The new Shenmue 3 trailer really makes me want to visit an arcade

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It definitely looks like a Shenmue game

The newest Shenmue 3 trailer from Deep Silver and Ys Net brings us closer to the daily life of Ryo Hazuki and gives us an idea of what we can expect when the game finally releases. It's a Shenmue game, through and through, which is great for the large cult following which has endured an excruciatingly long development cycle with as many setbacks as I've seen in some time.

Revealed at Gamescom, the new trailer sees protagonist Ryo Hazuki order food from a night market, play games at an arcade, and of course beat up a bunch of dudes. I remember most enjoying Shenmue 1 and 2 as life sims that let me be someone way cooler than I was and live somewhere more interesting than I had ever seen. I spent hours avoiding the main plot beats to continue wasting hours in arcades and collecting those damn toy capsules. If you're like me, this latest trailer's focus on those familiar elements of the franchise is really exciting.

Nearly 20 years will have passed between the last release in the franchise, Shenmue 2, and the long-awaited release of Shenmue 3. That alone is enough to make long-time fans quake with anticipation, but the utter hell that has been Shenmue 3's long development puts unprecedented pressure on the success of this final installment. Just like Shenmue 3's story, here's to hoping we can pick right up where we left off when we finally get to play the game on November 19.

Get an in-depth look at Shenmue 3 from an Edge Magazine feature published earlier this year.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.