Video game designer, director, and overall legend Yu Suzuki — he of Hang-On, Out Run, and Virtua Fighter fame — needs no introduction, especially to arcade-era, blue-sky Sega fans.
Shenmue, his epic action adventure series, probably doesn’t either, but seeing as the upcoming Shenmue III Enhanced marks the cult series’ debut on a Nintendo platform, it’s worth a brief recap. Starting life as a Virtua Fighter RPG on Sega’s Saturn, 1999’s Shenmue would become the most expensive game ever made at the time the project eventually came to fruition on the ill-fated Dreamcast.
Pioneering a new style of game dubbed ‘FREE’ — ‘Full Reactive Eyes Entertainment’ — by Suzuki and his team, Shenmue’s depth of interaction, emotion, freedom, and sense of place in a recognisable, modern world was revolutionary in its time and inspired a passionate following.
The sequel would appear on Dreamcast in 2001 and Xbox the following year, before Sega put the series on ice. That was until 2015, when the creator crowd-funded the next chapter in Ryo Hazuki’s journey to avenge his father.
Developed by Suzuki’s studio, YS Net, with Sega publishing, Shenmue III launched in 2019 to the general delight of longtime fans – and the bemusement of many new players who lacked the enthusiasm and/or context for its very particular way of doing things.
With a sense of unfinished business, Shenmue III is returning in Enhanced form on Switch 2 courtesy of new publisher ININ Games. This isn’t a total overhaul, but rather a polished version incorporating quality-of-life feedback and some visual enhancements.
We were offered an email interview with the series originator and Shenmue III director; here follows Suzuki-san’s responses and thoughts on a series he’s been working on on-and-off for 30 years…
Nintendo Life: Let’s quickly go back to when you were first developing Shenmue 3. Continuing the series while updating it for modern-day systems and staying true to its roots must have been a tightrope walk! From a design perspective, was it difficult to find the right balance and juggle 18 years of player expectation?
Yu Suzuki: Rather than making it too modern, our focus was on adjusting only the parts that needed it while preserving what makes Shenmue feel like Shenmue. It is not easy to meet every expectation, so our priority was keeping a firm grip on the core of the series.
I hope players will feel that the game has become easier to play while still preserving the atmosphere
Crowdfunding worked well for Shenmue 3 but comes with challenges. How did you find the Kickstarter experience? Would you do it again?
With Kickstarter, there are stretch goals, so the scope of the project can change significantly depending on the pledge amount. At the same time, crowdfunding also has challenges that differ from normal development, such as accountability to backers and managing expectations.
Whether I would do it again would depend on the circumstances, but I think it was extremely meaningful as a way to connect directly with the fans.
How close did Shenmue 3 come to what you originally envisioned?
We could not realise everything, but I believe we were able to convey the story, the world, and those things important for Shenmue. There were limitations during development, but within those limits, we put in as much as we possibly could. In particular, I think we were able to preserve the sense of daily life in Bailu Village and Niaowu, and the feeling that this was a continuation of Ryo’s journey.
Which tweaks are you most excited for players to see in Shenmue 3 Enhanced?
What I would especially like players to see are both the visual and the quality-of-life improvements. We have added improvements to provide players with a smoother experience, such as cutscene skipping, camera settings, and QTE adjustments. I hope players will feel that the game has become easier to play while still preserving the atmosphere of the original.
Several of the additions (health restorations before fights, expanded QTE timings, etc.) seem designed to streamline progression. Are all these the result of fan feedback, or were some of these options planned for the original version?
Much of it is based on feedback from the fans. Adjustments such as health recovery and extended QTE input times are not meant to change the essence of the game, but to allow more players to enjoy it comfortably all the way to the end.
What resolution and frame rate will Shenmue 3 target on Switch 2? Will it be locked or variable?
[Note. For this question, the answers came from developers at ININ, not Suzuki-san.]
- The most reasonable target so far seems to be: 1920×1080.
- We could do a variable of 60-120, but right now trying to push so that we would have 60~fps, and it’s not looking like it will be possible to push much above this, so I think 60 locked would be more reasonable for this.
- The resolution is already set to this at the moment, and both options for frame rate can be easily achieved if needed.
Naturally, now we’re getting the third entry, Switch players might be curious about the first two as well. Is a re-release something you’d be interested in if SEGA were amenable?
Yu Suzuki: Of course, if SEGA is positive about it, I think there would be great meaning in bringing the first and second games to more players. I would like people who became interested through Shenmue III to experience the beginning of Ryo’s journey, and would be very happy if the series was more accessible.
Shenmue has been a part of your life for three decades now and fans are still so passionate. You’ve created several iconic series, but what do you think it is about this one that inspires such devotion?
I think Shenmue is not simply a game where you follow a story, but an experience where you feel as though you are “living” in that world. The people in the town, the passage of time, casual conversations, and every detour remain in the player’s memory. I think the reason fans have such strong affection for the series is not only because of Ryo’s journey, but also because they feel they themselves spent time in that world.
Looking at the gaming landscape now, are there any games you particularly admire where you can see Shenmue’s influence?
When I saw Animal Crossing, I felt it was “FREE” in the sense that it allowed a high degree of freedom, which is also one of the concepts of Shenmue. I do not know whether it was influenced by Shenmue, but I think it is a wonderful game.
On a scale of 1 – 10, what would you say are the chances we’ll see more Shenmue? If not in game form, would you continue the story in other media (in the anime, for instance)?
Yes.
Is there any message you’d like to send to Nintendo Life readers about this upcoming release and the future of the series?
I am sincerely grateful to all the readers of Nintendo Life and to everyone who continues to support Shenmue. With Shenmue III Enhanced, we want to preserve the appeal of the original while making it easier to play and enjoyable for even more people. I would be happy if first-time players took their first steps with Ryo, and for long-time fans who have patiently waited to experience Ryo’s journey once again.
Thanks to Suzuki-san for his responses. Shenmue III Enhanced is launching sometime later this year, with physical Switch 2 and PS5 versions available to pre-order from ININ.
Let us know if you’ll be revisiting Bailu Village or if you’re considering picking up Ryo’s journey for the first time.