Shenmue 3 Ready for Next-Gen

[Ren.182]

http://games.kikizo.com/news/200508/141_p1.asp

AM2 had previously gone on record in 2003 to say that the remaining chapters 7-16 chapters would be included in a current-generation Shenmue 3 - but we can reveal that last year, that ceased to be the plan. Our source confirmed that there was very nearly an announcement for an Xbox Shenmue 3 at last year's E3 show in May - which makes sense considering AM2's Shin Ishikawa (who was in charge of Xbox Shenmue 2) had promised at the start of 2003 more Shenmue for Xbox, back when it seemed the system's popularity could still come back in Japan. But, because of poor sales of Xbox Shenmue 2, the deal behind that announcement with Microsoft fell through, and for a while, Shenmue 3 was indefinitely shelved.

Since then, the new plan for Shenmue has been to include the whole series - chapters 1-16 - on at least one next-generation console, although whether or not that would be in one standalone game is not yet clear, and therefore neither is the title "Shenmue 3", ultimately. However, what is certain is that the game, or games, are theoretically complete and ready to be ported to Xbox 360, PS3 or Revolution, depending on a deal with one of the hardware manufacturers - although it could just as easily end up as a multiformat next-gen release. Our source explained, "it will depend on a hardware manufacturer deal - if they get a profitable deal it will be exclusive to one format, but, if it makes more sense, it might be worthwhile [to release] on multi platform. The options are still open."

Click the link for the rest of the article...

Just read this and i must say. I am VERY excited about this. I know some of you on these forums like Shenmue (very few of you :| ) but i think this is very good news for us fans.

*dances of joy*

 

[Jimmeh]

Great news. I'll be honest here I never picked up the second one on Xbox. I don't know why, I'm not sure what turned me off seeing as the first one is one of my favourite games ever. The graphics of the first are still good today, if the next-gen version is as interactive and vast as the first two, it's gonna be faaaantastique.

 

[Ren.182]

You really should check out the second one. It's a HUGE game, with way more action then the first game. The later parts of the game are so epic.

 

[Jimmeh]

Well, I'm convinced just from playing the first game. Amazon, 13 quid. Sorted, I'll buy it tommorow.

I hear the 2nd one doesn't have English speech? It's all subtitles? That might've just been the Dreamcast version.

 

[Ren.182]

The Xbox version had english speech and subtitles. The PAL version on dreamcast had Japanese speech with English subtitles.

 

[Jimmeh]

Ah right, thanks . Well, hopefully this will occupy my time for quite a bit, I've been bored as hell lately!

 

[Ren.182]

No problem. Hope you enjoy it, it truely is a good game And it'll take quite a while to get through it first play.

 

[dream431ca]

I had shemnue 2 on dreamcast, and I tried shenmue 2 on XBOX. Both were good games. I'll try shenmue 3 to see if it's better than the second one.

 

[satch919]

I fell in love with the first Shenmue on Dreamcast. In fact, I fell in love with the Dreamcast system. So many cool and unique titles. It gave me that innovative Nintendo feeling.

 

[Warbie]

woohoo \o/

I cannot wait

 

[StardogChampion]

I'm not sure I even finished the 2nd one, but the first one was awesome, and the 2nd was more of the same.

 

[KU_]

Sweet. I loved the first two.

 

[OmegaX]

I remember Shenmue for the Dreamcast. Probably one of my favorite Dreamcast games. Can't wait for the next-gen version.

 

[OCybrManO]

the new plan for Shenmue has been to include the whole series - chapters 1-16 - on at least one next-generation console

Are they going to give the whole series a next-gen overhaul?

 

[Ren.182]

Well, the next-gen version will suppsedly have the first two games included too. So for those of you who only played Shenmue 2 on the Xbox, you'll have the chance to play the first chapter in the series

I doubt there will be much of a graphical update with this game, seeing as they're going to re-release the first 6 chapters again. Maybe they will just use higher res textures and obviously there will be no slowdown in the game, like there was in the dreamcast versions.

It was so sad that the dreamcast died. I loved it. All the games were fun to play, and had a nice look to them, even though it wasn't as powerful as the current-gen consoles. Damn the PS2 for killing it.

 

[rAdIOhEaD]

Well, the next-gen version will suppsedly have the first two games included too. So for those of you who only played Shenmue 2 on the Xbox, you'll have the chance to play the first chapter in the series

I doubt there will be much of a graphical update with this game, seeing as they're going to re-release the first 6 chapters again. Maybe they will just use higher res textures and obviously there will be no slowdown in the game, like there was in the dreamcast versions.

It was so sad that the dreamcast died. I loved it. All the games were fun to play, and had a nice look to them, even though it wasn't as powerful as the current-gen consoles. Damn the PS2 for killing it.

All I ask is Japanese original voices....

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I want all the chapters in a PC version

 

[DigiQ8]

/wonders why nobody posted in his thread

 

[Ren.182]

Because i posted first and it already has replies maybe?

I really want to play shenmue now. But i don't have a Video capture card in my new PC.

All I ask is Japanese original voices....

That could happen. To save money. They did it for Shenmue 2 on the dreamcast. I like both versions. English voices for when i'm feeling lazy and can't be bothered to read. And japanese voices for better voice acting.

I want all the chapters in a PC version

I'd love that too. But since Shenmue Online has been canned, i doubt we'll see any Shenmue games on the PC

 

[DigiQ8]

is there a way to play Shenmue on PC ?

 

[Ren.182]

If you have a video capture card, then yes. Just plug the console into the PC and load up the game. You can get video capture cards for pretty cheap these days too. And the game looks much better when played on VGA.

 

[Trendkill]

Cool.
I've beaten both shenmues (liked the first one better), so if i do get an xbox 360 i'll have to pick this up.

 

[Gargantou]

"Yu Suzuki has very little involvement in the Shenmue 3 project"
I hope it doesn't stray too far off from the original ideas then.

Btw, I'm glad Shenmue Online was canned, it looked like CRAP, if it wasn't called Shenmue I wouldn't have disliked it, but I mean comeon, it seriously looked like crap, a ton of kung fu guys running around, magic and shiet, the trailer reminded me of Dragon Ball Z!

Anyway, let's hope Shenmue 3 can keep the same quality as 1 and 2 had.(And use JAPANESE instead of ENGLISH voices, albeit that's unlikely..)

 

[Ren.182]

Cool.
I've beaten both shenmues (liked the first one better), so if i do get an xbox 360 i'll have to pick this up.

Well, it's not been confirmed that its comming to the Xbox 360, or any other console for that matter. But i reckon the 360 is the most likley console it'll come out on. Seeing as microsoft already have Shenmue 2 on the xbox.

"Yu Suzuki has very little involvement in the Shenmue 3 project"
I hope it doesn't stray too far off from the original ideas then.

Well, in the article they they said they've kept the original story. So i guess we'll have the same story, just the game being made by a different team.