Shenmue III - ALL THE FACTS AND INFORMATION (as of 20/03/2019)

ShenGCH

Who the fuck is Coco, bitch?!
Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Location
United Kingdom
Favourite title
Shenmue
Currently playing
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
(Many thanks to Let's Get Sweaty for providing the BBCode from the original post on the old Dojo!)

1383

(Some of the following information can be considered as spoilers, so read at your own risk.)

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Cast

Ryo Hazuki
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Shenhua Ling
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(More to come as they are revealed...)

Story

- Yu Suzuki describes the game as "a kung-fu adventure that takes place in China" [1]

- The game's "key points," according to Yu Suzuki, are "romance, characters' life and martial arts." Where romance is concerned, Yu Suzuki would like to portray the differences between how men and women think [4] [39]

- According to Yu Suzuki, Shenmue III begins from Chapter Six of the story's eleven planned chapters, and will "mark the end of this story," but will not be the end of the story. In a 2018 interview with GamersFlag, Yu Suzuki stated, "the end will be open for a sequel," suggesting Shenmue III might end on a cliffhanger [33]

- Shenmue III's story begins the day after the conclusion of Shenmue II [9]

- Ryo, while still angry and thirsty for revenge, will grow and mature a lot throughout the game. Those he meets along the way, particularly where martial arts is concerned, will be largely responsible for this [5]

- The meaning behind the "He shall appear from a far eastern land across the sea..." prologue poem, as well as Ryo and Shenhua's roles in the prophecy, will finally be revealed [1]

- Yu Suzuki has stated he would like to keep Shenhua as "a mysterious character" [38]

- Ryo will not return home to Japan in Shenmue III [17]

- The game will explore and highlight the differences between Japanese and Chinese culture, particularly the way in which Ryo behaves in a foreign land having come from a different background, and how he and Shenhua interact with each other [8]

Characters

- The game features approximately five-hundred NPCs [51]

- There will be nine new main characters introduced in Shenmue III [44]

- Confirmed important characters (thus far): Ryo Hazuki, Shenhua, Lan Di, Ren, Niao Sun, Chai, Shenhua's adoptive father, and two unnamed "main bosses"

- Confirmed named minor characters (thus far): Ming Ming, Mr Yuan, Tai Chi master Su Zixiong, lucky hit stand proprietor Liu Fang, ball-and-bucket proprietor Xuan Shancun, Martial Hall master Huang Hu, Martial Hall student "Red Tiger", and Rose Garden opponents "The Knee of Death" and Chris "Mach Fist" Bellinger [50]

- Confirmed unnamed minor characters (thus far): An extremely muscular rival to Ryo (described as "a middle-level boss" who "uses an unusual style of martial arts"), the owner of Choubu's Bird Dance Hostel, the temple/shrine maiden of the Hall of Name Tags (described as "a tomboy, boyish type"), a young girl Ryo will befriend, an assistant who will play a role similar to that of Fangmei, a master of Nanquan, and an "eccentric" and "really powerful" martial arts master with "a humorous personality" [6] [9] [36]

- Nozomi, Guizhang, Ine-san, Joy, Fuku-san, Goro, and "other characters" from the two previous games are also confirmed, albeit in the form of telephone calls through the 'World of Telecom' service [6] [9] [16]

- There will be "four main bosses," according to Yu Suzuki. Lan Di and Niao Sun are the only named bosses at present, the latter of whom has been described as "extremely beautiful and sexy, but cruel." The only information pertaining to the two remaining main bosses is that one of them is "[a] strategist using more cunning than head-on fighting" [39]

Locations

- Confirmed areas (thus far): Bailu Village, Choubu, and Baisha [6]

- Bailu Village (白鹿村, which translates as 'White Deer') is the starting area of Shenmue III and, where the player was only able to experience just a tiny fraction of the village, was also where Shenmue II ended. The entire village will now be fully open and explorable. According to Shenhua, who lives in a hut on the very outskirts of the village, Bailu Village is home to around fifty inhabitants. Due to the village's proximity to water, players will be able to fish there. The initial quests here will start Ryo and Shenhua off on their journey. Bailu Village has been described as "a return to the more close-knit, parochial feel of Yokosuka" [50]

- Choubu (鸟舞, which translates as 'Bird Dance'), a riverside village situated on the banks of the Li River, will be the game's equivalent to Dobuita or Wan Chai, featuring numerous shops, stalls, amusements, hotels, shrines, temples, dwellings, and other buildings. Choubu resembles Kowloon in terms of its density and verticality. Choubu will contain approximately two-hundred NPCs (which is over three times that which was originally planned), one of whom is a master of Nanquan. Choubu has been described as the most Shenmue-esque location in the game [9] [17]

- Baisha (白沙, which translates as 'White Sand') is a village, notable for its numerous tulous, which is home to the Guilin branch of the Chi You Men. Baisha will see a number of new gameplay systems introduced to players, including "a siege game reminiscent of the Warring Kingdoms," which will presumably see the player defending allies from external attacks and engaging in battle with enemies attempting to gain control of the village's buildings, as well as an infiltration mission into the Chi You Men's branch (presumably on a mission to rescue Shenhua's imprisoned adoptive father). It is also during this infiltration mission the player will take advantage of the new 'Character Perspective System', allowing the player to swap between Ryo, Shenhua, and Ren, utilising each character's unique traits and abilities to achieve their goal

- Niaowu (鸟屋, which translates as 'Bird House') has been described as "a more built-up, urbanised settlement than Bailu." Niaowu contains a fighting arena named the Rose Garden [50]

- Some of the specific landmarks and establishments that have been revealed are the Lake of the Lantern Bugs, the Temple of the Blooming Flower, the Bird Dance Hostel, the Hall of Name Tags, Main Shopping Quarter, Panda Pawn Shop, Hi-Tech Land Panda, Martial Hall, the Rose Garden, and Choubu Shoes Center [13] [30] [31] [32] [49] [50]

Gameplay

- Shenmue III contains around thirty hours of gameplay, and has been described as having "multiple weeks" of playability [3] [9] [47]

- A first for the series, difficulty levels will be introduced in Shenmue III. There are four difficulty levels - Easy, Recommended, Mastery, and "You'd better not!" - the easiest of which is designed specifically for those who simply wish to enjoy the story, while the highest difficulty level is for true masters of the game. A.I. difficulty in combat is the only factor affected by difficulty revealed thus far [52] [55] [59]

- Mini-games, side quests, interactions with NPCs, and such will be more meaningful and tie in to the game world and main story. There will even be little surprises for players who invest in these activities. This feature was considered for the originals, but was unable to be realised due to technical limitations. It has been suggested some of the mini-games (such as QTE Title) will improve Ryo's fighting stats [9] [26] [46] [50]

- Pawnshops in Shenmue III have been given a complete overhaul and expansion compared to Shenmue II thanks to the inclusion of the Prize Exchange. While the previous entry merely allowed players to sell capsule toys in exchange for money, Shenmue III grants players the ability to a) sell capsule toys or prizes for money or exchange capsule toys or prizes in exchange for Skills Books at a pawnshop, and b) exchange tokens earned from gambling at the Token Exchange for prizes at the Prize Exchange, which can then be sold or exchanged at pawnshops [59]

While capsule toys could only be exchanged for money in pawnshops in Shenmue II, capsule toys (and prizes acquired via the Prize Exchange) in Shenmue III can be traded for important items such as Skill Books [55]

- Unlike the previous entries, not all NPCs can be interacted with. Those that can be interacted with are distinguished by name tags displayed above their heads [52]

- The game can be played in both third and first-person perspective [52]

- The camera is now full 360° [52]

- According to Yu Suzuki, the game has "kind of a mini-map," a primitive version of which was present in Shenmue II in the form of area maps that could be purchased in each district, located inside the circle of Ryo's energy meter [57]

- Confirmed fighting styles (thus far) include: Hazuki style jujitsu (Ryo), Fist-Dagger Mantis style (Niao Sun), Nanquan (a master located in Choubu), Bajiquan (Ryo and various characters throughout the game), Xing Yi Quan (various characters throughout the game), Muay Thai ("The Knee of Death", a fighter located in the Rose Garden fighting arena), and boxing (Chris "Mach Fist" Bellinger, a fighter located in the Rose Garden fighting arena) [9] [44] [50]

- Due to Yu Suzuki's love of the Chinese martial arts, much emphasis will be placed on realistic representations where combat is concerned [46]

- Yu Suzuki describes the game's new combat system as "very varied, richer, and more playable" with players of different skill levels in mind. Edge, in their preview, describe the combat as "much smoother, with cleaner transitions between moves, but that recognisable animation style is still very much present" [47] [50] [57]

- According to RPGSite, in their impressions of the 2019 MAGIC Monaco gameplay demo, "Shenmue's combat still plays like a Virtua Fighter" [56]

- Combat is supported by an RPG-style progression system and governed by two primary stats: Attack Power and Endurance - both of which feed into a third stat, Kung Fu, which allows Ryo to unlock and perform advanced techniques - the former of which is self-explanatory, while the latter is represented by a stamina bar on the HUD and can be depleted by performing actions during combat. It can, however, be replenished with food and drink which can be bought and stored in the inventory. Both of these stats can be improved through training mini-games (with exercises based on repetition, endurance, and timing), solo moves training, and sparring with students in Martial Hall - one of which, Horse Stance, which is tied to Endurance, requires the player to keep Ryo held in a pose by rhythmically tapping a button to keep him in line with a HUD marker. Another mini-game, One-Inch Punch, which sees Ryo repeatedly punching a log in a time-based exercise, increases both Attack Power and Endurance. As Ryo's proficiency with the exercise increases, he requires less of a wind-up before striking the log [50] [56]

- As well as Martial Hall, numerous dojos can be found throughout the world. Ryo can spar with students of these dojos to increase his power and stamina, and challenge them to fights to increase his rank at the dojo. By defeating a 1st Dan student, Ryo will acquire that rank; by defeating a 2nd Dan student, Ryo will acquire that rank; and so on. Ryo and the students' standing at their respective dojo is noted on a board located at the entrance of each [55]

- In order to make the combat system simpler and visually different from the series' previous entries, a "Variable Speed" system is being incorporated into FREE battles. Specific details have not been revealed, but Yu Suzuki describes it as "new and fun" [11]

- "Manual Transmission" and "Automatic Transmission" systems for combat, the former of which is a traditional fighting game system consisting of combination inputs, while the latter allows players to assign five different moves to a single input which can be swapped on-the-fly through another single input (i.e., on a PlayStation 4 controller, for example, the assigned moves can be scrolled through with L2 and executed with R2) [52] [59]

- Every single move from the original games (minus throw moves, which have been omitted entirely) will be available from the get-go, but players will have to master them once again [51] [52]

- As was the case with the original games, the more a move is used, the stronger it gets, up to a level cap of ten, at which point it is considered mastered, as represented by both a bar that fills over time and the visual of the executed move itself. A level ten move will have approximately double the effectiveness of a level one move. Besides the increase in damage, leveling up moves grants Ryo additional abilities - for example, in a ring surrounded by a fence, Ryo will be able to punch his opponent through the fence and out of the ring provided the level of the move has reached the threshold [51] [55] [56]

- Ryo will now be able to attack multiple opponents at once (a primitive version of this could be found in the first two games, in which the Ryo was able to grapple an opponent and kick away surrounding enemies) and perform combos in FREE battles [26]

- QTEs will return in a more modernised, dynamic fashion. The possibility of using specific sounds and colours to associate with inputs, as opposed to displaying the button itself on-screen, is under consideration [9]

- The 'Technique Scroll System', one of the game's confirmed new mechanics, consists of Skill Books (previously known as 'technique scrolls' or 'move scrolls') comprised of three unique types - Normal, Advanced, and Arcane - the latter two of which are managed by a skill tree-like system, which fills as you learn new moves, and require a certain amount to be accumulated before use. There are around one-hundred Skill Books to collect; ways to acquire them include purchasing them, trading with NPCs, exchanging completed prize sets or a specific combination of prizes at pawn shops, or finding them while exploring the world [9] [16] [50] [58]

- The 'Character Perspective System', the second of the game's confirmed new mechanics, gives the player the ability to change the character they're playing as - with each character having their own distinct personalities, choices, and approach to the situation at hand - in order to complete their objective. Ryo's approach is that of fighting; Ren's is that of using a weapon; and Shenhua's is non-violent and tactical. This mechanic will feature in a single event [17]

- The 'Rapport System', the third of the game's confirmed new mechanics, will see Ryo and Shenhua's relationship vary depending on the player's actions towards, and interactions with, her, therefore affecting how cooperative and/or warm/cold she is in return, dictated by two underlying systems: the 'Affinity Rating' and 'Cooperative Quest'. The Affinity system extends beyond Shenhua, however, requiring Ryo to "get to know people" and "make a name for [himself]" to become more closely acquainted with certain NPCs. For example, conversing with a particular NPC while in the company of Shenhua will cause the former to be more open and friendly with Ryo on account of his relationship with the latter [17] [50]

- 'A.I. Assist', the fourth of the game's confirmed new mechanics, will allow players to "unleash the perfect technique in response to the opponent's positioning and distance," meaning the technique will, upon activation, hand control over to an A.I. which will decide the best course of action instead of requiring calculated inputs from the player. This system is "for players who are not used to fighting games or for those who want a full immersion battle experience" [19]

- NPCs will be more akin to those featured in Shenmue II, meaning their scripting won't be as detailed, nor will their personalities be as unique as those in the original game, though other aspects about them will see improvement (e.g., cosmetic detail and facial expressions) [38]

- Regarding controls, Yu Suzuki has stated he is currently in two minds about how they will function; on one hand, he would like to "keep a similar configuration to the original game," but realises times have long since changed and is therefore considering more contemporary schemes [10] [12]

- Progression of time will be "about the same system as the first two Shenmue." This means one in-game hour is equivalent to four real-world minutes; one in-game day is equivalent to one real-world hour [34]

- There are many shops spread throughout the game's three main towns. Prices will vary considerably between each one, so it will be up to the player to sniff out the best prices. It has been suggested the system whereby Ryo would pick up items from the shelves and take them to the counter has been replaced entirely with a menu-based system reminiscent of the Yakuza games. Whereas shops in the previous games were few and far between, albeit with owners and employees Ryo could have in-depth conversations with, shops in Shenmue III are plentiful but conversation with employees is limited [51] [52]

- Eating and drinking play an important role in Shenmue III, as opposed to the previous entries in which eating was non-existent and drinking was merely cosmetic. Food and drink will serve to replenish Ryo's health and stamina after training or fighting, and provide buffs during combat [52] [55]

- There will be events in which a bear and a deer must be saved

- Regarding the size of the game world, Yu Suzuki states it will be "even richer" than the series' previous entries. Choubu, on its own, has been greatly expanded, by at least five times its originally planned size [4]

- A trademark of the series, attention to detail and interactivity (as well as examples of more subtle detail such as gestures and cultural dress style) will be in abundance [9]

- As was the case with the previous games, Ryo will return to his place of rest at 11:30pm. In Bailu Village this will be Shenhua's house, and in Choubu it will be the player's hostel of choice. Baisha's place of rest is currently unknown, though one can assume it will be in one of the tulous

- Regarding loading screens/times, Yu Suzuki has stated that "[players will] start in a large area which will require some initial loading, but compared to before the loading situation will be much better. It's much faster now," possibly suggesting exterior-to-interior (and vice versa) loading will be seamless. Conversely, in a 2019 interview with Shenmue Dojo, he stated, "Things like the loading screens with location names... compared to before, hardware performance has improved tremendously, so they're not really needed, but to keep that Shenmue feeling I've deliberately included some" [10] [57]

- For the very first time in the series, players will be able to change Ryo's outfit (and maybe even remove his bandage), with the ability to customise his upper and lower-body clothing, shoes, and accessories at any point through a menu. At present, "training gear" is the only new outfit that has been revealed, though Yu Suzuki has also alluded to "strange" and "really unstylish" clothes, too. DLC costumes for Shenhua, Ren, and other characters later down the line is a possibility [17] [50]

- The notebook will return, and has been updated with coloured divider tabs [17] [25]

- Forklifts will return in one form or another [9] [38]

- Capsule toys from the first two games will be returning, though it is currently unknown whether brand new capsule toys from SEGA franchises will be introduced. Those who pledged for the $700 tier of the Kickstarter campaign will have a 2D illustration of their face featured inside a small glass block, whereas those who pledged for the $1200 tier will have a Chibi-style representation of themselves featured as a fully-modelled capsule toy, as part of new in-game capsule toy collections. Hinted at in Kickstarter Update #87, in the form of what appears to be a Yu Suzuki capsule toy, it is possible the game's development team will feature in their very own capsule toy collection. In Kickstarter Update #101, Ryo and Shenhua capsule toys were shown off [13] [17] [43] [60]

- Fortune-telling has been confirmed [6]

- Arcade cabinets will be returning. So far, Excite QTE 3 and QTE Title 2, as well as pinball machines, whack-a-mole, a mechanical game controlled with a steering wheel (possibly a Road Racer clone), and a punch-ball boxing machine have been seen, and new additions have been promised. Mechanical and analogue games feature with greater prominence compared to the previous entries [17] [25] [41] [45] [46] [59]

- Lucky Hit will be returning [6]

- Turtle and frog racing mini-games have been confirmed. These races can be cheered on by mashing the button that appears on-screen. Yu Suzuki initially wanted to include a snail racing mini-game, wherein players would place their bet in the morning and return in the afternoon or evening, by which point the race would have concluded, but this idea was eventually scrapped [1] [52] [55]

- A fishing mini-game and fishing competitions have been confirmed, the latter of which includes what Yu Suzuki calls a "stamp rally" in which Ryo goes from one fishing spot to the next trying to catch certain types of fish. The presence of fishing shops will allow for the hire and purchase of various rods (each with different levels of performance) and baits depending on the type of fish the player is going for. [9] [51] [58]

- Part-time jobs will be returning. Wood chopping and fishing are the only confirmed jobs thus far, though the presence of a warehouse in Choubu and Lucky Hit suggests job opportunities, too [9] [35] [51]

- Ryo will begin with just a small amount of yuan (the game's currency), but there are numerous ways to earn money, including gambling and selling items (e.g. capsule toys and prizes to pawnshops, fish he has caught to the fish market - of which the payout depends on the weight of the fish - and combinations of medicinal herbs found in the fields and mountains of the surrounding area) [9] [17] [58]

- The Rose Garden, a fighting arena located in Niaowu, allows Ryo to compete against increasingly difficult fighters in return for cash prizes. The first opponent Ryo faces is a Muay Thai expert nicknamed "The Knee of Death". Boxer Chris "Mach Fist" Bellinger is another opponent Ryo will face further up the rankings. At a certain level, Ryo will have to face multiple opponents at once [50]

- Wild animals such as tortoises, ducks, and frogs can be found in certain areas. Chickens, dogs, cats, turtles, hens, pigeons, and "many more" can be found throughout the world, too, and there might even be the opportunity to care for a pet in a similar fashion to the kitten from the first game [2] [9]

General

- The game will release on November 19th, 2019, for PlayStation 4 and PC. Both versions will be identical [27] [46]

- Shenmue III will be comprised of 50% contemporary ideas/influences and 50% 'classic' Shenmue themes in order to appeal to veterans of the series and newcomers alike, a significant increase from the original plan of a 30/50 split. He further elaborates, "I believe fans who have been waiting patiently for this game will enjoy the Shenmue-specific vibe and world-feel, which is different from any game out there. I decided to go all in with making the world-building distinctive. There are a lot of great open-world games out there, but I don't believe many, if any, are quite like Shenmue" [12] [46] [50]

- There are no supernatural elements (e.g., the floating sword at the end of Shenmue II) in Shenmue III [52] [55]

- The game will feature a short recap covering the events of the first two games for those who are new to the series. Flashbacks using scenes from the first two games will also occur throughout the story; Yu Suzuki is even considering making some of them playable, but is currently "undecided" [9] [11]

- Greater emphasis will be placed on replayability and freedom this time around, with new options unlocking after completing the game for the first time in order to encourage multiple playthroughs [46]

- Like its predecessors, Shenmue III will have a bad ending should players not manage to complete the game by a certain in-game date [40] [52]

- In a 2019 interview with GameCores, Yu Suzuki stated that "story and other elements" from Chapter 2 (the infamous "Boat Chapter" which was cut from Shenmue II) will be repurposed and incorporated into Shenmue III, though these elements are currently unknown [48]

- Memories will play an important part in Shenmue III. One such example is that of an NPC who will recount a prior event, giving Ryo (and, by extension, the player) a more tangible, visual idea of what occurred before working to fit the pieces together [11]

- Save data from the first two games will not be able to be carried over into Shenmue III

- As of December 2017, almost all of the English voice actors for the main characters have been cast, with casting set to continue in early 2018 [8]

- Yu Suzuki would like to bring back as many of the series' past voice actors as possible [3] [9]

- Corey Marshall and Masaya Matsukaze will reprise their roles as the English and Japanese voices of Ryo Hazuki, respectively [28] [29]

- In a Dreamcast Ultimate interview published on 11/09/2017, Corey Marshall stated he has been in contact with Yu Suzuki's team and his voice work will begin "soon." In March 2018, Marshall revealed he will begin to record his lines at the end of May [15] [37]

- Yu Suzuki would like to include both the English and Japanese dubs in each respective version, but is currently unsure whether it will be possible [17]

- Key members from the series' original development team are working on the game, including creative director/programmer Takeshi Hirai, sub-director Keiji Okayasu, script writer Masahiro Yoshimoto, character designer Kenji Miyawaki, animation adviser/producer Hiroaki Takeuchi, composer Ryuji Iuchi, and architect Manibu Takimoto [13] [50]

- Shenmue III is being built in Unreal Engine 4, which the team intend to push to its maximum potential, as opposed to the Virtua Fighter engine utilised by the first two games, due to the engine's ease with prototyping, efficiency, and its appropriate colour palette. As a result, the fighting engine is being built from scratch. Yu Suzuki is especially impressed with how far the capabilities of the engine have exceeded his expectations, particularly where graphical quality is concerned [3] [9] [10] [14] [16]

- Dynamic weather will be returning, and will be considerably improved over the previous games. "The lighting of sunsets and sunrises will be really beautiful," according to Yu Suzuki. The after-effects of weather will also have a much greater presence than in the previous games: for example, puddles will form and the dirt on the ground will turn to mud (which adheres to footprints and other interactions) following a downpour. Morning dew coating vegetation has been observed [39] [52] [53]

- Shenmue III utilises motion and magnetic capture technology for its animations, the former of which will be used in the most important action scenes [4]

- Yu Suzuki hopes players will really feel the visuals; from the humidity in the air to the smell of the surroundings, complemented by the game's new art style [9] [14]

- According to Yu Suzuki, "The assets from [the first two games] will get a lot of use"

- As of early September 2017, map modelling and asset creation is at around 70% completion, whereas the lighting system is very close to completion [9] [16]

- Indian game development studio Lakshya Digital (whose past projects include titles such as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Bloodborne, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, WWE 2K16, and Just Cause 3) will be taking care of much of the game's character art development. Yu Suzuki is very happy with what he has seen so far [13]

- The OST will consist of unused/returning tracks from the original games (of which just 20% were used in the aforementioned) and possibly some new material [3] [9]

- Shenmue III will feature numerous easter eggs [1]

- Yu Suzuki is considering the possibility of a Tomato Mart in the town of Choubu [7]

- DLC is planned, but no further details have been revealed [9]

- Shenmue III will have no online options, though no specifics were given as to the extent to what is considered 'online'

Business-related

- Following its reveal at E3 2015 on June 15th, Shenmue III was successfully funded on Kickstarter, reaching its initial goal of $2 million in a record eight hours and forty-three minutes, eventually ending in July with a total of $6.333 million (the most-funded video game project and sixth-most-funded overall on Kickstarter) pledged by 69,320 backers [18]

- Crowdfunding concluded on September 1st, 2018, tallying up to a grand total of $7.179 million (pledged by 81,087 backers) [19] [42]

- Shenmue III will be published in PAL and NA regions by Deep Silver, while the Chinese versions will be handled by Tencent (for PC) and Oasis Games (for PS4). (The game's publisher in Japan is currently unknown.) Originally thought to be published by Sony, the latter's role has been clarified as providing support, while SEGA's role is limited to providing the IP and production materials from the series' previous entries [3] [9] [10] [12] [16]

- Contrary to popular belief and misinformation, poor research, and flat-out lies spread by the gaming press, Shibuya Productions is the main investor in Shenmue III, having invested an undisclosed amount in the project, and has a much greater role than Sony. (In fact, SEGA/YSnet/Shibuya Productions formed the agreement to use the Shenmue licence before Sony was ever involved) [20] [21] [22]

System specs

(Placeholder and subject to change.)

Minimum:

OS: Windows 7x64, Windows 8x64, Windows 10x64 (64-bit OS Required)
Processor: Intel Core i5-4460 (3.40 GHz) or better; Quad-core or better
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti or better (DirectX 11 card & VRAM 2GB Required)
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband internet connection
Storage: 100 GB available space
Sound card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Additional Info: Requires Steam Client to activate.

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UPDATES LOG:

20/03/2019: Updated with information from RPGSite's gameplay demo impression

15/03/2019: Added lots of information from MAGIC interviews and previews

28/02/2019: Added a tonne of new information from Edge's preview

31/01/2019: Added a 'Cast' section listing the game's voice actors, with Ryo Hazuki and Shenhua Ling as the first inclusions


26/01/2019: Added a bunch of new information from recent interviews

26/10/2018: Miscellaneous changes and organisation


25/06/2018: Miscellaneous changes and updated the slacker backer pledge total

23/04/2018: Updated with information from previous interviews and talks, and separated information about characters into its own section

18/04/2018: Updated with information from a 2016 DualShockers interview

15/04/2018: Updated with new information from SEGASaturno's MAGIC interview

17/03/2018: Updated with new information from MAGIC 2018 and added more citations for older information

14/01/2018: Added citations to the majority of the facts. Incomplete, but this will be taken care of

23/12/2017: Updated with new information from Shenmue Master's Gamescom interview

16/12/2017: Updated with new information about the temple maiden and made some miscellaneous changes

28/11/2017: Updated the Slacker Backer amount

14/10/2017: Updated with new information from the Shenmue Master recap

28/09/2017: Updated with new information from the latest
M! Games Magazine interview

27/09/2017: Updated with new information from the latest
Official PlayStation Magazine interview


25/09/2017: Cleaned things up, updated the backer amount/count, and added more information

21/09/2017: Moved information about locations into their own category and added lots of miscellaneous information

17/09/2017: Included Corey Marshall's comments about voice work beginning soon as well as other little tid-bits

12/09/2017: Cleaned things up a bit and elaborated on some information

11/09/2017: Separated 'Story/gameplay' into separate sections and added some more information from the Fok!, Gamona, and Shenmue500k interviews

09/09/2017: Added some more information from the Eurogamer interview

03/09/2017: Cleaned things up a bit

28/08/2017: Added some more information from the Multiplayer.it interview

27/08/2017: Categorised the information so everything doesn't read as one long list

26/08/2017: Added and corrected some information in light of revelations from Gamescom 2017

20/12/2016: Added some more information, including Shenhua's adoptive father to the confirmed characters list, Nanquan as one of the confirmed fighting styles, and an update to the funding date

[RESERVED]
 
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Thanks for bringing this thread over!
Thank Let's Get Sweaty for providing the BBCode from the original thread. I fully intended on bringing everything over myself, probably with very little success, but as soon as I logged in to the old Dojo, I was presented with a PM from Let's Get Sweaty containing everything :D
 
This is a very in depth thread, I didn't even know half of these things were talked about before.
I just wish I could find all the sources. I know for certain the pieces of information without citations were stated in interviews and such, but I can't find them anywhere.
 
I remember when I saw a large chunk of that information on the internet a few years after Shenmue 2's release. So I know that this is legit, but I wouldn't be able to find the sources if I tried.
 
Lots of info here I never knew.

Don't like the idea of the 'Character Perspective System', I play Shenmue to be Ryo. It does say that it will only feature in a single event so I hope its a very short event. I lost interest in the Metal Gear series when I was no longer playing as Snake.
 
Lots of info here I never knew.

Don't like the idea of the 'Character Perspective System', I play Shenmue to be Ryo. It does say that it will only feature in a single event so I hope its a very short event. I lost interest in the Metal Gear series when I was no longer playing as Snake.
It might be optional. Gotta say, though, I'm pumped to be able to play as Ren :D
 
Don't like the idea of the 'Character Perspective System', I play Shenmue to be Ryo.
I also agree with this, but I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised. Maybe it will be fucking awesome, and I'd be doing myself a disservice concerning myself with it until launch...
 
Lots of info here I never knew.

Don't like the idea of the 'Character Perspective System', I play Shenmue to be Ryo. It does say that it will only feature in a single event so I hope its a very short event. I lost interest in the Metal Gear series when I was no longer playing as Snake.

I am intrigued by it if it serves a purpose and contributes to the story. E.G how Ren gets to Gulin or finds Ryo would be good,. What about Guizhang making it to catch up with Ryo?
 
I am intrigued by it if it serves a purpose and contributes to the story. E.G how Ren gets to Gulin or finds Ryo would be good,. What about Guizhang making it to catch up with Ryo?

Yeah, that'd be a good way to utilize it. Perhaps people aren't a fan of it, though, because it ruined Halo (just one example off the top of my head). I remember in Halo 2 you didn't play as just Master Chief. It was kind of stupid, and it also disengaged the player(s).
 
Yeah, that'd be a good way to utilize it. Perhaps people aren't a fan of it, though, because it ruined Halo (just one example off the top of my head). I remember in Halo 2 you didn't play as just Master Chief. It was kind of stupid, and it also disengaged the player(s).

I think if it's done as a side thing to playing a Ryo and not overdone it's fine. Something like a little half hour or hour story running along the main story would work nicely for me.
It could be longer if done and integrated well.
 
I am intrigued by it if it serves a purpose and contributes to the story. E.G how Ren gets to Gulin or finds Ryo would be good,. What about Guizhang making it to catch up with Ryo?
I would play as other characters only if it was an optional side mission and you don't need play it in order to complete the game. Like it could say "Do you want to play optional mission?" and you could then choose Yes or No.
 
I would play as other characters only if it was an optional side mission and you don't need play it in order to complete the game. Like it could say "Do you want to play optional mission?" and you could then choose Yes or No.

Something like that would work very nicely.
 
I remember Suzuki talking about the rapport system years ago. In some ways, elements of this may have already been introduced. For example, when Shenhua asks who Nozomi is, you have the options of choosing that she's a girl, a childhood friend, or that she's a girl who works at a flower shop. For all we know, depending on what answer you choose and if Shenmue continued on the Dreamcast, maybe this info would have carried over onto the rapport system.
 
I remember Suzuki talking about the rapport system years ago. In some ways, elements of this may have already been introduced. For example, when Shenhua asks who Nozomi is, you have the options of choosing that she's a girl, a childhood friend, or that she's a girl who works at a flower shop. For all we know, depending on what answer you choose and if Shenmue continued on the Dreamcast, maybe this info would have carried over onto the rapport system.

It was already introduced with Fangmei - when she asks you a question, the answer you give changes how much she likes you (leading up to the birthday sidequest).
 
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