If you happen to be a fan of the
Shenmue series, you know very well how long the development of
Shenmue III was; not only that, but chances are that you have also been waiting for a sequel to
Shenmue II for almost 20 years.
Thankfully, and after a very long wait,
Shenmue III has finally released — just yesterday, actually — for the PlayStation 4 and PC(Epic Games Store); giving fans of the series the highly anticipated return to the series they had been clamouring for all of these years.
Shenmue series creator Yu Suzuki has included a letter in
Shenmue III, where he reveals that he wants to continue telling the story in future entries, as well as asking fans to support him and his development team — in the same way fans supported the
Shenmue III Kickstarter campaign — to make
Shenmue IV happen.
Now that the game has finally released, fans and critics tend to agree on
Shenmue III being the game that they had been waiting for, although there are still some fans who who backed the game and don't like how the Kickstarter campaign was handled at all; making the developers aware of the fact that they are disappointed with the end product.
That said, the game does seem to have checked every box in terms of recapturing the essence of the original Shenmue titles, and it is very likely that they would also be willing to help Yu Suzuki develop more
Shenmue games as long as he's able; Yu Suzuki has already said he wants to make more, so that's a good sign.
Yu Suzuki's in-game letter to fans reads as follows:
To all the fans who have waited many years for Shenmue 3, and to all of the crowdfunding backers who have made this game possible: This project would not exist without your love, support, and the connections we’ve made along the way. With profound appreciation for all that you have done, I am happy to finally present to you Shenmue 3.
During development I expanded the scope beyond what I had originally envisioned. I’m happy we were able to include the distinct “Shenmue” charm throughout the game. I hope that this new chapter strikes even a small resonance in your heart.
For as long as there are those who wish to see Shenmue live on, I will never give up on my own personal journey to complete its story. As with Shenmue 3, the Shenmue story is with you.
I sincerely hope that, together, we can continue to spin the tale of Ryo and his adventures in Shenmue 4.
This goes out to all who have ever loved and supported Shenmue.
Yu Suzuki
Journey deep into rural China as you take on the role of Ryo Hazuki, a Japanese teenager hellbent on finding his father’s killer—a story of adventure, mystery, friendship, martial arts, and ultimately, revenge!
Shenmue III is currently available for the PlayStation 4 and PC(Epig Games Store).