This week the cast discussed all that is Shenmue. From Shenmue 1 & 2 to the cancelled Shenmue Onine and the most recent release of Shenmue City in Japan. It’s hard to believe its been over 10 years since the first game’s release and it’s a little disappointing that not many games since have tried to do what Shenmue accomplished. Whether or not we’ll ever see a third game in the series is questionable but as the years go on the chances seem less and less.
On that note enjoy the episode!
Just to say that, actually, I don’t see Shenmue III much less likely now than in the past; maybe it’s even the other way around.
Sure the story has it is is in media res, but there’s a couple of ways you can deal with that : Shenmue I and II made available via DLC or in a retail pack, digest movies, whatnot.
Yakuza’ story is very important to the understanding of the series as a whole and I bet they’re gamers, new to the series, buying it’s latest chapters without great worries.
The truth is: people are more fond of open world games today and development costs have dropped, a lot even.
Shenmue was an epic quest to make because back then it was a revolution in every aspect, there was not a single game like it or on that scale.
Also, the Shenmue name is being adressed more and more in the medium, we got Ryo on Sega All Stars Racing, we have Shenmue Gai, Yu Suzuki and Sega past the trauma of poor sales (poor only having in mind it’s huge budget) and talking about the series again…
So, it’s not a taboo anymore and the impossibility of it ever happening exists more in the heads of people (namely Sega suits) than anything else, I argue.
Anyway, allow me to stop bothering you and to proceed with the listening of the podcast.
Cheers!
I agree that Shenmue could be made for a lot less money today which is promising. I think the true test of whether Shenmue 3 will see the light of day is if Sega rereleases the first two on XBLA and PSN and they’re a success. I hope the last game in the franchise isn’t the Shenmue City social game.
My first experience of Shenmue was also the DVD movie. *gets into the fetal position and weeps*