Action · August 21, 2018

Shenmue I & II (2018)

trophy55 achievementslocal_offer-80% current discountgroup100k–1M ownersrecommend2.0k recommendations
Originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000 and 2001, Shenmue I & II is an open world action adventure combining jujitsu combat, investigative sleuthing, RPG elements, and memorable mini-games. It pioneered many aspects of modern gaming, including open world city exploration, and was the game that coined the Quick Time Event (QTE). It was one of the first games with a persistent open world, where day cycles to night, weather changes, shops open and close and NPCs go about their business all on their own schedules. Its engrossing epic story and living world created a generation of passionate fans, and the game consistently makes the list of “greatest games of all time”. Story A tale of revenge. In 1986, teenage jujitsu artist Ryo Hazuki returns to the dojo of his father, Iwao Hazuki, only to witness his murder by a Chinese man, Lan Di. Lan Di steals a mysterious artifact known as the Dragon Mirror. Ryo vows to avenge his father’s death and sets out tracing Lan Di’s path. The first game in the series, Shenmue begins the tale as Ryo travels around Yokosuka, Japan, gathering clues about his father’s murder and dealing with nefarious gangsters along the way. The sequel Shenmue II continues Ryo’s quest, this time crossing the sea to Hong Kong, China. Ryo ventures deeper into the criminal underworld, meeting martial arts masters who aid him on his journey and offer insight into his father’s death, and unravels the mysteries of the Dragon Mirror that his father kept hidden. Gameplay Take the role of Ryo Hazuki. Explore a 3D open world searching for clues, examining objects, and talking to NPCs. Battle enemies and bosses making full use of the moves of Hazuki-style jujitsu. Beat quick-time events (QTEs) and mini-games. Key features The best Shenmue experience Pioneering Dreamcast classics available for the first time on PC Updated user interface Choice of modern or classic controls Japanese audio available for the first time for a global audience Fully scalable screen resolutions An epic legend A tale of revenge on a grand scale Solve the mystery of your father’s murder An experience never to be forgotten The world feels alive Talk to anyone, scour the world for clues NPCs live independent lives on their own schedule Faithful recreations of 1980s Japan and Hong Kong, China Distract yourself with arcade games, collectibles, duck racing, and more

Action releases from 2018

175 Action titles launched in 2018 — top 6 by review volume.

Peer Action titles

Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.

Community Tag Signals

Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.

  • Adventure · 119
  • Open World · 109
  • Story Rich · 103
  • Martial Arts · 100
  • Classic · 95
  • Action · 87
  • RPG · 85
  • Atmospheric · 77
  • Fighting · 71
  • Cult Classic · 70
  • Quick-Time Events · 70
  • Great Soundtrack · 68
  • Singleplayer · 63
  • Retro · 39
  • JRPG · 25

Position in Action

MetricThis titleGenre position
Review volume2.9k Steam reviewsTop 79% in Action
Positive rating89% positiveGenre average: 83% — this title sits in top 41%
Metacritic76/100Genre average 77 — top 62% of Action titles
Engagement hours7 h averageTop 60% for session depth among Action

Reception Metrics

Steam community

89%Very Positive · 2.9k reviews

2.6k positive · 324 negative

Metacritic

76/100 critic aggregate

Metacritic user score

7.9/10

Curator recommendations

2.0k

Press Quotes

“…an unforgettable, singular experience.” 88/100 – PC Gamer “Shenmue is incredible - all open world games should be this good.” 8.0/10 – Game Watcher

Localization Coverage

Interface / Subtitles (6)

  • English volume_up
  • French
  • German
  • Korean
  • Simplified Chinese
  • Traditional Chinese volume_up

Full audio (2)

  • English
  • Traditional Chinese

Engagement Profile

All-time avg

7h

short (5–15 hours)

Median

2h

Typical completion time

Achievements

55

Steam unlocks available

Release & Availability

Release dateAug 21, 2018
DeveloperD3T
PublisherSEGA
Base price$5.99 -80%
PlatformsWindows
Estimated owners100k–1M
External linksOfficial site · Support

Features & Capabilities

Community

  • Steam Achievements
  • Steam Cloud

Input & Comfort

  • Partial Controller Support

Other

  • Single-player
  • Family Sharing

Editions & Packages

  • Buy Shenmue I & II