Shenmue's Ryo Hazuki joins Sonic & SEGA All-Stars lineup
- — 09 October, 2009 10:46
Sega recently dropped a press release announcing the latest addition to Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is Ryo Hazuki, vagabond forklift operator and protagonist of the cult classic Shenmue.
Fans have been clamoring for another outing with Ryo since the release of Shenmue 2 almost a decade ago, and Sega cites audience demand as one of the prime factors for his inclusion in the statement released earlier this week:
Ryo, protagonist of the Shenmue series and one of the most requested SEGA character to make an appearance in All-Stars Racing will be riding his borrowed motorcycle around classic SEGA themed race tracks. And when a motorcycle just can't cut it, Ryo unleashes his All-Star move and is able to swap vehicles to his iconic forklift to charge and barge opponents out of the way!
The Shenmue series, the story of a son's quest for vengeance, began life in 1999 as the killer-app for the SEGA Dreamcast. Originally developed by the legendary Yu Suzuki for SEGA, Ryo has yet to gain his revenge but he's certainly no stranger to motorcycle racing and is sure to make a formidable adversary for Sonic, AiAi, Dr. Eggman and the other All-Stars.
If you can't wait for the next inevitable Shenmue 3 rumor, take Ryo's forklift for a nostalgic spin through various Sega franchise theme tracks when the game hits shelves next February.
