The height of the console wars between Sony, Nintendo and Sega was undoubtedly a trial by fire for developer and publisher alike. These companies had invested huge sums towards the promotion of their respective platforms, and studios hired the most creative minds to develop that one game that would elevate them above their competitors. It is here that Sega turned to Yu Suzuki.
Now while gamers enjoyed an idyllic time in which studios created brilliant games to gain market dominance, one fact had become clear: Sega was falling behind. Nintendo had the mascots and Sony had massive 3rd party support, but Sega was stuck with a library for their Dreamcast console that just couldn’t gain a foothold. Sonic and the gang simply failed to bring in sales from this competitive market.
Fortunately Yu Suzuki had been developing an idea since the previous generation for not just a new IP, but a kind of game that didn’t even have a genre yet. Yu Suzuki had long been at the front line of the console wars, but the game he was about to pitch for the Dreamcast had grand ambitions worthy of Sega dropping an initial budget of a whopping $47 million. This game was Shenmue.
Sega’s killer app
Whereas Shenmue is more typically remembered for introducing modern, quick time events to the gaming world, which indeed it did, its true legacy lies in how Yu Suzuki had conceived the world’s first, 3D, open-world game. His team at Sega AM2 used their astounding pile of cash to invest not in action or explosive set pieces, but in pushing the boundaries of the player’s immersion.
When their masterwork finally released in 1999, gamers found themselves entering more than just a digital playground for the protagonist, Ryo Hazuki. The town of Yokosuka was a fully-realized mini-universe filled with distinct characters, various side activities, and a day-night cycle which was woven into the core of a beat-‘em-up, kung fu adventure. Truly a feat for the 90’s.
In short, Shenmue’s world and its revolutionary graphics felt like a reality not just to play in, but to live in. Yu Suzuki had a vision of making players a part of his game by giving them the freedom to progress at their own pace. Shenmue had instantly created a paradigm for how a new generation of games should personify the open-world genre, and its legacy is clear in everything from Grand Theft Auto to Assassin’s Creed.
The neverending story
In terms of the actual narrative, Shenmue shared many characteristics with those 80’s Jackie Chan movies I used to watch as a kid on Friday nights. You play as Ryo Hazuki, a budding martial artist who witnesses his father being murdered over an ancient artifact named the Dragon Mirror.
The murderer in question is the formidable kung fu master, Lan Di, who journeyed to Japan once he learnt of the artifact’s hiding place in the dojo under the tutelage of Ryo’s dad. After forcing Ryo’s father to hand over the mirror with his dying breath, Lan Di returns to China with his prize, leaving the flames of vengeance burning in Ryo’s heart.
The stage is set, and Ryo pursues his father’s killer starting with only scraps of information he can salvage from the villagers of Yokosuka. He eventually picks up the trail of breadcrumbs, but in so doing encounters some nasty people willing to defend the secret of Lan Di’s whereabouts with their lives. So, like Jackie, Ryo uses kung fu to bash some answers out of them, and thus improves his own fighting techniques along the way.
Sadly, our hero appears to be broke, which is where the infamous forklifting gameplay came in. Shenmue also used its immersive open-world as something of a pragmatic diversion where Ryo could earn some moola by doing mundane chores, such as forklifting for cash. Yet all work and no play makes Shenmue a dull game, which is why Yu Suzuki filled his world with real side-activities also, such as going to actual arcades in the town.
Enter Shenmue III
The substantial following garnered by Shenmue and its sequel is testimony to how innovative the experience was. Yu Suzuki could not save the Sega Dreamcast, but droves of gamers loved this newfound freedom of exploring unrestrained through both games, helping Ryo with his detective work, practicing kung fu moves, or just trying their hand at all the mini-games. People wanted more.
So why the drawn-out pre-amble you may ask? Well, Shenmue III is one of those games that you will probably only like if you really understand where its coming from. Shenmue III is such raw, undiluted fan service, so devoted to its source material and legacy, that it seems utterly inseparable from the bigger picture.
Seriously, I played both the remastered ports last year to see what the fuss was about, and rather than feeling like a separate game, my time with Shenmue III often felt like playing an re-textured expansion mod. On the one hand, this works in the game’s favour since this is a true sequel in Shenmue’s eleven-part saga. On the other, certain aspects of this game are desperately in need of some modernisation.
Why it works
As if nearly two decades haven’t passed, Shenmue III takes off right where players were left hanging with the previous game. Ryo has since made it to China in his search for Lan Di and finds himself in Bailu Village, a remote little hamlet nestled in the mountains known for its culture of martial arts and stone masonry. It is also here where both the Dragon Mirror and its companion, the Phoenix Mirror, were created.
Ryo has also befriended Shenhua, the daughter of a kidnapped stonemason involved with the mirrors’ creation, and in the words of the often repeated loading screen, “their fates becomes entwined”. As is the modus operandi from both prequels, the gameplay is once again centered around searching the village one small clue after another, taking Ryo ever closer to Lan Di.
Every time I launched Shenmue III (or the prequels) I inhaled, exhaled, and just relaxed as I luxuriated in the bliss with the game gently unfolding before me. It is like Tai Chi transformed into a game.
Bailu Village is one of two main hub worlds that opens the game opens, and it is an absolute Shangri-la of green mountain fields, majestic peach trees in blossom, and villagers just going about life serenely. While lacking the the more complex textures of a AAA title, the Unreal Engine 4 does the job beautifully here, and it it augments the game’s tranquility and total lack of stress.
As Ryo continues his search of Lan Di’s whereabouts, and learns more of how this village leads to his father’s murder, the player is never rushed, or urged to progress. If you get tired of talking to people or beating up the thugs harassing the villagers, go fight some of the monks at the local dojo, help the old shopkeeper chop some wood, try your luck at the various ‘pop-up casinos’ to buy Ryo some new threads, or… drive a forklift hahahaha.
Like I said, this is a thoroughbred entry in the Shenmue franchise and these fun (if perhaps somewhat meaningless) mini-games create the illusion that the player has left the real world behind. You get to embody Ryo not in over-the-top action scenarios, but in a variety of smaller, more routine situations that we ourselves could actually relate to and thus bringing the player closer to his character.
There have been other minor tweaks to the formula as well. Aside from the obvious graphical upgrade, Shenmue III sometimes lets the player skip ahead to an objective’s location and time, eliminating the need to wait. The fighting also feels more responsive and easier to master since Ryo now executes moves automatically once the player becomes skilled in executing a particular technique.
Why it doesn’t work
For all the occasional forklift driving, quick time events, casual character interaction, kung fu and other staples of the Shenmue franchise on display, the very character of the third installment also represents its biggest weakness. While Shenmue III smashed Kickstarter records, and while a dedicated fan base still upholds their beloved franchise, this game belongs mostly to them.
I get that Shenmue was originally conceived as a sixteen-part epic (which was later cut to an eleven-part story covering four or five games), but the narrative just does not feel like it moves much further from square one. Ryo hardly makes any progress towards avenging his father, and the overall plot is beginning to show signs of fatigue. I think Suzuki needs to consider wrapping things up.
The relaxed and tangential gameplay is also likely to ring hollow with players wanting to see their grinding translate into something more substantial (as with, say, more modern RPG’s). It is true that the martial arts training is useful to a certain extent, but I frequently found myself doing something in the game only to wonder what on earth the point of this activity was.
Again, it must be remembered that Shenmue III is attempting to make a seamless transition with the first two games which took shape in a climate that had never seen any of this before. Bringing this forwards to the current generation creates a charming sense of continuity, but this does make Shenmue III a noticeably asynchronous experience when placed next to modern games it inspired.
I don’t really have an issue with the graphics given that this game’s budget places it on the lower, middle shelf. In fact, it even puts other releases with five times its budget to shame in certain moments. Still, many players would likely be put off by the rather robotic look of the NPC’s regardless. Where I see old-school charm, others are guaranteed to perceive the visuals as lacking and dated.
One for the fans
Despite the community thinking Yu Suzuki’s most passionate project had died with the very console it was trying to preserve, here we are, eighteen years later, thanks to the magic of crowdfunding. Instead of trying to establish itself as a new JRPG force to be reckoned with, Shenmue III seeks to pay tribute to what players loved and remembered about Suzuki’s answer to Sega’s salvation.
Unfortunately, this very fact makes Shenmue III a hard sell to newcomers. To those that have never played the first two Shenmue games, or have little interested in the legacy of this series for our beloved pastime, this game will hold almost zero appeal. Several early reviews left little doubt that modern players just weren’t feeling it.
As a recently converted Shenmue fan, however, I enjoyed my time with it in spite of a few frustrations. It was so relaxing to play and I can practically sense Yu Suzuki’s passion within every aspect of the gameplay. They will not get away with this formula for a fourth time though, so Shenmue IV had better try to introduce a few modern, open-world mechanics to bring it up to speed. For now, I can allow one last homage to the past I think.
- Pure fan service
- Variety of mini-games
- Tranquil tone
- Looks good for AA game
-
- Needs more fast travel
- Some boring grinding
- English localization sucks
- Dull side-missions
PC Specs: Windows 10 64-bit computer using Nvidia GTX 1070, i5 4690K CPU, 16GB RAM – Played using an XBox One controller
Pieter hails all the way from the tip of southern Africa and suffers from serious PC technophilia. Therapists say it is incurable. Now he has to remind himself constantly that gaming doesn’t count as a religion even if DRM is the devil. Thankfully, writing reviews sometimes helps with the worst symptoms.
Yu Suzuki just need to end this tiresome chase+detective works in Shenmue IV. No need Shenmue V. Let Ryo fight Lan Di in final epic battle and done…case closed!
They needed to do that with 3 IMO. Now im left wondering if there will ever be a Shenmue 4.
Assuming that Shenmue 3 is simply as story about Ryo getting revenge on Lan Di for killing is his father, then it could be done… But that doesn’t quite tally up with hints of a larger story that we’ve seen, or the suggestion made by the original story size.
The problem with Shenmue 3 is it does little to develop or push those threads meaning we are basically left at the end of it at more or less the same place we were at the end of Shenmue 2, making the entire thing feel like a waste of time. The only two things of significance that happened wereThe Phoenix Mirror was lost and a new villain within the Chi You Men appeared .
I’d imagine the grander 16 chapter story was cut down to 11 by removing the chapters that focused on travel (like the ship journey between 1 and 2), which would explain the gap between Bailu and Choubu (and the character introduction for a particularly important character being missing).
Oh yes
where is the action shooter in this game ?? 🙁
This game is so pathetic….
A ton of money went into it and its absolute sh.t
“A ton of money went into it”
Much of it from Soyny and Timmy Tencent so all’s good. ?
People vastly underestimate how expensive game development is, especially when it’s not iterative upon existing assets/tech like most sequels are today (Shenmue 3, while iterative, had to be build that way, rather than literally iterating on a foundation that already existed).
For reference, look at another game that made almost as much on Kickstarter, and also had Deep Silver backing such as Bloodstained.
I’d imagine the total budget of Shenmue 3 was something along those lines, only with Shenmue 3 being a 3D open-world action-adventure game, rather than a 2.5 Metroidvania.
Fist you need to stop spreding lies
Second when you start your argument by i think means its made up….
Third stop defending this trashcan or a game…
And last but not least……
This game was supported by
SONY
EGS
Kickstarter
Shibuya production
SEGA
DEAP SILVER
They had support from every side…. Yet they made… A 1/10 game….
And they are selling it for a full price AAA cost….. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6d4aa9e18e905447bce8326f501f084c284864755237d1567fa1ce28a30d8e09.png
Oh my God how Deep Silver has now become one of the publishers I hate most. Right up there there with Ubisoft, EA, Microsoft, Bethesda & Square Enix. Deep Silver just continues down the most anti-consumer paths and it doesn’t even need the god money. Deep Silver basically is in bed with Epic. They robbed me of Metro Exodus & apparently they’ve signed off more deals with Epic for that Franchise. And the damn game doesn’t even use Unreal Tech.
With the exception of the EGS deal (from which we can extrapolate how much went to the game from the Kickstarter tiers that were fulfilled around the time the deal was cinched) we don’t know anything about the nature of involvement with the other parties or whether any money was involved at all (and if so, how much).
For instance, at no point did we get confirmation that Sega or Sony are invested in the game — we got statements that people interpreted that way, but nothing to back it up.
From what we actually know as fact, Sony were responsible for supporting and marketing the PS4 version, Sega were a licensee, and Shibuya Productions offered production assistance, but whether that came in response to upfront investment or a royalty agreement is unclear.
I’d disagree the game is 1/10. That’s massively hyperbolic even from the perspective of the most disappointed consumer and implies being massively broken and borderline unplayable which is just… not true.
And the point about pricing is moot given that the developer who received/used the funding isn’t the one who sets the price, the publisher is.
“Second when you start your argument by i think means its made up…. ”
It’s a subjective perspective on perception. Something that can’t be quantified or proven either way until we have mind reading tech to see what’s going on in people’s heads.
Please, for your sake, learn to read because it sounds very much like you thought “I think” was referring to the quantifiable cost of the game’s development, when it should be clear it is talking about the qualitative nature of people’s perception of game budgets.
On an aside, poor spelling and barely coherent half-thoughts that… constantly… trail… off… without… saying… any…thing make me think your post is low-quality bait.
we don’t know anything about the nature of involvement with the other parties or whether any money was involved at all so than ………….
so why are you talking about how mutch the development cost if you have no idea how mutch they have ?????
I’d disagree the game is 1/10
sorry my mistake. its 0/10
It’s a subjective perspective on perception. Something that can’t be quantified or proven either way until we have mind reading tech to see what’s going on in people’s heads.
you dont need mind reading to know that Shentueurunmeueue 3 is a burning trashcan
and pls dont defend a sh.t game
Damn, man. Did Shenmue III take your sister’s virginity against her will, or what? I’ve seen people hate on a game, but this sounds personal, if that were even possible.
Pro-tip though, bud, many people threw money at this, hoping it would end up being exactly what it ended up being. Many have grown tired of the homogenization of games these days, and actually miss design from previous eras.
The main thing Shenmue III did perfectly, is that it stayed a “Shenmue” game. Whether you like or not, well, who gives a f*** really? However, anyone who threw money at this on Kickstarter, wanting a Shenmue game? Are ecstatic at how it turned out.
Damn, man. Did Shenmue III take your sister’s virginity against her will, or what? ,,,
no .. she siad to me lets play smash bros … so i did … it was her fault ….i guess ….. remember kids its rape if we both scream …..
Many have grown tired of the homogenization of games these days, and actually miss design from previous eras……
ok .. when shenmueuemnue 2 come out it was a top of the line game with lots of inovations ….
so ppl hoped it will happen again with shenmuemnumeu 3 but in the end it just a old game with new textures and terrbilme acting / writing like the old shenmuemunmeu…. money well spend ….. and ppl didnt buy it … the end
a “Shenmue” game
aaaaaaaaahahaaaa good one 😀 thx 😀
its like a bad indie game for AAA price ….
but hey i am here just to sh,t on a sh,t game ,,,,,
“Damn, man. Did Shenmue III take your sister’s virginity against her will, or what? I’ve seen people hate on a game, but this sounds personal, if that were even possible.”
His daddy just didn’t buy him powerful enough gpu to play Fortnite so he has all this spare time to vomit his meaningless anger so that someone else might get upset and feel bad with him.
And by looking that word vomit about raping kids and stuff you can tell that he really, really feels bad. I almost feel sorry for him or I would if I cared.
my boy is this the best you got ?
looks like yes . cuz if you defend shenmuemuu 3 you must be special windowlicker
I didn’t talk to you, child, but now that I am, I will share with you two pieces of old wisdom. There are two old sayings:
“Better to stay silent and let people think you are stupid than open your mouth and prove it.”
“Emptiest drum bangs loudest.”
Meditate on those sayings and you might learn something valuable about yourself and the world.
Ok sorry
“we don’t know anything about the nature of involvement with the other
parties or whether any money was involved at all so than ………….
so why are you talking about how mutch the development cost if you have no idea how mutch they have ?????”
I’m going off of the figures we do know or can reasonably extrapolate. I don’t need the whole picture to do that. However, you do in order to make yours (unless you consider the figures we can already assume to be an outrageous sum of money).
“I’d disagree the game is 1/10
sorry my mistake. its 0/10. you dont need mind reading to know that Shentueurunmeueue 3 is a burning trashcan”
Hey, 0/10 is still 3.5 points higher than your ability to form coherent thoughts, and around 4.5 points higher than your reading comprehension.
Don’t worry. Shenmue 3 doesn’t need me to defend you from it. But it offers it’s sympathies, as do I: you must have had a tough life having grown up retarded.
I’m going off of the figures we do know or can reasonably extrapolate. I don’t need the whole picture to do that.
ofc you dont ,. you are smarter than the rest of us …
they got help from
SONY
EGS
Kickstarter
Shibuya production
SEGA
DEAP SILVER
so i dont think money was the problem …. they made a bad game and its the devs fault the end
Don’t worry. Shenmue 3 doesn’t need me to defend you from it..-….
oh thank god . for a sec i thought you are defending this game … what would be insane ….
on no .. personal insults … i guess this is the best you can do ….
Hey, at least they are coherent, intelligible personal insults.
And hey, don’t try and take the high ground and act holier than thou. You conceded that when you were trolling (no one is actually stupid enough to write the way you do, present the arguments you do, or be extreme enough to give a perfectly functioning game a 0/10).
You want the personal insults and shit-flinging. That’s the whole reason you’re here is to get a rise out of being edge-y. Cool. We get it.
extreme enough to give a perfectly functioning game a 0/10
oh sorry
i didnt know the scale cant be used from 0
i give it a 0/10 and its my opinion ….. yet you are butthurt about it ….
its a mirracle its working … and my dildo have more soul in it than the characters in game ….
And hey, don’t try and take the high ground and act holier than thou……..
i will act like it cuz i am not dumb enough to buy , play or support this garbage of a game …..
Nicely written mate
Thank you for reading!
One for the fans”
Shenmue fanboys need stop use this excuse.
Fuq Deep Silver & Everybody that works for that $hit-hole company.
They should have made a port to the dreamcast lol
Yeah, considering how much the kickstarter made there was no need to go for big sales on PC instead of just keeping it on Dreamcast for the fans.
Hey, I’m sure there are people out there who got invested in the first two games, who just love this. It’s certainly not for me, but, I can at least see where there may be some appeal to that retro type of design.
Not every single game has to appeal to the “maximum possible audience”. So good for those people who wanted this throwback to older games.
At least it’s not some yearly, turned over pile of s**t, masquerading as a game, just to pump as much money as possible out of stupid people. It does have that going for it.
I’m one of those gamers that enjoy retro game design but that may be because I lived through times when C64, Nes and Amiga ruled the world and I still play with Dreamcast (last time was today playing Mars Matrix).
First Shenmue is one of my all time favorites and I think Sega did the right thing with remasters and left them be like they used to be. I love retro graphics, especially with 3D Vision and I can’t wait to play Shenmue 3 in 3D (I’m saving it for christmas).
If Yu Suzuki had modernised Shenmue 3 I think I wouldn’t buy it at all.
Oh, I might ad that past ten years I’ve enjoyed more small budget games than that shiny AAA crap (I really hate that term “AAA”). I used to buy many AAA games before (except EA games or Call of Duty crap – I’ve got grudge since EA killed Westwood (Lands of Lore 1 is also one of all time favorites)) and few years ago I started to lose passion and interest for gaming and finally I realized the reason for that was all those generic shiny AAA games that got 90+ scores. I also realized those games had narrowed my taste in games.
Now I play mostly older games or some indie stuff and I think Cyberpunk 2070 is almost only new game I’m looking forward. One criteria is also that the game must be able to be played in 3D or it’s a “no buy” for me. I just can’t go back to 2D gaming any more.
And yeah, I hate online multiplayer games too and I’ll buy Shenmue from Epic Store – I don’t pirate games so I don’t need excuses for that.
Damn, I really miss Westwood Studios.
Sounds fairly close to my position. I buy maybe 2 newer games a year these days. Between most of them being s**t, and the rest simply not being worth the investment due to them being scams more than games? Ya, I hardly buy anything either.
I wouldn’t even pirate most garbage these days. Such a s**t show this industry has become. Last newer game I bought was Fire Emblem: Three Houses, and before that, I think was Persona 5. Now, before that? I don’t even remember.
Have a bunch of retro stuff consoles, with a fairly extensive original collection for each. It’s where my attention goes to now. I don’t have to worry about some suit at some company, pulling anything out from under my feet one day, because the spreadsheets show that “trends are changing”. Or worrying that the game I bought today, won’t be the game I have tomorrow.
The festering problem that the internet brought upon this industry, was the avenue for these companies to change things at their will, after the sale of a game. So, unless it’s a single player game, that is worth actually buying and collecting? I won’t even bother considering buying it.
Sadly, the biggest casualty of all of this, was creativity. It’s pretty much flat dead, and you can narrow down almost any “AAA game” released these days, in to pretty much 1 precise category. Online dopamine-inducing casinos.
its a dogsh.t game .
the end
???. I clicked on every door and heard that about 50,000 times in Shenmue 1. I can’t get it out of my head.
As Destructoid said: It looks like a game from 2005.
????!
Really nice review !
50 USD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onM2o7zLC1E
30 USD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY2srJUayEE