Shenmue III ~ 4th Anniversary ~

Shenmue III ~ 4th Anniversary ~

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Shenmue III hit the shelves on November 19, 2019, marking its fourth anniversary after an 18-year anticipation. In this blog post, I'll delve into the Shenmue III Kickstarter campaign and share my journey of becoming a Shenmue fan through it.

I'll discuss the challenges and setbacks that Yu Suzuki faced leading up to the game's release, shedding light on the aspects he had to trim down. Additionally, I'll explore how Shenmue III stirred division within the Shenmue fan community and touch on various other aspects.

~ E3 2015 ~

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I recall the moment when Yu Suzuki took the stage, discussing the creation of Shenmue III for the fans through Kickstarter. Back then, I wasn't a Shenmue fan, but i grasped the significance of that instant.

It was during this on-stage interaction with Yu Suzuki that I had a revelation. I thought, "That's it—I've made up my mind. I'll dive into Shenmue I and II now."

Previously, I had attempted to play the first game on a Dreamcast Emulator. I struggled with configurations, and my PC at the time wasn't up to the task, leading me to temporarily abandon the attempt. However, witnessing the incredible announcement with Yu Suzuki at E3 2015 reignited my determination to experience Shenmue I & II, so that moment at E3 2015 had a big importance for me to become a Shenmue fan.

Lacking a Dreamcast, i opted for a Dreamcast emulator. I'm grateful for that decision because playing Shenmue I and II from start to finish turned out to be a transformative experience that forever altered my life.

In other blog post, I'll delve into the details of my journey to becoming a Shenmue fan and explore why Shenmue has had such a profound impact on my life.

~ The Kickstarter ~

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The Kickstarter campaign was immensely successful, breaking records and providing the necessary funds for Yu Suzuki and YS NET to develop the game.

The game was intended to feature three locations: Bailu Village, Niaowu (Choubu in the japanese version), and Baisha. Unfortunately, Baisha had to be cut out from the game, suggesting that Yu-san encountered significant challenges during the development of Shenmue III.

~ The delays ~ ​

Shenmue III experienced three delays, indicating that Yu Suzuki faced numerous challenges during the game's development. I can envision Yu Suzuki wishing to postpone the release further in a quest to enhance the game, perhaps even exploring options to incorporate Baisha. However, it's likely that Deep Silver was putting pressure on him to finish the game, leading to Shenmue III being released on November 19, 2019 without Baisha.

~ Baisha ~

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Once, Yu Suzuki mentioned that Baisha would show off what Shenmue III is all about. This led me to believe that Baisha was intended to be a pivotal location in the game. It's disheartening to see that Yu-san had to cut out such a significant location from the game.

From my perspective, the inclusion of Baisha could have elevated the storytelling, providing additional scenes for crucial characters like Lan Di
and Niao Sun. This, in turn, would have enriched the game with more content and potentially resulted in a more satisfying conclusion. It's really
sad to see this content being cut, Baisha looks really unique and wonderful.

Without Baisha, Shenmue III, to me, feels like it's missing disc 4. I plan to delve into this sentiment more extensively in a separate blog post.

~ Shenmue III divided the Shenmue fanbase ~​

Following the release of Shenmue III, I observed a noticeable division within the Shenmue fanbase. Opinions varied widely: some enthusiasts embraced the game as a splendid sequel, others acknowledged its flaws but still enjoyed it, while a faction outright despised every aspect of it.

Over the years post-release, I witnessed numerous conflicts arise among fans due to differing perspectives on the game. Unfortunately, Shenmue III became a point of contention, highlighting the divisive nature within the Shenmue community. While agreement isn't necessary, i believe it's crucial for people to respect each other's opinions and that the Shenmue Community to remain united.

~ Evolution ~

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The progression the game underwent from 2015 until its release is remarkable and wonderful. Shenmue III boasts an incredible style and visuals, Shenmue III is a stunning game in my opinion.

~ Made for the fans ~ ​

Yu Suzuki consistently expresses that he created Shenmue III for the fans, and i genuinely believe that the vocal support from the Shenmue community played a significant role in motivating him to make the game.

The Shenmue community's unwavering dedication is, in my opinion, a key factor behind Yu-san's decision to undertake this project. It's important to note that Yu Suzuki doesn't owe us anything, yet he went ahead and created the game, for which i'm truly grateful. It's evident that he genuinely cares about the Shenmue community, and that's truly wonderful.

His dedication to make the game for the fans might also be a reason why the game maintains a similar style to Shenmue I & II. I personally love that Shenmue III carries forward the distinctive Shenmue style.

~ Final Thoughts ~

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Shenmue III adopts a deliberate, slow-paced style akin to the first game, and I appreciate that. The nostalgic Shenmue I vibe it carries resonates with me, after the chaos that was in Kowloon the slow pace/vibe in Shenmue III fits perfectly in the narrative, and i believe that Shenmue IV will likely mirror the pace found in Shenmue II.

In terms of gameplay, Shenmue III, in my opinion, stands out as the best in the series. Despite YSNET having to start from scratch with a limited budget, the additions they made are both beautiful and impressive, delivering a genuine Shenmue experience.

Are there aspects that could have been better in the game? Yes. However, overall, Shenmue III holds a special place in my heart. Every time I play it, my appreciation for the game grows even more.

If I were to assign a score, I'd give the game an 8.5. Shenmue III, to me, is a captivating, charming, and uniquely special game.

I extend my gratitude to Yu Suzuki for persisting with Shenmue and to YSNET for transforming the game into reality. I hold genuine optimism for Shenmue IV.

What are your thoughts on the 4th Anniversary of the game? Feel free to share your perspectives in the comments below. Thank you all for reading, and don't forget to keep those you love close to you. See you in my next blog post, bye bye ~ Hikari ~ (Hiki)

Happy Anniversary Shenmue III
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[thedemon1238]

I'm also not one of the 1.2 million who bought Shenmue for dreamcast in 2000. :) Somewhere around 2004, I got caught up in the retro obsession of collecting old consoles, and it wasn't until 2008 that I got the Dreamcast. Back then I was going through lists of the best must-have games and finished Shenmue 1 in 2009-2010. I had heard about the series before from magazines, but there was no way I could play it. It instantly became one of my favorite games (TOP 20 for sure) and I started playing Shenmue 2. However, I didn't want to finish the second game quickly and played it very slowly. I wanted to see every corner of the game because I knew it was unfinished and probably never would be. There was no rush and I didn't want it to end.

I was already a fan and was very happy in 2015 when they announced plans for the third game. I don't know why, but I had huge doubts that it would work. I was not one of the backers and until the end I did not believe that it would come out. I played Shenmue 2 all the way through the summer of 2019 because I started to believe and wanted to warm up for the launch. (only experienced one small delay)

One of the best things about the third game is how smoothly you go from the first two to the third. I never understood the fans who said Shenmue 3 was different. I put it down to the fact that they waited too long and forgot what the first two Shenmue games were. I didn't have that problem and was blown away by how good the game was as a sequel. I was very afraid that they would make it like modern games, and to be honest, Shenmue 3 is one of the few games in recent years that feels like it was made for me. I know I'm not the main audience for the games anymore and that's alright. But this game gave me the feeling that there are still games out there, that are made for gamers in the first place and after that for everyone else.

I'm sure there are many fans like me who played the game post launch and didn't back the kickstarter. The game has the potential to reach more people, but the fact that it doesn't have a huge budget and requires patience prevents certain fans from experiencing it. 20 years is a long time, and gaming tastes have changed for many people over the years. Maybe not for me, but ..... probably it's time for Shenmue to change a bit.