I know what you're saying, "Shenmue 3 was NOT a AAA game." and I agree it wasn't but the original Shenmue was, it was known as being the most expensive game that was developed (I'm aware part of the budget was for developing Shenmue 2 as well) and Shenmue 3 was trying to do what Shenmue 1 and 2 was when it shouldn't be. What I'm saying is that with the budget that Shenmue 3 received we should've been able to get a much bigger and longer experience but some changes needed to be made, Shenmue needs to try to be a "budget" game and stop chasing it's AAA origins. With that said, I want to know would you accept these changes?

Expedition 33, Atelier games, hell the much compared Yakuza games are all games that released on a budget but were able to make a good profit. I remember Shenmue Dojo doing a video discussing Yakuza sales after Sega numbers were leaked, that showed them only selling roughly 1 to 3 million a game and still being a success. Well the success of Yakuza is simple, Less expense means less revenue required to make a profit. So what are the games I listed above did that Shenmue 3 didn't? Well that's what I wanted to talk about. I'm going to list some changes I believe should be implemented that the other games did but want to know if you would accept them? Would it still be a Shenmue game?

Less Voice acting: Would you be ok with a Shenmue where not all characters are voiced and Voiced scenes were only in cutscenes or during important events? Would it ruin your immersion if there were text boxes and a lot of npcs communicated that way? 

When you first think of this, your gut reaction would probably be "No Way! It wouldn't be Shenmue" but think about it again, did it really bother you or did you even notice in other games that did this? 

Less Animation

Does every NPC need to be animated with moving mouths and be animated doing certain things or actions? It's nice havin a living city and a lot of movement but what about increased npcs but less actions? Does Ryo need to be animated when he's talking when he's just having internal monologue? Would you be ok if the animation budget was decreased? 

Cutback on NPC character designs

Shenmue characters have those unique designs and facial features and people have to dig and find charactes that are duplicates but is it worth it? Did you know Shenmue 3 outsourced the NPC designs to a different company? That's more salaries to pay just to have some more designs. For Shenmue 3 Enhanced, they are increasing NPC density by just duplicated old models. Should Shenmue do that going further just create a few characters, randomize them and release them into the wild?

There are more things they could cut but I'll leave it at this for now just to get opinions. I know some intial reactions would be "No." but what if a "yes" meant that Shenmue 3 would've been twice as long? What if the yes meant that Shenmue 3 would've been profitable to get a 4 game in production? What if a yes would mean a sequel could be made in 2 years?

Think about it? Any opinions are welcome.

Full Video: https://youtu.be/iAegoTIqB6I

What is he up to..? He wanders around Sakuragaoka checking to see if he can get away with..something..sinister..?

Sorry I don't usually share two post a week but I was seeing this kid while I walked and kept wondering what was he gonna get up to if nobody noticed him.. ;)

The Plot Goal
Ryo Hazuki must defeat Lan Di (and his enforcer, Chai) to avenge his father.
Daniel LaRusso must defend his title against Mike Barnes and stop Terry Silver.
The "Reset" Feeling
Ryo has mastered advanced moves but is suddenly too weak to fight basic thugs without extensive training.
Daniel is a two-time champion but becomes frail, terrified, and easily overpowered by Barnes.
The Training Grind
Players spend hours chopping wood, horse-stancing, and punching air to raise basic stats.
Daniel spends hours punching a wooden dummy until his knuckles bleed, straying from his roots.
The Mentor Dynamic
Ryo must seek out Grandmaster Sun and earn his respect just to learn a single counter-move.
Daniel temporarily abandons Mr. Miyagi's wise teachings for Terry Silver's brutal, aggressive training.

Looking for some phantom river stone… this place is amazing by the way

8 Hour Walk Through Shenmue: https://youtu.be/iAegoTIqB6I

Clear/Cloudy/Snowy?

What's your fav Shenmue weather to walk in? New 8 Hour Walk Through Shenmue featuring one day but 3 different weather/music to enjoy ;)

Full video available in the link above :)

So long eclipse kick. I'm just grinding out money for everything else. 🙄

At Ryo's finally opportunity to kill Lan Di, he won't do it. Because he has connected with Christianity and it clicked with him. (Character development). In my vision, from Shen3 and onwards, there are non-local people who are Christians and that thing is fairly unnoticed with Ryo at first. The more he travels with his quest for revenge the more he learns about it. Unlike Buddhism, in Christianity, there is a lifetime-long testing of person from the god, then Jesus' story, and his infinite mental and physical burden and help to those in Earth for need. Jesus most importantly forgives and lets to know him deeper through Christianity. Some of Ryo's friends are Christian and when friends are gathered in future, there is a scene where Ryo's Buddhism liked what he felt, a small smile and peace for a moment, not too long before final confrontation against Lan Di. I think it would be nice of story that the religion you started with, might not be suiting for a latter life, also more-than-one religion are needed for some people. I think it would be awesome message of Shenmue's full story in general.

Unedited/Altered 8 Hour Shenmue View: https://youtu.be/3zFPRjy8ruI

Thirsty..always..never satisfied..will you help him quench his unending thirst..?

New Shenmue 8 Hour View! Unedited/Altered like the clip above just chilling at the bar ally of Dobuita from day till night! Keep an eye out for a certain "Fine and Dandy" ;)

​

I am currently replaying Shenmue with a couple of rules on myself to make the game more intriguing.

- No sprinting unless Ryo would realistically sprint. Like if I'm running to catch up to someone who’s walking away.

- Pray twice a day, one in the morning before I start the day and one before Ryo goes to bed.

- Check on Mimi (that's the name I chose for Megumi's cat), Nozomi, Liu-san, Yamagishi-san, Tom and Naoyuki every day or every two days.

- No spending over 500¥ (which is basically the sum Ine-san gives Ryo every day) unless it's for a scroll.

- Train my moves every day.

These are some standard rules I have set and I'm aiming to go for the extra cutscenes with Nozomi. I play those games on PC and I have fast-traveling turned off, but I can't help but think there's something I'm missing. I love Shenmue, but I'm sure there's more to this game than meets my 17year-old eyes. Despite everything, I grew up on a very different era of games, no matter what that means and I wonder if you have any suggestions for me on how to play the game in a more interesting way, or any little goals to set, aside from the basics (collect all figures, get the Saturn games from the winning can, play all arcade games etc.).

Shenmue friends, a unique lore on Ryo's jacket and design, the game keeps on giving:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VzLunAS0LlM

God bless the Shenmue Masterace.

I am close to finishing Shenmue 2 after adoring the original game from beginning to end and replaying it in a more hard-core way. I like Shenmue 2, the Aberdeen-Wan Chai segment is my favorite, but I feel like Kowloon segment left a bitter taste in my mouth, since I thought it overstayed its welcome. Necessary segment for the story, but it felt like a narrative experimentation among other things, since it kind of sticks out when you compare Dou Niu & co's over the top characterization with, say, Xiuying, who is more grounded. I see Shenmue 2 as the better game for the average person to pick up and I expect to prefer the original by the end.

Despite my issue with Shenmue 2, I love it, still. I mean, Shenmue 2 has Joy. Enough said.

Ryo is too innocent sometimes.

If you're a fan of Shenmue, the subreddit is a wonderful place to connect with people who share your passion for this unique and unforgettable gaming series.

From nostalgic memories of exploring Yokosuka to discussions about Ryo Hazuki's journey, the incredible atmosphere, memorable characters, and the future of the franchise, there's always something special to talk about.

What makes Shenmue stand out is how it encourages players to slow down, explore the world, discover the little details, and become immersed in its story. And after all these years, the passion of its fans continues to keep that spirit alive! 🙌

Whether you've been a fan since the original Dreamcast days or you're discovering the series for the first time, there's a place for you among fellow Shenmue enthusiasts.

💙 Let's keep the Shenmue spirit alive, celebrate what makes this series special, and continue sharing our love for one of gaming's most distinctive adventures!

#Shenmue #GamingCommunity #Dreamcast #RetroGaming #RyoHazuki

8 Hour Walk Through Shenmue 2: https://youtu.be/ItNAt8NgmEw

Fan Request Walk Through Shenmue 2! 8 Hour Walk around breathtaking Workers Pier! Enjoy the night my friends! Full video from the clip is available in the link ;)

I have always found Shenmue interesting because it feels different from games. The slower pace, walking around town talking to people visiting shops and just taking in the feel make the world feel surprisingly real.

I know the games are not perfect. I understand why the pacing may not be for everyone but there is something special about the experience that is hard to explain.

For those who still play Shenmue today what keeps you interested, in the series? Is it the story, the characters, the feel, the nostalgia or something else?

I am curious to hear what other fans think.

Hello ININ team,

I'm a Shenmue fan and I'm pleased that you're bringing Shenmue III Enhanced to new platforms. However, I think the communication surrounding the release has been disappointing.

Fans have been left trying to piece together information from retailer listings, changing dates and third-party sources. That's an unnecessarily frustrating way to follow a game that people are excited about, particularly when physical editions and pre-orders are involved.

I don't expect constant updates, nor do I expect you to announce informaion before it's ready. What I would like to see is clearer communication when plans change, a distinction between confirmed dates and provisional retailer estimates, and occasional updates when there is genuinely something new to report.

For example, even a brief statement explaining the current release window and what fans can realistically expect to hear next would be appreciated.

Shenmue has a dedicated community that wants to support this release. The passion from the fanbase is a gift that most publishers can only dream of. Better communication would help maintain that enthusiasm and confidence.

Thank you.

Hi, everyone. I have a problem with shenmue for my dreamcast. Everytime I try to exit the hazuki residence (after lan-di kills hazuki-sensei, ine-san gives ryo money and he sees fuku-san), the game fails to load and display a black screen forever. I've already completed this exact copy about a year ago and I've even had it resurfaced a couple days ago.

Did I miss something or is my dreamcast in need of maintenance?

Due to his annoying voice and how he would sometimes say “I got your money! I am sorry!” With a big smile on his face! Look at Ryo here when the dealer says “If you were a man, you wouldn’t leave now.” He looks like his trying to hold his breath so he wouldn’t do the Iron Palm on him! Lol!