‘I hope you will all keep your expectations high’
The more familiar faces brought on to help revive a long-absent game series, the better. That’s how I see the arrival of Keiji Okayasu on the Shenmue III team, anyway.
Previously, Okayasu served under series mastermind Yu Suzuki as sub-director on Shenmue and Shenmue II (until it was about “70% done”), and now he’s back in the same role for the crowdfunded third installment. In this backer update, he recounts a few memories from the old days.
“What I personally want to stress for my part, is what makes Shenmue, Shenmue,” says Okayasu. “The game has an utterly unique atmosphere, and I want that all to be breathed in. As you play along, you feel the ambiance, the milieu, from place to place, getting that full sensory experience.”
If it’s game footage in particular you’re after, there’s several seconds of that at the 2:48 mark.
Keiji Okayasu Returns for Shenmue III [Kickstarter]