Topic: Suikoden: Tierkreis is heading to DS.

[Mannypon]

Thanks lol, I do aim to please lol.  I'm also glad Nintendo got a Suikoden game on their system.  I'm still baffled by all the negative buzz and reactions to this game from the Suikoden fanbase, even when it was announced.  It seems they wanted this to be released on the PS2 or 3.  Yet Suikoden has never been about graphics so PS3 is out of the question.  The budget for Suikoden games has always seem to be the low, specially from 4-5. 

Alot of fans are upset over not including the runes in this game and removing the massive battles and duels.  Some have even refused to accept this game as a Suikoden game becuase of these omitions which is a shame.  To me, what has always made a Suikoden game is the 108 stars of destiny and the headquarters.  The runes to me were just another aspect to the story similar to Espers and crystals in FF and Remnants in the Last Remnant.  I don't take the removal of runes that seriously.  The removal of duels and massive battles I can understand given the move to the DS.  Taking part in a massive battle when your on the run and might have to stop playing at any given moment isn't the best move.  The only way to avoid this would be to allow saves during massive battles and this feature could be exploited in order to avoid the death of one of the 108 stars of destiny. 

I hope this game sells well and warrents a sequal in Konami's eyes.  I believe the Wii is the perfect home for the Suikoden series given that they haven't always had the biggest budgets and graphics weren't what the series was known for.  A move to the PS3 or 360 don't make sense, it'll cost too much money to produce such a niche/cult status game. 

On a side note, I forgot to mention that besides the main series, there was a Suikoden SRPG made for the PS2 that shed more light on Suikoden 4's story but I haven't played that game yet.  Its on my huge list of games yet to purchase.

[SirSniffy]

I'm still baffled by all the negative buzz and reactions to this game from the Suikoden fanbase, even when it was announced.

Well, at first, I was a little skeptical when I saw that there were not six fully playable characters in battle. I had always considered this to be a crucial component of the Suikoden games. However, last year I began to start seeing series as distinct parts of a whole. No two games in a series should be exactly the same. Also, series must change and evolve. As long as there are the 108 stars, and it is called Suikoden, iit counts as a full Suikoden game to me. Just because it's missing a few elements of other games that I liked, that shouldn't disqualify it.

But I swear if Viki is not in it, I will cut Konami's soul!
J/K

[GoldenPhoenix]

I just heard the Retronauts episode on them and it sounds like a great series with powerful writing (well at least 1-3 and 5). Too bad the PS One games are so hard to find. Since they are so expensive now, would you guys recommend Suikoden 3 and 5?

[Stratos]

I'm intrigued now. Thanks for you guys' descriptions of the game.
One question though, do characters have a group level up system where exp is shared with the whole group (like Knight of the Old Republic) or will some characters fall behind in levels if you fail to include them in your active party often?
I don't recall anything about that in the impressions.

[SirSniffy]

I highly recommend Suikoden 3 and 5...they are pretty cheap right now. Yes, characters who don't fight WILL be behind in battles, but its not as bad as you think. Honestly, you won't even probably use many of the characters. People tend to get a party that they like, and stick with it.

Of course for variety, you could mix and match them later on.

[Mannypon]

As SirSniffy stated above, 3 and 5 are good.  3 has a trinity system going on where you go through 4 chapters I believe.  The first 3 chapters show you the story from 3 different point of views using different set of characters.  Chapter 4 I think is when everyone unites and the story picks up from there.  Its a nice approach but the headquarters in the game is lacking compared to the scope displayed in the rest of the series. 

Suikoden 5 was a return to the form of 1 and 2 (although not as good IMO).  I think I'm more attached to the originals moreso than 3 and beyond becuase they are a better overall product and moreso becuase they used sprites.  Thats a personal taste for me so if your not into old school graphics and spritework, then you might not see much of a dfference between the old and the new games besides some of the headquarter details.

One thing I think I forgot to mention was that the headquarters isn't just a hub for you to switch characters in or out, it was almost like its own village.  Events sometimes took place inside your headquarters if you were willing to find them (this happened in 1 and 2 I think moreso than in 3-5 but don't quote me on that).  You had your own blacksmith, item shop, weapon shop, bars and living quarters.  Just seeing your headquarters grow with each new recruit was so fun.  Suikoden 3's week headquarters though took away some of that enjoyment though.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Supposedly Suikoden 1 is on the US PS3 via download. That probably means there is a good chance for two as well!

[decoyman]

What's in a name? I had heard of Suikoden before, but never knew what it was. To hear it was a traditional RPG series was quite the shock.

I always thought it was like a shmup or something.

From a marketing standpoint, they may have done better to use at least a subtitle that made some sense.

[GoldenPhoenix]

What's in a name? I had heard of Suikoden before, but never knew what it was. To hear it was a traditional RPG series was quite the shock.

I always thought it was like a shmup or something.

From a marketing standpoint, they may have done better to use at least a subtitle that made some sense.

I was actually thinking about that. It is way to Japanese sounding. In fact when I heard it originally I thought it was some import series that people loved.

[Stratos]

What's in a name? I had heard of Suikoden before, but never knew what it was. To hear it was a traditional RPG series was quite the shock.

I always thought it was like a shmup or something.

From a marketing standpoint, they may have done better to use at least a subtitle that made some sense.

I was actually thinking about that. It is way to Japanese sounding. In fact when I heard it originally I thought it was some import series that people loved.

I thought it was an advanced form of Sudoku at first...

[SirSniffy]

Anybody get the game yet? I'm probably gonna pick it up later on today along with GTA:CTW. I can't believe it...a Suikoden on a Nintendo system.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Anybody get the game yet? I'm probably gonna pick it up later on today along with GTA:CTW. I can't believe it...a Suikoden on a Nintendo system.

Got it in the mail yesterday. Haven't played it yet though (I got Suikoden 5 too today)

[Mannypon]

I'm pissed, I preordered this game off Amazon and it ain't due to arrive till Tuesday the 24th.  All that just for the preorder bonus which I heard isn't worth it but being the fan that I am, I bit.  I could've gotten this day one at the store but now I have to wait.  Really looking foward to playing this though.  Glad to see some jumping into the Suikoden universe though lol.