IGN Discusses why Shenmue 3’s ending is a big disappointment

[Budgiecat]

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There's a very big difference, in one Ryo hits a guy with a ball and a guy trying to sneak upon him.
In the other Ryo just playfully touches his arm and punches him with his back turned.

Yeaaaah.... hitting someone with a soccer ball isnt really a showcase of martial arts prowess lol
It definitely falls more in the category of him playing with his opponents and ridiculing them than a real fight.
You play with a soccer ball, its not a weapon lmao.
And he effortlessly backfisted the dude behind him. Effortlessly backfisting dudes has kinda been this series thing.

Also inbetween there is a whole game dedicated to grow him as a martial artist and to calm down.

Of which he didn't listen at all (in Shenmue 2) so yeah it was TOLD to him but he didnt LEARN it.
And in this game, its told once again, by:
Grandmaster Feng
Master Sun
Grandmaster Bei

and he still doesn't listen lol

His pursuit for vengeance goes against the Wude and gets in the way of him internally growing as a martial artist and calming down. Thats kinda the whole point here; the story's message for Ryo won't reach the apex until towards the end. We're not there yet. You forget just how little time has passed within the three game's story context. Only like 4 to 5 months from the beginning of Shenmu 1 by the end of Shenmue 3