Shenmue 3 back on track
Way back in August 2004,Shenmue Online, a Massively-Multiplayer Online Action RPG was announced. Since that date there has been little news about the game.
A recent interview, on games site Kikizo, has revealed that the game is still in development. Yu Suzuki, game creator has said, "The story will be finished through games," said Suzuki. "The MMO will be a game that will have a long lifespan through upgrades and updates. This will allow gradual continuation to the story."
The original press release stated that,Shenmue Online is an MMO ction RPG, in which tens of thousands of players participate in the virtual world of Shenmue staged in China including Hong Kong in the 1980's. Players, acting as militants, use mysterious powers, kung-fu, Chinese weapons and Qigong in real-time fight-action. The Shenmue franchise was established with the release of "Shenmue" (Dreamcast) in 1999, then Shenmue II (Dreamcast) in 2001. Shenmue boasted groundbreaking full 3DCG environments and over 1,400 characters alive in a virtual world where time passes and the weather also changes, as in real life.
New screenshot?
2004 ScreenshotThere's no doubt that the Shenmue series has a huge fan base, and RPG fans will be delighted that the game is still on track. There is no information as to whether Shenmue will appear on any of the next gen consoles, but we'd certainly back a simultaneous release on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Kikizo, known for their reliable contacts, said, "the project has essentially been close to finished and 'ready' for some time - but in hibernation, pending a deal for the entire series on at least one next-gen console."
