Are the any doper Suikoden fans? This role-playing game series started early in the Playstation days, and captured a small market with distinctive storylines (vastly less hackneyed and predictable than other Japanese RPG’s); there was a lot more player freedom. Moreover, while it wasn’t a true RPG, it did have over 108 characters, most of which were pretty fascinating customers.
The second one continued the story and added a lot more cool characters and options; I thought it was a bit more hackneyed and japan-ish. The third one finally moved to 3/d, though I thought it didn’t work quite as well as the first in terms of moving the plot along (the pace is downright torpid) they really did take the plot in new directions. You weren’t (neccessarily) some wide-eyed kid randomly saving the universe, and in any event said wide-eyed kid was actually a pretty deep character trying to grow up.
Well, number 4 is coming along, and promises to push the plot in a new direction entirely. In this RPG, the characters will be traveling about on a ship, moving from location and adventure around the seas.
I bought the first one for $25 used, and loved it. The music was nice, I liked the characters, and controlling armies was a blast.
I was stoked when Suikoden 3 was rereleased for $30 and promptly purchased it. Hated it. Despised it. Loathed it. the characters annoyed me, the battle system was a pain, the camera was horrid, the music (sans the opening song whcih was cool) was terrible,and I just didn’t see any redeeming qualities in it. Soooo, I looked around online and found someone to trade me for it. I gave up my Suikoden 3 copy, and got Ico in return, which I love.
As for Suikoden 4…I think I’ll pass. It looks like it was made by the same guys who made three. I’d like to play Suikoden 2, but that’s too pricey. Maybe if I find it for $15 at some pawn shop someday…
Weird, Suikoden III is hands-down my favorite game of the series (which makes me an oddity already, I know) but I’m also going to give Suikoden IV a pass specifically because the character designs look like they were done by the same person who did I and II. Blech - learn to draw, buddy.
Also, the fact that the game is going to be a prequel irritates me. I had to play two full games with fucking Victor and Flik, I deserve a sequel with more Joker, Ace, Queen, Jacques and Aila (and Percival and Leo and Hugo and Cecile and . . .well I could go on for a while :)).
Played the first and the second full through… recall liking the second more, though it’s been a while, and was very happy with both. Was actually planning on playing through the whole series over the next couple weeks of break - I bought the third one used with some of my christmas money (only reason I hadn’t gotten it earlier was I didn’t have a PS2 when it came out), and figured I could get some continuity (not to mention saved game files in line) for when the fourth comes out.
Hoping I’m among the people who like the third and don’t loathe it. Either way I imagine I’ll get the fourth as soon as I have the money and time to play it. Great series for anyone who likes the console style of RPGs in general.
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I had to play two full games with fucking Victor and Flik[/quo[te
They’re not in it, AFAIK. There’s only two or thre characters returning (pre-turning?).
I agree JoeSki with the battle system of 3. It was much too slow and unwieldy, though the concept wasn’t bad itself. Hopefully, those problems have been fixed. It was just tiresome afetr a wh8ile, and a lot of the enemies were painfully annoying rather than exciting, especially the 6th time you ran across one zone.
My big problem with 3 was that the mass battle system was pretty rough. I mean, it was cute, but you never got the really play with it until the game was nearly over. Same with the stronghold - it had alots of character but little use until late in the game. IMHO, you really need to get those started early, so the player can take the time to enjoy the ensemble.
And I like the 7th Harmonia Frontier Defense Force, too!
Actually, it does it all a bit differently. The ‘battle space’ is much smaller, and composed of numerous fields. You can attack adjacent fields, but your units are composed more or less only of named characters, though in many early battles you’ve got anonymous soldiers as well. It actually plays pretty well but it’s damnably hard at times. Some of the opposition is simply brutal.
Suikoden 2 is my favorite console RPG ever, and one of my favorite games ever. It’s just so damn fun. They took the basic Final Fantasy mechanic and then just said, “yeah that works okay, so leave it alone” and added a ton of stuff just to make it fun. You get to have a fort and a pirate ship and a castle! And you go meet 108 people and they go back to your fort and you can hang out with your buddies at the clubhouse! And you can unlock super combo moves with stuff like a dog whistle!
Best part of Suikoden 2 is Hai Yo, the disgraced chef character. He has an Iron Chef mini-game and if you take him out on adventures he fights with a hatchet and a ladle! Sure, there’s a story about an evil genius taking over the world and burning hometowns and friendship and loyalty, but hey – Iron Chef game! And dog whistles!
I liked the third one, too, but not as much as 2. The three (well, five, technically) separate viewpoints was a cool idea but I’ve seen it done better. It seemed like a rote, by-the-numbers version of the Suikoden formula. They did put in some of the goofy stuff I like, like having to find the 5 dogs in the world and getting to play as one of them, and there’s a fort and all.
Bought 4 last night, but haven’t opened it yet. I just had to buy it opening day.
I’m a fan too. I have the first 3, and I’m planning on getting 4.
I didn’t hate 3, it was good. I did, however, hate the “army” battle system in that one. It was just the regular battle system, except you have absolutely no control, so your characters do stupid things and lose unless you severely overpower your opponents. I really hope they don’t have a similar system in 4.
