Shenmue 3 Improvements/Keeps For Shenmue 4

I think most has been said. They have a solid base now to work from. I don't mind the cartoon characters, but they should be on the level of the best looking NPCs of 3.

I think I would like it if they could increase the realism a notch across the board, but still with the saturated Shenmue colors. Too realistic and we are in uncanny valley.

Things I want to see in 4 on the technical side:

-optimisation, hire some experts for unreal.
-huge increase in draw distance of shadows, objects, people pop up
-no weird reflections (water)
 
Good Elements
-Beautiful and detailed locations and environment - loved both environments, they just looked stunning
-Music - just beautiful as always
-Training element - I liked the training itself and seeing the payoff of the hard work with Ryo's improved ability
-Conversing with Shenhua and having her come along on some sections - I hope this happens again with Shenhua and also with Ren now that he's come along. Party banter please in Shenmue 4??
-Mini Games diversity - it felt like just the right amount to choose from
-Chopping wood - it was a fun way to earn money and didn't feel like a chore, nor tie you up for ages in a task.

Bad Elements (Also filed under Improvements but I feel these are the most pressing)
-Not enough development of new characters - It feels like Shiling and Hsu were supposed to be important but I feel like we barely know them, compared to how we know Joy and Wong for example. And if they weren't supposed to be as important, maybe don't force them to join the dangerous ending scenario as it feels like it didn't make sense. Same issue also for the main enemies too, even Niao Sun.

Improvements
-Story needed some more fleshing out in places - For example Grandmaster Feng mistakes Ryo for Iwao which I thought was a really great moment. But we don't actually get to learn much about Iwao's time in Bailu Village, only scratch the surface. I feel like Ryo would want to know more. Or another example that we never learn really who was looking for stone masons, was it Lan Di, or Niao Sun? Both?? Overall I think what we got in terms of the story was interesting (learning about Iwao, the conflict with Lan Di and Niao Sun, for example) just the little extra details would have gone a long way I think.
-Side missions - I like the addition of side missions, but they can expire/be easily missed
-QTE - something is off still, the presses are too quick (for me anyway..)
-Music - it doesn't loop and there were a few music choices I thought were not the best decision such as Fangmei's theme being used in a shop
-Stamina - I don't mind the food and stamina system, but maybe needs more refinement. Also Ryo should be able to eat at the restaurants too (like in Yakuza).
-More cinematic moments - this was utilised a lot in Shenmue I&II but didn't feel like it came up as much in III
 
GOOD

Keep the Shenmue Nostalgia
Find Chobu Chan
Martial Arts training
Arcades
Minigames



BAD

Stamina system
Combat system(not bad but not that good)
QTEs
Job payouts
Gambling payouts and system
Prize exchange



HOW TO IMPROVE

Bring back martial arts demonstrations
Increase the payouts for jobs and gambling
No more prize exchange just payout money
Improve the QTEs dramatically
Improve combat
Sega arcades, skins, and cameos
Make martial arts scrolls purchasable

Stamina should be separate from health. It should also auto regenerate but to a lower level than it was or overtime change color.
 
After having played through Ghosts Of Tsushima there is so much of it that had the vibe of a Shenmue 1 for me. The music, the appreciation of smaller things/moments, and an heir of seriousness broken up with light comedic elements. I'd like to see Shenmue 4 return to that.

And after much reflection I'd like to see more serious voice acting (with the English, even though I LOVE the Kitsch acting in 1-2). I'd like to see better combat. I'd like to see a much more thought out story with much more complex side missions. I'd also love to see MUCH more detail in shops/places and things to do. Darts, Billiards, more arcade games, official license etc. I'd like to see a lot. Shenmue 3 isn't a bad game. It itsn't a great game either. It can be much better, in 4.
 
People above have already suggested the things I believe need improving.

I would probably take the stamina system out of the game but find another purpose for eating. Rather than make Ryo chomp down on 100 pieces of garlic a day to have the energy to run, maybe introduce a need to eat at set times in the day (Breakfast, lunch and dinner) so that Ryo's moves can be leveled up. This idea is sort of a rehash of Ryo's bedtime routine in the first game, where you could train all moves to level them up. I can't see how the stamina system will work in a boss area similar to the yellow heads. What will Yu do? Fill the area with vending machines and random fruits and veggies? Suspend the stamina system in boss areas?

Speaking of moves, I'd like for it to be possible to level every move up. I would also like to see a visual difference when our moves go from beginner to moderate, like we got in the first game.
 
I don't honestly see how having Ryo eat at set times of the day is much different to having to eat when his health/stamina gets low. I can still see people moaning about the fact that he has to eat at those set times, pulling them away from whatever they were in the middle of doing.

As for boss arenas, I imagine it'd be a trial and error of learning to carry plenty of snake power with you, just like we had to do in 3 if we were underlevelled.
 
Stamina isn't a deal breaker. It just wasn't handled very well in Shenmue 3. I'm sure it can be refined without completely reinventing gameplay. Just make it drain much slower and maybe separate it from health; though I'm not sure why the health thing is such an issue for some people. It's not like Shenmue 3 has random battles. Since we've already trained ourselves up in Shenmue 3, it'd make sense for Ryo to have more energy and a higher level in Shenmue 4 anyway.

Eating in restaurants would be fun since the Shenmue games all feature lots of great looking restaurants.
 
They can make it so that running doesn't require any stamina.

They make it like this that at worst state of your stamina, Ryo's health will be at 50 percent.
 
Hello! I have not posted here for many years. But I decided to make a new account to share my thoughts on Shenmue 3 and what I want to happened next. Given the audience, I’m going to assume that you’ve played the game. As for me, I played the original Shenmue on the Dreamcast and Shenmue 2 on the X-box. I loved both games and, like many of you, I spent the better part of two decades hoping for a sequel. While I received my Kickstarter copy on Day 1, life meant that I did not get to start or complete the game until July. Having just completed my first playthrough, I wanted to share my impressions. It's based on notes I made as I played through. So let’s begin:

The return of Shenmue-ism

Shenmue 3 is Shenmue 3. This is the game that Yu Suzuki would have made had the sequel been produced on the X-box. This is the continuation of the story that we sought. Ryo remains Ryo. He ends of seeking stonemasons in the same way that he once sought sailors. He trains, drives forklifts, prize-fights and says “I see”.

As with all previous games, the environments are beautiful. The Shenmue series has an unparalleled ability to create a sense of time and place. Bailu village and its surrounds are breathtakingly beautiful. Characters are distinct and follow their own schedules as they go about their days. In his short time there, Ryo builds relationships and the player gets the impression that he is becoming part of the community as he goes about his quest and attempts to solve the mystery of the mirrors.

If Bailu village feels somewhat like returning to a rural version of Yokosuka, Niaowu recalls Hong Kong. Having come from Bailu, Niaowu initially feels large, bust and daunting. One can sympathise with Shenhua in feeling overwhelmed. This is not to say that by the standards of Shenmue 2 or modern games, Niaow is an especially large game environment. Rather, it reflects the feeling that it is evoked as Ryo and Shenhua start to navigate it.

For me, Shenmue’s core has always been its special atmosphere. Its graphics, pacing and music combine in a way that I have never seen replicated. It is what makes Shenmue, Shenmue. This why, when I say that Shenmue 3 is Shenmue 3, I mean that as a compliment.

The New

While the game manages to maintain the core of the characteristic Shenmue experience, it introduces new gameplay mechanics that add depth. Ryo now has a stamina meter outside of battles. He can run, but if you do not train, you will now run very far. Likewise, if you do not eat, you will soon become tired and will not be able to run or fight for very long. Food requires money, so Ryo works and gambles to make more money.

I think that the addition of this system is welcome, however, it was, at times, not well implemented. Ryo begins the game as an accomplished martial artist, but he does not feel like one. He cannot run for long and is easily beaten by not particularly impressive fighters. The new stamina system jars with the story we all know so well. This sense of incongruence could have been avoided if Suzuki and his team had adjusted the narrative a little: Ryo could have been injured at the beginning of the game and his reduced stamina and martial prowess might have made a little more sense that way.

The training exercises, jobs and gambling vary in terms of how “fun” they are. They are all mini-games with many involving button mashing. Of the various available to the player, I most enjoyed the one-punch exercise, the turtle racing gambling game and the wood-chopping jobs. As mini-games, these felt the most satisfying. Arcade games have always been a part of Shenmue. Unfortunately, the arcade games in Shenmue 3 are not especially fun. It’s nice that they are there, but, for me, they only have novelty value.

Shenmue 3 also introduced tokens. I cannot say that I’m a big fan of this system. Having to buy tokens with money, bet with the tokens, collect newly acquired tokens, purchase a prize, pawn the prize and then use the resulting money to buy food and moves seemed overly elaborate. I’ve seen some speculation that the token/pawning system was introduced due to Chinese disapproval of gambling, but whatever the reason, I found it frustrating.

Fighting and Sparing

Let’s start with the big one. The overall fighting system is a little disappointing. But just a little. If your major attraction to Shenmue has been that it has been a Virtua Fighter RPG, then you may be disappointed. The fighting system has more in common with, say, the Batman Arkham series than Virtua Fighter. The major loss from Shenmue 2 is that Ryo no longer has throw moves. This appears to be due to the restricted budget, so you cannot fault the team, but it does not change the fact that this is a disappointment.

Ryo starts the game with several moves which can be upgraded by sparring with opponents. The game does not do a great job letting you know this fact. You acquire new moves by buying scrolls from shops (or when someone shows them to you). This is a nice idea in that it links the mundane- em-up features of the game (jobs, gambling, shopping and money) with the beat-em-up aspects. Unfortunately, it also means that some times you have only one new move to learn. As a result, when sparring you just keep spamming the same move over and over again.

A welcome addition is the inclusion of dojos with multiple martial artists to battle. Unlike in previous games, this means that if you really want to fight, there is always a fight available to you. The fights themselves are good but, in my opinion, less satisfying than those in earlier games. It felt like less skill was required to win, provided you had sufficient stamina.


Story (spoilers obviously)


The story in Shenmue 3 does not massively advance the plot of the Shenmue Saga. You meet Shenhua. You try to find her missing father. You track him to a nearby city. You learn a little bit about the history of the mirrors. Ren turns up. You track down the gang who kidnapped Shenhua’s father. You get tricked by a member of the Chi You Men and Shenhua gets kidnapped. You rescue Shenhua and her father. You lose the Phoenix mirror. You fight Lan Di briefly and lose. You escape a burning building. The story ends with Ryo, Ren and Shenhua heading to a Chi You Men controlled temple with links to the mirrors.


The climax of the game is simultaneously fun and disappointing. Climbing the steps towards Lan Di’s fortress evokes feelings of the 70 man battle at the end of Shenmue 1. At the entrance to the fortress, you fight the underboss Ge. I suspect that this is where the Niaowu section of the game was supposed to end before you moved to another location where you battled to track down and fight Lan Di. So, this section is a mixed bag. It feels epic, rushed, underwhelming and exciting.

Given the length fans had to wait to get out of the cave Ryo was in at the end of Shenmue 2, many were disappointed that the story did not progress faster. That said, one of the most crucial aspects of Shenmue 3 is the way it builds the relationship between Shenhua and Ryo. This is played out through conversations in her home during Bailiu evenings and at the hotel in Niaowu. The relationship between Ryo and Shenhua feels very wholesome. I felt that the game did a good job of creating the impression that the two characters were linked. Unfortunately. Shenhua was somewhat sidelined during the Niaowu section. I know that the developers had originally intended for Shenhua and Ren to be playable during the game. It’s a shame that this did not happen. Some of the tasks that Ryo carries out (e.g. collecting herbs) would probably have been better suited to Shenhua. Similarly, while walking as Ryo is often frustrating, it encourages you to attend to details – to appreciate the beauty of the environments. Had Shenhua been a playable character, there would have been a better way to get the player to slow and smell the roses – one which made more narrative sense.


Evolution versus Revolution


The developers of Shenmue 3 faced some complicated choices when it came to bringing the franchise into the 21st century. They had choices about which elements from previous entries to remove, refine or reimagine. The goal was to make a Shenmue game. But what were the core elements of Shenmue?

Before discussing their decisions, I’m going to pivot into behavioural psychology for a moment. Most people are somewhat familiar with the idea of Pavlov’s dog. If you consistently ring a bell before presenting a god with good, the reflex response to seeing food (salivation), a dog will come to salivate in response to a bell. For gamers, certain stimuli in games that we do not initially particularly enjoy, start to evoke positive feelings when they are paired up with more enjoyable elements.

Seeing Shenmue loading screens evoke certain feelings in me. They have been paired up with advancing the story, discovering new locations, beginning epic battles etc. But there is nothing inherently appealing about these screens. In Shenmue 3, the developers used these loading screens unnecessarily but sparingly. I feel that they got the balance right! I liked seeing them, but if somebody who was less nostalgic about Shenmue than I am, were to encounter such screens in the game, they might react neutrally.

Shenmue 3’s developers made a game for the fans. And as such, all of the decisions they made had hardcore Shenmue in mind. They retained the same style of voice acting. Ryo’s look and movements do not deviate far from Shenmue 2. The odd directional style of cut-scenes is retained. For the most part, this added to my enjoyment. But, objectively, did these things make the game better? New players would not find such inclusions endearing. They would regard them as archaic. Or even just bad.


Even for me, the inclusion of certain nostalgia-evoking features made for a more frustrating experience. One example that jumps to mind is the four apples you can pick up in Ryo’s hotel room every morning. The game retained the traditional examine, then pick up, then take system that you use in earlier Shenmue games. The thing is, it is not a good system for picking up items in a videogame. It is unnecessarily time consuming for one item. But for four items that you pick up every hour?

Likewise, while I enjoyed seeing the return of Shenmue’s odd, slow conversational choice mechanisms, they system is clearly inferior to those employed in games such as Mass Effect and Skyrim (now considered old games).

Overall, I think that, in their goal to make a game that fans would recognize as a Shenmue game, the development team were overly-conservative. They retained elements that they should have removed and they refined elements that should have been reimagined.

I suspect that a minority of (relatively) hardcore fans also reacted against this. Why? Because Shenmue means different things to different people. It is remembered fondly for different reasons. Let me elaborate when discussing Shenmue’s graphics:

When first released in 1999, Shenmue’s graphics were awe-inspiring. Many commented on how realistic the game looked. Today, the idea that the original Shenmue’s graphics approached photo-realism seems quaint. But that is how many people reacted at the time. And that is how many fans remembered it.

In truth, Shenmue’s graphical style was not so much realism as stylized realism. Character-design varied with regard to how stylized or realistic they looked, but the overall style worked. Doubt me? Well go take a look at the game Headhunter which was released around the same time as Shenmue 2 on Dreamcast. Headhunter strives for a more realistic style. It would also, incidentally, be a far easier title to update graphically than Shenmue.

Some have, harshly, described Shenmue 3 has having PS3 level graphics. This is a pretty baseless accusation in most respects, but in others, I can see where they are coming from. If you compare Shenmue 3 to The Last of US (on PS3), The Last of US has more realistic environments and superior facial animations (for the most part).


Shenmue’s original graphical style was stylized, but stylized in a way that, at the time, made the game seem very realistic. Nostalgic fans who remember the impression of realism more than the stylized elements will be disappointed with Shenmue 3’s graphics. But Shenmue’s 3 graphics could never, regardless of time or budget, have impressed these fans – at least not without adopting an entirely new art style.

Shenmue 4

I woke up this morning to the announcement of a Shenmue anime. With luck, this may introduce a whole new generation to the world of Ryo, Ren and Shenhua. Narratively, Shenmue 4 will begin in a place that is perfect for new fans. A cleric, a paladin and a rogue are on a quest to find some valuable relics, stop some evildoers and achieve revenge. But I feel that the developers of Shenmue 4 will need to be bolder if they want the franchise to grow and the story to be completed.

So here are some bold suggestions:

1. Go back to the original (pen and paper) character and location designs and translate those into a new art style. The art style adopted in the Anime might be a useful guide to this (or not).

2. Modernise the voice-acting, cut-scene and conversational styles. I’ll miss the old versions for nostalgic reasons, but, put simply, better systems can be achieved.

3. Utilise all three of the characters last seen on the Great Wall of China. A variety of game styles would be a fun addition. Ren and Shenhua actually being useful to Ryo (giving him money, health potions, quest items and leads) would help players develop an appreciation for the whole cast.


I loved Shenmue 3. I loved it because of its imperfections as much as I loved it inspite of them. But it is time to re-imagine the imperfect aspects, refine the parts that did not work perfectly and remove the bits that seem like anachronisms in 2020.

I think that I now realise why Shenmue had the impact it had on me back when I first played it as a teenager. It was an entirely new and unexpected way of telling a story. It was a new experience. The plot of Shenmue is very similar to that of many Kung Fu movies. A young man’s father is killed by a mysterious and deadly enemy. He seeks to understand why and seeks his revenge. He makes new friends and enemies along the way, gains new skills and learns valuable life lessons.

But Shenmue told this story differently. It took the elements that most stories ignored or included as a montage and made them the core of the game. Ryo had to train. He had to work. He needed to earn money. He had to actually speak to many, many people just to find out the smallest tidbit of information that would help him find Lan Di. And he had to do all this, while not worrying Ine San by staying out to late, while maintaining his friendships and living a mundane life. Because of the inclusion of the inclusion of the, sometimes monotonous, mundane elements, the epic moments felt truly epic.


It may never again be possible to have the impact that Shenmue had back in 1999. Be that for Shenmue 4 or for any other conventional video game. Those who came after can never fully appreciate the impact that movies like The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars or Jurassic Park had when they were first viewed by cinema-goers. But I want Shenmue 4’s developers to push the envelope rather than risk stagnation. I would love to, once again, be awed by something entirely unexpected - a familiar story told in a new way.
 
Good write up. I want them to focus on finishing the journey, rather than pushing the envelope, which I think a reboot could focus on.
 
I'd love a reboot.

And yeah, like you, I'm invested enough that my main concern is finishing the journey. But I also feel that finishing the journey is going to be dependent on increasing the popularity of the franchise.

The changes that I'd like to see are, in part, related to that goal. I think that the current character art style needs some big changes if it is going to impress new players. Most of us were attracted (initially) to the franchise by what it did that was new (a leap forward in graphics, open-world gameplay and the like). We stayed for the experience (story, atmosphere).
 
Welcome back @Niall001 :giggle: I've moved your thread into here as there's already an ongoing discussion about likes/dislikes on Shenmue 3 and what people would like to see in a Shenmue 4. Thanks!
 
If there is a Shenmue 4 it must go back to classic camera in first two games and as seen in this fan made mod. The FOV is far too restrictive and as can be seen in this video with adjustments it can look significantly better-

I love Shenmue 3 as is, but this makes it so much better. It's amazing what a difference it makes.
 
I love Shenmue 3 as is, but this makes it so much better. It's amazing what a difference it makes.

Yes between the classic camera and smooth 60FPS, I dare say it's quite transformative. I can't wait to try this and replay game this way.
 
I think this game would benefit very much of a director's cut version, with things like that camera, more story and content.
I personally would buy it again without doubt. As a DLC for the people that already have the game and as a new edition for people that not. Something like FFXV Royal edition.
 
If there is a Shenmue 4 it must go back to classic camera in first two games and as seen in this fan made mod. The FOV is far too restrictive and as can be seen in this video with adjustments it can look significantly better-

I will try to be on topic with a mix of things...

IMHO: Shenmue utilizes an inversed human movement detection. In a simple but erratic and vague way of trying to expand on this, it's like if the character is moving in place fixed, the world moves around him, and make contact and collisions relatively with his movements. The best example is how he takes a ladder. It's similar to how the minimap feels visually. Feels like an ilusion. The fov helps to put the player attention on the world, and not on character footsteps. In some way hidding unrefined details, in others, not generating brain confusion. With the moded fov, you will see good and clear the footsteps, as the main spot, that particular spot of the system, but as a whole picture the feel is unrealistic. It's like if a ladder moves towards Ryo, and he becomes attached to it.
Common on every modern game. More evident in fast open camera movements. In a racing game It feels as if the car turns and moves less than the world, despite the car being loose and less physics weigthed, because in theory the car is moving, not the surroundings.
New generations would moan if the movement isn't loose and dynamic.
I prefer two old school things. Weight, and illusion. Hidding things your brain don't want to see. Much better is the sense of friction with weight on physics over the dynamic and fludity wich led to false sense of aproaching and erratic distance feeling. Hard to explain. Easy to see if you like substance, and feel disconnected from floaty speeding.
I feel the "Tank control" is more reallistic to the brain and command inputs of substance players.
The "no lag" movement for impatient, speedy players.
The same for the camera as is integrated with the movement. In a first person shooter this is over exxagerated in all ways. The new generation of players want to see more than the eyes can see, move faster than his body feels, in more frames than time can spread. Be it for competitive, unpatient, or loosey feel. Like hitting buttons to pass a menu. Unwanting loading screen.

Like Unwanting do not run sections that is intrusive for his fast peaced skills, or lack of concentration depends on how you be.
Faster, faster, more data, faster, evolving, evolutioning faster , more data, more kills , dried brain , repeat
Waypoints, taking hands tutorials, trophies, guides, just to show achievement or false supremacy to the game or to others. Insults, ragging, and fists to the table, breaking controllers if the game won't tell you , or won't let you win, for uploading a day 1 playtrough. The community's seeing and the need of being watched, make it easier, the game or the message isn't important, it's the e-player-the hatingavatar of todays cause paying dolars, escape world.

IMHO the director, in this case's Suzuki-san, took decisions for reasons not all players seems to dig in, or sees.
With the technology and money at his disposal.

Dreamcast was the top of an era. Post 2000's is the anthagonist of it. Systems as egines and way of function and things, can't replicate the top higher point of engine / creativity of Dreamcast pre 2000's. It won't feel the same with modern technology cause has different purposes, bound for different contexts, it doesn't mean is better, doesn't means evolving.
Like Shenmue vs Grand Theft Auto. Wich has better technology? Wich is more reallistic? Wich is better? Depends on players age and fom of being. For some of us, the conscious part, it's clear why one was better marketed and sold.

Shenmue is like a mix of Oriental daily life culture with American hero movie culture...So in Shenmue you play as a good character, slow peaced, with values, in an epic heroic honoring form, with a will to listen, to learn, and with inner respect, between lots of other things, and that stimulate the players in a unique approach.
This principal character make things in a good way, with bad ass style, with better pose and posture, better gesture than any other. And he is relatable. He is human, and with a normal body. In a stupid way of describing a lot of controversial world daily things, he doesn't uses guns, he don't fuck prostitutes, doesn't plant bombs, doesn't has the new aquaman body type, nor the tired worn beard cliche, isn't theft, or throw powers. Being not an otaku, neither a The Rock, Vin Diesel, or new generation slim show off or like vampire white stuck up. Just simple as humility.

The old engine was developed in this context. When Sega made that context.

The game was a media to bring a message.
People that connected or felt linked to the message, wants the other side bigger mass of people to couple and become or reborn back to good side of things...
Some of us, don't want Yu's cave in with the pressure, we don't want Shenmue to become a part of the other side, the bad side. Don't want to watch it breaking, to accomodate the empty soulless massive side of nowadays process. In btw examples, Ps2 was an error, UE is an error, we are moving in enemies territories... Netflix series is an error.
This is not nostalgic, you seeing all wrong. We want people from the bad side to recalibrate and accomodate to this proyect, beyond the game, as life would be prettier if so...As a game as an reflect of what are we, how you doing it.
Don't break it, don't claim it's broken, don't judge as you know the potential...Because the potential is already there.
In these times of obscure and saturated empty content, Shenmue is an unique product. And times are changing with the explosion from the overall messy life visions and content.

So as improvement, or as a wish better called , I'm confident of leave things as it is...Take it as it is. Heading there. Time will give Yu Suzuki reason, he was ahead of it's time before, so now is there, some people are tired of last 20 years of nonsense, some will take it further, some will make arrepentice choices, some of we just witness, cause our feelings about this context...The external of this game is broken, but fixing slowly.

This isn't fannatic, fanboy, or wathever. Asides gaming, I too, like in movies, or wathever, to tired of the bads being justified. It is too much.

So, in this game in particular or series, you change for the game or go home, leave something made well with soul, dedication and passion, alone.
 
In some way hidding unrefined details, in others, not generating brain confusion. With the moded fov, you will see good and clear the footsteps, as the main spot, that particular spot of the system, but as a whole picture the feel is unrealistic. It's like if a ladder moves towards Ryo, and he becomes attached to it.
Common on every modern game. More evident in fast open camera movements. In a racing game It feels as if the car turns and moves less than the world, despite the car being loose and less physics weigthed, because in theory the car is moving, not the surroundings.
New generations would moan if the movement isn't loose and dynamic.
There’s a lot to unpack in your post so I will just concentrate on the camera. There’s nothing wrong weighty controls, that’s why I love Killzone 2 because the combination of the player movements, setting and animation ties into all of this.

Shenmue 3 is a very different beast and I think the modded camera is far more suitable in a few aspects. First the game as some have noted almost has a fish eyed FOV and the new camera makes it feel less extreme, how ones natural eyes would be. In addition having camera pulled back and seeing Ryo’s feet make contact better grounds the player. I know Suzuki has said in interviews the camera seen here was what he intended for original games but couldn’t because of technical limitations but I hope if there is a Shenmue 4 he tweaks what we see here.
 
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