Shenmue 3 should end up satisfying a lot of fans of the series, because according to series creator Yu Suzuki, the new, upcoming game will be 70% like the original game. Speaking to Metro GameCentral, Suzuki said that players should not expect much of a departure from the original games in terms of how the title plays.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to change the basics of the gameplay,” he said. “If I change it too much the existing fans will be very upset. Although I am always making up new ideas and things to add to the game, which can be a problem for my team who are trying to implement these ideas.
“At the moment we are trying to keep it to 30% new and the keep the other 70% of the game similar to the original. But the design is constantly changing and I am always coming up with new concepts that we can try to add to the game if there is the opportunity.”
It is good to see that he is at least open to adding more gameplay mechanics and elements to the games- the original games were great, but they also alienated a lot of people because of their pace, structure, and how they played. Modernizing things a little, and making concessions to new players, might not be the worst idea.
Shenmue 3 is due out on the PS4 and PC, currently scheduled for the end of next year.