Review: Shenmue III – An Impossible Sequel That’s Enjoyable Against All Odds

Lost in time.

The fact that Shenmue III feels like a direct continuation of the cult SEGA Dreamcast classics is testament to veteran director Yu Suzuki’s unflinching ambition. There may have been almost two decades between this long-anticipated PlayStation 4 instalment and its predecessor, but developer Ys Net isn’t afraid to pick up the plot immediately where it left off. With stern-faced star Ryo Hazuki and his mysterious accomplice Shenhua Ling dumbstruck in a Bailu Village cave, the sequel re-treads the closing moments of Shenmue II before immediately picking up the narrative thread.

This is true time capsule stuff, with the game design left unaffected by the 18 years of advancement that have occurred since the series’ last outing. Running on contemporary Unreal Engine 4 technology, the release looks lush, with saturated colours and sprawling vistas lending a somewhat magical flavour to the otherwise ordinary Guilin backdrop. But as an experience, this follows the exact same format as its forebears, meaning you’ll spend countless hours interrogating clueless locals as you attempt to progress the plot at a glacial pace.

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