Shenmue III Reviews
I'm disappointed with this game, it has perfectly kept the spirit of the original Shenmue but in doing so has not brought any of the new innovations of the industry. It hasn't advanced its own formula and has instead opted to create the game as I imagine it was first designed back in the early 2000s. If they make a Shenmue 4 I sincerely hope they take more risks and don't just make a carbon copy of what they've done before.
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.
Shenmue III is a lifelong dream come true for fans of the franchise, but anyone else may get turned off by its authentic late-90's game design.
Shenmue III ironically becomes a breath of fresh air by remaining rigidly focused on what it used to be.
Fans of the previous games will love the third instalment, and those who disliked the previous two games will not find anything here to change their minds.
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.
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
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
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
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 III is a fan-based classic JRPG that you may love deeply or alternatively makes you feel frustrated. Although most of its game mechanics are out-dated in 2019, I do find some joy in terms of getting along with those vivid characters and living in the vivid world. At least I hope Suzuki could finish the whole story of the franchise one day.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Shenmue fans couldn't have hoped for a sequel more compatible with the previous entries. They will immediately feel right at home.
Shenmue III has finally arrived, and it is exactly what fans of the series have been asking for.
All the ingredients are there to make of Shenmue III is a great Shenmue game : rivetting story, copius side content, beautiful backgrounds and great characters. But it's also a bit dragged down by its dated production values. Gamers who the first two Shenmue games and who can overlook technical shortcomings will have a great time. Bring on Shenmue IV!
Review in French | Read full review
Shenmue III is a game lost in time, but that's probably the greatest compliment you can pay this long-awaited sequel. Newcomers will be utterly bemused by its slice of life-style idiosyncrasies, but for franchise fans this is the faithful follow-up that they've been waiting almost two decades for.
Shenmue III is a good game, but feels quite dated.
Speaking of a video game of such importance, it is difficult to separate the nostalgia effect from the actual quality. While Shenmue III proposes itself exactly as it wanted to be, on the other hand it stumbles into a series of smears that go far beyond anachronism. The desire to appear in everything as the ideal sequel to a series frozen for eighteen years proves to be a double-edged sword. As much as Shenmue III manages to find internal coherence in its compact rhythm, one cannot overlook the obvious conceptual limits that undermine its overall quality. Yu Suzuki's title does not go beyond the "miracle" of his own existence, and as satisfied as it may be, even for the most dedicated fans it will be impossible not to admit an unpleasant aftertaste of lost opportunity.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The story we never thought would come is already here, outdated in many aspects and mechanics, but maintaining all the necessary charm to not disappoint the fans.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
I was torn writing this review as I went back and forth multiple times on whether or not Shenmue III's adherence to the past was worth the squeeze. In spurts, it's not. But as I walked back to Shenhua's cottage to turn in for the night after a hard day's work, earning back the money I had gambled away, it hit me: people just aren't making many games like this anymore. We may never even get something like this again if Shenmue IV isn't greenlit, which would be a shame.