Choose Shenmue I & II
Choose Shenmue I & II if you want a RPG experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 89.5% positive across 1,266 reviews.
Shenmue I & II vs Shenmue III
Shenmue I & II and Shenmue III both land in Action, Adventure on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Adventure on Steam. Shenmue I & II (2018) is 2 years older than Shenmue III (2020). Shenmue I & II scores higher on Steam reviews (89.5% positive) than Shenmue III (74.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Shenmue III
Choose Shenmue III if it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. Shenmue III launched in 2020.
Both Shenmue I & II and Shenmue III sit in Action and Adventure on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Shenmue I & II |  Shenmue III | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2020 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, RPG | Action, Adventure |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Unsupported | Deck Verified |
| Price | 5.99 USD | 29.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 89.5% positive (1,266 reviews) | 74.4% positive (454 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | D3T | YS NET |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Adventure on Steam.
- Shenmue I & II (2018) is 2 years older than Shenmue III (2020).
- Shenmue I & II scores higher on Steam reviews (89.5% positive) than Shenmue III (74.4% positive).
- Shenmue I & II is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Shenmue III (5.99 USD vs. 29.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Shenmue I & II is Deck Unsupported, Shenmue III is Deck Verified.
Shenmue I & II vs Shenmue III — FAQ
- Which is better, Shenmue I & II or Shenmue III?
- On Steam reviews Shenmue I & II scores higher (89.5% positive) than Shenmue III (74.4% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Shenmue I & II is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Shenmue I & II or Shenmue III first?
- If you want chronology, Shenmue I & II (2018) came out before Shenmue III (2020). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Shenmue I & II and Shenmue III similar?
- They overlap on Action, Adventure on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.