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[scurker]

Eh, while I love 1-3, ever since the creator left I have zero interest in the series. 4 was basically outsourced and that shows in its horridness, and 5, while having some glowing qualities, is really just a shell of what makes the first two great. The third, while I love it, has some things that pull it down, which happens when the main guy leaves half way through the project. The only way I'd be excited again is if Murayama comes back. Other than that, they can put the series to rest.

All things considering, I thought they did a good job with the series (III & V) given Murayama's departure. I actually liked how III was unlike the former with three (four including Luc) separate story lines, it was a good twist on the norm. And of course V was a nice return to the series roots.

The most painful loss for me however was Miki Higashino. I wish she would return.

 

[Hours Left]

The only way I'd be excited again is if Murayama comes back.

Hopefully, you'll get your wish.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386087

 

[mikeybwright]

Couldn't remember the title of the song, but whenever I think about suikoden i hear this in my head....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHqEz2XVMJQ&feature=related

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Well duh, Suikoden 2 is just about the best game ever.

Spoiler

I was always happy my McDohl from the first game's name began with an "M" so he was in fact McDohl in 2 and not ScDohl or CcDohl.

 

[Magnus]

I'm getting impatient on this S1 playthrough, and just want to get to 2, which has been sitting here forever, and is probably the crown jewel of my unplayed list of games.

Is there a convenient and quick/recommended way to recap all of S1 to myself? This'll be my fourth time replaying it, though it's been 3 years since. :lol

 

[Edgeward]

In terms of plot to understand II, there really isn't any you need to know. Most of the things that would enhance playing two is knowing the characters and their background/story.

In terms of plot the only thing you need to know is that the Scarlett Empire is overthrown by the hero, who then leaves instead of ruling.

It's mostly the relationships you would want to know and have a history with by playing Suiko 1: Viktor/Neclord/Star Dragon Sword, Flik/Odessa, the Silverbergs, Jeanne, Viki. And all of those of introduced/explained well enough that you would understand them in II.

 

[mauaus]

Every time I see this topic I expect to see some awesome anouncement

 

[Xelinis]

I'm getting impatient on this S1 playthrough, and just want to get to 2, which has been sitting here forever, and is probably the crown jewel of my unplayed list of games.

Is there a convenient and quick/recommended way to recap all of S1 to myself? This'll be my fourth time replaying it, though it's been 3 years since. :lol

But Suikoden I is so short! Second time around, I beat the game with all 108 Stars in 15 hours. Plus,

Spoiler

Barbossa's demise (or so we believe)

at the end of the game is very emotional and well done, it would be such a shame to skip over that.

In addition to that, the bonuses available if you transfer your file over make it well worth it.

 

[Magnus]

The thing is, I've played through S1 three times already in the past, haha. But yeah, I remembered that a) it was short, and b) I want the save file at Gregminster so I can carry it over for the various bonuses. And don't worry, my main character's name begins with one capital "M", so I'm good. And yeah, I'll finish it again.

New question:

I've read up and learned that S2 data can get passed on to two (and so can the data from 1, via 2, for one tiny bonus in 3), but I can't seem to find any info on whether S4 or S5 can read data from previous games for any bonuses.

Anyone know?

 

[hypostatic]

I liked Tierkreis, and actually had quite a bit of fun playing through it, despite its flaws. Why does everyone hate it so much? (I should add that I haven't played any of the other Suikoden games.)

 

[thcsquad]

I liked Tierkreis, and actually had quite a bit of fun playing through it, despite its flaws. Why does everyone hate it so much? (I should add that I haven't played any of the other Suikoden games.)

Its a decent game on its own. Its main problem is that its a pretty generic JRPG, whereas the best Suikoden games are so very much more. Much of the hate, though, comes from the fact that they threw out the rich backstory of the series. Part of what made the series setting so interesting was the continuity over various games.

Do yourself a favor and play one of the Suikoden games. If at all possible, try and find a copy of Suikoden II, but if that fails I (PS1, also on PSN), III (PS2), or V (PS2) will do.

 

[Edgeward]

I've read up and learned that S2 data can get passed on to two (and so can the data from 1, via 2, for one tiny bonus in 3), but I can't seem to find any info on whether S4 or S5 can read data from previous games for any bonuses.

Anyone know?

IV and V don't. IV's save can be used in Tactics though.

I liked Tierkreis, and actually had quite a bit of fun playing through it, despite its flaws. Why does everyone hate it so much? (I should add that I haven't played any of the other Suikoden games.)

Then it's hard to explain and have it understood. Because the main problem I had was that it wasn't the classic Suikoden formula. Characters aren't as interesting with even less of a backstory, buying weapons instead of a blacksmith, sotry not as politically charged as previous games. 4 characters in battle for a game that boast 108 isn't enough to experiment different groups and unite attacks become harder to have with just 4 guys. And it having nothing to do with the main line story/lore/world after investing 5 games into it was disappointing to say the least. Especially since there are many unanswered questions still.

 

[Hours Left]

Edit: Well, others have already replied, but I'll throw my two cents in too.

I liked Tierkreis, and actually had quite a bit of fun playing through it, despite its flaws. Why does everyone hate it so much? (I should add that I haven't played any of the other Suikoden games.)

It's a nice light RPG by itself, but it's a Suikoden game in name only. It features very few of the hallmarks that make a Suikoden game feel like a Suikoden game, as it was extremely light in many game play elements that are standards in the series.

But most importantly, Tierkreis takes place in a completely unrelated world while every other game in the series takes place in the same world with overlapping characters and plot lines. The Suikoden mythos is very deep and Tierkreis ignored all that because the creators felt it was too much for newcomers (which is false), but they slapped on the Suikoden name and used some very general framework (108 stars, a HQ and unites) and hoped that would be enough for hardcore fans. (They were wrong.)

The team even stated that they hoped Tierkreis would help more people discover Suikoden, but that doesn't really make any sense considering that would entail someone brand new to the series jumping from a stand alone game into a very deep world. It would be confusing to new fans, to say the least.

There are tons of RPG series that have entries that are unrelated to each other, having an overarching world is one of the major things that makes Suikoden unique. That's why lots of people were disappointed.

 

[Magnus]

Do you guys have recommendations for which installments to bother with at this point, and in what order?

I finally have I-V back in my possession ("finally", as if one week and under $50 was too long a time and too much money :lol), and I guess Tactics and Tierkries (sp?) are still readily available.

What draws me in about the games more than anything else is the castle/base-building component, and the notion of having to go out into the world to recruit 108 Stars. I find it bizarrely addicting and intriguing, especially in politically-charged storylines like the ones this series allegedly delivers (only played 1 and the first few hours of 2 years ago).

Given that, should I just go in order, I to V? Or skip over IV as some have recommended? Or skip III too? Side games (Tier/Tactics) worth bothering with?

I really can't wait to get into II. It's definitely in the top 5 on the list of games most frequently hyped to me by friends/gaffers that I haven't really played yet.

 

[Edgeward]

You can skip IV. III you should play because it's polarizing and hard to say who will love it or hate it, but it's usually either or (I despise it). II and V are my top two faves. V has atrocious loading times though, but you weirdly get used to it. And f you really, really love the world of Suikoden then either don't even consider Tierkreis as Suikoden lest you want to be let down or just skip it.

Oh and go in order numerically.

 

[thcsquad]

Do you guys have recommendations for which installments to bother with at this point, and in what order?

I finally have I-V back in my possession ("finally", as if one week and under $50 was too long a time and too much money :lol), and I guess Tactics and Tierkries (sp?) are still readily available.

What draws me in about the games more than anything else is the castle/base-building component, and the notion of having to go out into the world to recruit 108 Stars. I find it bizarrely addicting and intriguing, especially in politically-charged storylines like the ones this series allegedly delivers (only played 1 and the first few hours of 2 years ago).

Given that, should I just go in order, I to V? Or skip over IV as some have recommended? Or skip III too? Side games (Tier/Tactics) worth bothering with?

I really can't wait to get into II. It's definitely in the top 5 on the list of games most frequently hyped to me by friends/gaffers that I haven't really played yet.

Probably just go in order. IV is okay, and you might like it. And even if you don't, it'll just make you appreciate V more.

I might play Tactics right after IV, since that's when it would make the most sense.

 

[Magnus]

I'm definitely not on a crusade to play them all, just the ones that are worth the time. I'm wondering if the base-building/recruitment is intact and fun in IV, Tactics and Tier. I will bizarrely look past a great deal of flawed design in the games if that shit's around. I played Breath of Fire II and III to death because I loved the town building and recruitment shit in both games, as minimal and inconsequential as it was. You can imagine my joy at discovering Suikoden, where it was so much more fleshed out. :lol

I hear they're done pretty well in III and V, and that II is still king in the series at pretty much everything.

Thanks for your advice everyone.

 

[Hours Left]

Do you guys have recommendations for which installments to bother with at this point, and in what order?

If you have them all, you should definitely play them in order IMO. The story is best experienced that way.

As for IV, if you are truly interested in the story I'd say play it. I personally don't think it's as horrible as many make it out to be, it's just very mediocre. IV's HQ is a ship, so it's a bit different, but there is a lot of stuff to do.

Tactics is also worth it if you want the full story experience, as it retroactively makes IV more interesting by expanding a some unanswered questions, plus it's a fun SRPG. They work much better in tandem than as stand alone games. Though Tactics has no HQ building elements.

Tierkreis's HQ building elements are very light, (lighter than even the first Suikoden) as there are very few things to do other than talk to people. (There are no mini-games, bath house or detective, just some basic shops and two media viewers.) The political elements are also pretty non-existent besides one early section of the game. It's a unrelated "save the world" game.

 

[Yasae]

You can skip IV. III you should play because it's polarizing and hard to say who will love it or hate it, but it's usually either or (I despise it). II and V are my top two faves. V has atrocious loading times though, but you weirdly get used to it. And f you really, really love the world of Suikoden then either don't even consider Tierkreis as Suikoden lest you want to be let down or just skip it.

Oh and go in order numerically.

I also despise III. And I went through pretty much all of it, save for getting all 108 stars. It has one of the best openings in gaming history. That's about it.

I liked it so little that I didn't bother with IV (seemed like the right move) or V (seemed like the wrong move, possibly.) I have a feeling I should go back and play II - didn't get very far in it, originally. Should I? Any specific reasons why?

 

[Hours Left]

I also despise III. And I went through pretty much all of it, save for getting all 108 stars. It has one of the best openings in gaming history. That's about it.

I liked it so little that I didn't bother with IV (seemed like the right move) or V (seemed like the wrong move, possibly.) I have a feeling I should go back and play II - didn't get very far in it, originally. Should I? Any specific reasons why?

II is generally considered the best of the series, and is an truly excellent RPG.

I guess the main question would be, what about Suikoden III did you like? And what did you not like? III is the most different out of all the mainline games, so there may be some elements that bothered you that are exclusive to that game.

 

[Wellscha]

3 is great. The way they showed the different sides was really well done. Must play.

And it has a kickass anime opening with awesome music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_80uOp_PN0U&feature=youtube_gdata

Seeing it after so many years, How come Thomas isn't featured in the opening?

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

S4 was a disappointment, but Tierkreis was blasphemy. I shall never think of that as a Suikoden ever.

Although, it is a testament to how strong the lore is that it survived till S5 relatively intact with only the most minor retcons and the jumping thru the timeline. It is REALLY hard to pen several RPGs with the same plot over several titles.

SII was the best overall, but SI had one of the best OSTs ever crafted. Hagashino needs back on board for any S6 doings; she was on fuckin' FIRE during this:

Forgotten Days

Gathering of the Warriors

Inside the Silence

An Old Irish Song

Black Forest (Prokofiev, motherbitches!!!)

Rising Tide

Peaceful People

Mysterious Forest

Distant Mountain

Game size was small, so she filled the CD with full, rich tones and powerful melodies. Good idea.

Edit: Oh what the hell, some S2 music love: Gothic FUCKING Neclord

 

[RelentlessRolento]

Never played Suikoden till the PSN release... now I wish I played SII... If they released all of em on PSN I'd play em. And this is coming from someone who stopped playing RPGs for alot of reasons.

 

[Yasae]

II is generally considered the best of the series, and is an truly excellent RPG.

I guess the main question would be, what about Suikoden III did you like? And what did you not like? III is the most different out of all the mainline games, so there may be some elements that bothered you that are exclusive to that game.

Tiresome story. Ugly, bland setting. It was like JRPG Generica 3.0.

Compared to something like Xenosaga Ep.1, FFX, etc.... Didn't even come close to cutting it. Think about the settings in those games compared to Suikoden III. Night and goddamn day.

 

[Hours Left]

Tiresome story. Ugly, bland setting. It was like JRPG Generica 3.0.

Suikoden III is the only game to feature the trinity sight system, so if you found that aspect of the game repetitive, it's absent in the other games.

As for the story itself, it's the least politically driven of the main series. While it focuses mainly on the magical aspects towards the end and has a definite "save the world" vibe, the other games in the series are more heavily steeped in political intrigue while using the runes and such to enhance the story.

The graphical style of III is pretty unique too, while IV is someone similar (close-up views with a more subdued color palette), the rest of the series is much different. The locations and landscapes are much more vibrant and have a classic RPG feel. You spend a lot of time in various cities & towns, and that's where the settings really shine, though the dungeons aren't quite as eventful. Plus it doesn't require the constant trekking through fields that is commonplace in III. (Though IV does have a large amount of manual ocean travel which can get tiresome.)

Some other things to note, the battle system in III (my least favorite part of the game) is drastically different than the other entries. The other games feature a much more streamlined system, with quick and frantic battles.

The music too is quite different stylistically than the rest of the series. III's soundtrack has many sparse and almost ethereal sounding pieces, while the other games (I, II & V especially) feature a much more diverse and engaging score.

So in short, III is really quite different than the rest of the main series. While I personally think it's a great game, it's not the best place to get an idea of how the series as a whole works as it contains many elements that are exclusive to that entry.

 

[Cornbread78]

After playing through V and having it be one of the last games I ever played for PS2 (Thank you PS3) and being one of the best in the series sicne the story was engaging from start to finish, I've been dying for a SVI, please please, please Konami get it going!

 

[Tarazet]

I have to say from what I've played Tierkreis wasn't that bad. It was just mindnumbingly easy. I literally did nothing but spam the attack option. It gotold fast. If they could have fixed that it seemed to me a decent Suikoden game. Then again, quitting because of boredom 5 hours in doesn't bode well for any game.

I finished it, and it never gets any harder or even changes at all. It's one of the most crushing disappointments I've ever experienced.

 

[wrowa]

I liked Tierkreis, and actually had quite a bit of fun playing through it, despite its flaws. Why does everyone hate it so much? (I should add that I haven't played any of the other Suikoden games.)

Because it's an RPG with a standart story with standart characters (and a really annoying main char) and with standart RPG gameplay. It wasn't bad, but there was nothing particulary good about the game apart of some nice graphics. If it wouldn't be for the Suikoden name, everyone would have forgotten the game already.

 

[Edgeward]

Hey, the One King gets a huge difficulty jump from the rest of the game, not to say it was very hard but it was certainyl stirking compared to the rest of the game.

Tiresome story. Ugly, bland setting. It was like JRPG Generica 3.0.

Compared to something like Xenosaga Ep.1, FFX, etc.... Didn't even come close to cutting it. Think about the settings in those games compared to Suikoden III. Night and goddamn day.

That difference in setting is a reason why to play SII. Even though the world is the same JRPG castles and town settings, it is loving painted in 2D goodness, way better over SI's rough look. But the setting and world, is different from what is commonly known in JRPGs. Royalty, politicians, master strategists play huge roles in the story. And it's not a saving the world either, SI, II and V all deal with the mission of overthrowing or reclaiming a kingdom by not having a small group of ragatg heroes slaughter countless enemies to victory but gathering support and convincing not just recruitable characters but, as the story progresses, also the towns under the opposing forces rule.

It's kinda like how Dragon Quest towns have each their own little story and troubles, whether it be a town torn by racism, struggling to keep it's nuetrality, or under a hostile takeover of the enemy forces. And the characters you meet here are just given more thought than you think considering how there are 108 of them, with many having really interesting backgrounds and past that give you enough to be fully interested in them and yet not enough that you will wonder and theorized by the end what happened or happens with them.

 

[∀ Narayan]

Is the consensus that one should, really, only play Suikoden I, II, III, and V?

 

[archnemesis]

Is the consensus that one should, really, only play Suikoden I, II, III, and V?

Yes, they're in a different league than the lesser games (GAF can't reach consensus on anything).

 

[∀ Narayan]

What exactly is so bad about Suikoden IV?

When the Hell is Suikoden II coming to the PSN?

 

[B-Rad Lascelle]

I always meant to purchase a copy of Suikoden V if I ever saw it for sale at a decent price.
And then I never did...

 

[eXistor]

What exactly is so bad about Suikoden IV?

Even though I finished it, I almost can't remember anything about it. I remember the world feeling very empty and dead, completely lifeless. You had to navigate the overwolrd on ship which was tedious as all hell. It just felt like a very underdeveloped game. I can't even remember any of the cast.

 

[Magnus]

In Canada, they're at ridiculous prices used at EB/GS. S5 is $14.99, S4 is $9.99 and S3 is $4.99.

 

[DimmuBurgerKing]

IV was just bland and the characters were all horribly generic aside from pirate-lady-whose-name-I-forgot and big-boobed-ninja-girl. V made up for this in SPADES and became my favorite game in the series.

IMO:
V
II
III
I
IV

Haven't played Tierkreis. The fact that it takes place in an entirely different world is a major turnoff.

 

[ScrabbleDude]

I played my first Suikoden game with Tierkreis and loved it. As much as other people won't agree with this, I'd like a Tierkreis 2.

 

[Cornbread78]

IV was just bland and the characters were all horribly generic aside from pirate-lady-whose-name-I-forgot and big-boobed-ninja-girl. V made up for this in SPADES and became my favorite game in the series.
IMO:
V
II
III
I
IV
Haven't played Tierkreis. The fact that it takes place in an entirely different world is a major turnoff.

Hmm, III, IV, and V all had Jeanne, enough said. Talk about graphically "stunning" her character model was great!

 

[Hobbun]

I have never played V and am thinking about starting it up soon.

How well does it play through a 60 gig PS3? For those who have played their game through it, have you had any issues?

I know there are games that have no "official" compatibility issues with the PS3, but there have been times I've found out otherwise.

 

[Kintaro]

The world needs a Konami that doesn't have its head up their ass.

 

[archnemesis]

I have never played V and am thinking about starting it up soon.

How well does it play through a 60 gig PS3? For those who have played their game through it, have you had any issues?

I know there are games that have no "official" compatibility issues with the PS3, but there have been times I've found out otherwise.

I had no issues when I played the PAL version on my 60GB launch PS3.

 

[Hours Left]

Is the consensus that one should, really, only play Suikoden I, II, III, and V?

It really depends. If you are just in it for the gameplay, then IV would probably seem quite boring. It's a very simplified version of the standard system (just slightly above Tierkreis) and contains some tedious elements, (sailing) and an underdeveloped main plot, though there are a lot of side things to do.

If you are playing the Suikoden series for the story, then IV is worth a play through at least once. (Tactics too.) They may be the furthest apart timeline wise from the other entries, but they still add to the overall mythology of the series. (Fans of the first Suikoden especially will find some interesting connecting threads.)

The main draw of the series IMO is the world and it's characters, so if you want to really immerse yourself, then IV & Tactics have their place.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Hey, the One King gets a huge difficulty jump from the rest of the game, not to say it was very hard but it was certainyl stirking compared to the rest of the game.



That difference in setting is a reason why to play SII. Even though the world is the same JRPG castles and town settings, it is loving painted in 2D goodness, way better over SI's rough look. But the setting and world, is different from what is commonly known in JRPGs. Royalty, politicians, master strategists play huge roles in the story. And it's not a saving the world either, SI, II and V all deal with the mission of overthrowing or reclaiming a kingdom by not having a small group of ragatg heroes slaughter countless enemies to victory but gathering support and convincing not just recruitable characters but, as the story progresses, also the towns under the opposing forces rule.

It's kinda like how Dragon Quest towns have each their own little story and troubles, whether it be a town torn by racism, struggling to keep it's nuetrality, or under a hostile takeover of the enemy forces. And the characters you meet here are just given more thought than you think considering how there are 108 of them, with many having really interesting backgrounds and past that give you enough to be fully interested in them and yet not enough that you will wonder and theorized by the end what happened or happens with them.

One of the brilliant, brilliant things the Suikoden crew(s) did was give these folks those backgrounds, even to the point of starting a whole flashpoint into whole kingdoms (Clive and the Howling Voice Guild and Harmonia from there), entire games (Georg "The Fucking Man" Prime's past being the inspiration for V), and whatever the hell Jeanne, Pesmerga, Yuber, and Viki are (that scene where you recruit her in III was wierd as hell). They stumbled upon good stuff and ran with it, so it never has this cheap feel of tacked on extraneous stuff.

 

[jakncoke]

I played and loved the first one but never tried the others

 

[Yasae]

That difference in setting is a reason why to play SII. Even though the world is the same JRPG castles and town settings, it is loving painted in 2D goodness, way better over SI's rough look. But the setting and world, is different from what is commonly known in JRPGs. Royalty, politicians, master strategists play huge roles in the story. And it's not a saving the world either, SI, II and V all deal with the mission of overthrowing or reclaiming a kingdom by not having a small group of ragatg heroes slaughter countless enemies to victory but gathering support and convincing not just recruitable characters but, as the story progresses, also the towns under the opposing forces rule.

It's kinda like how Dragon Quest towns have each their own little story and troubles, whether it be a town torn by racism, struggling to keep it's nuetrality, or under a hostile takeover of the enemy forces. And the characters you meet here are just given more thought than you think considering how there are 108 of them, with many having really interesting backgrounds and past that give you enough to be fully interested in them and yet not enough that you will wonder and theorized by the end what happened or happens with them.

Mostly sold, but one last question: how long does it take to get going?

 

[Snaku]

Seriously, when will Konami release SII on PSN? This is absolutely ridiculous. It's like free f'n money.

 

[decoyplatypus]

how long does it take to get going?

From a story standpoint, Suikoden 2 hits the ground running. I've never heard anyone complain about a long introduction or anything like that. To be sure, after the dramatic opening there's a healthy hour or two where you're allowed to familiarize yourself with the world and game systems at a leisurely pace. Most players (especially those who have completed Suikoden I) enjoy this section. Even before you get your HQ and start recruiting in earnest, there's quite a lot to do in Suikoden II. The story moves you around quickly. But if you want to know when you'll hold the keys to the castle, I'd say somewhere around the ten hour mark. I'd have to check some old saves to be sure, but I doubt it would take longer than that - and I usually spend a lot of time farming double-beat runes and exploring the early-game towns. You could easily make it to the castle a few hours faster.

 

[Edgeward]

Mostly sold, but one last question: how long does it take to get going?

Well, for the plot to get to a point where things start to happen, I would venture to say at 2-3 depending on how much lallygagging you do (tip: there isn't much point in trying to find extra stuff in the beginning). The beginning has you working as a errand boy for a bit, but after that I can't remember any real low points after the initial lull.

You don't get to officially recruit people and get a castle until 6 hours in (there 5-7 you can optionally recruit before this happens). I'm working off of memory here as I want the next playthrough to happen when Konami gets off its ass and puts it up on PSN.

Please.

 

[Xelinis]

I've always wanted to see the return of the Trinity Sight System, though in a slightly modified form.

An idea I think would be kind of cool is a "Sight Across Time System" utilizing Harmonia as a setting where you can play different perspectives in two different eras: Hikusaak (or even one of his followers) during the Hero's War and a new character (apprentice bishop perhaps) in the present.

 

[ULTROS!]

My major gripe about Suikoden IV was the world map. It will take 5-10 mins to arrive to your desired location and it's just... All sea.

Here's how I rank the games:

1. Suikoden II
2. Suikoden I
3. Suikoden V
4. Suikoden III
5. Suikoden IV
6. Suikoden Tierkreis