Fishing for Metaphors

Previously on my blog, I mentioned that I am replaying Shenmue III. Now I explain why it is not as good as its predecessors.

One unique trait about me is that I can find entertainment in the most mundane things in life. For example, I enjoy reading equipment operation manuals for work.  Why?  Because I have to amuse myself if I want to retain boring information. The more I understand how things operate, the higher the chance I will do my job well. I can also tackle the unpredictability when I do face a problem. Like Ryo Hazuki, the protagonist in Shenmue III, sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. It’s necessary whether you like it or not. Of course, I am speaking figuratively. In real life, I can barely handle a screwdriver to unscrew a machine. I am sure that with a little practice, I can become a pro in no time.

However, being determined and goal-oriented is a double-edged sword. You may fall into the things you despise when you are too fixated on a goal. Ryo is determined to avenge his father’s death. He doesn’t realize he is becoming Lan Di. Lan Di is the main villain in the game.

In Shenmue II, Ryo is greeted with a question. A man asked him where do rivers go. The answer is the ocean, its mother. It means it is better to take the natural course and enjoy the journey. Death will come naturally. No need to speed it up.  That’s just about what you do in Shenmue. You go with the flow. Sometimes, I forget Ryo is an angry teenage boy who is grieving about his father’s murder. The pursuit to hunt down Lan Di becomes an enlightening adventure. Shenmue and Shenmue II illustrate that point clearly in game design, which I will go into detail later. For now, I will mainly talk about Shenmue III.

Having spent 30 hours in Bailu, the first section of Shenmue III, I did everything I could.  This was the section I liked most in the entire game. I enjoyed the escape from city life. I felt the developers concentrated on this first area more than the second half. Everything flows well. Side games and side quests didn’t feel unnecessary as they incorporated well with the main plot. I thought the game should have ended here. Ryo’s story ends when he stops pursuing Lan Di. He realizes there is more to life than falling into a cycle of revenge.

Unfortunately, the saga doesn’t end simply because Ryo found wisdom. Ryo is too young to walk the path of enlightenment.  If I can recall, the ending to this game wasn’t satisfying. I beat the game back in 2019. This left me not caring if there will be a Shenmue IV. The story could have ended with a nice date. You finally have a conversation with the mysterious girl you kept seeing in the first game. And that’s where Shenmue III went wrong. Once Ryo enters the city, the story becomes cliché.

I wouldn’t necessarily call a game bad because of its weak plot. A game can still be good for its gameplay. However, it could be a problem when it disrupts the flow of the story. In this case, the game becomes less cinematic. It turns more into a dumping ground for miniature games. It reminds me a lot of a slot machine. Most of the time, you need a little luck even to win the smallest prize. Completing capsule sets and winning Lucky Hit can be such a pain. Sometimes, hard work gets you nowhere. Winning the grand prize is based on chance. I do feel like a gamer in this game. I’m gambling with my time and that is not a good thing.

You see, in Shenmue II, the concept of slowing down makes a lot of sense. There were many occasions when Ryo had to stop what he was doing. He needed to get a job, gamble, chase someone down, and complete errands. I can see how gamers complained about working inside a video game. It can get mundane. In Shenmue I and II, I didn’t mind so much. But in Shenmue III, it started to bother me. Nothing new was introduced in the second half portion of the game. The only positive addition to the franchise is chopping wood. At least you get the acknowledgment and recognition for your hard work. You receive praise every time you successfully chop wood, and the background music elevates your mood. Who wouldn’t want to go to work feeling like a winner? 

You have to work inside a video game. You also have to learn patience. This relates to the earlier concept I mentioned about following the natural course in life. Without discipline and patience, he cannot master a martial art skill.   In Shenmue II, you see Ryo dusting off books. He also catches leaves at Man Ho Temple. These activities serve as a distraction from pursuing vengeance. Cleaning is a meditation process for emotional healing.  Likewise, in Shenmue III, Ryo must complete Master Feng’s errands. Only then does Master Feng teach a new martial arts skill to Ryo. This skill is needed for the story to progress.

The first step is to bring him a bottle of wine and steam buns. He only talks if there is wine and a steam bun. Once you complete the task. Then he wants to drink an expensive wine that costs 2000 yuan. Luckily, you don’t have to grind for money by chopping wood, a gaming mechanic introduced early in the game. You can sell the fish, pawn items, gamble, and sell herbs to complete the task. It’s the game’s way of directing players to try out all the mini-games within the game. Earning 2000 yuan is a challenge but not impossible.  Another important aspect of the game is leveling up martial arts skills: Attack, Endurance, and Kung Fu. Ryo needs to be strong. That is why Master Feng made him catch ducks as a training exercise.  He needs to take one step at a time before he can face his opponent.

All of these errands lead to a conclusion about the game. Players must work hard. You need to put in the time if you want to make things happen. You have to be careful because you can end up as a wandering martial artist or, even worse, a murderer. In the second half of the game, I did not find a purpose to all the mini-game distractions. The magic of Shenmue seems to be missing in the third installment.

It made me wonder whether Shenmue IV is necessary. What will Ryo do once he defeats Lan Di? Have you played this game? Let me know your thoughts.