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I'm one of those people that latches onto a series and sneers when she sees a new installment to a timeless classic. When do people get the brilliant idea that they should take a beloved game with its sprite-based graphics and perfect gameplay and “update” it? Oh, I get mad. I get really mad. I had the horrific duty of playing through Suikoden III and Suikoden IV, and came out of it with the lip curl made famous by Elvis Presley. I wasn't happy, wasn't pleased, and wasn't even willing to take those titles with a grain of salt. I know it's cruel, but I'm very hard to please when sequels end up more disgusting than their predecessors. I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Visually, you step into Suikoden V with a shining beam of hope and when the title animation is over you're left with the menu screen you've always loved. I started, got some backstory, and was already falling in love. They stopped the idiocy of the trinity system, they brought back six-person battles and, despite the love and adoration some people had for the boat sailing, they dropped THAT too. I was already squealing in delight at the way the story was panning out. Royalty, intrigue and possible hints at political upheavel? That's what the story should've been about ages ago. Remember when the second game pulled you in from the beginning? You dealt with a large familiar group of people being torn apart and mass war breaking out while you attempted to reunite with your loved ones. The game had depth and a real, solid emotion behind all the graphics, sound, and fighting systems. That's what this one needed and it provided in all forms.
The Suikoden series has always been known for its artistic achievements, for it’s always had a fun style without leaving out the beauty of each individual character. You never find yourself staring at the same NPC, and you never find yourself uninterested in one of the 108 stars that you come across in your journey. The characters have bold personalities and it's difficult to find a favorite when you can literally play with dozens upon dozens of the people you come across. Your prince is in need of a council to help him go against his mother, the queen, and by picking out your best-played allies - maybe you can bring the kingdom some legitimacy.
It always comes to the topic of presentation, but that never had to be mentioned in reviews before. It goes without saying that Konami did a superb job at keeping the pace with both graphics and sound. The melodies are soft and keep you more focused on your tasks than sweeping you away into something else entirely, and the artistry is engaging without taking center stage. A good balance is always key, because without downplaying some of the other aspects, you can find people spending more time fan-listing your game as an art project and less of a gameplaying experience.
Thankfully, the good people at Konami brought back the six-player system as well as giving people a chance to play as non-human beings, like you could in the second installment. Buddy attacks are also included, which were always lacking in parts three and four, so it was quite nice to see someone bring it back to the where it came from. This isn't your average role-playing game though, and for those who have never had the chance to check it out -- this might not be the right game to start with. Grab a hold of the first two and get your feet wet with the positive attention to detail that Konami brought to its characters. The clarity will then give you a good foot in the door so you won't be completely shocked by the military real-time strategy aspects that get thrown into the usual RPG elements. With over a hundred characters to seek out to complete the story, it's known as one of the most in-depth series in for its time.
This fifth entry brought the series back to its roots and gave us Suikoden enthusiasts something to talk about. In this day and age of constantly reproducing games that will bear the name but not the actual meat of the maker, it's good that Konami listened to our cries and created true "V" material. If you're looking for a challenge and love a steep learning curve, pick this one up and delve into the chaotic world of Suikoden and the 108 stars of Destiny. As a true fan, I'd be eager to push anyone towards the series, so get your hands on the rare copies of the first two games of Suikoden and then completely disregard anything after two until you come to five. You'll be glad someone gave you such sound advice for such a sweet title.
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