First LookShenmue II

Yu Suzuki's epic narrative about Ryo Hazuki's quest to find his father's murderer continues in Shenmue II for the Sega Dreamcast. The first game served as a prelude to a complex story that, according to Suzuki, should span 16 chapters. This second game has Ryo arriving in Hong Kong and continuing his adventures. In his search to find the evil Lan Di, Ryo will come across a host of new characters, and one of the most important is Shenhua. Little is known about Shenhua at this time, aside from the fact that she has a deep connection with nature and that she will play a major role in the Shenmue epic.

The first Shenmue II video clip was released on a demo disc, which shipped alongside the Japanese release of AM2's Fighting Vipers 2. The clip, which is more like a teaser trailer, begins with several dramatic shots of Shenhua, and then transitions into a river scene that shows a boat carrying Ryo and several other characters. The clip then has scenes where Ryo is running through organic environments adorned by massive trees, overhangs, rock formations, and natural bridges and passages.

The character models and textures look similar to the those of the original Shenmue, but the natural surroundings are detailed with subtle effects such as self-shadowing on environmental objects. In a couple of scenes Ryo is carrying a backpack, which he had when he left his hometown in the original Shenmue. In fact, he's wearing the same attire from the original game, including the brown leather jacket. The clip ends with a bird flying around a waterfall, Ryo and Shenhua having a conversation by a realistic-looking campfire, and the words "The story goes on."

Sega has released very few specific details regarding Shenmue II, aside from the fact that Lan Di and Shenhua will play a major role in the sequel and that at least portions of the game will take place in Hong Kong. GameSpot will bring you the latest as further information is released on the game.