I loved Shenmue on SEGA’s ill-fated Dreamcast. The series was a forerunner of open world games like Yakuza and Grand Theft Auto, and introduced fresh new gameplay mechanics like Quick Time Events before they became overused and trite.
The series unfortunately ended before its story did – which is why so many gamers were taken aback, shocked and awed by the news that Shenmue 3 was being made, even if it is being partially crowdfunded.
And I should be excited. I really should. I’ve been waiting for closure on the story for nearly fifteen years. Yes PC gamers, even longer than you’ve been waiting for Half-Life 3. The game is finally coming, and I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that it’s going to end up as a miserable pile of malformed, broken promises that could never live up to their hype.
It’s such a precarious position. Modernise it too much, and for old fans, it’ll no longer feel like Shenmue. Modernise it too little, and new players will think it’s a relic from the past.
Until recent games like Grand Theft Auto V and Star Citizen, Shenmue held the dubious record of being one of the most expensive games ever made. Including marketing, the first two games are frequently reported to have cost $70 million.
It raised $6 million through crowdfunded, and has a little more external funding from Sony and other partners – but Shenmue creator and game director Yu Suzuki says he could do with a little more. Especially if Shenmue III is going to look good.
“I could do with a bit more money!” Suzuki told Eurogamer in an interview. “The game itself doesn’t have to be gorgeous visually – a lot of the money these days goes into the graphics. If we perhaps compromise on the graphics and put more into the story, we can make a good game. The most important thing, to me, is that the game’s interesting, and that it’s something people want to play.”
The quote’s being taken out of context and thrown all over the internet as a misleading catchy title, but that’s par for the course.
“Kickstarter’s not the only source of money,” says Suzuki. “There’s also funding from Sony and Shibuya Productions. Before we started Kickstarter, we had goals set around the budget – so if we only got $6 million, we’d create Shenmue 3 based upon what we could do with that $6 million. We’re still trying to gather funds. Obviously, the more money we have the more we can do. Even if we don’t get as much budget as the previous games, we’ll still make this game.”
I really do want Shenmue 3 to be good, and I’m ok with Suzuki skimping on graphics to give us a better game if that’s what happens.
Last Updated: October 5, 2015
Grand Admiral Chief
October 5, 2015 at 14:04
Story >>> shiny gfx
oVg
October 5, 2015 at 14:08
Or, you can have Intelligent story with better graphics than The Order 1886.
Until Dawn
fixed
Its on my GOTY list. The game blew my brain out. After 30 years of gaming I have never experienced anything like it. Probably because I grew up with The Shining, IT and B grade teen horror flicks.
Its so under the radar. I have no idea why SONY did not market it properly.
Grand Admiral Chief
October 5, 2015 at 14:10
IT? Oh you mean the movie with the NopeClown
oVg
October 5, 2015 at 14:11
Ya, this game borrows more from Stephen King than Alan Wake did and its not ashamed of itself. I thought it would be a half arsed attempt as its still experimental and very new to the market but the production values are high and it works. Nothing made me cringe.
Hammersteyn
October 5, 2015 at 14:25
Stahp mentioning Until Dawn. (Holding thumbs for a Rage special)
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 5, 2015 at 14:04
You’re going to end up with ShenMukem Forever.
HairyEwok
October 5, 2015 at 14:12
BOOOM! Headshot all of us with the truth XD
VampyreSquirrel
October 5, 2015 at 14:17
They gonna love it as much as RNG loved you and Yahtzee yesterday.
Ottokie "Yahtzee"
October 5, 2015 at 14:18
I was in ODD till freaking midnight !!!!!
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 5, 2015 at 14:23
lol – how many did you play after I left? Because we went through 4, or 5?
Ottokie "Yahtzee"
October 5, 2015 at 14:23
I did 15…
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 5, 2015 at 14:25
Wow. And I thought I was persistent with my T3 captures, those only take 2/3 minutes haha. Get any BPs?
Ottokie "Yahtzee"
October 5, 2015 at 14:25
Nope, blew through 150 nav coordinates for the keys…gonna have to mooch of other people tonight xD
I did get a Soma P part that I was missing at least.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 5, 2015 at 14:35
Btw, I heard Orlando Pirates won last night bwhahahahahaha
Ottokie "Yahtzee"
October 5, 2015 at 14:37
O boy, that poor random we gave hope for xD
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 5, 2015 at 14:22
I think he’s the problem. We both got something we wanted in only two missions. 😀
VampyreSquirrel
October 5, 2015 at 14:25
Yeah, I’ve decided he hates on RNG too much… I got 2 rare drops yesterday in about 5 runs.
Ottokie "Yahtzee"
October 5, 2015 at 14:29
Tonight I will change my mind set, maybe just MAYBE! we will have some luck. I do in fact have more T1 Capture keys than any Warframe player should have.
Alien Emperor Trevor
October 5, 2015 at 14:29
I got a Kubrow egg just randomly running a silly mission to see how Mesa had changed. Playing ODD with him & ended up with so many T1 & 2 keys. 😉
VampyreSquirrel
October 5, 2015 at 14:32
Intensify and Split Caliber dropped yesterday… so yeah, I think it’s him 😛
Ottokie "Yahtzee"
October 5, 2015 at 14:36
http://crossfitetown.com/photos/l-3590.gif
oVg
October 5, 2015 at 14:18
Too soon
Hammersteyn
October 5, 2015 at 14:25
Apply water please
oVg
October 5, 2015 at 14:04
The game lives off of nostalgia. Just make it Dreamcast graphics and they will please the fans even more. WIN WIN
Hammersteyn
October 5, 2015 at 14:24
I’m fine with that, if it’s a decent story
Kromas untamed
October 5, 2015 at 15:03
For a sp title.
#1 Story
#2 Gameplay
#3 Voice Acting
#4 Graphics
WitWolfy
October 6, 2015 at 07:43
Looks like Koj Productions had it backwards with MGS V…
Graphics
Gamepley
Voice Acting
Story
Pieter Kruger
October 5, 2015 at 15:07
This is the biggest bullshit Sony has ever pulled off by paying for exclusivity but not helping directly with or funding development they are creating a very crappy president indeed…..
WitWolfy
October 6, 2015 at 07:47
Agreed… This is shitty, I dont see why they even brought the dude on stage if they dont intend non helping the dude to begin with. He might as well go multiplat at this rate.
WitWolfy
October 6, 2015 at 07:41
Never saw the hype behind this game. What made it so … “nostalgic”?