Tag: Shenmue
News The Story of Shenmue Is Far from Over, Says ININ
"Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements"
ININ has acquired the publishing rights to Shenmue 3 five years after its original PS4 release, and it promises “the story is far from over” for protagonist Ryo Hazuki et al. <related ids="174796"> In a press release following yesterday’s surprising news, the firm said: “This exciting...
News Shenmue 3 Publishing Rights Passed to ININ on Fifth Anniversary
Starts a "new chapter" for threequel
Long-time readers will know this author is a huge Shenmue nut to the extent where he actually left a message inside long-awaited threequel, Shenmue 3. Now, a day after the title’s fifth anniversary, an interesting development has occurred: publishing rights have been passed from Deep Silver to ININ. A...
News Fans Fight for Shenmue 4, Rent Billboard in New York's Time Square
Never give up on your dreams
Shenmue fans are a uniquely dedicated bunch. After waiting 18 years for a sequel in Shenmue 3 (which sadly failed to set the world on fire), it seems there's still a significant demand for another game in the action adventure series, evidenced by the massive billboard ad shown in New York's heavily trafficked Times...
News The Next Shenmue Could Potentially Be a Prequel Story
Back in time
Now that the honeymoon’s long-since ended, the reception to Shenmue 3 is mixed at best. While it did stay faithful to the formula of the Dreamcast originals, it barely moved the fiction forwards – a disappointment considering fans had waited 18 long, torturous years for the release. It’s unlikely we’ll ever get a fourth entry,...
News Sadly, There Are Currently No Plans for Shenmue 4
Yu Suzuki weighs in
There had been chatter, as there always is, that a Shenmue 4 announcement could be on the cards, especially following some loose “teasing” from publisher 110 Industries. As full-time Ryo Hazuki stans, though, we knew better than to get our hopes up: series creator and industry legend Yu Suzuki told IGN Japan recently that...
News Could the Shenmue 4 Dream Still Be Alive?
Hints and teases happening
Shenmue 3 was a strange game in hindsight. While this author was rather enamoured with its commitment to the legendary series’ plodding pacing, there’s no doubt that it failed to meaningfully move the franchise’s narrative forward – a bizarre decision, considering just how long we waited to play the threequel...
News This 10-Inch Shenmue Ryo Hazuki Statue Might Aid You in Your Quest for Sailors
Showcases "every crease, frown, and facial feature"
Shenmue is one of Sega's most iconic franchises. It started life on the Dreamcast over two decades ago and was one of the most expensive video games ever made; it was followed by two sequels and has legions of fans all over the globe. Now, Numskull Designs has created the ultimate gift for any...
News Shenmue the Animation Legitimately Looks Amazing
Father!
Here’s one way to get this author to watch anime: adapt Shenmue into an all-new series. While this is re-treading the plot beats of the Dreamcast originals, it’s unbelievably exciting to see the games transformed like this. Many will lament the loss of the cheesy OG voice acting – especially when they’re reading an almost identical...
News FATHER! Shenmue: The Animation Is Looking Lovely
Keep friends, those you love, close to you
Fans are divided on the overall quality of Shenmue III, but it’s looking like there’ll be less debate over Adult Swim and Crunchyroll’s adaptation: Shenmue: The Animation is looking ace. This brand new trailer includes scenes from both Shenmue and Shenmue II, and everything from the animation to the...
News Shenmue to Get Crunchyroll, Adult Swim Anime Adaptation
Yu Suzuki serving as executive producer
There’s still a future for the Shenmue franchise, as Crunchyroll has announced that it’s partnering with Adult Swim on an anime adaptation of the legendary series. A full 13-episode run is currently in production, which will air on Crunchyroll outside of Japan and mainland China. It’ll also feature as...
News A New Cruise Ship Makes a Stop in Shenmue III DLC
High rollers
The third and final add-on pack for Shenmue III will, ahem, roll out on 27th March. It’ll be available individually or as part of the sequel’s Season Pass and will add a new cruise ship to Niaowu’s bustling port. Upon the boat, you’ll be able to engage in various gambling minigames, presumably with higher stakes than those...
Hands On Shenmue III's Story Quest DLC Is an Add-On Done Wrong
Chawan shite
It may have a bad reputation, but DLC can be incredible. Consider, for one moment, The Old Hunters expansion for Bloodborne: it’s a brilliant extension of an already timeless title, which adds exciting new environments, enemies, and armaments to the fray. Of course, add-on packs have a bad reputation because they’re so often...
News Shenmue III's Story Expands with Second DLC Pack Next Week
Our cup of tea
It’s honestly still difficult to parse the fact that we played Shenmue III last year. This author thoroughly enjoyed the experience, although its obviously not without its issues. Nevertheless, after last month’s curious running-themed add-on pack, we’re very excited to see the story extended with Ys Net’s second DLC, simply...
Hands On Shenmue III's Battle Rally Is Bad in the Best Possible Way
Race to the bottom
What the flying Fuku-san is this? Shenmue III’s first post-release expansion pack Battle Rally launched this week, and it’s stranger than turtle racing. Somehow, this extraordinary add-on does its best Outrun impression, aping the logo of Yu Suzuki’s high-speed arcade hit. And yet we’ve never experienced anything quite...
News Shenmue III Battle Rally DLC Turns Ryo Hazuki Into a Sprinter
I see
When we heard that Shenmue III would be getting multiple pieces of DLC after its November 2019 launch, this isn't exactly what we had in mind. The game's first slice of downloadable content comes to PlayStation 4 next week on Tuesday 21st January, and it literally has protagonist Ryo Hazuki competing in races. Announced on Twitter, the Battle...
News Is Shenmue IV in Development? Ys Net Support Studio Seems to Think So
"We look forward to working on Shenmue IV very soon"
It took nearly two decades for Shenmue III to finally see the light of day on PlayStation 4 after the series was abandoned following the SEGA Dreamcast's second entry, but could a fourth instalment be coming sooner than we think? One of the Ys Net support teams who worked on Shenmue III, Lakshya...
Review Shenmue III - An Impossible Sequel That's Enjoyable Against All Odds
Lost in time
The fact that Shenmue III feels like a direct continuation of the cult SEGA Dreamcast classics is testament to veteran director Yu Suzuki’s unflinching ambition. There may have been almost two decades between this long-anticipated PlayStation 4 instalment and its predecessor, but developer Ys Net isn’t afraid to pick up the plot...
Deal Shenmue III Has Had Its Price Slashed on PS4 for Black Friday
I see
Shenmue III has been out for just over a week, but it's already available for a reduced cost -- at least in North America. While in Europe the long-awaited sequel is holding its initial price, Amazon US is currently listing the game for $34.99 as part of its Black Friday sale. That perhaps speaks to the slow start the game has had when it...
Round Up Shenmue III Reviews Reveal a Classic Tale Rekindled
Hazuki hit
Shenmue III is out now after 18 unbearable years, and it’s every inch the continuation of a cult classic franchise. This means, naturally, reviews are all over the place. We’re taking our time with the Yu Suzuki title – this is a release that demands to be savoured – but some verdicts are beginning to appear, so here’s a...
News Shenmue III's DLC Season Pass Will Plot the Return of a Familiar Face
Zhang on
There’ll be a full-length side-quest available as part of Shenmue III’s previously announced Season Pass, known officially as the euphemistic Complete DLC Collection. Available to purchase now from the UK PlayStation Store for £11.99, the post-release pledge promises three add-on packs, one of which appears to be story-related...
Hands On Shenmue III Is a Fantastic Sequel That's Been Frozen in Time
The follow-up fans wanted
It’s been almost 18 years since Shenmue II released on the Dreamcast in Europe, but its long-awaited sequel feels like it’s been preserved in a time (toy?) capsule during that time. This is the greatest compliment that could be paid Shenmue III, of course: look beyond the richly rendered Unreal Engine 4 visuals, and the...
News Shenmue III's Review Embargo Moved Forward to Release Day
Yu won't have to wait
Update: Publisher Deep Silver has revised the Shenmue III embargo, now allowing critics to publish their verdicts on the title from launch day, on 19th November. While we won't be running our review at that time -- this is a relatively large title that demands more of our time -- we should have some first impressions ready to...
News Shenmue III Launch Trailer Brings the 18 Year Wait to an End
It's finally here
Shenmue III is just days away from finally releasing on PlayStation 4. Push Square editor Sammy Barker's excitement is at an all-time high, but can the same be said of you? Have you too been waiting 18 years for the series' third instalment? Check out its launch trailer above to gauge your interest. Close to three minutes of...
News Shenmue III Has a Virtua Fighter-Inspired Chicken Spoof
And more drawers to explore than ever before
Shenmue III does not have any of the classic SEGA arcade cabinets from its predecessors, but Yu Suzuki has compensated with a Virtua Fighter-inspired brawler named ChobuChan Fighter. It features whimsical chickens, and is related to one of the title’s primary collectibles. In order to play it, you’ll...
News Shenmue III's PC Demo Is the Nostalgia Hit You Need Today
This is...
As of today, Shenmue III backers with capable computers can play a demo version of the upcoming release, which includes a small portion of Bailu Village to explore. The surprise here is that it genuinely looks superb: the long-awaited sequel is every inch the successor to the Dreamcast classic that we’d hoped for, with awkward dialogue...
News Lose Yourself in Shenmue 3's Living, Breathing World
Village people
The reason Shenmue means so much to so many people is because it was one of the first titles to truly transport players to a different place. The inaugural instalment, set in Yokosuka, Japan felt claustrophobic yet homely, while the sequel took protagonist Ryo Hazuki to the foreign shores of Hong Kong. Shenmue III looks to be...
News Shenmue III Has Come a Long Way on PS4
A day in the life of Ryo Hazuki
Shenmue III’s unlikely to appeal to series newcomers, but it’s clearly come a long way as it closes in on its 19th November release date. The long-awaited sequel now looks like a bona fide successor to the cult classic SEGA Dreamcast games, with the franchise’s trademark atmosphere brilliantly intact in this...
News Shenmue III Backers Irate as Pre-Order Bonuses Not Included
Season Pass also sold separately
Regardless of whether it will live up to expectations or not, Shenmue III is at long last beginning to look like a finished product, which should be cause for celebration. Unfortunately, the long awaited sequel has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons of late – mostly due to developer Ys Net accepting a...
News New Shenmue III Screenshots Show Chai, Fully Playable Arcade
Lan Di also puts in an appearance
Ryo Hazuki’s frenzied skinhead adversary Chai will return in Shenmue III – powered by the protagonist’s Hong Kong ferry ticket. New screenshots from the long-awaited sequel show the crazed individual attempting to attack the hero and his accomplice Shenhua, while other images reveal antagonist Lan Di...
News Unachieved Shenmue III Stretch Goals Incorporated into Game
Greater scope
Shenmue III smashed Kickstarter records when it was crowd-funded a few years ago, but there were Stretch Goals in the final campaign that weren’t achieved. Fortunately, through additional funding from publisher Deep Silver, developer Ys Net has been able to implement some of these features into the game. Among some of the unexpected...
E3 2019 Shenmue III Will Not Even Hit the Halfway Point of Ryo's Story
"I see"
Shenmue III will see sullen protagonist Ryo Hazuki’s story reach the 40 per cent point. The news will presumably baffle non-fans, but it’ll come as no surprise to series veterans, who’ll know that series creator Yu Suzuki always anticipated the saga to span a whopping 16 chapters. The first two titles in the series covered six of the...
E3 2019 Shenmue III Battles on Boats, Saves Children in Trailer
Excite QTE
There’s a good chance you’ve already seen Shenmue III’s E3 2019 trailer, as it was spotted on a store’s retail pod and recorded off-screen. But here’s the direct-feed version, revealing returning characters like Chai – and confirming that forklift truck driving will make its long-awaited return. You can get a better look at...
E3 2019 Shenmue III Will Receive Post-Launch DLC via a Season Pass
Digital Deluxe edition reveals all
Shenmue fans around the world, including Push Square's own Sammy Barker, were in dreamland yesterday when a new gameplay trailer confirmed that Shenmue III most certainly looks and plays like a Shenmue game. One smaller detail they might have passed on though is that the long-awaited experience will be continuously...
E3 2019 Lucky Hit, Toy Capsules Star in Shenmue III's PS4 Gameplay
And there are turtle races
Excuse us while we state the obvious, but Shenmue III really is a new Shenmue game. We’re not sure what we expected, but this PlayStation 4 gameplay footage from the E3 2019 showfloor hits the exact same beats as the Dreamcast originals, showing protagonist Ryo Hazuki as he plays Lucky Hit and purchases toy capsules. The...
E3 2019 Limited Run to Launch Shenmue III Collector's Edition
Maybe you should buy one
Limited Run Games will offer a Shenmue III collector’s edition this November, featuring a copy of the game, a double-sided replica of the Phoenix/Dragon mirrors, a set of stickers and patches, and a Shoji Door-styled desk lamp. The package will be available in limited quantities, but there’ll still be a standard...
E3 2019 Hear Ryo Hazuki Speak in New Shenmue III Trailer
"I see"
Pinch yourself, because Shenmue III is no longer a dream. The game is getting a big blowout at E3 2019 ahead of its 19th November release date, and here’s your latest look at the long-awaited sequel. While there’s also a Japanese language version, the English edition features the first voice work from returning star Corey Marshall,...
News Shenmue III Showcases Whack-a-Mole, Forklifts in Demo Pod Trailer
Let's get sweaty
This is so surreal, folks. We’ve waited almost two decades for the successor to Shenmue II, and it’s finally right around the corner. Yes, the long-anticipated Shenmue III may have incurred a small delay this week, but all-new footage taken from a PlayStation 4 demo pod in a Walmart store looks every inch the successor we’ve...
News Shenmue III Delayed to November 2019
At least it's a short one
It was too good to be true, wasn't it? Shenmue III has been delayed to 19th November 2019, pushing it back by nearly three months from the original release date of late August. Detailed in a post on the game's Kickstarter page, Yu Suzuki said that the game needs a little bit more time for refinement and finishing touches...
News Shenmue III Finally Looks Like a Real Video Game
And that's mind blowing
This. Is. Surreal. Ys Net has finally released a full-length trailer for the long-awaited Shenmue III, and after almost two decades of waiting, it looks like an actual video game. In the clip we see Ryo and Shenhua investigating the Chinese village of Bailu and its various unsavoury characters. There are high points and low...
News Gaming's Greatest Villain, Lan Di, Looks Tough in Shenmue III
For the last time, where is the mirror?
He’s appeared in, like, three scenes, but there’s no doubt Lan Di is one of gaming’s greatest villains. After ruthlessly murdering Iwao Hazuki in the opening scene of Shenmue, protagonist Ryo has been in search of revenge ever since. He’ll come one step closer in long-awaited sequel Shenmue III, and we...
News Shenmue III Is Finally Starting to Look Like Shenmue III
"I see"
Your humble host recently got a Shenmue tattoo, so never let his love of Yu Suzuki’s seminal coming of age story be called into question. That said, even the most ardent fan would have to agree that Shenmue III has looked, well, terrible since it was announced. With the long-awaited sequel due out in August, though, developer Ys Net has to...
News Yu Suzuki Implies Shenmue III Will Be Larger Than Its Predecessors
Bigger and better?
The original Shenmue is not a particularly long game, but its successor takes the best part of 30 hours to complete if you’re playing it for the first time. It sounds like – despite being built on a wafer-thin budget – Shenmue III will be longer, however, as series creator Yu Suzuki has implied in a new interview that it...
News Shenmue III PS4 Screenshots Show Off Lush Locations and More
I see
We're slowly starting to build a picture of how Shenmue III is shaping up as Deep Silver drip feeds new assets here and there, and it's not looking too shabby. The publisher has just released a small batch of new screenshots for the highly anticipated sequel, showing off some new environments as well as Ryo throwing down some punches against...
News SEGA Cancelled Full Remakes of the Shenmue Games
Changed its mind
Wow, another wrinkle is added to the Shenmue saga today, as it’s emerged that full remakes of the first two games in the franchise were in production up until the end of last year. Digital Foundry has obtained footage of Shenmue I & II that’s different to the PlayStation 4 re-release we received earlier in the year. The...
Guide Shenmue II - How to Learn 15 Combat Skills
Master
Over the course of Shenmue II, you’ll encounter characters who will teach you combat skills. These essentially comprise moves that you can perform during free battle. You’ll earn the following Trophies on the way to the ‘Master’ Trophy, which is awarded for learning 15 combat skills: Apprentice (one combat skill), Adept (five combat...
Guide Shenmue II - How to Easily Make Lots of Money
Cash for Cool Z
There’s a moment early in Shenmue II where you’ll lose all of your money, and there’s nothing you can do about it. From that point, you’re going to have to try and make some cash if you want to purchase toy capsules or play arcade games. There are various jobs you can do to make some dollars, including carrying crates and...
Guide Shenmue II - How to Win 5 Arm Wrestling Matches
Strongarm
One of the first things that will happen when you arrive in Aberdeen in Shenmue II is that you’ll be challenged to an arm wrestling match. This first bout is easy to win, and you’ll be awarded the ‘Challenger’ Trophy for your efforts. Each time you win, however, the stakes will be increased – and winning the $50 bet is almost...
Guide Shenmue II - Master the Wild Throw Move from the Kung Fu School in Wan Chai
Back to school
Shenmue and its successor Shenmue II are essentially coming of age stories, and protagonist Ryo Hazuki will absorb a ton of information across the course of both games. One thing that the character learns are new moves, but these can be missable at times. One move in particular, the Wild Throw, will be taught to you at the Guang...
Guide Shenmue II - How to Straighten the Man's Sign Near the Come Over Guest House in Wan Chai
Good Samaritan
An easily missable sequence in Shenmue II involves a man who needs help straightening his sign near the Come Over Guest House in Wan Chai. In order to be a Good Samaritan, you’re going to need to ensure that you’ve progressed the quest involving Wong and your bag swiftly, because you’ll need to have got in your room and packed...
News There's a Free Shenmue PS4 Theme in North America
This is cool
SEGA’s celebrating the launch of Shenmue I & II on the PlayStation 4 with a free dynamic theme in North America. Available to download now, the animated wallpaper includes a sketch of Ryo Hazuki on the top layer, and a panning shot of the Dragon Mirror on the bottom layer. There’s also some new music from the franchise’s...
