SliverOfSand
I see...
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2018
- Favourite title
- Shenmue II
- Currently playing
- The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit. When Shenmue 1 first released, it was a big deal because it was a breakthrough in video game graphics, as well as creating the ‘open-world’ element. Also, the rumor that it cost $70 million dollars helped in drawing the public’s attention. Now with three, what made it groundbreaking was the 18 year wait for even just an announcement to happen. I believe that a wait that long made the actual announcement even more exciting than if it had happened two or three years after 2 released. The anticipation of a continuation is probably what contributed to getting all the funding they did, and what made it the highest-funded video game on kickstarter at the time.
But once it actually released, many reviews stated that the game was fundamentally outdated, graphics and gameplay wise. I think if a kickstarter for Shenmue 4 is announced, it would have a much harder time getting the funding it needs, since now the public wouldn’t be so keen on it. Especially when some bigger youtubers are making a huge deal about how ‘dissapointing’ and ‘terrible’ the game is. I honestly don’t think another kickstarter will happen, or that what people say on youtube has any effect at the possibility of a sequel, I just think that for the public to see Shenmue as a success, it has to do something ‘groundbreaking’ or else it is considered a failure. Shenmue 1 and 2 weren’t considered to be a success financially, but more in an ‘advancing the gaming industry’ type of way. When Shenmue 3 tried to do things that made the first two impressive, it fell flat with people who weren’t as invested in the series, since video games have come so far since the first two entries.
I honestly enjoyed 3, and even though there are some flaws, it feels like a true continuation. It doesn’t feel like a reboot of the series, which might be what some people expected. They wanted things to be modernized. To make it like other AAA games. That’s what worries me about 4. In an interview I read recently, Yu Susuki said that he is planning to make it more modern. And honestly, I don’t think he has a choice. If a sequel is going to be made, it has to make changes to be viable to a publisher.
I think that a lot of people outside the fanbase have this expectation of Shenmue that is unrealistic. So what if it feels like a dreamcast game? I personally enjoy that. It doesn’t have to be like a modern AAA game, because then it wouldn’t be a Shenmue game. I think that I’m just worried that there isn’t a ‘wow’ factor to help get Shenmue 4 off the ground. The first two had the advanced technological aspect, and the third had the anticipation. Is there something that 4 could do to change the public perception of the series, without losing what makes Shenmue special?
But once it actually released, many reviews stated that the game was fundamentally outdated, graphics and gameplay wise. I think if a kickstarter for Shenmue 4 is announced, it would have a much harder time getting the funding it needs, since now the public wouldn’t be so keen on it. Especially when some bigger youtubers are making a huge deal about how ‘dissapointing’ and ‘terrible’ the game is. I honestly don’t think another kickstarter will happen, or that what people say on youtube has any effect at the possibility of a sequel, I just think that for the public to see Shenmue as a success, it has to do something ‘groundbreaking’ or else it is considered a failure. Shenmue 1 and 2 weren’t considered to be a success financially, but more in an ‘advancing the gaming industry’ type of way. When Shenmue 3 tried to do things that made the first two impressive, it fell flat with people who weren’t as invested in the series, since video games have come so far since the first two entries.
I honestly enjoyed 3, and even though there are some flaws, it feels like a true continuation. It doesn’t feel like a reboot of the series, which might be what some people expected. They wanted things to be modernized. To make it like other AAA games. That’s what worries me about 4. In an interview I read recently, Yu Susuki said that he is planning to make it more modern. And honestly, I don’t think he has a choice. If a sequel is going to be made, it has to make changes to be viable to a publisher.
I think that a lot of people outside the fanbase have this expectation of Shenmue that is unrealistic. So what if it feels like a dreamcast game? I personally enjoy that. It doesn’t have to be like a modern AAA game, because then it wouldn’t be a Shenmue game. I think that I’m just worried that there isn’t a ‘wow’ factor to help get Shenmue 4 off the ground. The first two had the advanced technological aspect, and the third had the anticipation. Is there something that 4 could do to change the public perception of the series, without losing what makes Shenmue special?