Suikoden 2

I am going to go on a limb and say that Suikoden 2 is one of the best RPGs on the original PlayStation. This is seen as a bit of a holy grail game for many as it had a rather limited print run when it was first released. Many wonder if the game is worth the money or the hype that is with this game. I am going to say right off the bat that if you have any kind of interest in JRPGs then this is a must-play game for you.

Boy Becomes Man

I really do not want to go too in-depth with talking about the story as for me this is the most important and amazing aspect of the game. The basics of the story are this, you play as a protagonist that you get to name (and who is silent).

You are part of a resistance that is standing up against an invading force that has entered the City States of Jowstone. You rise up and become a powerful warrior to save the people. This though is just the tip of the iceberg and the story is filled with magic, monsters, twists, turns, and self-discovery. The less you know about the story the better the game is!

Fight, Explore and More

Where to start with the gameplay? I think the battle system is where Suikoden 2 really shines. There are actually different kinds of battles that you will be forced into as you play. You have these regular battles which have you pit your team of six against various enemies. It is pretty standard stuff when it comes to RPGs and you will find it pretty familiar.

There are also duels which see your main character go one on one against another. This is a rock, paper scissors kind of thing and I do like what they have done here. Then we have massive battles that have a more tactical feel to them and are not my personal favorite if I am honest, but they do help keep the gameplay varied.

So Much To Do

I would say that the actual story if you just stuck to it is a little on the short side. However, Suikoden 2 does actually have a ton and I mean a ton of side content to keep you busy. You can find 108 stars of destiny (characters to live with you) take part in mini-games, check out shows, find secrets and more. There is always something for you to be doing in this game and that is what I really do love about it.

I think that Suikoden 2 is a game that holds up very well. It is easy to see why so many people love this game and if you are into RPGs in any way I cannot recommend this game highly enough. While I enjoy all the extra side content, the story being rather short (for an RPG) is something that I do not actually mind at all.

Final Score: 9/10

Pros:

• The story of the game is fantastic
• Tons of characters to find and many are great
• There is plenty of side content to enjoy
• The presentation holds up pretty well
• The short length of the story could be seen by some as a positive

Cons:

• Some of the translations are pretty bad
• The story may be too short for some

Fans of Konami's popular PlayStation RPG, Suikoden, will be happy to know the company is putting the finishing touches on its long-awaited sequel, Suikoden II. Similar to the original game, Suikoden II will feature a cast of 108 characters, as well as differing types of battles (like normal, army vs. army, etc.). The game is expected to hit store shelves in the U.S. this August.

Konami is once again on the RPG trail with Suikoden II. This time, you're thrust into the boots of a young warrior eager to return to his home after the end of a vicious war. Unfortun-ately, the night before you return to your village, your platoon is slaughtered in a brutal ambush arranged by the evil Alliance, which is attempting to halt the peace process. You and your friend, Joei, are ultimately framed for the attack as part of a cover-up, branded as traitors, then forced to engage in another life or death struggle that you both cannot survive.

Suikoden II hopes to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor as a powerful adult-themed RPG, featuring an engaging story line, extensive spell and attack animations, as well as tactical-map battles involving all of the saga's 108 characters. The preview version we conjured up contained tried-and-true RPG gameplay complete with old-school point-and-click battles and familiar-looking 2D animation. The in-game menus were easy to navigate, and the sound included soothing new-age overtures. Stay tuned to the pages of "Role-Players Realm" for more on this hot prospect.