30.12.2019

After being left on a cliffhanger in Shenmue 2 this is certainly one of my most anticipated games of all time.In short, off the bat, if you didn’t like the original two games you almost certainly won’t like this. If you did then chances are you’ll have a good time here.Whilst Shenmue 3 follows up the story directly it also closely follows up with similar gameplay mechanics. There are some quality of life improvements, such as better character control and a first person view that makes navigating interior spaces much easier. Along with some occasional opportunities to skip time plus a pause button that actually pauses the game. Combat has also been overhauled and, whilst initially very button mashy,becomes more intricate as you progress.Additionally there is now a more structured inventory where you can view/manage the variety of items/food/capsule toys you’ve accrued. Food being particularly important as it is now required to maintain your health bar. It’s not on “Don’t Starve” levels of survival fortunately, procuring food and the money to buy it is relatively easy enough and just adds an extra consideration to the game.The game still plays out like the previous two’s “slice of life” approach where, playing Ryo, you go out, do a bit of training, earn some money, buy some capsule toys, play some arcade games and further the story incrementally each day. This very much serves fans of the previous games, filling the day with major and minor events and chores along the way. It’s arguably one of the big appeals of the Shenmue series, the kitchen-sink naturalistic approach to the game, taking pleasure in the small moments. Shenmue has always been a languid experience and for me that’s fine.It does fall down a few times though and not least of which is the lack of Sega involvement which hits it harder than I thought it would. Arcades now have simple basic games, long gone is the Hang-On, Space Harrier, Outrun and After burner arcade cabinets. Virtua Fighter is regularly advertised in various places but sadly there’s no chance to play, it almost feels like trolling. Instead it’s whack-a-mole, QTE bouts and some basic arcade experiences.Same with the capsule toys, no more Sega miniatures, no Virtua Fighter characters, Nights or the occasional Panzer Dragoon toy. Instead it’s hats, chairs, shoes and other miniaturised in game assets. And boy are there so many of them. Whilst they now have a function in so far as collecting a set has monetary value, or more importantly, allows you to unlock a new move, the sheer number and blandness of the selection feels obnoxious. The whole concept of less being more has clearly been lost here and the expectation of more being appreciated when it’s this bland is a clear mis-read of what made the original games so enjoyable.And that is the kicker, as much as I love the Shenmue experience and can make excuses for its shortcomings, there’s no shortage of obnoxious game design here. From the ridiculous amount of capsule toys to the scarcity of money and two particular sequences where an obnoxious amount of money is required to continue. It feels like Ysnet have forgotten to actually balance the game between story, combat and pastimes. They’ve added meaning to the collecting but it falls flat when it far outweighs the rest of the game experience.On the subject of story the game really leaves the player wanting. To avoid spoilers and speak in the broadest terms, most of it is: find punks, get beaten by punks, learn a new move, beat punks. Considering Ryo beat over 70 people in the first game it’s dissonant to the narrative at the very least. It doesn’t feel like the story goes anywhere and any interesting parts of the story seems to happen outside of that experienced by Ryo. Outside of the final sequence it mostly feels like an excuse to waste the player’s time and drag out the game time further than the story merits it.That being said, I did really enjoy the experience. Sinking back into the warm bath of familiar day to day life of a kid out for revenge was enjoyable. Enhanced by absolutely beautiful vistas from sunrise to sunset. The game may not be as heavy on polygons as most modern releases but it does often look amazing and is accompanied by a solid musical score. The biggest hiccups visually though tend to be with the characters, some of whom look like they’re made of plasticine, which is a far cry from the original games.In conclusion, if you enjoyed the first two games, this one may well test the patience but ultimately it’s a worthwhile experience. There’s plenty of beauty in the world that has been built and the painstakingly hand-crafted locations are a joy to behold. It’s not short on flaws and it’s a very un-modern modern release but it holds true to the original games even if it outstays its welcome at points.

21.11.2019

I’m a huge fan of the Shenmue series having played both Shenmue 1 and 2 on the Dreamcast, Shenmue 2 on the original Xbox and the recently released Shenmue 1&2 game on Xbox One. I am super delighted with the work they did with Shenmue 3 on such a tight budget! One thing you have to bear in mind is this game was released for us, the fans of the series. For that reason, the game mostly plays as it did back on the Dreamcast.If you’ve never played Shenmue, then you may start this game and within 5 minutes you will be sick to death of the controls. This is deliberate as they have tried to make it as close to the originals as possible (all games used to have clunky controls)- The graphics aren’t as good as the latest UHD games you can buy, but then as I mentioned above, the game had a microscopic budget in comparison. If I knew nothing about the game or it’s budget, based on graphics alone I would probably hazard a guess it was released in 2016Performance wise, the game REALLY takes advantage of the 8GB of RAM inside the PS4! I remember having to wait for the first games to load every time I went into a new area or into a building on the Dreamcast and original Xbox. I’m happy to report that loading screens are at an absolute minimum! It loads the entire area meaning you are free to run around and enter buildings without even seeing a loading screen. In fact some buildings even have windows in them and you can still see the world going by outside!At the time of writing this review, I did notice one or two bugs which I’m sure will get ironed out in updates. None of the bugs were game breaking and didn’t stop me progressing in any way. I got a frame rate drop in a certain store later on in the game (this was during a conversation with he shop owner so didn’t effect me in the slightest) and the only other bug I faced (if you can call it a bug) was an incorrect word in a subtitle (The subtitle said “Dragon” but the voice over said “Wolf”) but I am not going to let them spoil the game, I don’t think I have ever played a game that didn’t have bugs! I think given the size of the team they have done a FANTASTIC job!!The only thing I am not a huge fan of that is different in this game is the new energy system. You now need to eat food to restore your hit points. Sometimes you’ll run somewhere, not realise that there is a fight going to happen and you’ll start with practically no health as you used it all up whilst running. I wouldn’t say I hate it but I think it should give you some sort of warning that you are heading into a fight so you can replenish your health. One aspect I do love though is the new ‘Kung fu’ training system, it is miles ahead of what it was in previous games (finding an empty car park and just kicking and punching the air) it feels like there is an actual goal to it now as you need to level up your attack and endurance! I also love the fact that it tells you the button combination for your moves whilst sparing so you get to know what your most powerful moves are.One thing I really loved, probably more than anything else in the game was the interaction between Ryo and Shenhua. Not only do you get to use this to get a bit more background knowledge of both of them, but there are some cheeky nods to some of the questions many fans have always asked... Such as why does Ryo never smile! It just serves as a reminder that they do actually listen to what their fan base is saying!The length of the game varies I think depending on whether you are a veteran Shenmue player or not. Veteran players know that things will always crop up and nothing is ever plain sailing. We will therefore stock up on essential items to avoid going back and fourth! I personally completed the game in about 24 hours total time, but that was skipping some side quests and not collecting all the PS4 trophies. I was also already used to the controls, fighting and the back and fourth you have to do whilst looking for information.Overall if you are a Shenmue fan already, then you’ve probably already bought it by now so I’m not even sure why you are reading this review, go and avenge your fathers death! If you are new to Shenmue, I highly recommend you play the remastered version first to A) See if you enjoy it and B) So you know what is going on!

22.11.2019

I was barely a teenager when the first Shenmue was released. I had been following the development for several years, captivated by the glimpses, teases and various previews that had been released over the course of several years. When the game was finally released, I was blown away by the characters and world Yu Suzuki had crafted. The game was everything I had hoped and dreamed it would be and once I had seen the closing credits, I knew I needed more.As we all know, Shenmue I was just the first part of a much larger story, but fortunately for fans, aside from XBox exclusivity in North America causing an unnecessary delay for those in that region, they didn't have to wait to long for the second game in the series.Shenmue II was released shortly after the first game and not only had a huge number of improvements, it also had a much larger world. Unfortunately, it ended on a huge cliffhanger and fans have been waiting 18 years to find out what happens after lead protagonist, Ryo Hazuki and literally the girl of his dreams, Shenhua leave that damn cave.So does Shenmue III live up to the hype? The short answer is yes, but as you'd expect, there are some caveats.The game begins right where Shenmue II left off, with Ryo and Shenhua in the cave together, witnessing the mysteriou appearance of the dragon and phoenix mirrors upon the wall of the cave. After a few interactions with Shenhua, we're able to explore the world of Shenmue III and finally play the new installment in the series. Gameplay-wise, Shenmue fans will be right at home. Shenmue III plays in a very similar fashion to its predecessors and despite some modernisations (for example, dual analogue movement controls), the game is very much a successor to the first two games in every way imaginable. This means movement, animations, character models and dialogue are all a little dated, but in terms of Shenmue III's core gameplay, it honestly plays as a beautiful continuation of the groundwork the previous two titles laid.Environments are now bigger and mostly seamless, instead of the compartmentalised worlds the previous two games had. In addition, although character models aren't the best you will see on the PS4 by a long shot, the worlds you can explore are beautiful. As you'd expect from the Shenmue series, these are full of fun activities to engage in, characters to interact with and side quests to complete.The story writing and plot is as great as ever. Old characters return to the fold and the pacing has that classic Shenmue style. Dialogue is as quirky and - at times corny - as you'd expect, but fans of the series will not be disappointed.In terms of the game's flaws, at first I was not completely sold on the benefits of the new stamina system, which I found to be a mild hindrance when it came to encouraging players to explore and enjoy traversing through the various areas within the game. However, once you get into a rhythm of doing a bit of training each day, you find it adds depth to the existing systems, especially once Ryo begins to get much stronger.Speaking of strength, the combat has changed somewhat from the Virtua Fighter style of the first two games, this time using the face buttons to pull off moves. The combat itself has slightly less depth on the surface, but once you explore it more, you find the depth is in the timing and strategy of pulling off moves, as well as the RPG-style leveling system that has been added. It takes a little time to get used to, but once you do, it's a lot of fun.Overall, Shenmue III lives up to 18 years of hype and is a resounding success. I just hope the wait for Shenmue IV isn't quite so long.

26.11.2019

Fantastic and engaging story, visuals, sound, and gameplay.Given that this game is a crowdfunded game, it is still very impressive. In many ways, it is certainly an evolution from the previous games, but it keeps all the things that made Shenmue 'Shenmue' whilst still adding improvements to the visuals and gameplay.The level and character design is fantastic. You have to find your own way of making money, but it is never boring, as the Director has made sure you can come up with many ways to do this: gambling, manual labour, catching ducks (yes, ducks), obtaining and pawning off items - basically anyway you want to do it, you can, or you can mix it up.The combat system,

23.11.2019

This review is for both the PS4 version & the digital only PC version.This game is a faithful follow-up to the previous two games, more ambitious in scale compared to Shenmue 2 in the second half, while following the small town vibes of Shenmue 1 in the first half. The game picks up straight after the last game like 19 real-life years haven't even passed. Ryo Hazuki sounds like the same emotionless guy he always has and the dialog sounds like its straight out an 80's dub and that's exactly what one would expect from a Shenmue game.What people also expect is an interesting story, detailed "lived in" environments and ridiculous mini-games, all dripping with atmosphere and the game delivers all of this in spades.

22.11.2019

For me personally this game is a 5/5, however I do see that there are things that newcomers to the series will probably not find acceptable.1. Dialogue: I find the dialogue in Shenmue 3 charming. It has stayed very faithful to how the original 2 games are and in one respect I’m grateful for that. But let’s be honest, especially by today’s standards the dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. The English dub seems to lack a lot of emotion, and some of the lines are very jarring, and don’t seem to follow what was previously said. I really wish that this was an area that was improved. Having said that, I really enjoyed the conversations between Ryo and Shenhua.2.

25.11.2019

I enjoyed my time with Shenmue III from start to finish. I was addicted to this game, no it's not perfect by any means but it's very Shenmue and a worthy sequel to add to the series. Graphics are beautiful, it has a good atmosphere with it's Shenmue charm, new gameplay elements like a leveling up system to improve your combat and skills. It has an interesting story but the slow pacing won't be for everyone. This game was made for Shenmue fans. I liked the new battle system, it was fun with a better camera but it wasn't the best. I felt the game was harder then 1 and 2 though and was pleased about that. Beautiful music too, just like Shenmue.I can't be too biased about the game as it could have been better,

23.11.2019

It's a miracle that Shenmue III exists. I've played it for 6 hours so far and it's very slow to begin with, but once you adapt to its rhythm, it becomes very addictive. Although there is a recap of Shenmue I & II in the game, I recommed that new players play the re-release of Shenmue I & II as there is so much depth that *might* be lost on some people (although I think you'll be fine).Also, please bear in mind that this game was partly crowdfunded, so while it doesn't look like the greatest game, there is a charm, warmth and beauty to this game that is solely missing from many AAA games trying to appeal to everybody and pleasing few.For those curious and with patience, I strongly recommend you give it a go.

31.5.2020

Shenmue is a game that i loved on the original realise on the Sega Dreamcast in the late 90s.This updated 2020s Shenmue is a nothing new in terms of the shenmue series but it does address the some but not all lose ends to the franchise.Shenmue is slow and rewarding game that takes a while to get going. Shenmue does nothing new in terms of game play content ,but for fans of the series it a must buy and for the reduced price it is being sold ,buy it.Pros-interesting characters ,game world that feel alive with birds singing ,insects and Characters follow their daily tasks and the game has a day and night cycle.Ryo must also eat and drink and earn money to buy food.Cons-slighly dated Graphics,

22.11.2019

What can I say, it's shenmue they got the tone, atmosphere, characters and story right. I worried it would feel like just another game but this feels like shenmue. It feels so weird playing it like I'm in an alternate universe or something as you just thought it would never happen. Me and I'm sure many shenmue fans dreamed of playing this game and it really does feel like a dream come true.The one issue I'm sure other gamers who didn't grow up with shenmue have is the janky mouth movements compared to more modern games. But shenmue's mouth movements were always like that and it doesn't really bother me like it could bother some.Overall to me it's a perfect game as I love this series and it's faults that are few and far between are part of what make shenmue.....well shenmue.

19.12.2019

My opinion its a good game for the fans i am one I played the originals on the dreamcast I’m happy to play it and it dose progress the story overall it’s lacking real objective its just filled with mundane tasks they do milk them a lot just to extend the game play yes the originals did that a little but not to this level at times I wanted to stop playing but my love for shenmue made me play you do get small enough story moments that are a good feeling when you get to them overall no spoilers the ending dose nothing its just leaves you with no cliffhanger just with the same information you arrived with that to me felt like a cheap shot and a bad way to end the game will look forward to the dlc

30.11.2019

Oh man... after 18 years it is finally here, and it is a true Shenmue game, extremely loyal to its roots. Basically this is all I could have asked for. I am replaying the first two before going through this one seriously, just to refresh my memory, it has been so long.On the other hand. I don't even know if the reviews are relevant for this game. To be honest, most of the fans just wanted to be able to play the third part as we played the first two in the late 90s and early 2000s, not to have anything particularly different. Moreover, even back in the days Shenmue was already a niche game. It had an enormous impact in the video game industry in general, but sales were not great at all.

22.11.2019

As a massive shenmue fan you will not be disappointed. Unless you have never played shenmue 1 or 2. I don’t think new or younger gamers will appreciate, there’s games today that are far more advanced, but you must remember the original was a pioneer for many ideas in games today. The graphics are a lot smoother but don’t expect red dead redemption 2, it’s got that classic look, the game is very nostalgic & feels like shenmue, the music & the awkward character voice acting are still there. I think this is because this is a cult game funded by us fans by yu Suzuki’s kick starter. If you are one like myself you won’t be disappointed.

23.11.2019

Finally the wait is over! For the most part it's better than I expected considering it's a Kickstarter game, the graphics are great and it has the signature Shenmue charm that the fans know and love so much. It's Shenmue for better or worse depending on whether you like it or not. I do wish it had Pro support though and there seems to be a fair amount of texture pop-in, things that hopefully get ironed out in a future patch. All in all it's the game fans waited for and it's great! I'd give it 4.5/5 but there's no option to do so, so it'll have to be 5.

12.1.2020

I was a fan of the originals on Dreamcast and it is great to be finally playing number 3. If you're new to Shenmue it is well worth playing 1 & 2 first, although there is a recap movie to watch. To "get" Shenmue, the best advice is take your time and do all the things the game has to do in between the story progression. Train (which you have to anyway to progress), learn moves properly, do the side missions, go to the arcades and game parks, go fishing, collect collectables, sell/exchange items to make money or get new skill books etc.

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