slice of time in 1980s Japan.

You don't shop via menus - you literally zoom in on the objects which are sitting on shelves in real store isles you have to peruse, and move your finger from item to item before selecting one. You don't select music on the juke box from a menu - you zoom in on the buttons and names and move your finger until it hovers over the right song, and then select it... and then watch the record get loaded and the needle drop on it. You open drawers, take out and inspect objects. You have to wait for the bus to actually arrive (it has a real schedule) at the bus stop in order to get to certain areas.

NPCs all have day night schedules, which is nothing that impressive today, but they also have specific actions for specific dates and times because the game simulates a finite stretch of time rather than going on forever in perpetuity. You can completely miss things. And if you wait too long, the game ends. You fail.

There are jobs. Initially you just have an allowance to work with. But later you can become gainfully if temporarily employed. It's a bit of a full on life simulation meets martial arts epic. (Of course as stated, I think many gamers today will hate that aspect of it. But for me, it remains totally unique in gaming history, particularly for a game of this sort, and if you ARE someone this appeals to, it's pretty remarkable even today imho.)

Before games like Morrowind let you pick up every object, or Skyrim and Oblivion let you rotate them in menus, back in 1999 Shenmue let you pick up many objects in Ryo's kitchen, rooms, and drawers, and inspect them carefully. It had that level of up close, granular detail, nearly 20 years ago. Some of its set dressing and sheer attention to object clutter rivals any modern game to this day.

2) In a similar vein, and contributing to the simulation aspect, the minigames. And I do mean literal mini GAMES. As in, multiple fully functional Sega games that can be played in the video arcade in town, and on Ryo's Sega Saturn (even if for historical accuracy it should have been a Master System.) In addition to some created just for Shenmue, such as "live" forms of games like QTE games, and things like Lucky Hit, etc. There are also races.

3) The combat system. While some contemporary reviewers may dislike it or find it unintuitive, unlike most games today which seek to blend genres with context sensitive accessibility, Shenmue doesn't use an Arkham or Sleeping Dogs style combat system. It doesn't even use a Platinum Games or other "simple" combo based system (I love those games, don't get me wrong.) Instead, it uses the actual Virtua Fighter combat system. A full on fighting game engine integrated into this crazy Adventure/RPG/Life Sim/whatever you want to call it. That's remarkable in and of itself.

You learn attacks/combos. You have to watch for openings, read timings and attacks, dodge, parry, etc. Everything you'd do in a fighting game (a 3D fighting engine rather than a 2D one, of course.) While dated and somewhat camera-limited, it still works and those who master it can literally avoid ever getting touched.

4) The sense of authentic culture and language. This game introduces martial arts ethical concepts like wǔdé, and features both Chinese and Japanese characters, traditions, etc. portrayed much more authentically than most games, and largely non-stereotypically (though, obviously simplified and sometimes heightened or hyperbolized for the sake of players' ability to follow their relevance in the overarching plot and mythology of the game, and with some fictionalized fantasy throw in.)

This is so true, that there are people who have literally been inspired to learn the languages by the game, and some have famously even sought out the real locations from the game. See: https://venturebeat.com/community/2014/09/07/shenmue-a-gamers-pilgrimage/ and: http://www.shenmuedojo.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47036 and: https://www.rdcrisp.com/Travel-Galleries/Shenmue/ (When you play the game, especially the first one, that link will blow your mind.)

Sega Europe in association with Adam Koralik and Imran Yusuf recently posted a new video highlighting the attention to detail and realism present in Shenmue, which was unprecedented for its time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbcG412hv2w

All of these facets make Shenmue, while dated, a still unique experience even today in my humble opinion. I have yet to see these particular aspects of Shenmue replicated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXUKHkk-MTg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAwZieRMhlI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAj-SX5CDNs

PS4: http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/shenmue-i-ii/critic-reviews
XBONE: http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/shenmue-i-ii/critic-reviews
PC: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/shenmue-i-ii/critic-reviews

Although not officially supported via Workshop or modding tools, the EULA does permit modding, provided modders do not assume credit for copyrighted and/or trademarked work or IP, do not sell the mods, do not make freely available any aspect of the functional game itself rather than just modding, etc. Modification itself is allowed. Some limited work is already underway.

See:
https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-08-26-improved-clothing-textures-and-vending-machine-branding-modders-are-already-tweaking-shenmue-i-and-ii

https://steamproxy.net/app/758330/discussions/0/1735462352482702818/ (Note that the v3 patch and all subsequent patches are not compatible with the Special K mod at this time and will cause performance issues if used in conjunction with it until the mod is updated again. Creator has stated they may or may not continue to support the mod in the future once official patching is more final.)

https://steamproxy.net/app/758330/discussions/0/1742220359680952377/

You can find a modification which will enable - with some caveates - widescreen cut scenes here:

https://www.shenmuedojo.com/forum/index.php?threads/shenmue-i-re-release-16-9-cutscenes-fix.358/page-6#post-10064

Note that the above solution requires the 1.01 beta branch patch. (You may wish to scroll through the topic to see if a version intended for the later patches was ever shared there as wel.)

There is also a 16:9 fix present in the Special K mod, now (Note that the v3 patch is not compatible with this mod at this time and will cause performance issues if used in conjunction with it until the mod is updated again): https://steamproxy.net/app/758330/discussions/0/1735462352482702818/

One of the wonderful things about Shenmue is that some fans have used it as a jumping off point to learn Japanese. While the game contains English subtitles and a Japanese audio track, it does not include Japanese subtitles, which would be a great way to familiarize oneself not only with Japanese audio, but also with text. With this modification, you can enable Japanese subtitles. See: https://steamproxy.net/app/758330/discussions/0/1735462352481823860/

Edit October 2018: Unfortunately, the latest beta branch patch (and presumably future patches) has removed this option, likely per a requirement by Sega, as they seem to wish to restrict access by Japanese players to versions of the game outside Japan. This is unfortunately not likely to be something D3T have much say over.

Please see this excellent work from Shenmue Dojo et al on Linux compatibility and installation of Shenmue I & II:

https://www.shenmuedojo.com/forum/index.php?threads/request-shenmue-1-ii-for-linux-steam-install-guide-request-even-if-you-dont-use-linux-so-that-linux-users-can-play-the-game-as-well.399/

Try these steps first if encountering issues:

• Verify installation integrity of game in Steam.
  
• If you have a system with integrated graphics and a dedicated GPU, ensure that your dedicated GPU is selected as the primary graphics device.
  
• Update graphics and audio drivers.
  
• Update chipset drivers for your motherboard.
  
• Uninstall and reinstall the game. Verify integrity again following doing so.
  
• Navigate to the game's specific exe (must be done independently for both Shenmue I & II depending on which game you're having issues with) right click the exe, choose properties, go to compatibility tab, and click Run as Administrator and confirm. (You may need to enable UAC.)
  
• Run Windows Update to ensure your Windows installation is fully up to date. Specifically, ensure you have this update installed if running Windows 7: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26767
  
• If still having issues, attempt to run the game in compatibility mode for Windows 7, and other versions of windows in succession.
  
• Turn off Steam overlay, and disable all other programs with overlays.
  
• Disable shader cache & set threaded optimization to Auto in nVidia control panel (or AMD equivalent.)
  
• If specifically having issues with glitchy cut scenes, try disabling in-game FXAA from the options menu, and setting in-game supersampling setting back to 100%.

SAVE OFTEN AND KEEP MULTIPLE SAVE FILES.

This will at least provide protection against certain issues. Especially before entering interiors and after major events. You may also wish to back up your save files. Saves are located in C:\Program Files (x86)\steam\userdata\[YourUniqueNumber]\[Shenmue’s Unique Number (sort by date modified to make it easier to find)]\remote\

Shenmue 1 saves are in a folder called sm1saves and Shenmue II saves are likewise in a folder called sm2saves.


1) Post your issue in the stickied topic in General Discussion, 2) in Windows go to Start & in the search box type dxdiag then hit enter, click to run, & click "save all information" when the progress bar completes, noting where you save the file generated, & 3) send an email describing your issue to help@sega.com and attach that file (called dxdiag) to the email.

Also attach your save file to the email, if your issue is related to a reproducible, save-specific bug. Your save files can be found in Saves are located in C:\Program Files (x86)\steam\userdata\[YourUniqueNumber]\[Shenmue’s Unique Number (sort by date modified to make it easier to find)]\remote\

Shenmue 1 saves are in a folder called sm1saves and Shenmue II saves are likewise in a folder called sm2saves.

Be sure to note that your issue is with Shenmue I & II specifically in your email.

https://steamproxy.net/app/758330/discussions/0/1730963192540425936/

• Softlock occurs when driving a forklift into unauthorized areas of the harbor. Guards bar progress as per usual, and Ryo becomes permanently stuck and the game locks. Recommend SAVING before forklift races, and if you know where they are avoiding unauthorized areas.
  
• There is a crash when confronting Mai & co in Yokosuka harbor occasionally. Recommend SAVING frequently in Yokosuka harbor.
  
• There is an occasional crash when playing Hang On in the 2F Yellowhead building in Shenmue 2. No known workaround at this time.
  
• Some users report reproducible crash when winning 5th prize in Abe store.
  
• When training moves repeatedly in the Street fighting challenge at Beverly Hills Wharf in Shenmue II, a crash may occur when progressing and mastering moves. The move mastery is also retained despite the move progress then being reset.
  
• Throw move progress (at least as visibly displayed.) is inconsistent and buggy in that it progresses and resets after saving and sleeping, but then progresses after story progress.
  
• Japanese audio can sometimes be heard in fights regardless of language option selection.
  
• English or Japanese “chatter” audio can be incorrectly heard in certain areas (e.g. the Arm Wrestling locations in Workers Pier and certain gambling locations) irrespective of language option selection. Sometimes they are mixed as well. This problem also affects the white pants wearing woman NPC at Stand Qr., Moon Child Bldg., 6th floor, Cherry Pub when inquiring about Lucky Hit.
  
• MIDI music playback is still not 100% correct for a few songs, though it has been substantially improved from release and is far closer to the original releases now.
  
• Shenmue II saves sometimes do not update name of location correctly, and loading these saves fails to save progress correctly as a result, despite multiple save files and attempts. No workaround at this time.
  
• Some users report a graphical issue in which Ryo's head is displayed detached from his body, and other serious graphical bugs. (Appears to be system-dependent.)
  
• Occasionally Outrun in Golden Qtr Arcade in Shenmue II causes spontaneous exit from Fullscreen to Borderless, and temporary lack of all player input being registered, for minutes at a time. No workaround at this time.
  
• Run keymapping does not work when starting game for some users. Remapping the run button/key resolves this. (Remapping back to default also works.)
  
• Kitten will sometimes remain asleep indefinitely and never allow feeding. This is a permanent issue requiring creation of a new game and save to fix. Create new game, or skip kitten content for that file until patched.
  
• SEGA / D3T logo at startup cannot be skipped, whereas before it could.
  
• The "nomad" achievement, if players do the Fangmei birthday quest, does not trigger. Workaround: Load earlier save without birthday quest.
  
• After unlocking historical weather & 70 man battle, reloading other saves removes them until exiting to Windows.
  
• When running the game's executable locally without the Steam launcher, users may experience control UI switching between controller and moust + kb. Recommend running the game from within Steam or the launcher if this happens.
  
• On Wong's boat, some users report cut scene has black title card covering part of the screen.
  
• During the looking for sailors quest, the audio for Ryo drinking cola in the Yokosuka bar loops repeatedly. No current fix.
  
• The game's launcher is capturing XInput / Raw Input even once the game is already launched, causing issues for some users, and making modding the game difficult for Windows 7 users in particular.
  
• No in-game voices. This seems to be a rare issue. Some users on Windows 10 have managed to address it by opening Sound Settings, ensuring that your sound output device is selected, and then clicking Troubleshoot. If you have Windows 7, ensure Windows is fully updated, and install this update in particular: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=26767

High CPU utilization & performance issues

Although significantly improved since release, some users continue to report high CPU utilization. This is caused directly by the way the game's busy-wait framerate limiter functions. In particular, by it waiting before each frame rather than after. This is causing issues.
Please see: https://steamproxy.net/app/758330/discussions/0/1735462352486362027/ for a possible solution.

Also please see this thread as the SpecialK mod now addresses some of these core issues, if it works for you (NOTE however that this mod is NOT COMPATIBLE with the v3 patch or higher, and will cause issues if using it - earlier version users though, feel free to try it out): https://steamproxy.net/app/758330/discussions/0/1735462352482702818/ Creator has stated they may or may not return to supporting this mod once dev patching is more finalized.