Shenmue 3 finally made its much-awaited release after a long 18 years wait. The Shenmue franchise debuted on the Dreamcast, with its most recent game releasing in 2001. This kept players waiting for an incredibly long time, and some of them might have already forgotten about the game. Nonetheless, the Shenmue series lives on and Ryo is back.
The third installment of the critically acclaimed series continues Ryo Hazuki’s quest as he travels to China to avenge his father’s death. While that is dramatic, don't worry too much. The forklift minigames also make a return. Although the Shenmue franchise hasn’t been a commercial success, the games have remained favorites among players for their portrayal of a grounded story and daily life in Japan.
In celebration of Shenmue 3’s release, publisher Deep Silver released a mini-documentary that showcases how Shenmue 3 was made using modern technology while keeping the nostalgic vibe alive. It’s pretty interesting video worth checking out.
The Kickstarter for Shenmue 3 started on June 15, 2015 and was eventually backed by 81,000 fans, raising almost $7.2 million. The project went on to set a record for being the most funded video game Kickstarter of all time. Despite it’s overwhelming Kickstarter success, Shenmue 3 hasn’t had a smooth release. The game was soon in controversy for being an Epic Games exclusive and for not giving pre-order bonuses to Kickstarter supporters.
Nonetheless, the game is now available on both PS4 and PC. If you haven’t played any of the Shenmue games, or plan on catching up with the story, the remasters for both Shenmue 1 and 2 were released in 2018.
