Why Is Shenmue?

***A quick disclaimer before we begin: Yes, the story and script for Shenmue were written first, and Yu Suzuki is deeply involved in the story and characters. When I talk about what I believe Suzuki cares most about, I’m talking about my interpretation of his work, not claiming that this was his explicit intention. My argument is that, more than simply telling a story, Yu Suzuki always seemed more fascinated by creating a world that felt truly realistic above all else. __ In 1999, Yu Suzuki and SEGA created something unlike almost anything else. Shenmue was ambitious, strange, expensive, and obsessed with details that most games would never bother with. A lot of videos ask the questions "What" Is Shenmue, but in this video I want to discuss the Why. Why is the game the way it is, and why were those decisions made?