I cannot wait for this game. More RPG elements I will just get so caught up in, putting in hours of gameplay, well before progressing the story. I cannot wait for the end of August. This is my perfect Shenmue 3.
It sounds like my hope of a "Shenmue 2" experience at the beginning will also happen. I didn't give a shit and ran out of school when my friend Ray told me Shenmue 2 was released for the Dreamcast. I had it pre-ordered for ages, and it was due to come out on a specific date. But because of the Dreamcast dying, or perhaps the release date was just moved, it was released about a week earlier, and when I was told, I bolted! When I got home and played it, I got as far as checking into the Come Over Guest House, and once I had done that, it was time to live this game. Time to explore. For the rest of the day I worked the Lucky Hit stand at the bottom of the street, and since it was new, enjoying every minute of it! Just living in this world, not progressing the story. I can see the exact same thing happening with Shenmue 3. Get the early story cut-scenes out of the way, then spend hours just living in the world. That is Shenmue to me.