Shenmue III Review: 10 Ups & 6 Downs

4. A Surprisingly Static World

Superficially, Shenmue III's twin settings of Bailu and Niaowu follow in the great tradition of previous locations Yokosuka and Hong Kong, presenting worlds which seem to breathe whether Ryo's asking inane questions within them or not. Life goes on around our Lucky Hit hawking hero, with the vast majority of denizens more concerned with their own business than where one can find an ancient martial arts scroll.

Peer closer though, and whilst Shenmue III's time marches on, the world is disappointingly static. In Shenmue and its sequel, every NPC had their own routine. Shops would close at a certain time, shutters would come down, and nightlife would begin. There was a touch of Groundhog Day about it, but it was something hitherto unseen in 1999.

Such routines are, well, routine in many open world games of 2019, but Shenmue III - a 2019 game building on the legacy of its predecessor's innovation - is actually a step back.

Stop and drink in the majesty of Niaowu, and something strange hits you. With the exception of a certain gambling parlour, shops are open round the clock. Their shopkeepers stand in the same spot all day. Even in the aforementioned casino, the croupiers are rooted to the spot beyond the gates, which dramatically fling open at noon. Ryo will systematically fail to remember people he's spoken to previously - even when they become crucial to the plot. Any dynamism in the world is disappointingly scarce.

Again: it's understandable. The world is populated with several hundred NPCs, all of whom already have reams of unique dialogue. At some stage, a line had to be drawn, and it ended on the opposite side of giving them anything beyond the veneer of life.