Shenmue III didn’t have an easy journey. The Shenmue series, which debuted in 1999, was originally intended to cover more games. However, the huge development cost and the fact that Sega Dreamcast failed mean that it was effectively canceled after Shenmue II in 2001. Over the next several years, the two original titles achieved cult status. A relatively small but devoted fan group continually pushed for more sequels to wrap up the story.
They made their wish come true when series creator Yu Suzuki announced at E3 2015 that he was launching a Kickstarter to help fund the development of Shenmue III. With financial help from Sony and Deep Silver, Shenmue III finally launched in 2019.
But can a sequel based on a game last released nearly two decades ago live up to gamers’ expectations? After all, the new game must juggle fidelity to the original series and modernization for today’s audience. Here’s how Shenmue III fares.
History
Shenmue III starts almost immediately where the series left off about 18 years ago. Ryo Hazuki traveled to China in search of his missing father and those responsible for his kidnapping. As things start to pick up pace, you learn about some important artifacts and why stonemasons are disappearing.
The real joy of storytelling comes from the compelling characters you meet. Some fan favorites return from the first two games. However, most of the new individuals are interesting and do a good job of replacing them. For those who have a hard time letting go, a clever mechanic brings back those characters who aren’t physically involved. You can call them and have a conversation with them over the phone.
For the most part, history is a fun ride. It’s not the biggest video game storyline in the world, but for fans of the first and second games it’s a faithful continuation. However, you shouldn’t expect any kind of conclusion for the tale. The developers seem to want to continue the story. By the end of the campaign, there are more unanswered questions than at the beginning. Of course, it’s disappointing not to see an adequate ending, especially with the future of the series far from certain.
Start a new Thread