Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 68 | 66 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 68 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 73% | 69 | 710 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 4 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 1.5 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (100)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 60
“Shenmue III is like a ship lost in time, which looks archaic not only against the background of modern game mechanics and the far-stepped Yakuza series, but also the first two games of the series. Creation Yu Suzuki viscous, slow, with a huge number of restrictions and the halo of nostalgia, which will be understandable only to fans. For everyone else, this is an average story about martial arts and love, which you can try on cold winter evenings after drinking and setting off fireworks, even if after that you will have only one finger. For Shenmue III, this will be more than enough.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Previous Shenmue games were bringing innovations, but Shenmue 3 relies on nostalgia. It's not better or worse than the first ones, it's basically the same but prettier. In a way, that's enough.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The game fulfills a vision of steadfast humanity within the framework of a martial arts revenge tale.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Shenmue III is a faithful recreation of a Shenmue game. However, it's not necessarily something I think anybody should play unless you're desperate to uncover the next chapter in the saga of Ryo Hazuki.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Fans of the previous games will love the third instalment, and those who disliked the previous two games will not find anything here to change their minds.”
read full review ↗ - 99
“Will you like Shenmue III? I can't say. This is likely the last new game I'll play before the year ends, and it's a sure win for my Game of the Year. Shenmue III spoke to me on a level few games have. I thought about giving it a 10/10, even began gearing myself up to argue that with my editor. But Shenmue isn't perfect. It defies real perfection, because life is imperfect. Shenmue III is knobby and requires tremendous, repetitive effort before it gives up the special, unique warmth.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“So what does all this mean for Shenmue? Well, I think fans are going to enjoy this one, but I don’t think this is going to introduce a new generation of gamers to the series.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“An absolute time travel of a game that flawlessly teleports players to different eras. From the very start as a Kickstarter title, Shenmue III was conceived as a game for fans, and in that regard, it almost perfectly fulfills its purpose. Some things are impossible to measure with ratings, and the heart and soul of SEGA AM2’s legacy that radiates from this title in full dazzling brilliance is invaluable to those emotionally tied to it. This is not the new Star Wars trilogy, nor some twisted reboot forcefully adapted to modern trends, nor is it the humble and unsuccessful attempt to please the West by lost Japanese studios. This is a true example of how to make a game for loyal fans, even if they aren’t that numerous. While the future of the series remains uncertain, the mere fact that we got such a game in 2019 is enough reason to say #ShenmueSaved.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Shenmue III ironically becomes a breath of fresh air by remaining rigidly focused on what it used to be.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Shenmue 3 is a tough recommendation for general audiences.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Shenmue III had to noticeably cut some corners, but is a true sequel with some new tricks up its sleeve. Newcomers will likely not really get what the fuss is about, but this is a very enjoyable game that I think will be appreciated more as time goes by.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Shenmue III is a game lost in time, but that's probably the greatest compliment you can pay this long-awaited sequel. Newcomers will be utterly bemused by its slice of life-style idiosyncrasies, but for franchise fans this is the faithful follow-up that they've been waiting almost two decades for.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Jump Dash Roll
RPGamer
Paste Magazine
Gamer Escape
EmuGlx.org
VGChartz
Cubed3
PC Invasion
Push Square…and 88 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Shenmue 3 Patch NotesJan 12, 2021
- Hotfix Coming SoonDec 22, 2020