Eurogamer just published a fairly large interview with Yu Suzuki, creator of Shenmue (and currently creating Shenmue 3 thanks to the donations of fans). There haven't been that many updates since the Kickstarter closed, except for the "Slacker Backer" campaign that was announced. It's true that the Kickstarter that launched Shenmue 3 was the largest game-related sum any crowdfunding project has ever generated....but the last Shenmue game, Shenmue II, cost around 70 million dollars. Could Suzuki be in need of more cash?
He won't deny it, but he's determined to make the best of whatever he can get. He admits the graphics may take a hit from current AAA standards, because it's more important to focus on the gameplay (and I'd agree). "I could do with a bit more money! The game itself doesn't have to be gorgeous visually - a lot of the money these days goes into the graphics. If we perhaps compromise on the graphics and put more into the story, we can make a good game. The most important thing, to me, is that the game's interesting, and that it's something people want to play."
Open-world sandbox games are now commonplace, but it wasn't Shenmue that made them so popular even though it was ahead of the trend. It was GTA 3 and its sequels that put sandbox gaming on the map on a global scale. There are those who are worried that the current standard for this type of game could creep into Shenmue 3, but Suzuki says not to worry. "It represents the everyday in Japan. It's super-realism, and standard everyday life in Japan. If you're looking at it from a US or European perspective, it's not fantasy like Final Fantasy, but it's something you don't experience in your everyday life. That's one of the important elements of Shenmue."
Speaking of fantasy, Shenmue 2 ended with some pretty fantastical elements like the floating sword that could only be described as magic. Will the traditionally grounded series be drifting into more of a fantasy direction this time? Well......maybe. "In China and in Japan, there's a strong belief, like in England and with Stonehenge and the druids, we get energy from the spirits and the trees and nature. It's called ki, and it translates as feeling and emotion. It's not the same as fantastical fairies and demons - it's more to do with a natural, basic power. We're considering bringing that element into Shenmue 3."
For more revelations from Suzuki, you can read the full interview at
Eurogamer.
