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Suikoden Review
User Submitted Suikoden Reviews
Date: 2008-09-11
A RPG Classic
Suikoden has always held a special place for me since the days of my youth. I still remember spending lazy afternoons adventuring through the land of The Scarlet Moon Empire. For one reason or another I never managed to secure my own copy but always thought back the great times I had playing the game. Realizing though that some things are better left to nostalgia I was weary of trying to relive those moments. Only recently, after 10 years apart did I finally cave in to my desires and purchase my own copy.
What I found was actually quite surprising. Time had actually been kind to Suikoden. Yes the graphics are primitive comparatively speaking with console graphics of modern day, however, the core of the game remains intact: an excellent storyline.
Not wanting to give too much away I'll keep the details on the story light. You play as the character Tir McDohl, son of one of the "Five Great Imperial Generals". Through a series of events Tir will find himself fighting against the Scarlet Moon Empire and his own father.
Along the way Tir will enlist the help of friends and enemies alike in a struggle against an Emperor who has lost his way. One of Suikoden's most unique features is that the player is given the ability to recruit up to 108 playable characters. While anyone versed in RPG mechanics might be daunted by the prospect of having to level such a large cast of characters, Suikoden actually makes the task easy and rewarding. Raising low-leveled characters to a status near the main party of characters literally takes minutes to accomplish.
Along the path to toppling the Empire the player will also be given the ability to centralize his "Liberation Army" at an abandoned castle. This introduces one of the more original ideas to Suikoden. As you recruit new characters and add them to your ranks your castle will be given various upgrades. Everything from new floors to murals, a spa and even an elevator. At the time of it's release Suikoden was one of a kind in offering such a level of customization on home consoles.
Combat mechanics consist of six party members battling up to six opponents at one time. Generally speaking combat in Suikoden is turn based although the game features other types of battles including one versus one duels and army versus army battles. None of these mechanics are ever a chore.
I recommend anyone who is a fan of the series to invest in game that launched sequels like Suikoden II and III. The original in many ways is superior to the sequels.
Date: 2007-06-16
Good game!
The story and the characters are both very good, there are some things in this game that can be quite annoying (you have to befriend a murderer to complete 108 Stars - WTF??), but overall this game is enjoyable.
Date: 2007-03-14
the first of the best!
first off, the time it came out, this was by far the best RPG ever. The main character (unofficially "Tir" Mcdhol) ends up on the side of a rebellion that leads him against his own father and the emporer. This game was refreshing as there was no "save the world" to it just a good war story. No more no less. My only gripe with this game would be that it doesn't have the improvements to it that later games in the series had, multiple rune slots, jeane's breasts, jeane and viki as playables, jeane wearing too many clothes, etc. The main character in this game however is by far the best main character of the seriese to date. I bought this game when it came out and am surprised to see what it is going for now. Some of the prices are easily above $100. WELL WORTH THE PRICE! Actually, it is a bargain at that price.
Date: 2007-01-13
I'm not really sure what happened...
...but apparently, only one person has ever written a review for this game. It deserves better.
"Suikoden" was the game that started the franchise, with 5 releases over two systems. Is the first the best? Not by a long shot - "Suikoden II" holds that honor easily, and "Suikoden V" gives this one a run for its money. But it is ridiculously fun, even though the experience is rather short.
The game starts in the city of Gregminster, where the young son of a famous general begins service for the emperor of his homeland, Barbossa. Originally accompanied only by his loyal friends, Cleo, Pahn, Gremio and Ted (who has his own secret), he becomes a central figure in a huge civil war.
Although well-known by now, the idea of recruiting the 108 stars of Destiny was very novel at the time. Overall, the game is incredibly easy, but no one can deny that it was fun at later stages to watch a level 1 character go up 40 levels after one single battle (the outcome of which was decided from he beginning, due to the awesome power of the rune possessed by our hero). One of the more interesting points of this game is the creation of a world that has been enriched numerous times through sequels, and the idea of the 27 True Runes, a few of which are introduced in each new game. It is an excellent intro if you've played the later games, and it has aged surprisingly well (I still play it every now and again). The quest is very linear, however, and there are no sidequests to speak of (although the castle/town building is still enjoyable).
All in all, I would say that if you can find it at a decent price, then pick it up. This one still floats around used game stores ever so often (as opposed to its direct sequel, "Suikoden II", which is impossible to find). I wouldn't pay $150 for it, however...
Date: 2006-12-15
Possilbly the first RPG with unlimited replayability!!!
Suikoden is a game that's easy to underrate. The game can be completed in less than 20 hours. The graphics and FMV's are good, but not groundbreaking. The story is noble, but not extremely original. Most of it's 108 characters are pretty forgettable. And it's `large battle' scenarios are little more than a thinly disguised rock-paper-scissors game. Yet despite all that, Suikoden is an RPG that really needs to be played to be appreciated.
First of all, there are a total of 108 characters that you recruit. You can choose a party of 6 from all those who've you recruited. These characters and their fighting abilities are the backbone of the Suikoden game. Some of the characters seem pretty useless in battle, with weak attacks and defense. However, some characters' abilities can combine with others to create a more powerful attack. Finding the 108 characters is part of the fun...it's NOT easy! Another fun aspect is trying to figure out who can combine with whom, and how powerful their combined attack is - something that you may feel compelled to do each time you recruit someone new. And, oh yes, don't forget that you're in a war and must defeat the enemy...the whole point of the game!!!!
Additionally, some quests have hidden benefits if you have certain party members with you. For instance, if you travel to an Elfan village, it's a good idea to have the elf in your party because you may be able to get more items or information than humans alone would. In this vein, you have to think who be really beneficial at any given part of the game. While it may seem like a waste to keep a character that throws a frying pan as their weapon, he could be of particular use at some point. So it's not always best to keep only your strongest characters in your party.
Normal battles are pretty standard turn-based battles. There is an added bit of strategy here in how you set up your party for battle. Characters with long-range weapons can be placed anywhere, but characters with close range weapons (swords, daggers, etc.) must be placed in the front. Keeping track of how to place 108 characters like this sounds like quite a task, but it's really not so daunting once you figure out who's who.
"War" battles are the one facet of the game that I'm not fond of. You choose one of three tactics to fight: Archers, melee, or magic. The computer chooses one, too. Then the battle ensues with a rock-paper-scissors type of resolution. (Melee beats archers, archers beat magic, magic beats melee). These battles add little to the storyline, are not exciting to watch, and ruin the tempo of the game. Luckily, they happen fairly infrequently.
Even less frequent is the one-on-one battle. These are basically tests of strength (both attack and defense strength) of a character. If he can survive against his opponent, he is worthy to carry on. Otherwise, he must go back and train (fight more monsters with the group until he levels up). These battles are like checkpoints, and sometimes will advance the storyline when your foe is defeated. They are not as much of a distraction as the war battles, but it is merciful that they are infrequent.
The ending that I saw was pretty decent and worth the 20 hours of play. Supposedly, a more elaborate ending awaits if you find and recruit all 108 characters (I had only 80+ characters). Just knowing that would make me want to play through the game again more diligently (We had borrowed the game last time, so I kind of rushed through the second half). I think that the whole game took me 16-18 hours, so it was pretty short. Because of the sheer number of characters and combinations, this game could be replayed several times and not get old.
Because of the high demand and low supply of this game, it is usually pretty expensive (IF you can find a copy of it). It is definitely NOT worth the high prices that it is selling for at the time of this writing (ranging from $80 to over $200). But if you're lucky enough to find one for a more reasonable price, you won't be disappointed.
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