New Shenmue 3 screenshots show more dead-eyed faces

Update time in the ongoing Shenmue 3 screenshots saga: Japanese developer Ys Net has released some more Shenmue 3 screenshots, and the faces are as dead-eyed as we've come to expect.

The images, below, show off the in-development sequel, and once again depict characters with faces seemingly peeled off of a set of mannequins.

Here we see a girl who looks like she's just seen the screenshot she appears in.

Here we see Shenmue star Ryo about to bash an unsuspecting woman over the head with a stick. Neither Ryo or the woman seem bothered by this.

Here we see Ryo with his hand stuffed up a masterly-looking elderly gentleman, both wearing faces as calm as the Sea of Tranquillity.

And finally, my personal favourite, a man who appears to have had quite a lot of work done. Perhaps this is the secret lore explanation for Shenmue 3's dead-eyed faces: everyone's had work done.

The last time we covered Shenmue 3 screenshots we - well, Martin - was upbeat. We saw Ryo with a smile on his face - confirmation that the faces in the game can indeed smile - and some lovely looking environments. But these latest shots rekindle memories of Shenmue 3's divisive Gamescom 2017 trailer, which set tongues wagging because of its archaic character faces.

Back in 2015, Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki told Eurogamer nostalgia is a central component to Shenmue 3, with one of the themes being "a feeling of nostalgia" for the Dreamcast cult classics. Well, it looks like the developers have certainly nailed that.

Shenmue 3 was announced with fanfare during Sony's E3 2015 press conference. Its Kickstarter campaign hit the required $2m target in hours, and eventually ended with more than $6m raised. The game is due out during the second half of 2018.