Another beautiful interview with Yu Suzuki, thanks Switch.
Yu Suzuki: I'm still making games! I hope to have something to announce by the end of this year, so please keep an eye out.
So nice that Yu Suzuki is still making games, my dream announcements would be Shenmue IV, and YS NET working in Virtua Fighter 6 with SEGA, but just the fact that Yu Suzuki is still making games is really beautiful, i'm looking forward to see the new games of YS NET.
Yu Suzuki: I'm really thankful for them. Fans have told me, "The Shenmue I want to play is the Shenmue that Yu-san wants to make". If there is a next game, I would like to make one where people who are not familiar with Shenmue will be able to experience the Shenmue feeling without feeling stressed.
Yu-san always say that he did Shenmue III for the fans, probably this is one of the reasons why Shenmue III gameplay style is in a lot of ways similar to the previous games. I love this style of gameplay and i don't have problems with this old style, but i really understand that Yu Suzuki want to try new things this time.
From what Yu Suzuki is saying it really feels that if Shenmue IV happen it will have a different style and vibe in relation to the gameplay, story progression and much more.
Maybe for Shenmue IV it will have a new fighting system, or maybe the VF fighting system will come back (I don't think it will come back) or maybe will be the same fighting system as Shenmue III but with a lot of improvements.
Maybe Yu Suzuki will remove the food system, i say this because as far as i know many people did not enjoy this system, i love the food system, it gave even more meaning to the foods and more meaning for the training, training is really important in Shenmue III and i love that.
When we train we can see that Ryo is getting stronger, after training we can even see that Ryo can endure more without eating and i love that, in relation to this i just think the food system needs improvements, but maybe Yu Suzuki will completely remove this system because of many people that did not enjoyed this system.
In relation to the story progression... Shenmue III to me have a slow pace style similar to the first game and i love that, i love this slow pace and calm vibe especially in Bailu Village, the story progress in Shenmue III in a slow way with the conversations with Shenhua, training with Master Sun and learning the Body Check and much more.
For Shenmue IV i think it will have more story progression like Shenmue II and i really think that in the current situation this will be the right decision, and this way probably Yu-san will finish the story in Shenmue V.
To me Shenmue III is similar to the first game in many things and i think Shenmue IV will be similar to Shenmue II in relation to the story progression and other things.
Shenmue IV in my opinion have the potential to be an amazing, beautiful and emotional game, i imagine that it will be The Chi You Men Arc with a lot of fights, all the leaders of The Chi You Men, revelations, story progression, character development and much more.
Now Ryo is not alone anymore, now Ryo is with Shenhua and Ren, i'm really looking forward to see the trio travelling together and all the interactions between them, this have the potential to be so beautiful and interesting.
It is really interesting that Yu Suzuki want to try new ideas for the franchise, and i'm really looking forward to see this new ideas.
I think if Shenmue IV happen it will be the most different game in the franchise, with a lot of changes in the gameplay, improvements, new ideas, maybe new systems, more story progression similar to Shenmue II and much more while still maintaining some things of the Shenmue essence and identity.
I'm looking forward for more news, LetsGetShenmueIV