Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Truly Shenmue
Fans of Shenmue won't be disappointed.
Dated Systems
Many of its systems feel like they were taken out of the early 2000s.
Inconsequential
Poor voice acting and a roundabout plot make it feel somewhat irrelevant to the broader storyline.
For better and worse, Shenmue III feels just like the Shenmue games that launched nearly 20 years ago.
A bewitching time capsule that transports us to late 80s China, and to turn-of-the-century video games.
A seamless continuation of the series that makes up for its limitations with pure heart. It's like Ryo never left us.
Rejoining Ryo Hazuki's quest to avenge his father is exciting, but Shenmue 3 feels like a game that has ignored the innovation and progress of the last 20 years of video game development.
A magnificent, authentic, totally uncompromised sequel that crucially ignores virtually every gaming trend of the past 18 years.
Exploring small towns is still fun and rewarding until you have to engage in battle and dialogue. Then it falls apart
Shenmue III hasn't changed much from its Dreamcast-era roots--and it can't reach its full potential as a result.
Despite these annoyances, despite the fact that it’s a game designed with decades-old sensibilities, I enjoyed my time with it. It doesn’t have the conclusion we’ve been waiting two decades for and it barely drives the story forward at all, but the climactic battle is as satisfying as that 70-man tussle in the first game’s harbour.
Some players may want to mainline Shenmue III in order to see all the story has it has to offer as quickly as possible.
Shenmue 3 features a post-credits message from designer Yu Suzuki in which he offers a heartfelt thank you to fans and expresses his hope to continue the series with Shenmue 4.
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Shenmue 3 is a sequel nearly two decades in the making. Reviews will be a hot topic, and we can now share exactly when the review embargo lifts.
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