Suikoden is back

[Chris]

suikoden 5 I will tell you is a bit tedious at the start. the first 10 hours are video and running back and forth. but the thing is that the story is just so damn good that you don't really notice. it starts slow but that slow start is building up to a climax that when it hits it literally draws a tear. one of the most powerful and well fleshed out stories I have ever played through.

[Blotus]

Way to go, Suikoheads -- a two-page thread!

I've been wanting to start my New Game +, but I haven't decided what I'm going for yet. Least possible recruits? Low-level game? My only big gripe was that the game was too easy... although I don't suppose starting with a shitload of potch and SP will change that! Either way, I went through last time without using (easily) half of the battle characters. I guess losers like Cornelio and all those beavers get a shot now. I also never tried to get any of the bath scenes, which I've heard are funny. Now that I think of it, this game had some pretty funny conversations (especially some of the things Mueller says about Richard). Damn... gonna play it now.

[Chris]

I racked up 100 hours because I literally talked to every single person between events. just to see what they said because while not all of them would change a random few would. Plus actually gave hints as too their orgins. lorelai for example was awesome to find out more about since she has been my favorite suikoden character since she first showed up. I don't know why she just always was.....

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

I'm playing this at the moment. Not up to Suikoden 2's (haven't played it in a couple of years, so this could just be the nostalgia talking) standards, but pretty solid.

Rockin' it like Black Lotus here, with CONS:
<ul><li>Horrible interface design. Seriously, game, DO NOT ASK ME TO CONFIRM EVERY FUCKING THING. A lot of stuff that should be easy (healing your party out of battle, say) is just tedious.</li><li>Load times. I haven't hit up any that are particularly long, but they're just so <i>frequent</i>.</li><li>Completely uninspired visual design. Konami put the really mediocre first-year graduates on this, you can tell. It's not a fair comparison, I realise, but FF12 puts this game to shame. It looks like a first-gen title.</li><li>Missable characters. What the fuck, there are so many of them! As a diagnosed completist this game makes me completely neurotic.</li><li>Did they really have to make the hero character so effeminate? This isn't a huge complaint, but my girlfriend mocks me every time she sees me playing. "ACTIVATE TRANNY POWER."</li><li>Mediocre war system. I wish they'd go back to the super simple roshambo style of the first game. I may be alone in this.</li></ul>Pros:
<ul><li>It's Suikoden: despite all of the cons and my constant internal criticising of the game, I keep playing it. The plot is great, the characters are strong, the battle system is simple but fun.</li></ul>This is going to be buried by Halo 3 and the onslaught of triple-A titles later in the year, no doubt, but I'm having a lot of fun with it right now.

...which was done far better in Suiko 3 (the best one).

Seriously? I've never played the third game but it didn't review that well. Why do you like it so much?

[SineSwiper]

I stopped playing Suikoden 2 because of a missable character or two. Plus, I no longer had my completed Suikoden 1 game, so I couldn't get the hidden Hero from the first game. When you're playing a game that is all about the amount of characters, that shit irks me.

[RentCavalier]

I'm a lover of Suiko V because it has the best characters since Suiko 2. Despite all the other flaws, they are really so easily forgiven when you first play this game because it hits you with a truly incredible story.

Replaying, it loses some flavor because you already know what's gonna happen, but it's still a wonderous game. Only game I was EVER inspired to really write fanfiction for--and that really didn't last long. XP

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

I've never played the third game but it didn't review that well.

Huh. Just checked Gamerankings and it actually reviewed pretty well. I'll have to check it out at some far-flung future point, heh.

[Blotus]

I've never played the third game but it didn't review that well.

Huh. Just checked Gamerankings and it actually reviewed pretty well. I'll have to check it out at some far-flung future point, heh.

It's the best one, dildo!

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

It's the best one, dildo!

I had no idea! I never got a chance to play it — I'm not sure it was ever actually released over here.

I'm downloading it now through the awesome POWER OF PIRACY. Bless.

[Julius Seeker]

Hey, I finally got my hands on Suikoden 1 and 2, it took me a year and a half to find those fucking games! In the end I got them both for 20 dollars, everything in near perfect condition, the cases are a little junky (scratches on the surface and such), but that's alright since they can be replaced. Well, I am starting the series soon, I just need to finish off my latest Chrono Trigger and Fire Emblem playthroughs. Hopefully I can fit these two games in before Galaxy is released, because otherwise I won't have much of a chance to play them until March or so.

[Chris]

I'm a lover of Suiko V because it has the best characters since Suiko 2. Despite all the other flaws, they are really so easily forgiven when you first play this game because it hits you with a truly incredible story.

Replaying, it loses some flavor because you already know what's gonna happen, but it's still a wonderous game. Only game I was EVER inspired to really write fanfiction for--and that really didn't last long. XP

aye. I don't know if I could play it again. This is the first RPG I've played when I didn't see plot twists coming. But the job they do with it......they forshadow they use every storytelling technique in the book to genuinely suprise you at almost every turn. Amazing story to that game therw is

[Oracle]

I played this back when it first came out, think I got everything possible in the game.

Hell, I even played Suikoden Tactics before V came out (once you get the hero from Suikoden IV, the game is easy-mode).

I LOVE Suikoden games. I never managed to beat #1 tho. I still have it, but I don't think my modded PS1 is up to the task of actually loading the game. Maybe I'll emulate on PC. All I know is I played Suikoden #1 for a very short amount of time because I got to the first town, played this gambling game with cups, and had an ungodly amount of money and got sick of it lol.

Suikoden 3 is by far the best of the series. It took me SO GOD DAMNED LONG to beat that game. That's why I loved it.

[Blotus]

Yes, the cup game from Suiko 1 can be easily rigged in your favor.

Seeker, where did you get Suiko 2 that cheap? A friend who's unaware of a little thing called eBay? Either way, give it to me.

[Zeus]

Seek, if you got Suik 2 for $20, you should go back and give that person a big, sloppin' kiss. Check out how much it goes for on Ebay....

[Julius Seeker]

Actually I got them both for a combined price of $20 at a yard sale in August, they also had Chrono Cross, Crash Bandocoot, Gran Turismo 2, and some other titles I didn't particularly find attractive.

I suppose I should really play these games next judging by the reaction here?

and...

Holy fuck! It's going for like $150 on Ebay! OK, I'd say I got a deal! The people who sold it to me was an older couple, in their 50's or 60's.

[RentCavalier]

Yeah, mine was twenty bucks two, at a WalMart I think.

[Zeus]

When I owned my store I got my sealed one for $41. I can't open it 'cause of how much a sealed one is worth. I'd literally lose over $100 by opening it.

[RentCavalier]

Why would you sell it? Ever? It's a great game--dated, of course, but great.

[Blotus]

I sold mine to a co-worker a couple of years ago for $140. I'd had a hard-on recently to play it again, but I just watched the ending on youtube and I'm pretty content for now.

S3 is the true champ of the series. I think I've been through that one four times now. I'd (kind of) like to go through S5 again, but somebody's got my copy.

[Zeus]

Why would you sell it? Ever? It's a great game--dated, of course, but great.

'Cause I can get SHITLOADS for it. And I can download the damned game if I really want to

I'm a collector though, I'll hold on to it. But if that rumours DS re-release of 1 and 2 ever comes, I might just sell it, we'll see

[Blotus]

That's PSP, Zeus. If they brought that over here, I'd get a PSP for sure.

[M'k'n'zy]

Same here on that. Of course I am gonna finally have to get one anyway as the new Kingdom Hearts game that they showed the trailer for at the end of KH2 is going to be a PSP game. Also they are redoing the original Star Ocean on PSP.

[RentCavalier]

Yeah, but, y'know, FUCK Kingdom Hearts.

God damn, did that second game suck ASS immensely. The combat was dull and boring and repetative, the story was intensely idiotic, and the game was made way too long.

[M'k'n'zy]

Yeah, but, y'know, FUCK Kingdom Hearts.

God damn, did that second game suck ASS immensely. The combat was dull and boring and repetative, the story was intensely idiotic, and the game was made way too long.

Our opinion was exactly opposite. I greatly enjoyed the game myself.