Shenmue Dojo

It's that time of the year again and lists are always fun, so what are you looking forward to the most?

I can't wait for these:

1. Shenmue III
2. Outcast: Second Contact
3. Yooka-Laylee
4. Death Stranding
5. The Last of Us Part II
6. Red Dead Redemption 2
7. Psychonauts 2
8. Crash Bandicoot: N-Sane Trilogy
9. Oddworld: Soulstorm
10. Resident Evil 2: We do it

Honorable mentions: Wild, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Gravity Rush 2

1. Shenmue III
2. System Shock 3
3. System Shock Remake
4. Subnautica
5. Star Citizen
6. Cyberpunk 2077
7. Rising Storm 2: Vietnam
8. That upcoming game from GSC (the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. devs)
9. Death Stranding
10. Detroit: Become Human

Not in any order aside from the top 5:

1. Nier: Automata - Seeing those trailers has me really excited, as is the latest rather spoilery trailer that hints at certain things happening that kinda blows my mind, like "what in the fuck", in a really good way. I do have a lot of faith in this game being a great sequel to Nier. I suppose it goes without saying that next to the original Dark Souls this was my favourite game of last generation. They have a lot to live up to but I believe in the amazing team assembled for this game (Akihiko Yoshida as artist, Okabe on music, Yoko Taro as writer/director, Metal Gear Rising/Wonderful 101 game designer and same producer as previously too).

2. Gravity Rush 2 - This is coming with the game, free Raven DLC and an anime OVA, this really is the last hurrah for the fans before it's over. The game just looks like it will be next to perfection. I'm on a blackout now, seen enough to know it's going to be a great game. Original was and still is the best game I've played on Vita and this will undoubtedly be one of the best game on the PS4.

3. Persona 5 - It's been a long wait, but we are finally seeing a new home console game from Atlus. Last time was with Catherine which was a gem of a game and with this being from the same team and in the long running Persona series which I am a big fan of, this should hopefully be eternal bliss if the great reception from Japanese players is anything to go by. I really hope this ushers in the new era of home console Atlus video games again. Seeing Kaneko's demon designs in HD for the first time since the PS2 generation is reason enough for my excitement, let alone hearing Meguro's music again for the first time since Persona 4 Golden.

4. Nioh - This may end up being the best game that Tecmo have made in a loooong time if it lives up to those demos. From Software will have some tough competition with this game and it may actually dethrone the first Dark Souls as my favourite Action RPG, entirely depending on how good it is. Either way, I am very excited for this game.

5. Final Fantasy XII: Zodiac Age (FFXII HD) - It has been a long while since i last played this game, around 3 or so years now, but it stays in my mind as one of my favourites of all time, so I hope it stands up to that nostalgic view I have of it. It's basically one of my favourite games with lots of gameplay refinements, HD graphical upgrade and new orchestral music. Not much else I could ask for, honestly.

6. Yakuza 0 - It's Yakuza. Set in the Eighties. With my two favourite characters. And a prequel to 1, which I was always curious to see, a time before all of that craziness (it's still going to have a lot of crazy in there though, I do realise).

7. Danganronpa V3 - Love Spike Chunsoft's adventure games. Love the wacky characters and mind bending twists of this series. It's like reading a really fun and stylish Japanese comic (Manga) with adventure game sections intertwined. It really scratches that "weird Japanese adventure game" itch I get each year perfectly. More Masafumi Takada (The Silver Case, killer7, No More Heroes) goodness as well, who is probably my favourite game composer, returning for more electro synth madness, it's gonna be a blast.

8. Cuphead - Gives me those old Treasure game (Gunstar Heroes, Alien Soldier) vibes. Beautiful hand drawn style artwork with a creepy undertone. Run 'n gun gameplay... This game is going to be special, I can feel it.

9. Phantom Dust - Ever since Orange's review, I have been rather fascinated by this obscure game that picked up a cult following, Phil Spencer included (which I think may be the only reason we are getting this re-released). I realise this may end up being not the best port in the world, but it will be the first time and only way for me to play it, so I am thnkful it's happening to see what the game is all about since I love the OG Xbox library.

10. Armored Core 6 - It's been hinted at so strongly now, it's definitely happening and I'm really interested to see where they take the series next since each numbered iteration plays different and has a completely different style. Wonder if after the industrial wastelands of V, they decide to go for a more...cyberpunk/dystopian future look and feel? Or have it be set on an alien world with crazy kinds of mechs? I'm going to be interested either way but they have opporunity to gain a larger player base now that everybody is obsessed with From Software stuff. I have a good feeling on this being released next year, don't know why, guess we'll see, since they have 3 projects in development (New IP from Miyazaki, new AC game and new Souls like game).

On another note: I do not think Shenmue 3 is coming next year, at all, so it's not on my list.

1 Shenmue 3 for obvious reasons: the long wait, never giving up on Yu making it, the saga continues...

2 Detroit Become Human - love David Cage's work and this one has the potential to be my favorite. I've always felt David and Yu were two sides of the same coin. Loved Beyond Two Souls to pieces. Heavy Rain is wonderful too.

T-3 Yakuza Zero, 1 remake, and 6 - love love love this series. Can't say enough about it.

T-3 Persona 5 - fell in love with P4G it's when I got on the train. Never finished persona 3 PSP got to July in it then got sidetracked with life. Need to beat it and p4g (for the 3rd time) before it's release in April. I feel like this game will be studied for decades based on its style alone.

4 Danganronpa 3 - my favorite series of the past decade easily aside from uncharted. Quirky, intrigue, funny all rolled into Monokuma.

5 Last of Us 2 - one of my favorite games of all time is getting a sequel. It'll be amazing no doubt.

Can't forget:
Fumito Ueda's next project

Zero Escape studio's next IP.

Gravity Rush 2

These are all off the top I'm sure I am forgetting a ton.

Shenmue 3
The Last of Us 2
Red Dead Redemption 2
Gravity Rush 2
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 7
Detroit
Persona 5
MLB The Show 17
Mass Effect Andromeda


Why do I have an Xbox One again?
Oh ya.. to play Halo 2.. like twice a year..

In no particular order:

Shenmue III
Red Dead Redemption 2
Detroit: Become Human
Miegakure
Resident Evil VII
Death Stranding
M̶e̶t̶a̶l̶ ̶G̶e̶a̶r̶ ̶S̶u̶r̶v̶i̶v̶e̶
Cyberpunk 2077

Probably more, but I can't remember for the life of me.

I'm a bit surprised no one so far has included Kingdom Come: Deliverance in their list. Maybe it's just me, but when I watch those developer videos they have on Youtube, and see just how ambitious they're being in trying to be as true to (medieval) life as possible, and with an insane attention to detail, I get so many Shenmue vibes, just as Shenmue really was all about the details and tried to do so much that no game had tried before. Even the fact that KC:D's open-world map, it seems, is going to be much smaller than what we're used to these days (The Witcher 3, Skyrim, GTA V), favouring detail and density over size, just like Shenmue did back then. Really, all Shenmue fans should check out Warhorse Studios' Youtube channel. They're incredibly exciting, in my opinion. Sure, they may end up fucking it up in the end, but I'm hopeful they won't. Even if they do, at least I commend their ambition.

Anyway, other than Kingdom Come and Shenmue 3 (obviously), my most anticipated games of 2017 are, in no particular order:

Red Dead Redemption 2
Ni no Kuni 2
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
God of War 4
Does Uncharted 4: The Lost Legacy count as a game? It's standalone. Anyway, looking forward to it.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Shenmue 1 and 2 HD

1. Shenmue 3 obviously.

2. Crash Bandicoot Remastered.

3. Resident Evil 2 remake.

4. Final Fantasy 7 remake.

some games i would be interested in playing -


South Park: The Fractured but Whole
Shenmue III
Cyberpunk 2077
last of us 2
Crash Bandicoot
Death Stranding (kojima's next game)
Days Gone
red dead 2

Shenmue 3 is coming out next year? I thought it was 2018..

In that case, it's on the list alongside Yakuza 0, Sonic Mania, and Yakuza Kiwami.

My freaking game, though I don't think I will finish it by 2017.

Resident Evil 7 and Shenmue 3 are the big ones. I'm not sure (obviously) if Shenmue 3 will come out this next year, but it's a possibility.

Other than that, not so much is interesting me at the moment. If a new Metroid or F-Zero gets announced, that'd probably get my interest as well. Also, really hard for me to get excited for new franchises, since trailers are so non-representational these days. I have more of a "wait and see" approach to new content. Not to say that new franchises aren't worth getting excited over, but i'm not going to get hyped for something that hasn't already been proven to be good.

EDIT:
Completely forgot about Final Fantasy XII HD. I've been dying to play this game again with the new job system...