That’s where I have to disagree. The loop is no more the same than it was been in the first few games if you reduce it down to the core elements.
Reducing S3 down to Search for information -> fight bad guys -> find mentor -> grind -> beat boss -> move to next area -> repeat is all well and good, but complaining when somebody does the same with S1 or S2 seems a little hypocritical...
Shenmue 2 | Shenmue 3 |
Arrive in new area and begin searching for Lishao Tao. | Arrive in new area and begin searching for Mr Yuan. |
Encounter the Heavens. | Encounter the Blue Spiders. |
Train with master LT. Carry books. | Grind money to pay for wine. |
Grind money to meet Ren. | Train with drunk master. Catch chickens. |
Meet and catch Ren to progress the story. | Beat MM MK1 to progress the story. |
Arrive in new area and begin searching for Zu. | Arrive in new area and continue searching for Mr Yuan. |
Encounter the Yellow Head. | Encounter the Red Snakes. |
I ran out of space in the table and don’t know how to add more, but I could go on.
Im sure you’re going to argue that I missed out key plot points in S2 like learning the Wude and searching for information about Zu and I agree entirely. My argument is that you chose to miss out key plot points in S3 like investigating the disappearing stone masons and searching for information about the royal envoy and the Verdant Bridge. Did Shenmue 2 do a better job of incorporating these additional plot points? Absolutely; but to pretend that all there was in S3 was a simple A-B-C-D-A-B-C-D structure seems disingenuous to me.
It’s true that the key story beats were similar in both Niaowu and Bailu, but I think the key story beats in 1 and 2 both follow the same pattern when it comes to key plot-drivers in the first two sections of each game. Sailors->Mad Angels, Heavens->Yellow Heads, Blue Spiders->Red Snakes.