Shenmue III

Flora, I don't think you understand - I hear that the first two have aged appallingly. My enjoyment of the story would be ruined by the relentless march of technology, or so I'm led to believe.

I kinda guess you'd say yes, Mas. GJones? Jas? Anyone who's not Yu Suzuki's greatest fan?

I don't think it's aged to much,  I am planning to play again soon.  But gaming has moved on that the mini games and getting a job stuff doesn't seem as revolutionary.

The story is a simple one though but told in amazing way.

On Suzuki to me he's like my Shigsy if that makes sense.

Suzuki-san did a Q&A last night on reddit, it's here in the easiest way to see it without seeing ever dam post

I've not played the first one in about 2 years (made the wife start it!), but it is a game that has dated in a different way. Visually it still stands up - stuff like the veins on Lan Di's hand and the faces of the main characters. I think that it is harder to sell today because of the slow pace and how you can go for days without achieving anything. The controls are a bit backwards too - you don't use the analogue stick to move, Ryo controls like he is in a Resident Evil game etc.

The thing about Shenmue is that it remains the only game to have made me feel something. It was like Heavy Rain but there was actually a game there in between the interactive cut scenes, or LA Noire if you were allowed to live a life outside of working hours. It was ridiculously ambitious, with a forklift racing game, Virtua Fighter fighting engine, a motorcycle section similar to the one in Bayonetta, stealth sections, cryptic puzzles; it was a ton of SEGA game styles shoehorned in to one majestic detective story.

I love it.

Balla wrote:

In fact, on the subject: would anyone who's played the first two even recommend me shelling out for 3 if I haven't?

In my opinion playing the first two is a must as you will be able to connect with the characters more than you would from a few cinematic shorts, as you will have those little experiences in between the cut scenes and QTE's.

Since you're not big on retro gaming I don't see you enjoying the dreamcast versions of the game for some of the reason GJones stated. (slow pace, odd controls) So, you are probably best hoping for a substantial HD remake of the first two before going anywhere near number three.

gjones wrote:

The thing about Shenmue is that it remains the only game to have made me feel something. It was like Heavy Rain but there was actually a game there in between the interactive cut scenes, or LA Noire if you were allowed to live a life outside of working hours. It was ridiculously ambitious, with a forklift racing game, Virtua Fighter fighting engine, a motorcycle section similar to the one in Bayonetta, stealth sections, cryptic puzzles; it was a ton of SEGA game styles shoehorned in to one majestic detective story.

I love it.

The story really is what makes Shenmue even though the little bits in between can be fun as well, it'll be interesting to see how they pace it overall.

Thanks for that, Jas. You're right that I'm not big on retro.

Anyway, things are getting a bit more fishy. Granted, they were a bit piscine already, what with a big publisher (Sony) harnessing goodwill and then directing it onto Kickstarter, but the fishyness is upped a bit by Suzuki saying that he'd need $10m to make a proper open-world game.

This... this is taking the pisces a bit, isn't it? Just a little? What would we/you get otherwise: a film with quick-time events? Press X to jump from one rock to another?

Here's what Jim has to say.

Got to love a QTE, he does make some good points Jim and I would back the hell out of BG&E2.

The $10m is strange but I feel Sony will pony up the rest of the money and I still feel you would enjoy Shenmue III balla just from the cinematic's, I know people have enjoyed II just from watching Shenmue I the Movie.

mas wrote:

The $10m is strange but I feel Sony will pony up the rest of the money

Why would they though when they have rabid Shenmue fans willing to pay it for them?

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The talk of  "a proper open world game" worries me a bit as pacing the story could be really tough if they take this route, as restrictive as the first game was with the daily time limits etc it made sense within the story as it kept your focus on the important goal and an open world for me can take you away from that focus. (yes, the first few games had the mini games etc but they were totally optional whereas side objectives probably wouldn't be in an open world setting)

Also any side objectives would be a tad pointless for me as well not to mention the side characters would probably be less fleshed out which the previous games didn't really suffer from.

So, I'm not really keen on it having an open world.

The fan base is only so big, I know from the Dreamcast community that they want a physical PS4 release which is possible and a DC version which isn't going to happen maybe a mock version like with Yooka-Laylee and it's N64 version with most of them willing to go up to about $300 (I could even be tempted). So that bring in more money than likes of gjones want to get paid first before pledging, so yeah they will get more Has but $10m is a lot that if it gets to like $7m what's $3m to Sony for the rest.

The other thing is I know EofGizmo hasn't pledged as it's been backed and will just buy when it comes, so not all the fanbase are backers.

On the open world depends on how big and like you said what's in it, I've not played a Yakuza game but those have been considered the spiritual successor to Shenmue, Suzuki-san might just want a world like that.

And I personally want Suzuki-san to make the game he wants and fulfil his version and if that's open world that's open world.

We now nearly all the goals and what they mean there's even ones past $10m

But I saw this which might be good for likes of Balla What's a Shenmue

Now I've finally got the dreamcast I can now play shenmue 1 and 2 before number 3 comes out if it's coming on PS3???
I mite consider getting the Japanese versions as everyone knows the PAL are a stupid price and you can it cheap in Japan
if I need translation help I look on youtube with it or look in my Japanese dictionary as I always do but all about the gaming experience

Number III is PC & PS4 only, PS3 be long dead by late 2017/ early 2018.

On playing Shenmue but number I from the states as it's cheaper then PAL and in English, Number 2 is Japanese even in PAL regions but has subtitles not sure if the Jap version has a option for English subs or not.

masofdas wrote:

Number III is PC & PS4 only, PS3 be long dead by late 2017/ early 2018.

On playing Shenmue but number I from the states as it's cheaper then PAL and in English, Number 2 is Japanese even in PAL regions but has subtitles not sure if the Jap version has a option for English subs or not.  

it's to early days for me getting the PS4 anytime soon and not getting it for just shenumue 3
At lest I can the first and second game now anyways until the future having the PS4 to play it.
Show me at lest your game play with it be nice to see on your video youtube or channel.

Well it's not out for over 2 years by then PS4 be cheaper and have more games.

Oh that fine than lol I thought it was coming out soon, that enough time for me than
so they just started working on it than it seems to finish in 2 years time :lisa:

masofdas wrote:

Number III is PC & PS4 only, PS3 be long dead by late 2017/ early 2018.

On playing Shenmue but number I from the states as it's cheaper then PAL and in English, Number 2 is Japanese even in PAL regions but has subtitles not sure if the Jap version has a option for English subs or not.  

I had a look for the USA version for shenmue and they still expensive the same so Japanese it is thanks still.

I'm playing the first more info in the last retro game you played thread.

As I put there, I was tempted to make this a general Shenmue thread as we have been talking about I&II and I'm playing.

Please don't as if anyone wants to talk Shenmue 1 & 2 it should be left in the retro section of the forum.

Okay, but should older Final Fantasy's etc be talked about in Retro not Final Fantasy thread?

They probably should tbh but I don't really mind those being in general gaming.

Final Fantasy is a series with 14 core entries with a 15th on the horizon, so that's a series that definitely is current. Shenmue isn't really worth discussing as a series in it's own thread, not least because nobody has played it

But III a singular game does of a series the no one has played.

Managed to nab a copy of Shenmue 2 (Xbox) from CEX website - hopefully it is good condition. Considering I've completed the first game at least five times, the second I've only got to the end once. Looking forward to sinking my teeth again

Nice the analogue stick will be a godsend.

Also I see CEX have put the game up as it used to be about £13.

Today is #SaveShenmue day, all I've seen on twitter all morning is #SaveShenmue I did tweet about it myself and how I would give a extra $30 as that's also part of the whole day #30onthe3rd as the movement I gather you would call it want people that have pledged or haven't pledged to pledged a extra $30 or go pledge that amount.

Which fine but I've already pledged $120, I would how ever pledge the extra $30 for a physical version of the game on PS4.

There has been some news around the game Corey Marshall is back to voice Ryo, which means some wonderful VO along with the game being confirmed to be running in Unreal 4 and the few new images look better now.

Erm....calling it save Shenmue day seems really odd to me, it's not like it's in any danger of not being backed, is it?