Shenmue III Reviews
Shenmue III is a good game, but feels quite dated.
I didn’t head into Shenmue 3 with high expectations due to its budget but the game still failed to meet even those lowered expectations.
Similar to how Ryo is eternally stuck in 1987, Shenmue III is trapped in 2001, when having an open world with many NPCs was more important than filling that world with anything interesting. The game tells a high-stakes plot at a snail’s pace, with terrible writing and acting. The clever combat system of the previous games has devolved into a button-mashing mess. The title does have moments of brightness: the actual story beats are great, the setting is fascinating, and it features the best forklift simulation on the market. However, with such incredibly dated gameplay, only the most ardent fans will enjoy Shenmue III. Even then, it is easily the weakest link in the franchise.
Shenmue III is the Benjamin Button of video games, except it won’t get any younger as the time goes by. Offers some interesting quirks, but overall it was release 20 years too late.
It seems like almost bankrupting Sega didn’t teach anything to Yu Suzuki and Shenmue III is the product of that unwillingness to change, a truly awful video game by any standard. Some Shenmue die-hards will call this a masterpiece or say that this is what Shenmue is supposed to be but that simply doesn’t change the fact this game fails in almost all departments and doesn’t even advance the story of the series.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Shenmue 3 doesn't tarnish the memory of the series, but it doesn't exactly move it forward either.
I think Shenmue 3 is the best in the series so far, its big and long but not overwhelming or pretentious.
So what does all this mean for Shenmue? Well, I think fans are going to enjoy this one, but I don’t think this is going to introduce a new generation of gamers to the series.
With Shenmue III, we are offered a glimpse into a gifted mind, constantly turning the everyday into play.
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
So, here we answer my questions from the start of this review… Shenmue 3 couldn’t possibly have lived up to the hype and expectation surrounding it. This doesn’t mean the game is bad, it’s just people wanting perfection. It’s very much a game as I thought it would be, something given to the fans by a developer who clearly wants this story told as much as the fans want to be a part of it. This was clearly based on the speed at which the Kickstarter fund reached $1 million. Anyone thinking of starting out with Shenmue 3 because perhaps they aren’t old enough to have played the originals, go back and get the HD remaster, DO NOT start the story here. I promise you will not enjoy the game if you do. Shenmue 3 is a game out of times, it feels like a game created 15 years ago and locked up inside a time capsule until today. But as someone who has spent the best part of 30 years enjoying games, I say welcome back old friend! I give Shenmue 3 a Thumb Culture Silver Award as there is no doubt this game is going to be loved by the fans, but is most definitely not a game for everyone.
Some players may want to mainline Shenmue III in order to see all the story has it has to offer as quickly as possible.
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.
Shenmue III takes a certain state of mind because it’s unmistakably what Shenmue used to be, and not how it’s supposed to be now. I hope that there will be Shenmue IV to give closure to the story and like this, it will stay true to what it is.
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
If you’ve never played a Shenmue game, that honestly might give you trouble. But if you have played Shenmue, then you’ll feel like you’ve come home with Shenmue 3.
A seamless continuation of the series that makes up for its limitations with pure heart. It's like Ryo never left us.
Exploring small towns is still fun and rewarding until you have to engage in battle and dialogue. Then it falls apart
For 99 percent of people, we'd recommend giving this a miss. There are better games out there and what Shenmue 3 does do well, largely the world and the process of digging into it, is ruined by the many many things it doesn't quite pull off. If you're a big fan of immersing yourself in a world or you loved the earlier Shenmue games, go wild, but your money would be spent better elsewhere.
For better and for worse, Shenmue III is a perfect continuation.