Suzuki Speaks About Shen Mue

TOKYO - Sega had a lot to prove at TGS. Namely that it wasn't afraid of Sony's PlayStation 2 and has a strong second generation lineup. Problem was, there wasn't a lot from Sega that was new at TGS.

Shen Mue is definitely a big draw, not only for fans of Yu Suzuki's other work, but also because the game looks really good. But there's a problem with Shen Mue - it's been delayed and split into two titles, one of which will come out on August 5, with the second part coming before the end of the year.

This would seem to be a very hasty move on Sega's part. Originally scheduled for release this spring, it was expected that Shen Mue would be delayed, but not until August and divided into two separate parts. It's hard not to think that this was done in order to double the game's chances of breaking even if the rumored 2 million unit sales figure is accurate. With fans left with no choice but to buy the first and second half of the game separately, it gives the game a lot more chances.

But wait, not just two installments. At a press conference held today at the Tokyo Game Show, Suzuki said that his plans are to create 16 chapters to the game, released at various intervals. The girl that is so related to the game will not end up appearing until the second chapter. The second chapter takes place in Hong Kong, where the girl in the game is reportedly from.

Suzuki stressed at the conference today that while he can't describe what, on the whole, is different about the game, there are many little details that make it very unique and differentiates it from other titles.

Sega had several areas set up in its booth where you could try different aspects of the game - Quick Timer Events, Free Roaming, Atsumete Shen Mue, etc. All were short demonstrations of what the game can do. As far as the final first chapter is concerned, Suzuki says that it should take about 12 hours for a gamer to complete.