‘Shenmue III’ Shows Off Its World, Characters, And A Sassy Beret In A New Teaser Trailer

Last month the makers of Shenmue III hinted we’d finally get to see more of the title at Gamescom 2017, and sure enough, they delivered. Some may argue a brief minute-long teaser trailer is nothing to get excited about, but considering how little we’ve seen of this game, any scrap feels like a feast. This is also the first Shenmue III trailer made with in-game assets, which means we now have a clearer idea of what the game will actually look like. You can check it out, above.

So, what’s the verdict? Well, the environments certainly look nice! We see some beautifully detailed and lit Chinese temples, impressive natural landscapes, and, uh, a really nice teapot! Meanwhile, the characters are…less attractive. Stiff, expressionless faces, weird character designs, and goofy wardrobe choices seem to be the unfortunate norm. I mean, I know Ling has always had a thing for silly hats, but that yellow beret really takes the cake. Honestly, Shenmue III looks like a big budget Sega Saturn remaster rather than an all-new game.

Back at E3 2015 Sony and developer Ys Net shocked the gaming world by announcing Shenmue III, which promptly broke Kickstarter records by raising over $6.3 million. Since then, we’ve largely been kept in the dark. Oh, sure, Ys Net releases the occasional scrap of information, but it remains rather unclear what those fat stacks of fan cash are being used for. I have a feeling this new trailer will just make some fans even more frustrated.

Shenmue III was originally supposed to come out later this year, but it recently suffered a significant delay. Shenmue III is slated to hit the PC and PS4 in late 2018.