Shenmue III

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1112 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 828 out of 1112
  2. Mixed: 52 out of 1112
  3. Negative: 232 out of 1112
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  1. RTCWFAN
    Jun 20, 2023
    8
    I didn't play the first two parts, so it was really hard to get into the story. But after some reading and hours into the game, I really liked the slow gameplay and the interesting characters. Overall rating: 8.2.
  2. Sonic1
    Jun 5, 2023
    8
    What I would improve for Shenmue IV:
    Much more story progress
    Better dialogues Meaningful characters Smaller, but more and dense environments Better cinematic quick time events Better draw distance If fights are not possible in high quality, I would invest in great quick time events 2 capsule machines are good enough (Figures and Sega arcade) Remove stamina Better interior    What I would improve for Shenmue IV:
    Much more story progress
    Better dialogues
    Meaningful characters
    Smaller, but more and dense environments
    Better cinematic quick time events
    Better draw distance
    If fights are not possible in high quality, I would invest in great quick time events
    2 capsule machines are good enough (Figures and Sega arcade)
    Remove stamina
    Better interior lighting and music transition (Adding doors and loading screen)
    Original Sega Arcade game
    Improved Ryo and Shenhua (Shenmue Passport )
    I like Ryo in I&ll much more
    No herbs
    Fights and training like in Shenmue 1
    Save money for better story, characters, good quick time events and a dense environment    … Expand
  3. Zwei76
    Nov 20, 2019
    10
    Great game, a magic memories have coming to my past, a continuation history of shenmue, the dream has come back. I fell like 18 years ago in the good way.
  4. Chronos84
    Sep 29, 2022
    10
    Excellent game, not sure why the press is destroying it in the reviews. Maybe they were expecting some new mechanics more adapted to the “fortnite generation”. But WE Shenmue fans find the game really good and can’t wait to see what happens next.
  5. Khristian5
    Dec 11, 2021
    9
    Los fans de Shenmue agradecemos seguramente en una gran parte, que la experiencia de juego sea idéntica como lo fue en Dreamcast en jugabilidad y mecánicas del juego. Poder seguir la historia después de tantos año es un sueño hecho realidad. Igual no es el juego que esperaban las nuevas generaciones que acaban de conocer la saga hace poco, pero si para los que vivimos y acompañamos a RyoLos fans de Shenmue agradecemos seguramente en una gran parte, que la experiencia de juego sea idéntica como lo fue en Dreamcast en jugabilidad y mecánicas del juego. Poder seguir la historia después de tantos año es un sueño hecho realidad. Igual no es el juego que esperaban las nuevas generaciones que acaban de conocer la saga hace poco, pero si para los que vivimos y acompañamos a Ryo en su día en la búsqueda del espejo del fénix y la venganza de la muerte de su padre y nos quedemos con las ganas de continuar con la historia. Y sinceramente me encantaría que siguiera con una cuarta parte y no tardara tanto en salir como esta tercera. Gracias por volver Hazuki.… Expand
  6. SemenGalyutin
    Dec 20, 2021
    9
    Игра мне очень понравилась. Я с головой окунулся на более чем 100 часов. Выбил платину. Атмосфера, это то чего мы ждали почти 20 лет. Если вам нравится 1 и 2 часть серии то и 3 часть понравится. Есть минусы у игры и отсутствие локализации главный минус, другой минус это QTE. Тайминги очень низкие из за чего ни одно QTE я не прошел с первого раза, хорошо что их не так много. Еще мне неИгра мне очень понравилась. Я с головой окунулся на более чем 100 часов. Выбил платину. Атмосфера, это то чего мы ждали почти 20 лет. Если вам нравится 1 и 2 часть серии то и 3 часть понравится. Есть минусы у игры и отсутствие локализации главный минус, другой минус это QTE. Тайминги очень низкие из за чего ни одно QTE я не прошел с первого раза, хорошо что их не так много. Еще мне не понравилось то что внешность героев изменили, и они отличаются от персонажей 2 части. А кто говорит что много гринда то эти люди просто заморачивались возможно из за платины. Играя в удовольствие ты даже не заметишь этого. А продажа сетов растений в первой локации может перекрыть растраты вплоть до конца игры. Вся игра проходится около 20 часов а повторное прохождение 13-15 часов. Платина 100 часов.(из за рондома)… Expand
  7. Gamer1994
    Sep 29, 2021
    10
    At least we got a continuation to the story 20 years later. Voted this a 10 as a motivator for them to make the next installment
  8. SenorKoquonfaes
    Feb 25, 2021
    10
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Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out? Do you know of any places where sailors hang out?… Expand
  9. GenoNF
    Nov 8, 2020
    8
    Shenmue 3 es justo lo que prometió Yu Suzuki en 2015, se trata de la continuación directa del segundo titulo de la saga. Desde mi punto de vista, el juego no puede ser comparado con las grandes producciones de hoy en día a las que nos tienen acostumbrados. Shenmue 3 es el deseo de los fans de que aquella historia inacabado por fin tenga un desenlace, pero para cumplir este deseo tenemosShenmue 3 es justo lo que prometió Yu Suzuki en 2015, se trata de la continuación directa del segundo titulo de la saga. Desde mi punto de vista, el juego no puede ser comparado con las grandes producciones de hoy en día a las que nos tienen acostumbrados. Shenmue 3 es el deseo de los fans de que aquella historia inacabado por fin tenga un desenlace, pero para cumplir este deseo tenemos que obviar que el juego no ha contado con una producción digna de otros títulos.

    Shenmue 3 se siente como un juego de Dreamcast, aunque son incluidas unas mecánicas que no llegan a funcionar como se espera,como el tema de la estamina o el nivel de pelea de Ryo. Estos errores no son graves problema para el juego en su totalidad. El que para mí si es un problema más grave es el hecho de que no todos los personajes interactúan con Ryo, te saca del mundo que quiere crear.    … Expand
  10. Walidus
    Oct 5, 2020
    10
    Whether you like to travel to a Chinese village or a large town, Shenmue 3 will make you want to pack your bags and leave to Guilin on the first flight. Truly a masterpiece and one of the greatest games of our generation!
  11. Reed618
    Sep 14, 2020
    8
    I'm surprised to say I enjoyed this game quite a bit. It has pretty big flaws but overall I had quite a lot of fun. I played Shenmue 1 and 2 in 2019 and found the first game quite charming and the second a little too padded, also the QTEs could be really unforgiving at times.

    I went in with low expectations but there's a lot to enjoy here. The art style is really quite nice. The    I'm surprised to say I enjoyed this game quite a bit. It has pretty big flaws but overall I had quite a lot of fun. I played Shenmue 1 and 2 in 2019 and found the first game quite charming and the second a little too padded, also the QTEs could be really unforgiving at times.

    I went in with low expectations but there's a lot to enjoy here. The art style is really quite nice. The environments are pleasant to explore and most of the character models are solid particularly the main cast. There are some nice features missing like lip synching and sometimes the dialogue and subtitles are very different but kickstarter games often lack polish and that stuff is quite minor. I found pop in could be annoying at times particularly in the game's second location Niaowu. Occasionally the streets would be deserted and I would find myself in a shop waiting for an npc to load in so I could buy something.

    The game is structured in a very shenmue way. It hasn't changed much. You talk to one npc and they direct you to another npc. You proceed like this but you also get to explore the environment at the same time and you occasionally meet some interesting characters. I found the first area was a bit confusing to navigate at times and a little small but things improved a lot when I reached Niaowu. It's larger and has a much simpler layout.

    There are some moments where the game feels padded out though and this really sucks. At one point you need 2000 yuan which is quite a bit. The npcs kept encouraging me to visit a fortune teller and try gambling but the system in place here is ridiculous. You visit a fortune teller, then run to another npc to buy tokens, then run to another npc to gamble and then you can trade your tokens in with another npc for prizes and then you travel to another npc to sell the prizes for money. I don't care how much slower it is... I chopped wood. I don't have the patience for that. I listened to youtube videos and I chopped wood. This wasn't so bad but later in the game you then need to earn 5000 yuan. You'll most likely find the fights are getting tougher as well which means you might need health potions which cost about 380 yuan each and if you want to buy more fighting moves those will cost you hundreds or maybe thousands of yuan. This really sucks. I'd much prefer it if you could just learn moves by training.

    The worst occasion of padding I noticed was shortly before the final encounter. I won't spoil anything but there's some buildup and a cool epic cutscene and you enter a new location and then shortly after arriving a guy tells you his ring, camera and plate were stolen. I spent 15 minutes searching a room for the ring, plate and camera. After that I was finally able to progress with my rather urgent quest. Honestly... they could have shortened this game by a good five hours. It would have been a better more streamlined experience.

    My final big complaint is the fighting system. There's a weird delay between pushing the button and executing the move so it's very difficult to get into a flow. You can easily launch a move and then find you're about to be hit but you're unable to do anything. Worse than this though is how you improve. You can spend huge amounts of money on skill books to learn new moves and you can spend large amounts of time doing repetitive mini games to level up your kung fu, your endurance and your health. I just played on easy and started carrying health potions towards the end. I trained when I had time to kill but honestly the way you level up sucks.

    So... overall... it's shenmue... it's basically a nicer looking shenmue 2 with more forgiving QTE's and I enjoyed it. I liked the environments, the characters, the story and even the divisive ending. The combat isn't good but it's not bad either and aside from moments that felt grindy or padded it was a pleasant experience. Honestly it's a much worse experience compared to yakuza but I'm glad I played it and I hope we see a Shenmue 4 someday even though that does seem extremely unlikely.    … Expand
  12. Xeneise_gonza
    Aug 6, 2020
    10
    It’s Shenmue, you either love it or hate it.
    I understand that it may look boring and weird for younger audiences, but they have to understand is the continuation of a magnificent saga that changed the way we knew video games.
    Definitely worth playing if you loved the first two titles, you get to feel that unique and wonderful “shenmue feel”.
  13. segamaster
    Jul 26, 2020
    10
    Yu Suzuki and his team did it again.
    Thank you Yu Suzuki for everything you've done and I hope you still do through the years for the media. Literally nobody comes close to your work.
    Thank you YS Net for such an amazing game. You guys are the reason why I keep playing games nowadays.
  14. Thor4803
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    Shenmue remains Shenmue, the world would be worse off if it was not there. Thank you You !
  15. ioio32l
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    Exactly what Shenmue fans from the Dreamcast days asked for, feels like a Dreamcast game, feels like Shenmue, it is the way it should have been! Perfection! Now we just need Shenmue 4 and 5 to fully see the story Yu Suzuki has been trying to tell for so long.
  16. Alecj
    May 14, 2020
    10
    Bottom line -- If you like Shenmue, this is the best Shenmue game ever made. You will love it. Its got all the qualities you come to the franchise for, plus now its got a modern look and feel.

    If you dont like Shenmue, this wont change your mind...but you knew that. If you havent ever played Shenmue, try the remastered collection which contains Shenmue 1 & 2. If you enjoy it, getting    Bottom line -- If you like Shenmue, this is the best Shenmue game ever made. You will love it. Its got all the qualities you come to the franchise for, plus now its got a modern look and feel.

    If you dont like Shenmue, this wont change your mind...but you knew that.

    If you havent ever played Shenmue, try the remastered collection which contains Shenmue 1 & 2. If you enjoy it, getting to the third game will be that much more exciting.

    Its a unique experience, a wonderful one. Shenmue 3 was everything i could have hoped for when it was announced.
    As far as the franchise expectations go.....its a ten out of ten..    … Expand
  17. VJS1980
    May 1, 2020
    10
    Absolutely loved this game. As someone who waited 18 years, I was completely in love with it. Shenmue 3 stays true to the spirit of the original games and adds a lot more. If you want an original, fun and deeply engrossing game, play the Shenmue series. There’s nothing else like it.
  18. ceNLIFE
    Apr 10, 2020
    10
    The game have a lot of problems overall, but for us, fans, its a great game, a game that we have waited for 18 years! I like the fact that in terms of gameplay this game almost feels like a Dremcast game released in 2019!
  19. dogeymon83
    Mar 27, 2020
    9
    Shenmue 3 is a gift from the past. People who review it low would just as well have done the same with the first two. If you don't get these games, then you probably never will. There is a unique charm and bewilderment to Shenmue. Yu Suzuki is almost as unapologetic in how he has pushed forward with bringing us an experience that feels inextricably connected with the first two way soShenmue 3 is a gift from the past. People who review it low would just as well have done the same with the first two. If you don't get these games, then you probably never will. There is a unique charm and bewilderment to Shenmue. Yu Suzuki is almost as unapologetic in how he has pushed forward with bringing us an experience that feels inextricably connected with the first two way so perfectly that it's more of a miracle that he's kept it the same than the fact the game came out in the first place.

    Shenmue 3 falls short in very few areas, but it definitely has it's flaws. It's a game that deserved a bigger budget to give us an even more polished Shenmue game. I would have wished Shenhua looked exactly the same as the first two games. And petty little things like no animation for drinking soda or the title screen not being the same plague my greedy little mind sometimes. But as a Shenmue fan, I got an experience that is above and beyond what I could have hoped for. With a series that is as niche as this, Shenmue 3 is a miracle of a game.    … Expand
  20. Magma55
    Feb 28, 2020
    8
    Shenmue III, good game graphics are pretty, but too short storyline. I love the Shenmue's but I wish the next ones to be set longer in storyline. Pressing the action buttons for scenes stuffs and all it asked to be way more faster, in the other shenmue's you had longer delay to press a key to move up next scene and it was more nice this way. Not enough action scenes on this too.I feelShenmue III, good game graphics are pretty, but too short storyline. I love the Shenmue's but I wish the next ones to be set longer in storyline. Pressing the action buttons for scenes stuffs and all it asked to be way more faster, in the other shenmue's you had longer delay to press a key to move up next scene and it was more nice this way. Not enough action scenes on this too.I feel generous cuz I missed the game giving a 8/10 but it could be better game. Too many capsules to collect: should adjust it by adding more secondary quests and thoses are too random, would be nicer to talk to npc's and choose if you want to do a task for them (secondary quest basically). Not enough battles, you have only 2 serious boss to beat or 3 about and Ryo get always his ass kick before he succeed it...Glad there was at least a tournament fight or it be way too poor battles in game. You spend more time in game trying to earn good money, unless ya found nice tricks from trading stuffs.I want more fights, more scenes, more actions and I wanna see Ryo become a pro master! lol… Expand
  21. PoussinElitiste
    Feb 14, 2020
    8
    Early fan of the franchise (I own Shenmue 1&2 on DC + backer of the 3), with overall average press reviews I was worry. I agree with critics on the lack of polish on animation, cut scenes, dialogs and lack of PNJ, and it's the main reason why I didn't give a 10/10. But After complete the game a couple of week (close to 45h) I feel that Yu Suzuki san and his team put their soul into theEarly fan of the franchise (I own Shenmue 1&2 on DC + backer of the 3), with overall average press reviews I was worry. I agree with critics on the lack of polish on animation, cut scenes, dialogs and lack of PNJ, and it's the main reason why I didn't give a 10/10. But After complete the game a couple of week (close to 45h) I feel that Yu Suzuki san and his team put their soul into the game and provide authentic ambiance, poetry and unique experience compared to other AAA popcorn game. And with the lack of money to provide a real AAA kick ass game (thanks SEGA ...) I was greatly surprise Ys net was able to provide a real follow-up to the canonical franchise with such content. They can count on me to support the next episode.… Expand
  22. rfederer
    Feb 13, 2020
    10
    Shenmue, a game of the heart, to try it is to adopt it.
    This 3rd opus has never split public opinion as much.
    But what game can boast of having 3 sequels to its story?
    Try the FPS vision and discover details of rare richness. [link deleted]
  23. Shacklers
    Feb 3, 2020
    9
    If you're a fan of the original games, you'll most likely love this game! But if you're unsure whether you should buy this or not, I'll try to quickly explain what the game is all about.

    Basically it's a life simulator. What would it be like living in a chinese village and trying to avenge your fathers death? Now you can experience it! It's a realistic game in many ways. You got to earn    If you're a fan of the original games, you'll most likely love this game! But if you're unsure whether you should buy this or not, I'll try to quickly explain what the game is all about.

    Basically it's a life simulator. What would it be like living in a chinese village and trying to avenge your fathers death? Now you can experience it! It's a realistic game in many ways. You got to earn money cause you need food to survive. You spend time practicing your kungfu skills and you search for clues by either talking to people or perhaps by opening drawers and finding secret objects there. It's kinda like a detective game. There is fighting in this game too, but it's not really an action game. It's closer to an RPG.

    It's a relaxing game in many ways. You're not supposed to beat the game as fast as you can. You're supposed to explore places and try out different minigames. Maybe go to the arcade, or go fishing or pick up some herbs that you can sell later. There's a lot of things to do in the game.

    Every time I start playing a new game, one of the first things that I always want to do is to just go talk with random non-playable characters and see what they've got to say. Usually I'm always disappointed cause you can't talk to them, or because the dialogue is just plain text and it's not fully voiced. In Shenmue games talking to NPC's is more fun than in ANY other game. All the non-playable characters have their own personalities and they have something new to say almost every time you talk to them. And their responses are sometimes hilarious. So that's one of my favorite things about these games. Talking with random people and trying to find clues.

    I got to mention the music in this game too. It's so atmospheric and you really start to feel like you're in China yourself exploring exotic locations.

    If you've never played a Shenmue game before, this might feel like a strange game at first. Especially because the game continues right from where the last game ended 18 years ago. There is a video that explains everything that's happened before, but you might be a bit confused even after watching it. Still, there's nothing else out there that's comparable with Shenmue, so I do recommend the game, if you want to try something a bit different.

    Some people have criticized the game cause it feels like an old game. Now the game was made for fans of the original games, so most people are happy that they didn't change the game too much. The original games were way ahead of their times anyway.

    At the end of the day the biggest problem with the game is it's budget. It is a Kickstarter game after all and the budget of the game is extremely small compared to other open world games out there. There are plenty of moments when I thought that the execution could have been so much better if the creators of the game would have had more money. But what they managed to do with the budget is something extraordinary nevertheless. I can't get my head around, how they managed to create such a massive game with such a tiny budget.

    It's not a perfect game. The main story of the game feels shorter than in the original games. Quicktime events are a bit too fast. The fighting system is in some ways better and in some ways worse than in the originals. Sometimes fighting feels a bit unresponsive compared to the originals. But practicing your kungfu is a lot more satisfying this time around. And fighting multiple opponents works better now. I also love the fact that you can break stuff around you while you're fighting. All in all the game revolves around getting better and better at kungfu and I really like that.

    If you're a fan of kungfu movies, that's another reason to pick this game up. Just remember that it's not a beat em up game. It focuses more on practicing your kungfu.

    If you loved the original games mainly because of the story, you might be disappointed with this one. Simply put the original games had a better story. But if you loved the original games mainly because of the gameplay, atmosphere and the lifesimulator elements, then there's a good chance that you'll love this game even more than the originals.

    The idea behind the original Shenmue game was to make a game where you're free to do almost anything. It was a highly interactive, cinematic-quality game that tried to mimic reality. All the non-playable characters had their own daily routines. They went to work and later in the evening you could find them at a bar or maybe at a park somewhere. The game had a day and night cycle and a very revolutionary weather system too. The attention to detail was extraordinary and in many ways you could say that it was the first open world game created. Shenmue games are a very important part of video game history and I definitely recommend trying either the original games or this one.

    It's not a game for everyone though, cause it is pretty slow paced. But people who love these games, love them with passion!    … Expand
  24. BarryBlanc
    Jan 29, 2020
    10
    Shenmue III is everything I was hoping it would be, and even more. It's like time stand still since Shenmue II and I mean it in a good way. Now let's hope for Shenmue IV!
  25. FlameHaze_
    Jan 23, 2020
    10
    First of all, if you expect Shenmue to be a game full of action and adventure, know that this is not what you will find. This franchise offers a unique and difficult to explain experience. It takes a certain maturity to face it, and a taste for simple things. I'm a big longtime fan and I have to say that Shenmue is one of the best franchises I've ever played, and Shenmue II is still theFirst of all, if you expect Shenmue to be a game full of action and adventure, know that this is not what you will find. This franchise offers a unique and difficult to explain experience. It takes a certain maturity to face it, and a taste for simple things. I'm a big longtime fan and I have to say that Shenmue is one of the best franchises I've ever played, and Shenmue II is still the best game.

    Frankly, Shenmue III disappointed me a lot in the story part, because in Shenmue II Ryo knows people who try to teach him about how bad the desire to get even is, but he is so obstinate about it that he doesn't give up ... I hoped that in Shenmue III there would appear at least a moment when some great master tried to teach him about how bad it is to want to take revenge, which being one of the main themes of Shenmue II, I honestly felt that this part was left out in Shenmue III. Another thing I didn't like was the unnecessary moments of humor, especially in high tension fights. Another criticism I make is the amount of events that this new game brings, it is considerably much smaller than Shenmue II, and even Shenmue I had more events than this new game, at the end of the game I got the feeling that I have progressed in almost nothing in history.

    Precisely because it fails with history, presenting little content, there are few exciting moments, few pauses for Shenmue's incredible songs to be played and contemplated with the beautiful backgrounds in the background. It seems that Yu Suzuki forgot to be romantic and made his masterpiece a kind of comedy without much content. The game also has several sidequests, they are cool and meet the modern demand that says that every RPG needs sidequests, but I find many of them out of place, because for a character as obstinate as Ryo, I really don't think he would stop his investigations to help someone in a sidequest have nothing to do with their goals.

    Regarding gameplay, there are few moments of QTE (quick time events) because there are few events in history, there are few fights, few dangers, when compared to Shenmue II, and to make matters worse, the response time to press the button at these times is very short ... If I made almost no mistakes in Shenmue II (missing only very difficult and unexpected sequences), in Shenmue III I practically missed them all.

    On positive aspects, we have very beautiful scenarios, which meet the expectations of the fans precisely because they are not ultra realistic cinematic scenarios of the great AAA games, but at the same time it is not as if we were playing a Playstation 2 game. On the positive side, we have the expectation if we see Shenmue IV, maybe Yu Suzuki will be able to make a great game again, just like Shenmue II. The grade I gave is high because it is from the heart, I love this franchise and this game was ok enough for me to continue loving, despite everything I recognize the effort of Yu Suzuki's team, you can see that they gave their best in the project , and I have expectations that in Shenmue IV they will deliver a much better story, as they will not need to spend so much time on graphics and new mechanics, since they have already created them for this game.    … Expand
  26. susoloy
    Jan 12, 2020
    9
    I discover the saga the last year and i'm very glad of it. Yu Suzuki made a very good game . I hope the Shenmue 4 come soon.
  27. EsotericSaturn
    Jan 7, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Shenmue III is a faithful continuation to Ryo Hazuki’s story that definitely doesn't disappoint. The story properly leads off of the events of Shenmue I & II, and certainly will be more appreciated by people who have completed those games as well. But, even people new to the series will find much to enjoy. For me, I was somewhere in between since I knew of the series, but hadn't played any of the games. I played all three games back to back over the course of a couple weeks & got really invested in not only the story, but the characters & vast world to explore with much to do.

    The world you explore is absolutely gorgeous, even by modern standards & the sound design compliments the game as a whole. There are many things to do such as various jobs, kung-fu training, gambling & even arcade games. It also features evolved fighting throughout the story, but also through optional street fights to earn tokens.

    The biggest gripe people seem to have with this game is that it's not the end to the story, which I can understand since Shenmue IV isn't guaranteed, although I would argue that it is more likely to happen than not for a number of reasons that I'll include at the end of this review. But, fans disappointed about the end not really being the end should look at this game as Yu Suzuki getting the ball rolling again, which can be the hardest part.

    Is Shenmue III a perfect sequel? No, but it is a pretty damn good one that retains much of the charm since the days of the Dreamcast while still evolving enough to be considered a modern marvel. Shenmue III I believe will go on to be an underrated gem of this console generation, just like the first two were in their own era.



    Extra notes about Shenmue IV:

    The reason I believe we're more likely than not to get Shenmue IV are many of the same reasons why Shenmue II & III were feasible. Many people forget that Shenmue III would have happened even with a budget of just $2,000,000, which won't be too hard for them to reach from sales of the game at retail & on digital storefronts, as well as licensing deals they’ve signed to produce collector's editions from companies like Limited Run Games.

    Another point I have that is related to how Shenmue II was more feasible even as the Dreamcast met it's demise is that Shenmue IV can simply reuse some assets from Shenmue III to keep costs down, similar to how Shenmue II reuses some assets from Shenmue I.

    My final point & the final block in this wall of text is that they can always do another crowdfunding campaign. There's absolutely no reason they can't do it again & even without factoring in any money made from retail sales, I'm sure they would hit at least their minimum threshold to make Shenmue IV happen just from their dedicated fanbase alone. With that, I'll be looking forward to the continuation of Ryo’s journey & I hope you will as well.    … Expand
  28. Sharp
    Jan 5, 2020
    10
    After 35hrs in the game, I can confidently already say that this is the most polished, well-thought out Shenmue game there is in the series. If you liked the first two, I'd say you will be positively surprised the third installment is better than you expected. It is a more refined Shenmue experience, a rural Chinese compact version of the first game, with interesting world and characterAfter 35hrs in the game, I can confidently already say that this is the most polished, well-thought out Shenmue game there is in the series. If you liked the first two, I'd say you will be positively surprised the third installment is better than you expected. It is a more refined Shenmue experience, a rural Chinese compact version of the first game, with interesting world and character building in it. Reviews are a strange thing, I enjoyed this game more than most of the metascore 85+ (both critics and user score) games in the last 20 years. Slow-down with Shenmue 3, the world is already too fast as it is.… Expand
  29. darthjf
    Jan 5, 2020
    10
    As a fan of the original games I wholeheartedly love Shenmue III. It's everything I ever hoped for and what small issues there are can be forgiven due to the limited resources the dev team had at their disposal. It's a lovingly crafted game as I'm sure anyone willing to dive into its virtual world can notice.

    But despite being exactly what the fans wanted it's not a game for everyone. I    As a fan of the original games I wholeheartedly love Shenmue III. It's everything I ever hoped for and what small issues there are can be forgiven due to the limited resources the dev team had at their disposal. It's a lovingly crafted game as I'm sure anyone willing to dive into its virtual world can notice.

    But despite being exactly what the fans wanted it's not a game for everyone. I get that a lot of people aren't going to like it, but it's not due to any faults in the game itself. Rather, Shenmue has always had a design philosophy that's different from other open world adventure games. Some people simply aren't going to agree with what Shenmue is, and think it should be something else.

    Shenmue is a slow game by design. Rather than rushing to complete this and that objective to progress in the story, the game encourages you to look around the world and enjoy the mundane aspects of the game world. Practice your kung fu, do odd jobs for money, gamble, and play arcade mini games. Rather than being a goal driven hectic quest from A to B it's about immersing yourself in the life in your virtual world and enjoying the journey as the overall plot slowly moves forward.

    Some will get sucked in this experience and love it. Other's won't and will hate it. But I love it and that's all that matters to me. 10/10.    … Expand
  30. acedies
    Jan 2, 2020
    10
    Sure it has its ussues, but I loved every second of it! Can'wait for Shenmue 4!
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 78 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 41 out of 78
  3. Negative: 7 out of 78
  1. PSX Extreme
    May 18, 2020
    30
    What a horrible experience this was. Whatever minuscule redeeming qualities this game might have are drowned out by just how infuriating it is. And I can’t think of anybody who is a fan of this franchise that can honestly call this game good with a straight face. Get this game if you’re a fan of the series, but don’t be surprised if it just ends up making you hate yourself for waiting nearly two decades for what is essentially the video game equivalent of Freddy Got Fingered.
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  2. PSX Extreme
    May 18, 2020
    30
    What a horrible experience this was. Whatever minuscule redeeming qualities this game might have are drowned out by just how infuriating it is. And I can’t think of anybody who is a fan of this franchise that can honestly call this game good with a straight face. Get this game if you’re a fan of the series, but don’t be surprised if it just ends up making you hate yourself for waiting nearly two decades for what is essentially the video game equivalent of Freddy Got Fingered.
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  3. Cubed3
    Apr 13, 2020
    50
    Shenmue 3 is a tough recommendation for general audiences. It won't please the die-hard fans of the originals due the step backwards in terms of game design. Neophytes who are curious about it will be confused and bored by the sleep-inducing pace, plus the how the voice acting has not changed since the early '00s. The visuals may have improved, and the loading times are a thing of the past, but this is still has the soul of a Dreamcast title. It won't live up to the expectations that fans have, nor will it excite interest in the franchise. Nothing of substance gets solved by the conclusion, and there's a lack of a pay-off to playing such an intentionally slow experience. The highs in Shenmue 3 involve doing what amounts to nothing; that is just taking in the atmosphere and exploring.
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