Before Being Cancelled, A Full Shenmue Remake Was In The Works

Before the HD re-release of Shenmue I & II was announced, there was a full Shenmue remake in the works. From the appearance of gameplay footage, the remake would have looked a whole lot better.

According to VG247, Digital Foundary acquired gameplay of the cancelled Shenmue remake. Said remake was canned sometime back in 2017, but Sega has not announced why. The footage contains almost 10 minutes of gameplay and still shots. The video compares scenes from the original game to how it appears in the remaster, as well as how it would have looked in the remake.

Shenmue I & II is a remaster of the original two games that adds high resolution textures and improves the lighting and character models. In our Shenmue review, we gave the original game a 7.8/10, writing, "[Shenmue is] a game rich in story, visuals, and environmental stimuli, but light on overall gameplay. Fans of whodunits and RPGs will take quicker to the game's overall premise, but there is enough to please the casual gamer as well." In our Shenmue II review, we gave the game an 8.7/10, complimenting the game for its story and music, but criticizing its graphics.

Sega has announced a sequel, Shenmue III, is in the works. First advertised in 2015 as a Kickstarter, Shenmue III is scheduled to release for PS4 and PC on August 27, 2019.