Shenmue 3: 10 Things It Needs To Be Successful
2. Don't Force Multiplayer Or Promise A Feature That's Undeliverable
This is a byproduct of being a Kickstarter funded project more than anything else. So many projects have failed to reach their lofty aims. Other projects have been ripped apart despite commanding a loyal initial fanbase. Some have been delayed or have taken an outright age to make.
Shenmue III cannot afford, as such a high-profile title so beloved by the games media, to make mistakes with its features. Whether it's overreaching and muddying the waters by packing in too many gameplay elements or forgetting what made the games special in the first place, Shenmue must tread carefully.
It needs to modernise in certain ways to ensure it sells well but it must stay traditional to please a fanbase that has been waiting (patiently) some fifteen years for a sequel. The combat and exploration, really, are the two essential elements that it must nail. They need to be smooth, responsive and fluid.
Thankfully the latest screenshots show it's coming along beautifully and hopefully the gameplay matches the lovely visuals. With industry veterans on-board, here's one writer hoping it'll all come out fine in the end and needless doubting at this stage were simply misplaced fears.