Shenmue 3 has faced delays left and right and at times looks uncanny. Nevertheless, the game is due out for PC and PS4 on August 27th, 2019, and Yu Suzuki, the creative director, revealed that Shenmue 3 will be different from other open world games that still act “linear” story-wise. Yu Suzuki says other gameplay features and mini-games around the game’s world can also help to progress the story forward.
There’s no telling at this point if the Epic Games Store will snatch up Shenmue 3 given that the store will take any game even if it has a Steam Store page (as Shenmue 3 has as of this writing), but right now Deep Silver and YS Net are focused on content regarding the forthcoming game.
With that out of the way, Twitter user Brandon Sheffield translated Suzuki saying that games nowadays don’t do anything with open world elements progressing the story forward in different ways and that Shenmue 3 will attempt to do just that:
https://twitter.com/necrosofty/status/1116728298921504768
Suzuki also stated that he doesn’t want Shenmue 3 to be a simulation of China but rather something similar. To do this, mountains and other things that would seem like they’d be in a location are there for extra flavor. This also includes infamous gatcha games — but they will be in-game, non-payed mini-games:
This boat for example is probably not something you’d actually see in China. But you can still give it that flavor.
(also, gatcha machines confirmed in shemue iii!?) pic.twitter.com/HTgLxxLNPh
— brandon sheffield (@necrosofty) April 12, 2019
Gambling and other pachinko stuff will be “connected” in a way that it wasn’t in the first and second titles while combat can be improved via skill books and other hidden items:
https://twitter.com/necrosofty/status/1116732683630063617
In other words, if you want to learn how to fight, in some instances, you might have to gamble to get a skill book. However, some skill books and items are at stores that aren’t gambling related like in one of the two main towns known as Baidu village:
https://twitter.com/necrosofty/status/1116734062465564673
The first image shows different modes, but the second slide slightly details easy toggles for journalists who hone terrible skills:
https://twitter.com/necrosofty/status/1116735349517115392
The journalist mode is further explained here:
https://twitter.com/necrosofty/status/1116736144241307649
However, the mode and the option to go full on “journalist mode” is subject to change and may not make it in the final product.
This is apparently subject to some potential change so keep that in mind!
— brandon sheffield (@necrosofty) April 12, 2019
As mentioned above, mini-games will be in Shenmue 3 but tweaked. For instance, the forklift will operate slower and differently from its past iteration. Also, tickets can be won from electronic mini-games and used to buy prizes and skills from the skill tree:
https://twitter.com/necrosofty/status/1116739159207682048
Also there’s the dang forklift! Some of the stuff you can do with it are still a secret, but the forklift in this game is even slower than the original! But it’s better integrated into the game, and related to some critical path stuff pic.twitter.com/WT49Iw5rcI
— brandon sheffield (@necrosofty) April 12, 2019
Sheffield concludes the long translation by saying the following:
He mentions how the play style of shemue changed from 1 to 2, and it has changed again this time. But he thinks the original fans will really like what the team has done here. It’ll feel like shenmue no matter what. The end! pic.twitter.com/tGenlkfDnR
— brandon sheffield (@necrosofty) April 12, 2019
And lastly, here are some screenshots of the latest build of Shenmue 3:
Shenmue 3 is set to release for PC via Steam and PS4 on August 27th, 2019. However, given Deep Silver past act with Metro: Exodus don’t be shocked if an Epic Games Store timed exclusivity deal pops up sometime soon.
