... and part of my childhood retires right along side of him.
This is a man who's work is largely responsible for making me a gamer. I was a Sega kid growing up, and almost exclusively thanks to his games. In a way, he was the most influential game designer at Sega during it's console and arcade heyday.
Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Suzuki, you've most certainly earned it. We all know that Sega, the one that made lifelong gamers out of so many of us all those years ago, has long been dead.
I don't even recognize the company anymore, and don't really care to. It's officially the end of an era.
Soldier_CLE says DON'T STOP AT THE STAR! REVOKE THE WHOLE DAMN THING, OWEN!!! was starred
Soldier_CLE says DON'T STOP AT THE STAR! REVOKE THE WHOLE DAMN THING, OWEN!!! was unstarred
Mr Suzuki was a fine soldier. During his enlistment, he served well, going above and beyond the call of duty. He will always be remembered for his masterpieces.
@Altima NEO: ...And during his field commission, he rose through the ranks, and became a leader among men.
The heroics through his masterpieces, the cunning display of talent through the projects he's worked, and the legions of those who follow his vision remains unmatched to this day and serves example for all those who follow.
Soldier_CLE says DON'T STOP AT THE STAR! REVOKE THE WHOLE DAMN THING, OWEN!!! was starred
Soldier_CLE says DON'T STOP AT THE STAR! REVOKE THE WHOLE DAMN THING, OWEN!!! was unstarred
Space Harrier Hang-On Out Run Super Hang-On Virtua Racing Virtua Fighter Virtua Cop Virtua Fighter 2 Virtua Cop 2 Virtua Fighter 3 Ferrari F355 Challenge Shenmue Shenmue II Virtua Fighter 4 Suzuki Yu - Game Works Vol. 1 OutRun 2
@Gam3r: We're also loosing a man who is a large part of the reason that Sega went bankrupt. Shenmue was too large of a project to EVER make a return on what it was, and he knew that.
Use your head. I don't care how much Shenmue cost or how much money it lost. Sega launched 4 failed consoles in a row. The cost of R&D, mass production, marketing, and supporting the Sega CD, 32X, Saturn, and Dreamcast; all of which failed to light the world on fire in comparison to their competitors, is what killed ultimately Sega.
Not the development costs of two games whose budgets by today's standards would be considered normal.
Virtua Fighter 5 was still up to par without him at the helm - it's certainly a loss, but at least my favorite fighter doesn't seem to have suffered for it.
@Chances: I definitely give Suzuki credit for his past contributions, but I think Shenmue is a dud and that he hasn't really had any noteworthy output in some time now. I think the same about Yuji Naka, and I'd like to know whether it's a matter of them losing the spark or if it's something resulting from Sega's restructuring/corporate culture/whatever.
@SolidOni: Agree's. Every VF made you played differently because of changes that significantly affected the combat. Then VF5 came in to introduce a offensive move, which is really just one or 2 moves every character in the game has...
I.e. VF5 essentially in summary introduced vf to the world of HD graphics, 2 new characters and gave everyone the 2 extra moves... something which VF4evo already did to VF4 (minus the HD)...
@xyzl: Are you kidding me? They further balanced the gme, the 2 new characters were pretty significant (Some incredible additions in Blaze and Eileen) and it went ONLINE.
@Shippoyasha: Yes, for the game which was once thought to be un-on-line-able, I think that's a pretty big achievement. Granted, I'm not "pro," but it seems to be everything evo was but more, which is a good thing in my book. I wonder if VF5R will be prone to a similar view by fans still expecting enormous tweaks and upgrades to the game.
@KittyF**kingForeman: Well that and Virtua Fighter. But can you blame anyone? Shenmue is awesome and Virtua Fighter has a huge following of die-hard fans.
@RyuuzakiBjorn: So the invention of computers, the harnessing of electricity, the wheel, the car, etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc,etc are all worse than Shenmue? At least try to be realistic.
who? sega? oh yeah.. i remember them. they lost relevance when they stopped making consoles. theyre just some wannabe activision or ea now.. publishing movie tie ins and lame rip offs of whatevers in fashion. that innovative company that brought us cel shading, sand box games, and the only other mascot to rival mario has been dead for almost 10 years.
@shouryuuken: you havent played madworld or hotd: overkill, have you? sega right now is the "core" supplier of the wii and the conduit is coming soon. fight the good fight.
@shouryuuken: For the love of...
Publishing is not equal to Developing!!!!
Please, will you people finally get it through your thick skulls... Yes, Sega publishes these games and in that sense helped them exist, if you want to really stretch it, but they haven't put out a good stream of games in a while. Exception to Valkyria Chronicles and that isn't a stream but a drip.
@CraigJapants: Valkyria Chronicles, Sonic Unleashed and Virtua Fighter are all in-house productions while Total War and Sakura Taisen were developed by subsidiary studios of Sega.
@rianfrost: i have played both. i wasnt a big fan, theyre nothing like the games that i grew up loving by sega. i understand times and companies change, but capcom to me (minus the micro transaction stuff theyre trying to do with street fighter) is the same company i loved when they were making awesome games on the dcast. segas just gone now..
@Archaotic: lets see.. sonic 2006, sonic and the secret rings, mario and sonic at the olympic games, sonic and the black knight, sonic unleashed, golden compass, hulk, iron man, golden axe beast rider, nights journey of dreams, sonic riders, sonic rivals, condemned criminal originas, condemned 2 bloodshot, viking... i mean.. valkyria chronicles and yakuza 3 are great games, so is virtua fighter 5. but thats 3 titles out of 20... i mean the old sega is gone. sure, times are a changin.. and i know we have to adapt to the new trends.. but i just dont dig it.
While Shenmue fans should really have given up hope of seeing Shenmue III a long, long time ago, we'd have to think that those still holding a candle for a third chapter should extinguish those hopes.
@SolidOni: My hopes live on! You know, when the games industry reaches the stage the movie industry has been in of late, (which could happen and on a faster time scale in comparison) then we can look forward to even less creativity and mining of old franchises! We'll see Shenmue whored out again. By the Michal Bay of videogames! Or something
@BouncingOffClouds: True and many of us fans will probably be starting to really feel the effects of aging when that happens so Shenmue 3 will probably be looked upon as a stain on the earth by us.
On the other hand, it could turn out to be the best game ever since by that time, there's likely to be genuinely mature games and some real writing talent in the industry.
04/04/09
This is a man who's work is largely responsible for making me a gamer. I was a Sega kid growing up, and almost exclusively thanks to his games. In a way, he was the most influential game designer at Sega during it's console and arcade heyday.
Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Suzuki, you've most certainly earned it. We all know that Sega, the one that made lifelong gamers out of so many of us all those years ago, has long been dead.
I don't even recognize the company anymore, and don't really care to. It's officially the end of an era.
04/03/09
04/03/09
04/03/09
04/03/09
Mr Suzuki was a fine soldier. During his enlistment, he served well, going above and beyond the call of duty. He will always be remembered for his masterpieces.
Yu Suzuki, you are a god amongst men.
04/03/09
The heroics through his masterpieces, the cunning display of talent through the projects he's worked, and the legions of those who follow his vision remains unmatched to this day and serves example for all those who follow.
(Prep/Execute Command heard overhead: Order.... ARMS!)
The ranks of The Gaming Community all render a salute, as the faintest drizzle of rain starts pouring...
04/03/09
Here's my favorites that he produced/directed:
Space Harrier
Hang-On
Out Run
Super Hang-On
Virtua Racing
Virtua Fighter
Virtua Cop
Virtua Fighter 2
Virtua Cop 2
Virtua Fighter 3
Ferrari F355 Challenge
Shenmue
Shenmue II
Virtua Fighter 4
Suzuki Yu - Game Works Vol. 1
OutRun 2
04/04/09
04/04/09
Shenmue didn't bankrupt Sega.
Use your head. I don't care how much Shenmue cost or how much money it lost. Sega launched 4 failed consoles in a row. The cost of R&D, mass production, marketing, and supporting the Sega CD, 32X, Saturn, and Dreamcast; all of which failed to light the world on fire in comparison to their competitors, is what killed ultimately Sega.
Not the development costs of two games whose budgets by today's standards would be considered normal.
04/03/09
04/03/09
I dunno, I loved VF5 but there was something about it that just...was missing.
04/03/09
04/04/09
I.e. VF5 essentially in summary introduced vf to the world of HD graphics, 2 new characters and gave everyone the 2 extra moves... something which VF4evo already did to VF4 (minus the HD)...
i.e. VF 4.75 HD remix?
04/04/09
04/04/09
04/03/09
Sega in 2015: How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a football over them mountains.
Sure you can, Sega. Sure you can.
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I might have something to do with Shenmue being better than anything anyone else has ever done in the history of everything.
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04/03/09
Ready?
Rock falls. Everyone dies.
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Yakuza 3 and Valkyria Chronicles beg to differ.
04/03/09
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04/03/09
Sonic Unleashed? Are you kidding? :P
@unangbangkay:
Eh, I guess. None of those save for Bayonetta really appeal to me though. :[
04/03/09
Publishing is not equal to Developing!!!!
Please, will you people finally get it through your thick skulls... Yes, Sega publishes these games and in that sense helped them exist, if you want to really stretch it, but they haven't put out a good stream of games in a while. Exception to Valkyria Chronicles and that isn't a stream but a drip.
04/03/09
04/03/09
04/03/09
04/03/09
04/04/09
04/04/09
04/03/09
Okay :(
04/03/09
NEVER !!
04/03/09
Ah yes, that day. When the snow turned to rain.
04/03/09
Excuse me, I'm looking for some sailors.
04/03/09
04/04/09
Have you seen a black... car?
04/03/09
04/03/09
go play Dreamcast and wait for "Shenmaro 3" to come out.
04/03/09
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04/04/09
On the other hand, it could turn out to be the best game ever since by that time, there's likely to be genuinely mature games and some real writing talent in the industry.
But, alas, for now we can only dream. :(
04/03/09