Shenmue III Review: 10 Ups & 6 Downs

by Benjamin Richardson

1. It's Shenmue

yu suzuki shenmue iii
Ys Net

Ultimately, whatever flaws Shenmue III has - and to anyone unfamiliar with the series, it's frothing with them - they don't really matter.

Yu Suzuki wasn't aiming to make a big budget, triple-A game to rival Death Stranding, in spite of the similarities, but a love letter to fans of his defining work. The same fans who, after tirelessly keeping the word 'Shenmue' in the conversation for nearly 20 years, made the dream a reality, funding and effectively producing Shenmue III via its astonishing Kickstarter campaign.

Yes, it doesn't get everything right. The combat, whilst functional, is no better than the Dreamcast's Virtua Fighter 3. The pacing, even for Shenmue, would embarrass most tortoises. The stamina system is, frankly, abysmal. But it is, as with this a review in this limiting format, so much more than the sum of its parts.

For better or - for many uninitiated - worse, Shenmue III steadfastly, wholly and unashamedly Shenmue. It's pretty much everything it ever wanted to be - and therefore, everything we ever wanted it to be.

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The game was reviewed using a retail PS4 copy provided by Deep Silver.

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Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.