Yu Suzuki, the director for Shenmue III, appeared at Croatia’s Reboot Develop 2019 to talk about the game at a panel. To be specific, he talked about how various systems will be connected in the game, with all sorts of activities offering opportunities to improve Ryo’s Skill Book and available abilities. (Thanks, Brandon Sheffield!)
Ryo will have access to a Skill Book, which gives him access to new skills as he performs actions in the world. In one slide shown during the presentation, it offers a look at how all of this can work. Going through the story can result in main and sub quest rewards that offer unlocks. Collecting the herb set, searching for items, shopping, playing minigames, and collecting capsule toys can all help with unlocks. Visiting the pawn shop and playing pachinko will also help people acquire more skills, as they can take money to the token exchange at the pachinko parlor, play to earn more tokens, exchange those tokens for prizes, and then sell prizes they don’t need at the pawn shop for more money. Baidu Village is one place where people will be able to buy skills with money or participate in the prize exchange.
All game systems tie into the skill book – there are some other categories that aren’t on this slide too. (capsules fully confirmed) pic.twitter.com/blPQjnZ5yw
— brandon sheffield (@necrosofty) April 12, 2019
Other details about Shenmue III were revealed. It is set in China, but there will also be Japanese food stalls and gacha machines around. Chinese instruments were used to perform the soundtrack. A UFO catcher and punching game will appear as two minigames. The forklift will appear and be tied to some story-related quests, but apparently it will be slower here than in the original game.
We also learned a bit more about the battle system. There will be multiple difficulty options for battles offering people easy or difficult challenges. Ryo will also be able to visit a dojo. While there, you can level up with matches and train, perhaps practicing with a wooden man.
The battle system expands in the dojo space. You can practice (with a wooden man), spar, compete in matches and increase your skill there. You increase your level/だんin the dojo in order to be able to clear matches that come up in the story. You bounce between story and training pic.twitter.com/vn4FwtV7NM
— brandon sheffield (@necrosofty) April 12, 2019
Shenmue III will come to the PlayStation 4 and PC on August 27, 2019.
