Chatting with Shenhua might be my favourite thing in the game thus far...

[danielmann861]

So I just reached Panda Market. I finally hit the first arcade. I finally got some story advancement. Was genuinely surprised they cleaned up the stone masons face (it appears to me they’ve cleaned up some of the more cartoonish faces but couldn’t get them all fixed in time. The faces do indeed look better as a whole though. Still a bit rough but a lot better than they once looked...especially the Pawn Shop dude...his eyes are much improved.)

I played some Whack a mole. Revisited the old faves (Excite QTE 3 and QTE Title Fight). I’ve played Lucky Hit. I’ve played Pail Toss. I’ve chopped wood. I’ve fought and sparred.

But if I’m truly honest, none of that has been the stand out for me so far. If anything that’s all been routine Shenmue for me.

The true highlight for me thus far has actually been the post day chats with Shenhua. The whole notion of Ryo finally opening up a little and not just having the one track mind of revenge has been rather nice. I just had a conversation about School life and how you could sort of make Ryo your own with the answers you gave was kind of interesting to me. It opens him up a little and shows that there is a little more to him than just “I’ll avenge my father no matter what.“

I actually really look forward to the post day chats. I hope they can sustain it and it doesn’t become repetitive. But so far, this has been the major stand out for me in the 4 hours I’ve played.

It’s nice to just sit back and casually chat about trivial cultural differences in a video game I’m totally into this aspect of Shenmue III...I just hope it doesn’t get repetitive.

 

[I Got Sriracha In My DNA]

Hell yes. I've loved the Shenhua chats at night so far. I've actually been going back home at 7pm instead of 9 so I have more time to interact with her. I wasnt sure how I felt about them "prettying" up Shenhua in this installment but they've left her personality from II intact.

And like you, what I enjoy the most is how much personality she brings out in Ryo. He's very open to her and he feels less like a cypher.

 

[You Arcade]

Yeah it's 100% one of the best things about the game.

 

[Jetmcfancy]

I love it, personally. For the first time in twenty years I can finally see Ryo as something other than completely and utterly awkward in all social situations.

Spoiler

One of my favourite conversations was the one about toughness. Ryo insisting he isn't afraid of anyone and Shenhua manages to trip him up. It was like...wow, genuine interactions!

 

[danielmann861]

ROCK PAPER SCISSORS!

I just spent 10 minutes making goofy ass faces with Shenhua playing Rock Paper Scissors...and I loved every dumb ass minute of it!

Say what you will about the budget but fuck me, this game has a ton of heart and charm! Again, this is officially my favourite thing in the game.

Oh and the conversation where you can select the thing you're least good at and it gives you the option of "Smiling"....they know...they know...but even then, hearing it come out of Ryo's mouth in a moment of utter self awareness that he is shut down emotionally was kind of awesome.

These interactions alone have more heart and soul than half the junk I've played this year.

Fantastic stuff! All around!

I'm truly digging this game thus far. It feels like the promise of the previous two games delivered.

 

[I Got Sriracha In My DNA]

Lol I badly wanted to talk about rock paper scissors in the thread but since you were the OP I didn't want to spoil the charming surprise awaiting you. It gets repetitive but my goodness I play with her for about 5 to 10 minutes every in-game day lol. Its also the only time in my life that I've played Rock Paper Scissors with the intent to tie.

I've seen a couple people state Shenhua is an uninteresting character but I don't know, I've found her really charming.

 

[danielmann861]

Lol I badly wanted to talk about rock paper scissors in the thread but since you were the OP I didn't want to spoil the charming surprise awaiting you. It gets repetitive but my goodness I play with her for about 5 to 10 minutes every in-game day lol. Its also the only time in my life that I've played Rock Paper Scissors with the intent to tie.

I've seen a couple people state Shenhua is an uninteresting character but I don't know, I've found her really charming.

I found out about it shortly after I made this post. I think she introduced it to me 2 in-game nights later after making this post. But yeah, she was beating me 5 to nothing and mocking me. I finally beat her once, mocked her and shut down the game when she requested the rematch Stupidly simple but charming as all hell

She's an earth child. I find her endearing in that sense. For me, what's most interesting about their conversations is not only the fact that it allows Ryo to open up a little bit, but it's also the cultural differences / similarities. I don't know, I'm just a sucker for that shit. Like it's all meaningless getting to know you chit chat so far, but it's charming the hell out of me. And like I said, I love the fact that it gives Ryo another side to him that isn't just "I must avenge my father." It's nice to see him open up a little and show some self awareness.

I find the whole village to be charming. Like I found the elderly guy and his tall tales...I could totally just sit there and listen to him spin his tall tales of BS and forget all about my need for vengeance That stuff is entertaining to me.

 

[code l name]

It definitely is great element and when I was in Bailu, I made sure from 9-11pm I exhausted every possible conversation until eventually Shenhua told me she had some stuff to clean up and that I should go to bed.

Like many have noted, it does a great deal to flesh out both characters and give a little insight into Ryo. Plus it also dovetails nicely in the rural Chinese setting.

I will say

Spoiler

this is probably the peak of their interaction as it’s curtailed in Niaowu and her character feels like an after thought at times

I find the whole village to be charming. Like I found the elderly guy and his tall tales...I could totally just sit there and listen to him spin his tall tales of BS and forget all about my need for vengeance That stuff is entertaining to me.

You can actually fail

Spoiler

that side quest if you try repeatedly speaking to him more than once asking to hear a story. I did this and he basically dismisses you. I only got to hear two outlandish tales!

 

[Real1]

I wonder if reviewers even did this... Bet they went straight to bed every time "gotta rush so I can review it day 1!"

Ugh.

 

[Real1]

Hey, are these conversations tied to the way Shenhua wakes you up and says good bye every day?

First Ryo wakes up because of the alarm
Then Shenhua wakes him by poking her head in and saying good morning
Then Shenhua goes inside the room to wake him
Then she goes inside and touches Ryo to wake him

This is happening after I talk to her in the evenings more and more. Is it tied to it or is this just how it progresses?

 

[Murderous Int]

You can actually fail

Spoiler

that side quest if you try repeatedly speaking to him more than once asking to hear a story. I did this and he basically dismisses you. I only got to hear two outlandish tales!

LOL I did the same...
Bailu really was great and had a fantastic vibe. Shenhua waking you up and all the conversations and funny answers. Also Face Off was so random and funny to play. I was wondering if you get to know her much better would you be allowed to explore her room at some point, or if the games has any hidden stuff related to how much time you've spent on your relationship with Shenhua?

 

[danielmann861]

Hey, are these conversations tied to the way Shenhua wakes you up and says good bye every day?

First Ryo wakes up because of the alarm
Then Shenhua wakes him by poking her head in and saying good morning
Then Shenhua goes inside the room to wake him
Then she goes inside and touches Ryo to wake him

This is happening after I talk to her in the evenings more and more. Is it tied to it or is this just how it progresses?

Yes it does. I was watching Maximillian Dood stream it yesterday and I noticed he was getting woken up by his alarm clock consistently...he wasn't chatting with her at night. He was just going straight to bed....which I thought was strange considering I've been getting woken up by Shenhua every morning. But I've been chatting with her every night I can.

I think it's the affinity system at play. Kind of the same way that the more you talked to Fang Mei, she would drop calling you by family name and start calling you Ryo.

 

[shenhaZ]

If only Ryo would be able to sit and chill, it would be the best feature of the game. I've found myself super uncomfy standing over Shenhua and talking about life in such a manner.

 

[code l name]

If only Ryo would be able to sit and chill, it would be the best feature of the game. I've found myself super uncomfy standing over Shenhua and talking about life in such a manner.

It’s such odd staging, I don’t understand why they didn’t give you option to sit at those points. Plus Shenhua while sitting down doesn’t exactly make eye contact or look correctly at Ryo.

 

[Real1]

Yes it does. I was watching Maximillian Dood stream it yesterday and I noticed he was getting woken up by his alarm clock consistently...he wasn't chatting with her at night. He was just going straight to bed....which I thought was strange considering I've been getting woken up by Shenhua every morning. But I've been chatting with her every night I can.

I think it's the affinity system at play. Kind of the same way that the more you talked to Fang Mei, she would drop calling you by family name and start calling you Ryo.

Awesome! Cool detail I bet most reviewers didn't find with their rushing. I have no idea how anyone could choose to not engage in those conversations during the first playthrough.

 

[danielmann861]

Awesome! Cool detail I bet most reviewers didn't find with their rushing. I have no idea how anyone could choose to not engage in those conversations during the first playthrough.

It's almost like Yu Suzuki said to take your sweet ass time with it

I wonder how many side quests were missed as well? Did they even hear the old man's tall tales?

 

[Hermit]

I love it, personally. For the first time in twenty years I can finally see Ryo as something other than completely and utterly awkward in all social situations.

Spoiler

One of my favourite conversations was the one about toughness. Ryo insisting he isn't afraid of anyone and Shenhua manages to trip him up. It was like...wow, genuine interactions!

And she even made him laugh......Ryo never laughs

 

[danielmann861]

And she even made him laugh......Ryo never laughs

He's showing more expression in this game than he's shown in the first two...he even smiles when being praised for his daily catch in the fishing store :)

 

[SakuraTaisen]

I’m loving this part too. I’m still in the early stages I think (just had my first encounter with the thugs), but I’ve spent so much time talking to Shenhua and playing the silly Kao-Janken/Face-Off game. My only gripe is the aforementioned lack of being able to sit in the living room with Shenhua, as well as the fact that Shenhua always introduces the face game as if it’s the first time you’ve played.

I’m severely disappointed that these are the things that most reviewers will miss as I think they add a lot to the game. Shenmue is a series where you need someone who loves it to introduce others to it, otherwise a newcomer will come away with a flawed and incomplete perception of what the game truly has to offer. Imagine playing Shenmue 1 without ever talking to Nozomi. It’s probably possible for a rushing player to only really encounter her in the harbor rescue, right?

Anyway, loving the game so far. My main concern was the combat system because I hadn’t played the demo, but after messing around with it in sparring and learning the command inputs (I really don’t like how it suggests that you just “hit some buttons” lol - it really downplays how good it is) I’ve become very accustomed to it. People need to imagine the face buttons as a replacement to the directional inputs, and that the “lag” is intentionally there since there is not a separation between the d-pad inputs and punch/kick buttons. Elbow assault takes the same amount of time between hitting forward, forward, punch, as X, X, O. I see why this was changed as using VF style control inputs in a fully 3D space against multiple opponents took a lot of time to get good with. That led to a good amount of people not bothering to get good at the Shenmue 1 and 2 combat, and I hope this change in input methods can fix that.

 

[danielmann861]

I’m severely disappointed that these are the things that most reviewers will miss as I think they add a lot to the game. Shenmue is a series where you need someone who loves it to introduce others to it, otherwise a newcomer will come away with a flawed and incomplete perception of what the game truly has to offer. Imagine playing Shenmue 1 without ever talking to Nozomi. It’s probably possible for a rushing player to only really encounter her in the harbor rescue, right?

Nah, if you're just rushing the plot, she's around but she has absolutely no meaning to the story. She confronts you after the tattoo parlour, remember? That's mandatory. There are two other mandatory scenes with her. The mandatory scenes with her are so little and would mean absolutely nothing to someone just rushing the story beats. See the Giant Bomb playthrough where all they did was rush it. They missed out on so damn much and they got burned out with it very quickly because of it.

But you're right. This franchise really is one that asks you to take your time with it and explore its every nook and cranny...otherwise you will miss out on so much stuff.

And III ain't much different. For instance, I just did a side quest that gave me a stupidly warm gushy feeling as if I was having a positive impact on the small village of Bailu. I'm up to the point where the story is about to have me depart (based on the "warning, you are about to progress...." message I just got...I know the end of Bailu is close), but I really don't want to leave. I kind of like hanging out in Bailu.

There is something about this village that is just so damn charming and has its hooks in me. Whether it be fishing. Or finding the random side quests. Or earning money. Or training. Or even just bullshitting with Shenhua at night. Bailu really is something special. They could have built the whole game around this little village and I think I still would have loved it.

So yeah, I've been taking my time with Shenmue III and I got to be honest, if I was just rushing the story beats, I probably would be severely disappointed with the game and how short Bailu actually is.

But yeah, spending all this time hanging out has been wonderful and a reminder as to why I loved Shenmue in the first place.

Even in 2019 and even at a fraction of the budget. It's still way more ambitious than most AAA games. In terms of world and lore building alone, this games is so much more ambitious than anything else out there right now.

And I know there is an entire other town to come with more to see and do yet.