Out of the blue, Sega announced that Shenmue and Shenmue 2 will be getting remastered via its social media platforms. Both games will be out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam sometime in 2018. Given the purported release for Shenmue 3 this year as well, there is no better time to get into these classics if you have not already, although longtime fans will find much to appreciate here as well.

Along with the announcement, Sega include some teaser images that should whet your appetite:

An overview of the re-releases according to Sega itself:

Since their original release, Shenmue I & II have established a passionate following and are revered as one of gaming’s greatest series of all time. These revolutionary masterpieces deliver a gripping story of retribution as Ryo Hazuki sets out to avenge his father’s death and attempts to unravel the secrets behind a mysterious artefact known as the Dragon Mirror.

Shenmue I & II comes complete with the original feature set that defined modern gaming, including enthralling jujitsu combat, investigative sleuthing, and RPG elements in addition to memorable mini- games. Shenmue I & II is set within engrossing real-time open worlds that feel truly alive thanks to day-to- night cycles and weather changes, with a population of civilians who follow their own schedules.

This is the definitive version of these all-time classics and will be the best Shenmue experience to date. The re-release will stay true to the originals with modernised features including fully scalable screen resolution, choice of modern or classic control schemes, PC graphics options, an updated user interface and the option to enjoy either the original Japanese or English voiceovers.