PSLS Retrospective – Suikoden
Three years after Suikoden landed on the PlayStation, Konami released Suikoden II. The game follows years after the original game and centers around an invasion by the Kingdom of Highland of the City States of Jowston. You are again given an unnamed and silent protagonist who you can have fun naming. You character is the son of a former war hero who along with his best friend Jowy each gain half of the Rune of Beginning.
The game features 108 characters just as the first one did yet there are less playable characters. You can also pull your Suikoden saved file over to the game and it allows you to recruit the hero from the first game. The main antagonist in this game is Luca Blight, heir to the throne of Highland. Luca is bloodthirsty and a complete madman as he will stop at nothing to destroy Jowston.
The combat from the first game returns with your standard battles, duels and battles. Updates however from the first game include a grid and unit based tactical battle system, the addition of a three rune slot system that allows a player to equip multiple runes at one time. Also added is a party inventory system and a dash button for your character which is a breath of fresh air.
Like the first game, Suikoden II offers the player a lot of options for explortation, a lot of characters to recruit, mini games, three different battle systems and a lot of replayability. The game saw a very limited release and thus is a hot commodity on the internet with people at times paying $150 and up for a copy. Just like with the first game in this series, if you can find yourself a copy then you really should purchase this game, it is a gem.
Opinions Around the Web
IGN (90) – A true sequel in nearly every aspect, Suikoden II manages to achieve the rare feat of actually picking up where the former game left off, taking gamers for a familiar ride that proves to be deeper and much more detailed than the original.
GameSpot (76) – Fans of the first Suikoden game will love the sequel – it improves on everything that had made the first game memorable. Suikoden II brings nothing new to the genre, but it executes well enough that no one will really care.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.15 Responses to “PSLS Retrospective – Suikoden”
I have suidoken, suidoken Tactics, all the wild arms games except for like the portable ones…
Haven’t played any of them… Probably should have.
Suikoden II is my favorite. Then Suikoden V.
Will there be more Suikoden in the future? (Hoping for a Suikoden game for PS3)
@zxcorr,
no word yet on a Suikoden VI , or at least i have not heard anything
On page two, you have protagonist where you should have written antagonist. Luca’s certainly not the protagonist of Suikoden II.
@ zxcorr
I think Suikoden jumped over to the DS.
@megs,
Fixed, thanks a lot
No problem!
I own all the Suikoden’s released in the US and I must say that I have really enjoyed this series. I picked up the first one on a whim year’s ago and have continued to pick up each new one when they became available. When Suikoden is made again, if it’s not on the PS3 I’ll buy whatever system it’s on if I don’t own the system already. I love this series!
I love suikoden…Can you please feature my beloved Legend of Lagaia please??:D
@kirobz
Legend of Lagaia is a very good PS1 RPG as well!
Suikoden has to be one of the best RPG’s of all time, I love this game.
@ Cameron Teague
Yes, i read it… and again… nothing to say since its factual information.
@kirboz,
This feature is going to focus mainly on game series. I love Legend of Dragoon but it is sadly not a series. Think Final Fantasy, God of War, Fallout, Tales and such.
Great write up Cameron. Never played this series but now you have me thinkin about scooping it up. Hmm Tekken is a series too with a new release due out this wek right.
I love when series are presented to me and my eyes see the light. looks like i’ve got a new ebay goal…