Shenmue III Reviews
It’s clear that Shenmue III is a game that wants to please the fans and it’s clear a lot of effort was put in ensuring this experience is the one we would have had on the Dreamcast back then. They even bothered to get Corey Marshall to reprise his role as Ryo for the English audio track. However, the game trips over itself in its execution. Shenmue III is so stuck in the past and in its own bad habits that it forgot it needs to move on. Shenmue III is very much “more Shenmue” in that it’s certainly a continuation of the story, but its also not taking many significant steps in moving it or the gameplay forward. Yu Suzuki had a rather grand vision for the future of the series but for fans to have waited this long only to get a small glimpse of that vision and continue to be teased about it is incredibly disappointing. It feels like him and his team are constantly building hype for things we can expect in the future games without ever actually delivering on it. And while it’s true that in the past, he wasn’t entirely at fault due to the fate of the Dreamcast, I have a very hard time excusing it here.
Shenmue III is a highly expected game by gamers because it is the continuation of a cult franchise. However, time has passed, but it seems game's developers don't notice it. It's beautiful, the soundtrack is very good and the story endures, but the animations are unreal and the gameplay more than tedious, it becomes impossible. It looks like a PS2 game, instead of PS4.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Shenmue III ends up feeling like a remake of the old games in the series although it is a completely new production.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Is the game that all fans expected, and at the same time it is not. It has errors, graphically it is out of date, fans will like it but I do not recommend it to new players.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Yu Suzuki might not have delivered a perfect continuation of Ryo Hazuki's journey but the work he has done in making Shenmue III is admirable. It is a good game once you dig underneath it, warts and all, especially considering the expectations of making this sequel after all these years.
Shenmue III often feels antiquated but its charming presentation and nostalgic feeling will keep fans engaged, but let’s hope it won’t take nearly two decades until Ryo’s journey continues.
The mini-game portions of Shenmue III were by far the most enjoyable. Whether it's chopping wood for a paycheck, playing the arcade games, or training, these experiences were the most fun, and they do actually help you get lost in the world of Shenmue. That world and its quirky characters are delightful in their own way, but design and dialogue shortcomings are just too much for those elements to overcome. You'll enjoy the thought of Shenmue III more than actually playing it, and, unfortunately, the nostalgia won't be enough to keep you hooked.
Finally Shenmue 3 is here. After 18 years Ryo's story continues. But the third chapter feels more like an enourmous sidemission than the continuation of the story. The game looks great and plays away like a modern game, while staying true to the first two parts. Sadly enough there are some big frustrations like the mandatory eating and making a lot of money to continue the story. For fans this is a must play, but others don't miss out if they skip this one.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
I’m glad that Shenmue 3 exists, and I hope the series continues so fans get the conclusion they deserve. It’s just a shame that it has rooted itself in the past.
It's the continuation of a story nearly 20 years in the making, with the beloved characters, mechanics, and design that made the original games so popular within that niche. Unfortunately, for everyone else, Shenmue III is archaic in design, limited in content, and flawed throughout.
Shenmue III is a game for the fans … and only for the fans. It feels like what would have happened if the Shenmue series had continued on the Dreamcast. This is delightful if you were hoping for a continuation of the franchise, but unfortunately, the appeal stops there for most casual players. If you're a fan of playing old, quirky games, you'll find something to like here, but if you can't tell Shenmue from Shamu, you probably won't understand the hype. It's nice to revisit a long-dead franchise, but if Shenmue IV gets made, one can only hope that it's slightly more ambitious.
Shenmue 3 have delivered what the fans wanted, from it's highly detailed world to its various mini games. However, it's still suffers from its tedious fighting system and bad voice acting, even with a small budget, things could have been better.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Shenmue 3's real strength is in the way that it suggests a different way of looking at the very storytelling of videogames.
Shenmue III could be a much better game if it wasn't for technical issues or gameplay's lack of depth in some part of the game, but in the end, i can say Shenmue III is still an enjoyable experience for fans of series wainting many years to dive again into a "Shenmue" game. Bring lower your expectation and enjoy a beautiful story and fun activities.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Previous Shenmue games were bringing innovations, but Shenmue 3 relies on nostalgia. It's not better or worse than the first ones, it's basically the same but prettier. In a way, that's enough.
Review in Russian | Read full review
For better or worse, Shenmue 3 is a blast from the past. It's a beautiful world marred only by its insistence to stay the same.
A direct continuation of a classic series that acts like it's still the early 2000s, for better or worse! For returning fans this is precisely what you wanted. It's possible for newcomers to enjoy but you should probably play the originals first.
Shenmue 3 feels instantly outdated, but at the same time is seemingly uncompromising in its vision. Despite some fun mechanics, lots of distractions, and a restrained take on combat, my nostalgia could only partially gloss over the weak characters, story and progress gating.
New Shenmue is almost same as previous games. But nostalgic reminiscing has some flaws.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Shenmue 3 might not be a right choice for modern day gamers, but for die hard Shenmue fans who have waited for it for almost two decades, it's a must have.
Review in Persian | Read full review