Yu Suzuki Interview on Shenmue

[mue 26]

He just stated the obvious. We all know that SEGA will be willing to let him use the license because that's how he made Gai in the first place.

This interview gives almost zero new information. It's great only because of the atmosphere that was created by Kenji, but I would like to remind you all that Yu did give similar interviews in the (distant) past, saying cryptic things about Shenmue III and kinda promising it will come out one day. What did we get from that?

This is are the man's dreams, not anything substantial. What's worse, after what he was trying to do with Shenmue Online, I'm afraid he is desperate to finish the saga with a low-quality game that won't be even close to the real Shenmue.

Ah. c'mon Dorian. It's easy to reduce almost any new Shenmue news into meaningless waffle and empty promises given the ridiculous amount of times we've had our hopes dashed over the years, but where will that get us?
The fact is that until just last year, Yu-san had given us literally nothing to even try and be hopeful about, in fact he'd almost vanished from the public eye entirely. Then this year he suddenly returns, but not just that he returns with a Shenmue spin off game (regardless of how ill-fated the game was). At first in interviews he starts giving the usual "if i can, I would like to make Shenmue 3, but don't know if it's possible" answers, being pretty tight lipped, but then suddenly he comes out with "I think Sega will let me make the game" followed shortly by "We can attain the licence[for shenmue 3] from Sega". I think the main cause for excitment is Yu's apparent confidence and willingness to talk on such matters, which as you mentioned he hasn't done since the distant past.

It's true that the information attained from the interview can hardly be described as revelations, in fact your right we did pretty much know (or were able to easily presume) almost everything said in the interview, already . But nonetheless it is an incredibly hopeful interview to watch, and what are Shenmue fans without hope?

[Lan Di-sama]

I think the best part is the bit about Ryo losing his desire for revenge. It may seem obvious, but I expected the theme of falling onto the wrong path that Xuiying was so adamant about to be overdone to death, and maybe going so far as Ryo actually failing (a power that will either "destroy him" or realize his will). In disc 4 we already start to see a much calmer side of Ryo, so I'm actually kind of relieved that it seems Ryo won't get corrupted or overcome with his goal of revenge, like Ziming. Although, I doubt Ziming's story is so black and white. Perhaps the Chiyoumen have sympathetic goals and hide it behind the harsh means they take to achieve them, perhaps Ziming is only working with them in the hopes to eventually destroy them, etc. Lots of possibilities as to how Ryo will start to view Lan Di and the Chiyoumen.

I also think the interview does clear up confusion as to Suzuki and Sega's relationship. I think it's a good thing that Suzuki operates separately so he can "bootstrap his way back up to making bigger titles". Plus, this "advisor" status he has indicates that he and Sega still are on good terms, and perhaps the main reason this relationship exists is so Suzuki can work with his Sega IP again. Shenmue is his brainchild and even Sega, who have behaved questionably in the past, probably wouldn't diss Suzuki by that and not let him make the game provided his own company handles the budget.

Then there is the question as what to do with the first two games - remake, port, etc. And how to keep gamers interested in Shenmue 3 - seeing as how the 3rd game is set to begin in Guilin, I can't imagine there being a whole lot of exciting brawls from the get go. Anywho, whatever gets me thinking about playing Shenmue 3 and hoping it'll happen someday is good news in my book so I was pleasantly surprised to watch this interview pop out of literally nowhere.

[myshtuff]

I think an interesting question would have been to ask if the whole "magic" and supernatural powers type of thing would actually come into play, kind of like what was shown with the footage from Shenmue Online. That could also change the story as well.

[Spokane]

I know a lot of people here were not too fond of having such things in Shenmue.

[myshtuff]

Yeah I am not saying I would either, but hearing his response on such a question would be nice. I bet it was just a thing for the online game to get people more interested I guess. I think some supernatural type stuff and Japanese/Chinese mysticism would be neat, but full on Kameyhameyha fireballs would be a little bit out of place.

[DoubleO_Ren]

I'll say there'll be 2 endings to the Shenmue saga, one where Ryo falls to the dark side and kills Lan Di (bad ending) and the other where he rises above revenge and something else awesome happens, or we see an even bigger enemy.
Yu Susuki did mention choice being a big part of Shenmue 3 and so on.

[myshtuff]

Especially with the recent craze of choose your own adventure RPG's like Mass Effect and Deus Ex, I think that would be very plausible.

[Crimson Ryan]

I think an interesting question would have been to ask if the whole "magic" and supernatural powers type of thing would actually come into play, kind of like what was shown with the footage from Shenmue Online. That could also change the story as well.

Part of me thinks that was just for Shenmue Online. Context of the genre, I suppose. Hope so anyway..

[Hazuki Legend]

Great interview giving little bit more insight into the future of the series. Did anyone else get the impression that if the money was invested from anywhere then Suzuki would jump at the chance to get the IP and start developing? Gotta admit i thought Kenji was going to ask about Niao-San when he mentioned a character barely known in the series but fair play to him for getting it out of Suzuki that the guy in the photograph with Iwao will be a key character.

Also the fact that he said his favourite part is still to come has reinvigourated my desire to see this game. I'm not going to lose sleep if we never see it but if anything my outlook is a little more positive again for the time being.

[myshtuff]

I actually started watching trailers again for the original Shenmue. I haven't picked up either game in at least like 3-4 years. Maybe I will give them another go this summer. Its been way too long.

[The_Intruder]

When Yu Suzuki said that Shenhua has the ability to remember her ancestor. Is he talking about her parents or people from ancient times.?

[Antiquity]

When Yu Suzuki said that Shenhua has the ability to remember her ancestor. Is he talking about her parents or people from ancient times.?

I would presume that when he says Shenhua has the ability to recall ancestors he is generally speaking - which leaves the story open to her significance in the story line, and likely has a strong connection to Ryo and his future. The poem that Shenhua has known from her village - someone appearing from and distant land in the east and her quote that - "this encounter has been my destiny since ancient times" - leads me to believe that this is Yu Suzuki revealing the connection between her and Ryo as they begin their story together. I imagine that as the story unfolds her visions of past ancestors will link to Ryo's present quest in a powerful way. It took a significant amount of time for Shenhua's mysterious character to be unveiled in the Shemue storyline, it makes sense that their role together be strong and reliant upon each other.

[The_Intruder]

very interesting Antiquity.