Shenmue's HD re-release gets a final date
I & II coming to PC, PS4 and Xbox One later this summer.
Sega has given a final release date for its Shenmue HD collection, with the bundle that pairs the original two games with a gentle makeover coming to Xbox One, PS4 and PC on August 21st.
The collection will release with a physical version on PS4 and Xbox One, with the PC remaining digital only - and by pre-ordering now for your platform of choice you can get a 10 per cent discount. The remasters allow players to enjoy a new interface, plus the ability to play with either the English or Japanese dubs - the first time players in the west will have had that option for the first Shenmue.
Shenmue first came out for Sega's Dreamcast in 1999, its sequel following a couple of years later in 2001, and at the time it was the most expensive video game developed, and the last high profile game that legendary creator Yu Suzuki would make for the company that made his name.
Shenmue 3 remained in limbo for many years afterwards until, of course, it was announced at E3 2015 where a successful Kickstarter campaign was launched. We haven't seen too much of it since - and what we have seen has proven divisive - and a release date for Shenmue 3 still seems a little way off. The perfect time, then, to dust off these two classics, and play what remains one of the most fascinating big budget follies in video games.