Early Shenmue 2 Prototype Lets Players Control Yu Suzuki
As video game consoles have become less reliant on physical media, the chances of finding an early build of a modern game have become somewhat rare. Around the turn of the century, however, developers would regularly showcase early or incomplete copies of their games at events and tradeshows all over the world, and the discs that they used to do so would occasionally make their way out into the wild.
These early builds are often highly sought after by fans, not only for their sentimental value but also for some of the elements that they feature, many of which don't end up making it into the final release. This was very much the case with a Shenmue 2 Dreamcast prototype that was used at the 2001 Game Jam event, which boasts several unique features, including a rather unusual one connected to the series' legendary Japanese game creator, Yu Suzuki.
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By changing a single line of code using a piece of software called Cheat Engine, the prototype allows players to swap out the game's main protagonist, Ryo Hazuki, with a fully-rigged model of Yu Suzuki. Players will then be able to play through the entirety of the game while controlling the veteran developer, which can lead to some incredibly amusing results.
The prototype in question, which has since been dubbed the Yu Suzuki build, for obvious reasons, was purchased from Yahoo Auctions back in March for ¥301,000, which works out at a little over $2,300. The winning bidder was SkillJim, the co-owner of the popular Shenmue fan site, Shenmue Dojo, who, together with other members of the Shenmue community, has spent the past few months exploring and unlocking the secrets hidden throughout the prototype's four discs.
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