If you play through Shenmue a second time, you can use real-life weather forecasts from Yokosuka, Japan in 1986.
Shenmue was a different game, even back when it was released in 1999. Although it was billed as an action-adventure game killed with kung fu fighting, in reality, Shenmue was more of a world simulator than anything else.
Part of that was due to Yu Suzuki’s meticulous attention to detail. He wanted the world of Shenmue to feel real in a way that no other video game had ever felt before. That’s why the environment of Yokosuka feels way more filled in, with tons of people all going about their daily lives. There’s newspapers, waste bins, signs, and more. All of it to make Shenmue feel as close to reality as the Sega Dreamcast could make it.
Another thing that Shenmue tried to get right: the weather. Much of the game takes place outdoors, where weather will play a huge impact on how the world looks. Cloudy days will make things appear grey and washed out, while sunny days will make color pop out and appear more vibrant. There can also be rain or snow, with either of these conditions affecting the way light will reflect off surfaces covered in either liquid or frozen water.
Shenmue’s weather was so groundbreaking it actually had its own name: Magic Weather System. And it was even based on real weather forecasts from Yokosuka in 1986.
On your first playthrough, the Magic Weather System will generate random weather conditions based on those 1986 forecasts. Those conditions might even change throughout the day so that it’s sunny in the morning and raining in the evening.
But beat the game and you’ll have the option to set the world of Shenmue to use “actual weather” from 1986-87. This will cause the weather conditions in Shenmue to precisely mirror the historical weather conditions of Yokosuka, Japan down to the hour.
Not that you were very likely to play through Shenmue for a second time. One boring romp through a walking simulator was quite enough for me.
