Shenmue is a series close to many people's hearts. The Dreamcast cult classics aren't as well-known as other open-world games, but those who have played it sing its praises until the cows come home. They are especially vocal now, with Shenmue III's release date inching ever closer.
Our mouths are watering to finally get a taste of this long-awaited third installment. While most are excited, a few things are still giving people pause. The following list will detail five reasons the game is a surefire hit and five things we are still worried about. At the end of the day, however, most are confident that longtime Shenmue fans will be pleased with the outcome.
10 Worried: It's Not The Conclusion
Yu Suzuki already said Shenmue III will not conclude the series. Assuming the game is a success and the resources are available, he wants to continue the franchise. For fans, more Shenmue is always a good thing, but it also makes one worry about the story never actually reaching an end.
If the game has lackluster sales, no other publisher will likely touch a sequel. It's possible to give this one a sense of finality while keeping the door open for something in the future, but the game will likely end with a cliffhanger like the prior two entries.
9 Excited: Bailu Village
Shenmue II ends with Ryo heading to Bailu Village to find the man who crafted the Phoenix and Dragon Mirrors. He never actually gets to the village, and the last act is spent walking towards the area with a mysterious girl he saves from drowning.
Finally, after almost twenty years, Ryo will be able to explore this small Chinese village. Players will eventually venture to other parts of China during the story, but the journey begins in Bailu.
8 Worried: Spoilers
Some have waited almost two decades to get their hands on this game. It seemed like an impossible dream until its announcement at E3 2015. Having some inconsiderate stranger on Twitter blurt out a major plot detail would devastate a patient fan who wanted to experience the game without spoilers.
Revealing important moments and twists is always a poor move, but it is especially retched in this case, considering the long wait many endured.
7 Excited: Corey Marshall
The voice acting in the first two games is endearingly cheesy, but it's also a part of the series' identity in the same way GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64 wouldn't feel the same with modern first-person shooter controls. Miraculously, Corey Marshall returns after all these years to provide Ryo Hazuki's iconic voice.
In an unconventional move for video games, Corey recorded his lines for the English language version in Japan even though he was living in New York during the first game's production. A gamer himself, Corey takes the job seriously and feels honored to be a part of such a revered franchise.
6 Worried: Feeling Outdated
To some, this is a plus. The slow movement, quick-time events, and dialogue aren't so much outdated features as they are facets that define Shenmue. It would be wrong to say the original two games are typical products of their time in the first place, as no other games did what they accomplished.
At the same time, newcomers may be turned off by the unique gameplay and slow pace. Fortunately, the remasters came out a little over a year ago and reminded gamers what the series is all about. Any new faces interested probably discovered back then whether or not they would like the series.
5 Excited: It's Still Yu Suzuki's Baby
Any press who got the honor to visit Ys Net's offices came out with a similar impression - Shenmue III is still Yu Suzuki's baby. All decisions are ultimately made or at least approved by him.
He is still the captain of the ship steering in his desired direction. In the modern gaming landscape, publishers often butt in and force features into a game, but none of that seems to happen at Ys Net.
4 Worried: Budget
The originals were monumental undertakings and turned out to be two of the most expensive games ever produced. Shenmue III was partly funded through Kickstarter and Deep Silver only later came in to further finance the project. With this in mind, one shouldn't expect AAA production values.
Fortunately, they are using the template already established by the first two games, so they don't have to craft a whole new genre, which is basically what Shenmue did. At the same time, fans should go in expecting more Shenmue, and not a reinvention of the wheel.
3 Excited: Previews
With the release in sight, a large handful of people already got some time with the game. Impressions from Shenmue fans are almost universally positive. For those familiar with the first two, jumping into the third will feel like riding a bike.
Except for the graphical facelift, the game just as well could have come out in 2003 in how faithful it is to the Shenmue blueprint. It is not attempting to cater to outsiders, opting instead to go all-in with the niche gameplay.
2 Worried: Button Mashing
These games aren't perfect, and even fans disagree on what is or isn't great about Shenmue. Some people despise quick-time events, but at least they are logically mapped out onto the controller and feel like they have the appropriate context.
Button mashing, on the other hand, just hurts thumbs. One turtle racing minigame uses this mechanic, and previews describe the endurance test as grueling. No one likes having to hit a single button as fast as possible, and it doesn't make sense how doing so would get a turtle across the finish line faster.
1 Excited: Continuing The Story
Shenmue II ends on a bizarre cliffhanger, but the agonizing anticipation will pay off in less than two weeks. The game won't conclude the saga, but the promise of unraveling a few more threads of the mystery is more than enough to have fans licking their lips.
It's hard to think of any examples of direct sequels taking almost twenty years to come to light in the medium. Even if the game turns out to be lackluster, continuing the story will still be a treat.