According to Suzuki, there are 481 NPCs in Shenmue III, and each one is of course unique. There are more than 140 shops, and these too each have their own original items on display. It's an almost-excessive amount, and fans wanting to relish to their heart's content the plentiful investigation and interactions - one of the real pleasures of the series - will probably be satisfied with this alone. However, what makes me most happy is that this Shenmue-esque - uniquely FREE, as it were - density has seemingly legitimately evolved.
The part-time forklift job has similarly evolved, and it's no longer simply transporting crates. Items that are delivered by boat to the Niaowu port are of various shapes and sizes, and if you carry these to the warehouse the next day the town will show a change in appearance. For example, if you carry an arcade cabinet then the following day it will be up and running at the arcade; or at the Save Shenmue hall that commemorates Shenmue's history and backers, the number of exhibits will grow.
Sidequests, with no direct link to the main story, will also be even more fully-fledged. If you meet a certain person under specific conditions, you can start a quest using a different button from the usual "Speak to" one. The way that quests are not put into a list and marked with an icon on a map like open-world games, but rather occur naturally through conversations with people, is typically Shenmue. Through the 20+ optional sidequests, characters' backstories will surely be revealed to a greater extent than the previous games.
As you walk through the town, you may notice hidden capsule toy machines and fishing spots that will make you wonder, "There's something over there, but how do I get to it?". Suzuki says that finding the way to get to them will itself be half the fun. It can be seen that, rather than scale, the town-building has had the most focus placed on a detailed and thoughtful design.
Once you have explored everything from the narrow alleyways to the goods on the shelves of a book shop, players will surely understand the true meaning of the train metaphor. This is what gives Shenmue's towns a unique sense of reality that sets it apart from other open worlds.
