Shenmue 3’s Yu Suzuki details battle system, new characters and more

Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki reveals a plethora of new information about the series' first new entry in years, Shenmue 3, in an interview published today by DualShockers.

Suzuki hints at new characters coming to the game, without revealing too much about them. The game will feature "four main bosses," Suzuki says. One of these is Lan Di, who returns from Shenmue and Shenmue 2.

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The developer doesn't offer much regarding the second and third bosses, but reveals that the fourth will be "an extremely beautiful and sexy, but cruel woman." First seen briefly in Shenmue 2, this unnamed foe will focus more on "cunning than head-on fighting."

The differences between "how men and women think" will be a focus of the game's storyline, with Suzuki teasing a romantic subplot.

Suzuki also provides the below video demonstration of how the AI battle system, which will be included upon reaching $7 million through crowdfunding, will work in the game. He doesn't do this using the game itself, however; instead, Suzuki uses a pen and paper to explain the game's proposed command system.

Whether or not the AI battling is included, fighting will be more cinematic than in past games, with controls to be simplified.

Suzuki also notes that Sega's involvement in the development of Shenmue 3 remains minimal. Despite this, the publisher works as an adviser on the game and Suzuki maintains "a very good relationship" with the company.

No further release date beyond the previously announced 2017 window is included amidst the rest of the news. Shenmue 3 was first announced at E3 2015 as part of Sony's press conference. Since then, the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC game has become the most-funded Kickstarter video game project in history.

Although Shenmue 3 reached its original campaign goal, a "slacker backer" period recently re-opened funding, offering a PayPal option and new rewards to entice those who have yet to pledge.