It might be hard to believe for Shenmue fans, but Yu Suzuki and his team at Ys Net are only a little less than six months away from shipping the highly anticipated third chapter in the franchise, almost eighteen years after the release of Shenmue II.
As we get closer to the release date, now pinned for August 27th on PC and PlayStation 4 with Deep Silver publishing Shenmue III, more news on the game itself should be shared to the public. Fans are particularly focused on the upcoming MAGIC Monaco conference (scheduled on March 9th) but in the meantime, Yu Suzuki was interviewed by EDGE in the latest magazine (April 2019, issue 330) and the Director, Producer and Writer revealed a few tidbits.
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To begin with, he focused on the character of Ryo Hazuki and how his relationship with Shenhua will unfold in Shenmue III.
Since only a month or two has passed since Shenmue II, there haven’t been any drastic changes to Ryo’s character. But visiting this foreign country and interacting with the villagers of Bailu will contribute to his growth. With his pathos and distinctive personality, good old Ryo, the most oblivious man in the world, is still the same as ever.
Shenhua was raised in the countryside, surrounded by nature and the freedom that provides, while Ryo is the exact opposite, having been raised in the city. I really hope that players will be able to enjoy the funny and interesting conversations and viewpoints rising from the differences in values and environment between the two characters.
The more you speak with Shenhua, the closer your relationship grows, and the more her attitude and expressions change. I hope to be able to express the small, subtle changes in everyday life and interactions.
Suzuki also discussed making the world of Shenmue III unique compared to other open world games thanks to its distinctive worldbuilding.
I believe fans who have been waiting patiently for this game will enjoy the Shenmue-specific vibe and world-feel, which is different from any game out there. I decided to go all-in with making the world-building distinctive. There are a lot of great open world games out there, but I don’t believe many, if any, are quite like Shenmue.
Are you eager to continue the story of Ryo Hazuki? Let us know below.
