Ys Net and ININ today announced the development of Shenmue III Enhanced, an updated version of the acclaimed third episode of Yu Suzuki's adventure, which will introduce numerous improvements to the original game and, above all, will finally arrive on Xbox as well.

The game will be revealed tomorrow at gamescom, but the first details have already been announced. This enhanced edition of the game will offer us overhauled graphics and improved performance, with sharper textures, richer environmental and character details, faster loading times and smoother overall gameplay, also thanks to support for upscaling technologies such as DLSS and FSR on compatible platforms. The village of Niaowu will also appear more alive than ever thanks to a greater density of characters that will populate the streets.

On the gameplay front, we will be able to enjoy a series of adjustments designed to make progression smoother, such as optional changes to the resistance system, health restoration before fights and reduced economic barriers. We can also choose to activate a "Classic Visual Mode", inspired by that of the first two Shenmue, as an alternative to the modern one. Options to skip cutscenes and conversations have also been added, the time window for QTEs has been expanded to make the game more accessible, and menus have been made clearer and more navigable.

The developers point out that all major changes can be turned on or off at will, so as to preserve the original experience for purists. We will thus be able to return to play the role of Ryo Hazuki in a world made more vibrant, responsive and accessible than ever.

We just have to wait for tomorrow's reveal to see the game in action!