![]() ![]() It’s to be expected, as Yu is still an advisor at Sega and had a massive role in the company’s earlier arcade days. Sega is however cooperating and is allowing Yu Suzuki to utilize all the assets of the previous games. Maybe for the best, Sega didn’t have the balls to to bring back Shenmue. It’s all great to see the game coming to at least the PC as well. It might be crazier to me than the thought of Sonic on a Nintendo (back when that would seem crazy). Now we have Sony promoting the sequel to this Dreamcast masterpiece. Shenmue’s failure and the launch of the Sony PlayStation 2 were both factors in the demise of the Dreamcast. That the leading console manufacturer would give such a large platform to Yu Suzuki to announce a sequel to this series is mind-blowing–especially when you consider this is a Dreamcast series from 14 years ago (the Dreamcast fanboy in me ignores the Xbox port, Hahaha). I had no idea there was still this much spirit left in a financially failed series (albeit artistically an astounding achievement). Then I once I saw the camera pan over the rocky stream with the vibrant trees in the background, I felt pure joy. Words can’t express my excitement at this point. They’re just going straight to the what a true Shenmue fan really wants. Then I realize this is just balls out Shenmue III. ![]() Then we see Yu Suzuki in the video speak on how he gets asked about the third game all the time. Instantaneous amazement Initially thinking we’re looking at Shenmue I and II HD collection. In the middle of the presentation while I admittedly almost wasn’t paying attention, I see the pink blossoms falling and Shenmue’s music play. I had a feeling with Yu Suzuki hanging around Mark Cerny (PS4’s lead architect) that if Shenmue III was going to be announced it would most likely be during Sony’s conference. I don’t know if it was just the fact that the creator of Shenmue, Yu Suzuki, tweeted a picture of a forklift with “E3” (reference to the first game) or me just having some weird feeling, but I decided to watch an E3 presentation live for the first time alongside Clark DeVitis. Shenmue III was unbelievably announced on Sony’s E3 conference for release on PS4 and PC. On June 15th, 2015, I felt that spark that had been missing. However, I’m still missing that excitement for new, interesting releases I once had when I was younger. I guess that’s why most of my gaming still continues to be on 6th generation consoles (DC, GC, XBOX, PS2). I want the AA games of the 6th generation back. There just aren’t as many focused, unique, non-AAA games made anymore. Games nowadays are made by massive teams, spreading the artistry of game-making thin. Now with the 8th generation, I haven’t really been excited or completely enthralled in any game the way I used to (Bloodborne being the rare exception). Creative, unique games weren’t being made anymore (at least to my tastes). The PS3/360 era was trailing off to blandness towards it’s end. I have grown uninterested in current generation video games. You and I can now save Shenmue through crowdfunding. Thankfully, Kickstarter is changing the business of video games. ![]() No matter how good, how creative Dreamcast and Shenmue are, the video game business just doesn’t allow for this kind of thing to exist. Like the Dreamcast, Shenmue was destined to an early death. I had convinced myself completely that Shenmue III was never going to happen. Words can’t describe how I feel, but somehow I’m in a world where Shenmue III is going to exist. But you know you can’t continue you know you won’t see what happens to Ryo… Until now. It feels like the start of an epic adventure. Every time you play Shenmue II, the end of disc 4 is so hard to swallow. Unthinkably, I am now existing in this in this alternate reality! Subsequent play-throughs of the Shenmue series has always been bittersweet. I used to imagine there was an alternate timeline in video game history where Shenmue III was released. ![]()
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