Shenmue III

Shenmue II was published in Japan in 2001 for the Dreamcast and an enhanced edition was published on the North American and European XBOX in 2002. Quite a coup for Microsoft and no doubt facilitated credibility for the fledgling new console. Clive Barker, author of the infamous Books of Blood 1-6 and the horror short story contained within; The Midnight Meat Train (highly recommended) once said many years after publishing his masterwork (paraphrasing); "I could never write such a brutal piece of literature again. As I aged I became a different person with different perspectives molded by new experiences in an evolving world". I mention this only because having fond memories of Shenmue II and 24 years after I find myself in a similar position, not as a creator but as a consumer. Over time and for better or worse we all change significantly. For it's time Shenmue II was a masterwork and in terms of scope and context it was cutting edge but that was another lifetime ago, another generation long since past. In the 24 years since I've been "modernized" and "influenced" by world renown game designers each with their on modern vision. My tolerances and my expectations have vastly changed. Shenmue III is a 2002 designed work with relatively modern graphics, 2002 interface mechanics and a game designer implementing 2002 game design concepts. Indeed, I believe this to be intentional as the title serves as a sequel to a 2002 masterwork. Don't get me wrong as I dare not criticize or question the legacy or vision of a designer who compiled the blueprint of legend. Shenmue II was never made for the masses and therefore either is Shenmue III. The series is for fans of adventure gaming who don't mind a very slow and meticulous burn. I couldn't make it past the first hour, the first village. I immediately understood the position I found myself in. I wanted to continue but couldn't. I will not be able to pontificate further about the game. No negative review but just acknowledging situational reality.

[h1]Experienced on the Meta Quest 3[/h1] You can view my VR mod gameplay here: https://youtu.be/J5wgabGQq1w Yes, you can play Shenmue III in VR using the UEVR Mod by Praydog. Even better, you can play Shenmue 3 in First Person with motion controller support using the community profile from Tensai37. Tensai37's profile includes motion controlled gestures (block and punch using motion controlled gestures!) Game looks absolutely beautiful in VR. I know the game is from 2019 but the art-work just truly shines in Virtual Reality. If you love this game, you owe it to yourself to play it in VR. It is the best way to experience this game. The amazing thing is how the community profile is being made by just one person. Of course, Praydog and his team made UEVR which has allowed so many games to be playable in VR. VR is the future of gaming. Don't get left behind! [b]VR Mod Rating 8/10.[/b] [quote]I bought this game (in a bundle)! If you enjoyed my review, please consider joining my Steam Curator group [url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Oculus_WMR]Oculus Rift Reviews.[/url][/quote]

I completed the game today and would like to give my honest review while everything is still fresh in my mind. I started playing Shenmue this year at Christmas, beginning with Shenmue I on Dreamcast, followed by Shenmue II. I loved both games, even though I preferred the first one. I still really enjoyed the second. After finishing the second game, I started Shenmue III, and if I had to sum it up, I really enjoyed it. In fact—and this might be controversial—I preferred it to Shenmue II in some aspects. As an example, one thing I really didn’t enjoy in Shenmue II was the way you had to make money—mostly by carrying crates. I never did it with any real pleasure. In Shenmue III, however, there are many fun ways to earn money, including chopping wood and fishing, which, in my opinion, are far more enjoyable. Another aspect where Shenmue III did better than Shenmue II, in my opinion, is combat and training. In Shenmue I, you had to train to master your techniques, and as a result, you learned the move sequences needed to execute them properly. In Shenmue II, this was either missing or far less present—at least, I never really encountered it. Shenmue III brings sparring back to the center of the gameplay, where you must master techniques through training. The result is that you once again memorize move sequences, which makes fights much more enjoyable. On top of that, you can assign your favorite moves to a shortcut key for quick execution. The game feels very familiar in many ways and is truly the rightful heir to the franchise. The mechanics are the same, and having played the first two games on Dreamcast, I immediately felt at home. Even the dialogue felt the same. I feel that discovering the franchise for the first time recently, and doing so on Dreamcast, then playing Shenmue III immediately afterward, gives me a unique perspective. There was no 20-plus-year wait for me, and because of that, Shenmue III (released in 2019) feels like it naturally sits where Shenmue in 2002 should have been. I honestly don’t understand why people who loved Shenmue I and II back in the day hate this title so much. I can understand why new players, who have never heard of the series, might not like it—but the original fans? The one thing I didn’t appreciate was the lack of official SEGA arcade games and all the small goodies related to them. Other than that, I truly enjoyed Shenmue III and sincerely hope we will one day get Shenmue IV.

After playing Shenmue 1 and Shenmue 2.... This Shenmue 3 doesn't even feel like Shenmue at all.... the game was so bad in my opinion I couldn't even play it for that long. The graphics are beautiful don't get me wrong but the playstyle is not Shenmue and just how the entire game looks and feels is not Shenmue either and to not have a proper ending even though you don't plan on making a Shenmue 4 is a real slap in the face to all of us fans!!

I just wanted the game to end. I was honestly surprised there wasn't a message that said "before you can fight the end boss go and collect 1,000,000 Yuan"

DO NOT BUY...... Just because you played the beloved Shenmue 1 or 2 does not mean this is a good game. Everyone involved in making this monstrosity should be thrown out of the video game making business. A game that hates the player and wants the player to be bored to tears. Such a shame to see what happened to this franchise. I cannot stress how much everyone should avoid this awful game, not even worth it if it was 90% off. DO NOT BUY.

I can honestly say as a Shenmue fan that this game feels like a Jnrela Engine Fan game in a bad way for over half the experience. That and the cliffhanger at the end of II was not explained fully..Bailu Village is a massive disappointment story and pacing wise. It was also bizarre that NPCs do not react to rain with umbrellas like they did in Shenmue I and II. The lack of throwing in combat is also poor. The stamina system is a fine idea, but it's so poorly balanced between how much food and money you have starting. You cannot run down into town without loosing all your dialy stamina for the day. For everything it gets right and does it does something else medicore to poor. I do not know if Enhanced will fix some of the major flaws if this title or not. But I can honestly say after beating it multiple times. It's not actually good.

1と2の時は進みすぎたゲームだったが、3は復活するには遅すぎたゲーム。

Anyone who enjoyed shenmue ansd shenmue II on the Sega Dreamcast will love this game, all three of them are great games worthy of another play through

I love playing games that I bought on a Steam sale a million years ago before I stopped being completely r e t a r d e d, & not having any recourse to return them anymore. F u c k this game & the horse it shat in on.