Suikoden Series

I  miss playing good videogames, I seriously do. One of my most favoritestestest videogame series of all time is Suikoden. It's one of those that I found the reason to stay home for up to five days or so...and I never do that since my feet itches after a day of staying indoors. It's one of those games that offer a beautiful storyline and characters that you will grow to care about by the end of the game. They mostly tackle political themes. I don't remember if I teared up for Suikoden II's ending, but I do remember being emotional somewhere along the game on Suikoden V. WAAAAH! I miss Suikoden...and it's been years since the last one came up. I wish there will be another one released someday, I'd surely play it.

I wanted to reminisce so much that I ended up scanning the net for forums and artworks that at the end of the day I wounded dreaming about the game. SUIKODEN VI when are you coming out!?!?! Calling all Konami people!!! I'm not the only one waiting ya know!!!! We need more of Suikoden love!


https://www.facebook.com/SuikodenRevival

Suikoden II is the only pixeled-game which graphic I love so much!

Unlike Final Fantasy wherein each release is no way related to each other, this one is. The events that occur and the character involved in Suikoden II are somewhat connected to Suikoden III, and you get a glimpse of the characters getting a little older or get to recruit their child on the next release. It's a pretty thing to play really, especially when you have 108 characters to find and be allies with throughout the game. Each character is unique and you get to interact with them in a home base or castle that you are also able to customize-of-sort. Although the battle system has always been not a point of interest, the array of side quests, mini games, character build up, castle decorating, sub plots, and other bits is enough to keep you occupied from start to the end. 

I'm not a big fan of strategy games that I've given up on several good games like Disgea simply because it takes forever to end a battle, but the fact that the Suikoden series has managed to incorporate strategic battles for some of the major fights with me looking forward every one of them is just amazing! The fight doesn't come at you as a nuisance (except for Suikoden IV) instead it lets you play along according to your own pacing. The battles are so unnecessary that Konami even may an "AUTO" button wherein you just sit and wait as the AI does the fighting for you. I also remember levelling up all my major characters in Suikoden IV to level 99 in preparation for the final battle and ended up killing the final boss in three hits just like what happened to Sin Final Fantasy X. I usually beat the game around Level 60, which takes more than enough of my time to make it that high because their experience point system kinda screw you after a while. Some battles give you are low as 5 exp. and it takes 1000 exp. to the next level...so I refuse to fight 200 battles for to gain a level. The Rune which is always the center point of the story as possessing a True Rune with its tremendous power is the cause of war is an interesting thing to consider in their world, but using it in battle is just so-so at times. Still, the Runes is what sets the Suikoden series apart.

Anyway, some of the most memorable mini games I had is with this series. The cooking challenge for Suikoden II, the theater plays for Suikoden III, the rittapon for Suikoden IV, and the fishing for Suikoden V. There's even a lottery, dice games, card games, checkers, and a horse racing game that can help you earn extra cash or get interesting items. Another feature I so love are the confession booths, bath scenes, suggestion boxes, character investigations that will give you hints and clues about those 108 characters.

I wasn't able to find the CD for Suikoden I, so I never got to play the game. As for Suikoden Tetris, it took me approximately an hour into the game before dropping it as I wasn't sure how to play it. As for Suikogaiden...it never made it out Japan--BOOO!

Lots of interesting races, each with unique cultures to muse you with.

The world you play in is so vast that only a portion of it can featured for a particular game. One other aspect is the sheer number of species or races featured in the game, be it an enemy or an ally. Their races are so vast it's something to look forward to at every release. They range from vampires, to kobolds, to cat people, to duck people, to elves, to dwarfs, to wingers, to dragons, to giant insects and even cute fluffy squirrels!

Undoubtedly, Suikoden II was one of the best plot stories I've ever encountered...kinda similar with Final Fantasy Tactics' plot, except that this one has more drama and history in it. Suikoden III as much as I can recall, is the game that I was most fond of because of the characters I got to recruit. Suikoden IV was something I found annoying as the game lets you engage in a battle after five steps. Thank goodness for the "auto-fight" option. It was the game wherein it took forever to get from Point A to Point B because a battle would commence after five seconds or less. Suikoden V I loved because of both the characters and the story. Plus the graphics was also better in this one. Although if asked which my favorite of the four is, I say it's the pixel-perfect Suikoden II simply because it's a classic. 

Swords and cute boys are vital elements to keeping me hooked in a game.

I also love their portrayal of women in Suikoden, both pretty and fierce.