My first experience with Suikoden, and I must admit, it was fun! A solid, if unamazing, RPG that is worth the time.
HIGH POINTS: The story is interesting, and I like the characters and relationships the game presents. I also like the 108 Stars of Destiny, and I especially like the experience system, which allows new characters to quickly catch up with the main hero. No boring level-grinding for new characters here! Also, some of the dialog and characters are humorous, and help to make the overall experience more fun. I like the one on one duels as well. They are very cinematic in nature and they make the epic boss battles seem much more intense!
LOWPOINTS: The music is pretty standard and unappealing. The difficulty is a bit on the easy side as well. Also, the graphics are passable at best, with the exception of the rippled water effect that occurs before battles (thats pretty impressive! Also, the random encounter rate is a touch high, especially since the world map is such a huge place to traverse. It might take you half an hour to get from one end to the next, and by then, you probably don't want to get into another pointless battle with some uninteresting, run-of-the-mill sea creatures. In addition, the whole "silent hero" thing is REALLY stale. I mean, I now that its supposed to make you feel like 'your the hero' or whatever, but seriously, I thought we got over this back on the SNES. I want the protaganist to have more of a role in the story than just being the placemat for the Rune of Punishment. But I digress...
THE SCOOP: This game has its shortcomings, that for sure, but thats not to suggest that it is not a fun game. THis game is alot of fun! You jsut have to give it a chance to work its magic, thats all. The combat can be engaging, and the story will have you hooked in the first 5 hours. Best of all, if you aren't all about the bonus missions and fleshing out the story, you can stick with the critical quest and finish the game in about 20-25 hours. However, if you want to figure the 'whole thing' out, the game will probably last closer to 40. You get out what you want from it, making it a great RPG for casuals or hardcores alike. Like I said, this game has its shorcomings, but if you are looking for a new adventure for the time being, you could do alot worse than Suikoden IV.