Shenmue 3 Announced!

[Sonikku]

Kickstarter announced at E3

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/16/e3-2015-shenmue-3-announced

Goal met in 8 hours. (31 days to go)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ysnet/shenmue-3

Sony so impressed they've decided to give it backing. :'(

 

[cmdrdredd]

Sony did it on purpose. http://www.twitch.tv/playstation/v/6249998 (look at 56:50 - 58:00)

They wanted to make Shenmue. When they put togethger a list of games they want to see their whole team wanted Shenmue 3. They just couldn't fund it unless they could gauge fan interest. They thought putting up a kickstarter would be a good way to see if the fans want it enough. Sony is in a full partnership role with YS studio to make the game. Yu Suzuki has the full backing and support of Sony 3rd party development.

The game will be running on Unreal Engine 4.

 

[artemicion]

Never understood the appeal of Shenmue. Bought the original for Dreamcast, played it for about an hour, never had any desire to play it again.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Never understood the appeal of Shenmue. Bought the original for Dreamcast, played it for about an hour, never had any desire to play it again.

I grew attached to the characters and the story. I really love small town/village Japan though and have a lifelong passion for martial arts so I connected with the main character Ryo Hazuki immediately. The music is very emotional as well. It was way ahead of its time with every character being fully voiced.

It probably isn't for everyone but those who do get into the story seem to develop a deep attachment to it.

 

[Aikouka]

It was way ahead of its time with every character being fully voiced.

I just hope the voices aren't as bad as they are in the Kickstarter trailer. I may be a little biased since I generally prefer hearing Japanese when looking at Japanese stuff, but you gotta admit it was rather grating to the ear. :$

 

[Sonikku]

I just hope the voices aren't as bad as they are in the Kickstarter trailer. I may be a little biased since I generally prefer hearing Japanese when looking at Japanese stuff, but you gotta admit it was rather grating to the ear. :$

Clearly a low budget working concept they threw together and kept under wraps so they would have something to new to show on a kickstarter page.

 

[Aikouka]

Clearly a low budget working concept they threw together and kept under wraps so they would have something to new to show on a kickstarter page.

Let's be real here... they're trying to push a product. If there's no indication that these assets are not close to final, then people are going to take them into account. It doesn't matter if it isn't a finished item, presentation is key. Well, I guess it didn't matter much in this case since it was funded, but still.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I just hope the voices aren't as bad as they are in the Kickstarter trailer. I may be a little biased since I generally prefer hearing Japanese when looking at Japanese stuff, but you gotta admit it was rather grating to the ear. :$

The games were always kind of like that.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Let's be real here... they're trying to push a product. If there's no indication that these assets are not close to final, then people are going to take them into account. It doesn't matter if it isn't a finished item, presentation is key. Well, I guess it didn't matter much in this case since it was funded, but still.

I think people wanted it regardless. They were just showing off what they had in mind with the engine I think.

 

[Sulaco]

I just hope the voices aren't as bad as they are in the Kickstarter trailer. I may be a little biased since I generally prefer hearing Japanese when looking at Japanese stuff, but you gotta admit it was rather grating to the ear. :$

Uh...have you played the Shenmue games at all? They are legendary for their atrocious voice acting.

But honestly, it's pretty clear those were simply place holder animations and "dialogue", just more or less to showcase the (potential) art style.

 

[Sulaco]

As someone who owned a Dreamcast at launch, remembers the NFL 2K score ticker on the bottom of the screen saying, "What is Shenmue? Find out on [date]!", and who spent countless hours wasting Ryo's money at capsule toy and soda vending machines, Shenmue holds a very special place in my heart.

I realize it's not for everyone. It had clunky controls, weird mechanics, a slow-developing melodramatic plot, minutiae out the wazoo, and of course, some of the most delightfully awful voice acting you might ever hear.

Outside of the sheer technical accomplishment the game was though in the early 2000s, it had a undeniable charm that made it wholly unique.

It IS essential the ultimate playable 80's Kung-Fu B-movie, replete with terribad dubs, every martial art cliche in the book, and charmingly one-dimensional characters. That's the best way I can describe it. It's like playing a poorly dubbed B-movie from the 80's that's trying oh so hard, but you're chuckling at the whole way through.
Seriously, you enjoy Shenmue because of the quirks. Not in spite of them. It's the same reason people enjoy terrible 80's action movies and martial arts epics. It's the same reason people still enjoy Chuck Norris movies from the 80's. They're gooney. Goofy. Silly. Over-the-top. And thoroughly charming in their way.
Some of the hardest I've ever laughed in my life at a game, was at some of the situations and dialogue in Shemue 1 and 2.

Yes, it told a fun story. And yes, the characters were engaging. And the fights and exploration were enjoyable. But you have to go into a game like Shenmue with the right mindset. I honestly feel sorry for the folks who didn't, or who expected Dostoevsky, or (understandably) were put off by the clunkiness of the controls at first.

But my memories of Shenmue (and to a lesser extent, Shenmue 2) were some of my best ever in gaming. It's the definition of a flawed gem. It's not for everyone, but if you went in with the right mindset and a lighthearted approach, it was one of those indelible experiences that will always hold a special place in your gaming memories.:thumbsup:

*EDIT-Darn double post*

 

[xantub]

As someone who owned a Dreamcast at launch, remembers the NFL 2K score ticker on the bottom of the screen saying, "What is Shenmue? Find out on [date]!", and who spent countless hours wasting Ryo's money at capsule toy and soda vending machines, Shenmue holds a very special place in my heart.

I realize it's not for everyone. It had clunky controls, weird mechanics, a slow-developing melodramatic plot, minutiae out the wazoo, and of course, some of the most delightfully awful voice acting you might ever hear.

Outside of the sheer technical accomplishment the game was though in the early 2000s, it had a undeniable charm that made it wholly unique.

It IS essential the ultimate playable 80's Kung-Fu B-movie, replete with terribad dubs, every martial art cliche in the book, and charmingly one-dimensional characters. That's the best way I can describe it. It's like playing a poorly dubbed B-movie from the 80's that's trying oh so hard, but you're chuckling at the whole way through.
Seriously, you enjoy Shenmue because of the quirks. Not in spite of them. It's the same reason people enjoy terrible 80's action movies and martial arts epics. It's the same reason people still enjoy Chuck Norris movies from the 80's. They're gooney. Goofy. Silly. Over-the-top. And thoroughly charming in their way.
Some of the hardest I've ever laughed in my life at a game, was at some of the situations and dialogue in Shemue 1 and 2.

Yes, it told a fun story. And yes, the characters were engaging. And the fights and exploration were enjoyable. But you have to go into a game like Shenmue with the right mindset. I honestly feel sorry for the folks who didn't, or who expected Dostoevsky, or (understandably) were put off by the clunkiness of the controls at first.

But my memories of Shenmue (and to a lesser extent, Shenmue 2) were some of my best ever in gaming. It's the definition of a flawed gem. It's not for everyone, but if you went in with the right mindset and a lighthearted approach, it was one of those indelible experiences that will always hold a special place in your gaming memories.:thumbsup:

*EDIT-Darn double post*

I suppose it's like Doctor Who. If you watch it thinking you'll get a serious time travel sci-fi show, you will hate it (personal experience). But if you know you'll be watching a silly sci/fantasy comedic show, you'll love it to no end (also personal experience).

 

[Aikouka]

Uh...have you played the Shenmue games at all? They are legendary for their atrocious voice acting.

Nope. Never owned a Dreamcast, and I saw no reason to buy a sequel (Shenmue 2 on the Xbox) when I never played the original. Although, is it just the English voices that are awful, or are the Japanese voices also really bad?

 

[cmdrdredd]

Sulaco hit it on the head there. Plus the arcade had real sega arcade games you could play. Outrun, hang on etc. you could waste all your money playing arcade games. I think you could even eventually buy a sega Saturn for your apartment and play them at home when you want. Was a cool idea back then, nobody had done it before.

 

[Sonikku]

Nope. Never owned a Dreamcast, and I saw no reason to buy a sequel (Shenmue 2 on the Xbox) when I never played the original. Although, is it just the English voices that are awful, or are the Japanese voices also really bad?

The Japanese voice actors hired for the release were the best in the industry in Japan. To say that there is a wide gap in quality in VA between the two regions is an understatement.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I never heard the games in Japanese. I'll have to search some videos and see the difference. Was there an option I missed?

 

[xantub]

VA is something that never bothered me, unless it's made by a 14 year old teenager. I already just read the text and skip when I'm done anyway.

 

[Graze]

I suppose it's like Doctor Who. If you watch it thinking you'll get a serious time travel sci-fi show, you will hate it (personal experience). But if you know you'll be watching a silly sci/fantasy comedic show, you'll love it to no end (also personal experience).

It is a serious scifi show!! The doctor's character is just kooky that's all!

 

[cmdrdredd]

The kickstarter is currently at just under $3.1mil.

It seems to have slowed way down now that the goal is reached and the info about Sony helping a bit with development is out there.

 

[ikachu]

The kickstarter is currently at just under $3.1mil.

It seems to have slowed way down now that the goal is reached and the info about Sony helping a bit with development is out there.

That's pretty typical of kickstarters. There are natural big surges at the beginning and the end. How it performs in the middle depends on how active the developers are in making updates, stretch goals, etc. Bloodstained pretty much handled this perfectly.

 

[sze5003]

Wow finally, been waiting for a shenmue 3. I remember playing it on Dreamcast at the time and it was so captivating how you could interact with everything. I think it was the first game I played where you had to get a job in a video game. Many grew attached to to the characters and the story, the music.

I don't think I got to finish 2 on the xbox but I was very close.

 

[Fox5]

Shenmue's Japanese voice acting was way better than the English voice acting. While Shenmue in English had a certain charm to it, I felt like I "got" the characters a lot better with the Japanese voice acting. Also, the voices didn't sound like the village idiots talking to each other.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Was there an option for Japanese voices in the North American releases?

 

[sze5003]

Was there an option for Japanese voices in the North American releases?

Not sure but I know there were people that imported the Japanese version on the Dreamcast and used subtitles if I remember correctly.

 

[Aikouka]

Was there an option for Japanese voices in the North American releases?

Doubtful. The main excuse that I see for lack of Japanese audio is avoiding the Japanese from importing the cheaper games. However, since we normally get the games up to 6 months later, it really isn't a huge problem. Although, just like with anime, I'd rather just have the subtitled version, which should cost less to produce and take less time.