Suikoden - the Playstation one classic RPG game

Pal Version (UK & Europe)
From Amazon.co.uk

Advantages: Great story, plot, characters, and innovative gameplay.
Disadvantages: 2D graphics, text-based

A unique strategy RPG, Suikoden revolves around a young hero who is a lieutenant in the king's army. After he stumbles across proof of corruption in the empire, he needs to find and bring together the 108 stars (a group of mortal and immortal heroes scattered across the land) and assemble an army to defeat the current ruler and the evil witch controlling him.

Suikoden is a classic RPG, and like many early RPGs the gameplay is through a worldmap, town areas, and a battle system. The game is purely 2D, but is well-drawn although by modern standards it appears basic. It is purely text-based, and there are no voices, although the background sound is not intrusive and contributes well to the game.

Movement during normal gameplay is controlled by the D-pad as the game unfortunately does not support the analogue stick. One shortcoming is the lack of a "run" function, as you move everywhere at the same rate. You can find chests and hidden items by exploring as in most RPGs, but you also need to talk to everyone to find all the members of the destined 108 stars. As you recruit additional characters your base, initially a ruined castle, expands and develops and part of the game's attraction is watching its progress and gaining new facilities.

The standard combat system allows you to have up to six characters in your party for each fight. The system is turn-based, with "unite" attacks which allow certain characters to combine their moves for more damage. A range of weapons and runes (magic) are available, so the characters' abilities are fairly flexible. For large battles the system is very basic. You select which unit, commanded by various members of the 108 stars, you will attack with and then it shows you the outcome. Depending on the commanders and troop types (and whether you successfully guess the opponent's move) the results and options available will change. The occasional one-on-one duel is handled by, effectively, rock-scissors-stone, although your opponent's speech before moving gives clues about their choice.

The world map is large, but excellently designed, and gives an epic feel to the game. It is one of the few games to allow players to play power politics at the highest level, but by talking to people in the towns you can see how your actions, and other people's, are affecting ordinary lives. As you develop your base, and slowly expand your influence across the world, you can see the impact you are having, and this creates a feeling of real progress as the game goes on.

Despite the game's massive scope, the characters are all well-defined and the plot threads are resolved with few loose thread hanging. The game's tone is dark and its adult themes make it unsuitable for younger players. Suikoden offers about 70 hours of gameplay, possibly more depending on how many secrets and side quests you complete, and there are multiple endings, which enhance the game's replay value.

Behind the lack of voices and dated graphics is a gripping RPG with strategy, plot and character. Overall this is an excellent game for fans of RPGs and strategy games. Unfortunately it is also extremely rare, and one of the few games on the Playstation where second hand copies can go for upwards of £50. Despite the price however, this is an excellent game which deserves a place in most gamers' libraries.

Summary: An outstanding text-based classic-style RPG worth any gamer's time, but unfortunately hard to find.

There are no authorised Guides available, but the unauthorised secrets and solutions can help. This is a game that needs to be played twice at least to get everything out of it - once without a guide and once with!

Of course, the cheaper way to get an unauthorised guide is to visit GameFAQS.com