It is far from being the saga’s most beloved entry, and fans have long been asking for a brand-new game, but Shenmue has just staged a comeback: its third installment is returning with a polished edition. Shenmue III Enhanced brings next-gen graphics, gameplay adjustments, and several other improvements.

Though not among the most widely recognized franchises in gaming, Shenmue has become a cult classic in Japanese game development. While the first two titles won over a generation of players, the same cannot be said of 2019’s Shenmue III, which launched on PC and PS4 only to face heavy criticism for feeling outdated compared to its contemporaries. In short, the third chapter was never the fans’ favorite. That is why it may surprise many that Yu Suzuki, together with ININ Games, has decided to revisit the adventure with a new edition.

Shenmue III Enhanced is pitched as a modernized version of the 2019 release, featuring advanced visuals, gameplay refinements, support for upscaling technologies, and more. Although ININ Games has yet to announce a release date for Ryo Hazuki’s return, the title is confirmed for PC, PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and a Nintendo platform (yet to be specified).

Among the visual and technical upgrades are sharper environments, faster load times, a performance boost for smoother play, native 4K resolution, and DLSS/FSR support. Beyond that, Shenmue III Enhanced will add denser NPC crowds in the city of Niaowu, a Classic Camera option modeled after the first two games, a cleaner interface, an optional stamina system, automatic health recovery before battles, and more. “Step back into the world of Ryo Hazuki—now livelier, more responsive, and more accessible than ever under Yu Suzuki’s vision,” the developers state.

Players Are Asking for Shenmue 4

As mentioned at the start, Shenmue III never quite won over fans in the way the earlier entries did. Yet the community’s devotion to Yu Suzuki’s creation is so strong that they are not satisfied with an enhanced edition—they are demanding Shenmue 4. Officially, there are no plans to continue the saga, but players are loudly making their wishes known.

Fans have gone beyond posting on social media. In a remarkable stunt, a group pooled money to purchase a 15-second Times Square ad, one of the busiest hubs in New York, to broadcast their plea for Shenmue 4. For 40 dollars, the franchise briefly lit up one of the world’s most iconic digital billboards.

Source: 3djuegos