For long-time fans of the Shenmue series, especially those who experienced the original games on consoles like the Dreamcast and Xbox, the visual presentation holds a special place in our hearts. The unique button prompts were a distinct element of that era, contributing to the game’s atmosphere and user interface. While the PC versions of Shenmue I & II offer enhanced visuals, some players have missed the nostalgic feel of the original button designs. Now, thanks to a dedicated modder, you can bring back that classic aesthetic to your PC experience.
This mod is a passion project born from a desire to restore a piece of Shenmue’s visual identity. The creator, a long-time fan, felt that the generic button prompts in the PC release didn’t quite capture the same magic as the originals. Taking matters into their own hands, they meticulously recreated the iconic button designs from the Xbox version of Shenmue 2. Using reference images and carefully sampling colors, they crafted these new button prompts from scratch, ensuring they closely resemble the beloved originals.
This isn’t just a simple texture replacement; it’s a thoughtful restoration of a visual element that many fans cherish. The mod replaces all on-screen button prompts, affecting both menus and Quick Time Events (QTEs), ensuring a consistent classic look throughout your gameplay.
To cater to different preferences and setups, the mod comes in three distinct flavors, all conveniently packaged within a single zip file:
- Buttons Only: This is the core of the mod, providing the authentic Xbox-style button prompts without any other changes. It’s perfect for those who appreciate the vanilla HD release look but want the classic buttons.
- Buttons + Modern HUD: For a slightly enhanced visual cohesion, this option includes the classic buttons alongside a subtle recoloring of the default HUD. This adjustment aims to create a more harmonious match between the new button icons and the existing modern HUD elements of the HD release.
- Buttons + Classic HUD: This is the ultimate nostalgia package. It combines the classic button prompts with a HUD that’s been further tweaked to more closely resemble the original Xbox release of Shenmue 2. This option provides the most comprehensive throwback visual experience.
Installation is straightforward:
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Choose your preferred pack from the provided options.
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Navigate to your Shenmue installation folders. You’ll need to place the chosen pack into the “mods” folder within both the Shenmue 1 and Shenmue 2 directories:
...\SMLaunch\sm1\archives\dx11\mods ...\SMLaunch\sm2\archives\dx11\mods
Uninstallation is equally simple:
- To remove the mod, just delete the files you added to the “mods” folders mentioned above.
The creator extends their gratitude for the community’s interest and hopes players thoroughly enjoy this nostalgic visual enhancement. An update on January 29th brought minor refinements to further align the buttons with the original highlights, demonstrating the modder’s commitment to accuracy and detail. If you’re seeking to recapture the classic Shenmue visual vibe on PC, this mod offers an excellent way to personalize your game and experience Shenmue I & II with a touch of Dreamcast and Xbox era nostalgia.
