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EDGE Magazine Cover Story: Shenmue III (New Details On Story, Characters, Combat, Locations, Etc.)

Shin-Ra

Shin-Ra

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Nov 1, 2017
671
Recent screenshot media's been looking good and Yu's Team/Edge are giving promising vibes. Hoping a lot of the mechanical stuff is proven with the new trailer.
 
Andvari

Andvari

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Oct 30, 2017
439
thomasmahler said:
Really hope this game becomes a big hit. Yu Suzuki is a legend, he deserves to have another huge hit on his hands.
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He does indeed people need to remember/know who he is and what he has contributed to the gaming industry.

I'm so happy that the game is getting some proper coverage now from credible source's and it's not concern posts on shithouse websites like gamespot or IGN
 
Sectorseven

Sectorseven

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Oct 25, 2017
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Die Squirrel Die said:
It's kinda interesting that Baisha's stretch goals were at the lowest funded for the kickstarter but it's the area we haven't seen at all yet. My impression during the kickstarter was that it would go Bailu -> Baisha -> Choubu, but now I'm thinking that Baisha will be the final location and that's why they are keeping it under wraps. Which would also indicate that Yu wanted the game to end strong, so prioritised the stretch goals on the reverse order that you visit the places.
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There was a prototype image people thought might be one of the circular buildings in Baisha.
%E3%83%90%E3%83%88%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%B3%E2%91%A1.png


Considering the lag between when content is developed and actually revealed (most of it has been footage from mid 2017), it might be they prioritized development in a certain order and the location simply wasn't ready for showing.
 

GarrettInk

Member
Feb 6, 2019
144
shenhaZ said:
Gaming is not the same as before.
The thing that in 2nd part you can talk with everybody without knowing the language never bothered you? Or that you can find super expensive afterburner arcade cabinet in the basement of China's poorest city? Or that in the first game you can find Sega Saturn in the Ryo's house, which was released several years later after game events?
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Those are easter eggs tho, not main mechanics.
For the language, I can suspend the disbelief.

Yes, capsule toys is a Shenmue main mechanic for me.
I won't riot or anything, I am excited to know there will be capsule toys, but it would be strange to find one in the rice fields.
Especially since Yu Suzuki is so keen in reproducing the feel of the chinese country of that period.
 
bell wood's jet cola

bell wood's jet cola

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Oct 30, 2017
3,151
This is the alternative cover for some unknown reason:



This is what the current Shenhua model actually looks like:

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Such a weirdly promoted game!
 
Sectorseven

Sectorseven

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Oct 25, 2017
6,560
They've said there will be flashbacks to scenes from the original games.

I would suggest watching some Youtube videos though.
 
shadowman16

shadowman16

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Oct 25, 2017
32,618
MonsterJail said:
Man, reading this makes me want to play shenmue 2 again, how's the remastered collection?
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On the PS4 version? The only issues I've ran into are a couple of minor sound issues - darts music, and the "roll it on top" dice sounds can not play if you quickly skip dialogue. Other than that, it seems fantastic - looks better than the original thanks to the higher def res, runs better (no slowdown like on DC) and the load times are basically 0 so you can explore the many huge areas without sitting through long load times. I've been super happy with how well it runs. I remember people pointing out other music still sounds off compared to the DC version but I've honestly not noticed. Still sounds great to me.
 
shadowman16

shadowman16

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Oct 25, 2017
32,618
Dark_Castle said:
Will it be ok to go into this game as a complete newcomer?
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Not really. At least watch story catchups, or just play the remasters (they aren't extremely long games). Otherwise its sort of like trying to watch a long TV show/movie without watching the first two thirds of it. Plot won't make much sense in the beginning, especially if the game starts off exactly where 2 finishes.
 
bell wood's jet cola

bell wood's jet cola

Member
Oct 30, 2017
3,151
GhostTrick said:
Dont pay attention. Even the magazine itself contains a lot of outdated screenshots of the August 2017 build.
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Oh, I know. It's just weird. Why would they blow a chance at promoting the game with such dated visuals? I'm really hoping the March 9th trailer is a mind blower. Tired of all these weird marketing letdowns. I know the game is going to be great.
 
Toadofsky

Toadofsky

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Mar 8, 2018
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Really looking forward to it. Though I do wonder how people will react to it since it's more about feeling like a Shenmue game and not necessarily chasing the latest trends
 
Spaghetti

Spaghetti

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Dec 2, 2017
2,740
Toadofsky said:
Really looking forward to it. Though I do wonder how people will react to it since it's more about feeling like a Shenmue game and not necessarily chasing the latest trends
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Games get lauded for standing out against the pack and having a uniqueness to them. Shenmue I and II got praise based on that last year, and I don't see that being any different with Shenmue III when it's advancing the game design without losing the overall "feel".

Anybody trying to kick Shenmue for not feeling like other games is kind of missing the point. Not everybody will appreciate what it does, but y'know, you can't try to please everyone without buffing the corners off and making a milquetoast, mainstream game.
 
Spaghetti

Spaghetti

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Dec 2, 2017
2,740
Annoying Old Party Man said:
Wait - the game will have digital and not analogue controls?
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No, it'll have dual stick controls.

A slightly misconstrued quote is made a little bit murkier in the OP's summary.

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There are more examples of people playing with dual stick controls in behind the scenes photos like this too. I believe Yu Suzuki is referring more towards the face buttons and the triggers when he talks about the same configuration as Shenmue II - e.g Cross will talk to people, Square will be a contextual action button, etc.
 
Annoying Old Party Man

Annoying Old Party Man

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Spaghetti said:
No, it'll have dual stick controls.

A slightly misconstrued quote is made a little bit murkier in the OP's summary.

426a5c5180030a4293c1fdvjna.jpg


There are more examples of people playing with dual stick controls in behind the scenes photos like this too. I believe Yu Suzuki is referring more towards the face buttons and the triggers when he talks about the same configuration as Shenmue II - e.g Cross will talk to people, Square will be a contextual action button, etc.
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Ok, thank god. I still wonder if the game will prove to not have evolved as it should based on all those years that have passed, I hope Suzuki does not disappoint.
 
Spaghetti

Spaghetti

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Dec 2, 2017
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Annoying Old Party Man said:
Ok, thank god. I still wonder if the game will prove to not have evolved as it should based on all those years that have passed, I hope Suzuki does not disappoint.
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Evolution will not be a problem. Yu Suzuki has no problem effectively dismantling and rebuilding core pillar gameplay like investigation and combat with new ideas to enhance the overall formula.

I did a spoiler-free summary of the content of EDGE's article, if you're curious:

What does this article cover?

A few things, but is by no means an exhaustive detailing of Shenmue III's gameplay. Many things we already know are in the game are not mentioned. The article covers, in some level of detail:

. The Affinity System, and how that ties into quest progression
. The symbiotic nature of combat, training, and stats progression

Other, smaller details are talked about it more vague terms. They aren't particularly anything we haven't heard before, so I've omitted them.

The reason for putting together a spoiler-free summary is because it reveals some of the plotting of an early questline, some character names, and a potentially more important location mention; depending on some context we don't currently have. It's either a potentially medium sized spoiler, or not a big deal at all if you've even remotely followed this game. Erring on the side of caution, I won't mention it here.


What about the controls?

There are some mentions, but I get the distinct impression this was not a hands-on demo, so explicit details are not tendered outside Yu Suzuki saying they've included modernisation like right analogue stick camera controls.

There's a small stack of evidence the game controls for certain with standard modern dual analogue controls. The article has a slightly misconstrued quote from Yu Suzuki about wanting to maintain the control scheme from Shenmue II with added modernisation (e.g camera controls), but don't take that to mean Ryo's movement is d-pad bound. Trust us on this one.


Did EDGE like it?

World exclusive previews are rarely negative anyway, but this was written by Andy Kelly who is a bonafide Shenmue fan and wrote a great review for Shenmue I & II for PC Gamer, alongside several other articles about the game.

I don't want to put words in his mouth, but the distinct impression I got from reading the article was a feeling of excitement at what he had seen, and the untold prospect of there being more to come. You could argue that "of course a Shenmue fan would like Shenmue III", but what was shown to him were not nostalgic trappings to give him the warm tingly feelings, and instead new and rejuvenated gameplay concepts for the series that he seems sold on.

Anyway, without further preamble, the details:


Bailu and its Villagers

Much like NPCs in the original Shenmue, the residents of Bailu village will have their own homes, schedules, and personalities. This matches up with what Yu has said previously about Bailu being a world more like in the original game, and Chobu resembling more what we found in the sequel.


Investigation Gameplay & the Affinity System

The traditional investigation gameplay of Shenmue returns, but with a twist.

NPCs will now no longer automatically give you the information you need. With the Affinity System, you need to be sufficiently known and trusted by NPCs for them to reveal this key information. There are various factors to this, and the examples given were spending enough time around the village and completing tasks to have the NPC or general community warm up to Ryo.

It sounds like the Affinity System has other outcomes besides an NPC giving, or not giving information to Ryo. It's implied personal stories of these characters may unfold the more intimate you are with them, and that also some encounters may go so poorly they spark a combat scenario.


Shenhua & the Affinity System

Shenhua both affects, and is affected by, the Affinity System. Ryo is an outsider and a stranger to this land, while Shenhua is not. Taking Shenhua along with you can improve your ability to gather information with the Affinity System.

As we already know, the more time and conversations you have with Shenhua, her relationship with Ryo will grow and improve with the Affinity System. She will become friendlier, and her expressions and attitude will change depending on the Affinity System.


Mini-Games

Not much detail here, but there is a new gambling mini-game where you throw coloured balls into buckets to win prizes.


Combat, Stats Progression, & Training

Yu Suzuki: "A new battle engine has been created especially for Shenmue III. It's been designed so the player can repeatedly undergo training to increase their level, to be able to take down even super-tough opponents."

Combat animates in a style recognisable to Virtua Fighter players, but much smoother and with clean transitions between moves.

Ryo's combat prowess is now rooted in three main stats, Attack Power, Endurance, and Kung Fu.

Endurance is also linked to a stamina bar that affects most of Ryo's physical actions, including doing martial arts moves, and even sprinting around in the open world. Eating food can refill your stamina bar, which Ryo can keep in his inventory. As the Endurance stat rises, Ryo will have more stamina.

Attack Power is pretty much what it says on the tin, it's how much damage Ryo can dish out.

The Kung Fu stat is fed by both Attack Power and Endurance, which will allow Ryo to master more advanced moves.

Training plays a big part in Shenmue III from the sounds of things, with specific locations made available for Ryo to hone his skills and spar. Here, Ryo can also change out of his clothes and into martial arts gear.

Training is done through multiple methods. One way is improving Ryo's stats through rhythm-based mini-games, such as maintaining the Horse Stance to boost your Endurance, and Bruce Lee's "One Inch Punch" on a wooden training dummy to boost both your Attack Power and Endurance.

Another is by taking on sparring opponents. In these sparring matches, the combos for the moves Ryo currently has equipped are displayed so you can get familiar with them. Timing your attacks and blocks correctly against your opponent will raise your Attack Power and Endurance stats, as well as your Kung Fu stat. Sparring is a more efficient way to improve your stats, but also more difficult than Horse Stance and One Inch Punch.

You can train (and learn I'd assume) moves from technique scrolls, which can be found in multiple ways in the game. These scrolls can be bought, traded from other characters, and found in the game world. (Based on other things we know about this, you may also be able to win them from mini-games, received them as a reward for an event, or gain them from story progression too.)

All the scrolls from Shenmue and Shenmue II will be available, including new ones to bring the total up to around 100. Ryo having a more robust moveset will allow him to properly form a counter attack against more exotic forms of martial arts he may come up against in combat. Muay Thai and boxing were two examples given. This explains Yu Suzuki's comments about wanting to include "puzzle game" elements into Shenmue III's combat, and linking fringe elements like mini-games and the in-game economy further into core gameplay.

Organised street fights are returning, and may be a lucrative way to make some money. Ryo paid 1000 Yuan as an entry fee, and walked away with a cool 2500 in winnings in the example given.

One street fighting example given was a kind of gauntlet, with greater financial rewards on offer the more opponents you beat; at the price of increasingly more difficult opponents and martial arts style you may not be able to counter. Another involved Ryo taking on multiple opponents at once.


Concluding Remarks from Yu Suzuki

"Everything is thanks to the power of the fans who continued to offer their support for such a long time. Every year I get sent letters and such from people looking forward to Shenmue III, and people saying they don't care if it takes the form of a manga or novel or whatever. They just want to know what happens next in the story.

This combined with the Kickstarter eventually blossomed into something we never imagined when we started out on this project."
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Annoying Old Party Man

Annoying Old Party Man

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Oct 29, 2017
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Spaghetti said:
Evolution will not be a problem. Yu Suzuki has no problem effectively dismantling and rebuilding core pillar gameplay like investigation and combat with new ideas to enhance the overall formula.

I did a spoiler-free summary of the content of EDGE's article, if you're curious:
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Thanks a lot! The summary looks good. I still have some doubts but this has made me more excited.
 
Spikey

Spikey

Banned
Jan 28, 2018
141
Judging by what's going on on instagram and twitter, this might actually become one of the best-selling issues of EDGE in recent years. My copy arrives tomorrow in Germany. Long live print.
 
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