The game was also released for Windows and Sega Saturn in 1998, but only in Japan. Suikoden is a role-playing video game published by Konami.

The Story Behind Suikoden

Developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo, it was released initially in 1995 for the PlayStation in Japan. A compilation of the first two Suikoden games, Suikoden I & II, was released for PlayStation Portable in Japan on February 23, 2006. The Hero (nameable by the player, though known as "Tir" in official material) is the son of a Great General of the Scarlet Moon Empire, Teo McDohl.

It was composed and arranged by Miki Higashino, Tappi Iwase (Tappy), Taniguchi Hirofumi, Mayuko Kageshita and Hiroshi Tamawari. After securing an abandoned castle as its headquarters (nameable by the player), the army starts off as a small force working to unite rebel factions throughout Scarlet Moon, and eventually becomes a force large and powerful enough to bring down the Empire itself and evil lurking from inside it. In his short time there, the hero is only convinced of the need to struggle against the Empire when the hideout is attacked and sacked by Imperial forces, who kill Odessa after she tries to protect an innocent child.

How Suikoden Plays

Combat triggers through random encounters and is turn-based. They also benefit from being able to attack either the enemy's front row or back row in combat. Runes are the source of all magic in the world of Suikoden.

It has been compared to Beyond the Beyond and, more rarely, Final Fantasy VII. Information gathering and character recruiting is also a commonplace occurrence within towns. Wilderness areas such as the world map or dungeons generally feature random encounters with monsters that do not increase in difficulty as the player's party advances in level, and the amount of experience characters gain is based on their level (a low-level character will receive more experience than a high level character, even in the same battle).

Why Players Still Load It Up

A reviewer for Next Generation called it "one of the most addictive RPGs to come along." He particularly praised the look of the combat engine, the strategic elements of the war battles, and the lack of a resurrection mechanic. At the time of its release, Suikoden received mostly positive reviews. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly were enthusiastic about the lengthy storyline, massive lineup of playable characters, different combat systems, and soundtrack.

Its direct sequel was Suikoden II, which first released in 1998. Art Angel of GamePro deemed it "a superlative RPG experience. He credited it as an inspiration on his work, particularly the Deus Ex series as well as Epic Mickey.

Suikoden — Frequently Asked Questions