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Its been a long time

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

It has been many years since I played this game. I remember waiting in line at Sears to buy this new for 10 bucks back in 02. I must have played it about 30 times. Seriously. Anyway, what I remember about this game is its wonderful music, its unique and memorable characters, and it epic story about a civil war. Both Suikoden 1 and 2 have vast, epic stories. The graphics are outdated now, even back in 96 they were outdated. When playing the fifth one, it is hard to justify going back to the original. If I were to spend hours playing a game, I would rather play the fifth. I think that this game should be remade with a more modern feel. They could do it for Wild Arms, why not Suikoden? Its ten times better than Wild Arms.... The original was just too short and many characters were not explored enough. Likewise, the world (with its towns) is really small. I thought Sol-Falena was small, but Gregminster is just a small collection of mud huts. This is one game definitely worth of a remake! Since they have a tough time making good Suikoden games (3,4 and Tactics just plain sucked) maybe they should go back and remake the first two. Lets face it, they wasted years and money on the above 3 games and gave nothing but negatives to the series by doing so.

Enjoying the game still....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: July 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Great game! Great condition! As with the rest of the Suikoden games, I'm not disappointed. It came faster than anticipated as well. Trust this seller. They'll do right by you!

Good game!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: June 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The story and the characters are both very good, there are some things in this game that can be quite annoying (you have to befriend a murderer to complete 108 Stars - WTF??), but overall this game is enjoyable.

the first of the best!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: March 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

first off, the time it came out, this was by far the best RPG ever. The main character (unofficially "Tir" Mcdhol) ends up on the side of a rebellion that leads him against his own father and the emporer. This game was refreshing as there was no "save the world" to it just a good war story. No more no less. My only gripe with this game would be that it doesn't have the improvements to it that later games in the series had, multiple rune slots, jeane's breasts, jeane and viki as playables, jeane wearing too many clothes, etc. The main character in this game however is by far the best main character of the seriese to date. I bought this game when it came out and am surprised to see what it is going for now. Some of the prices are easily above $100. WELL WORTH THE PRICE! Actually, it is a bargain at that price.

I'm not really sure what happened...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: January 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

...but apparently, only one person has ever written a review for this game. It deserves better.

"Suikoden" was the game that started the franchise, with 5 releases over two systems. Is the first the best? Not by a long shot - "Suikoden II" holds that honor easily, and "Suikoden V" gives this one a run for its money. But it is ridiculously fun, even though the experience is rather short.

The game starts in the city of Gregminster, where the young son of a famous general begins service for the emperor of his homeland, Barbossa. Originally accompanied only by his loyal friends, Cleo, Pahn, Gremio and Ted (who has his own secret), he becomes a central figure in a huge civil war.

Although well-known by now, the idea of recruiting the 108 stars of Destiny was very novel at the time. Overall, the game is incredibly easy, but no one can deny that it was fun at later stages to watch a level 1 character go up 40 levels after one single battle (the outcome of which was decided from he beginning, due to the awesome power of the rune possessed by our hero). One of the more interesting points of this game is the creation of a world that has been enriched numerous times through sequels, and the idea of the 27 True Runes, a few of which are introduced in each new game. It is an excellent intro if you've played the later games, and it has aged surprisingly well (I still play it every now and again). The quest is very linear, however, and there are no sidequests to speak of (although the castle/town building is still enjoyable).

All in all, I would say that if you can find it at a decent price, then pick it up. This one still floats around used game stores ever so often (as opposed to its direct sequel, "Suikoden II", which is impossible to find). I wouldn't pay $150 for it, however...

Possilbly the first RPG with unlimited replayability!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: December 15, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Suikoden is a game that's easy to underrate. The game can be completed in less than 20 hours. The graphics and FMV's are good, but not groundbreaking. The story is noble, but not extremely original. Most of it's 108 characters are pretty forgettable. And it's `large battle' scenarios are little more than a thinly disguised rock-paper-scissors game. Yet despite all that, Suikoden is an RPG that really needs to be played to be appreciated.
First of all, there are a total of 108 characters that you recruit. You can choose a party of 6 from all those who've you recruited. These characters and their fighting abilities are the backbone of the Suikoden game. Some of the characters seem pretty useless in battle, with weak attacks and defense. However, some characters' abilities can combine with others to create a more powerful attack. Finding the 108 characters is part of the fun...it's NOT easy! Another fun aspect is trying to figure out who can combine with whom, and how powerful their combined attack is - something that you may feel compelled to do each time you recruit someone new. And, oh yes, don't forget that you're in a war and must defeat the enemy...the whole point of the game!!!!
Additionally, some quests have hidden benefits if you have certain party members with you. For instance, if you travel to an Elfan village, it's a good idea to have the elf in your party because you may be able to get more items or information than humans alone would. In this vein, you have to think who be really beneficial at any given part of the game. While it may seem like a waste to keep a character that throws a frying pan as their weapon, he could be of particular use at some point. So it's not always best to keep only your strongest characters in your party.
Normal battles are pretty standard turn-based battles. There is an added bit of strategy here in how you set up your party for battle. Characters with long-range weapons can be placed anywhere, but characters with close range weapons (swords, daggers, etc.) must be placed in the front. Keeping track of how to place 108 characters like this sounds like quite a task, but it's really not so daunting once you figure out who's who.
"War" battles are the one facet of the game that I'm not fond of. You choose one of three tactics to fight: Archers, melee, or magic. The computer chooses one, too. Then the battle ensues with a rock-paper-scissors type of resolution. (Melee beats archers, archers beat magic, magic beats melee). These battles add little to the storyline, are not exciting to watch, and ruin the tempo of the game. Luckily, they happen fairly infrequently.
Even less frequent is the one-on-one battle. These are basically tests of strength (both attack and defense strength) of a character. If he can survive against his opponent, he is worthy to carry on. Otherwise, he must go back and train (fight more monsters with the group until he levels up). These battles are like checkpoints, and sometimes will advance the storyline when your foe is defeated. They are not as much of a distraction as the war battles, but it is merciful that they are infrequent.
The ending that I saw was pretty decent and worth the 20 hours of play. Supposedly, a more elaborate ending awaits if you find and recruit all 108 characters (I had only 80+ characters). Just knowing that would make me want to play through the game again more diligently (We had borrowed the game last time, so I kind of rushed through the second half). I think that the whole game took me 16-18 hours, so it was pretty short. Because of the sheer number of characters and combinations, this game could be replayed several times and not get old.
Because of the high demand and low supply of this game, it is usually pretty expensive (IF you can find a copy of it). It is definitely NOT worth the high prices that it is selling for at the time of this writing (ranging from $80 to over $200). But if you're lucky enough to find one for a more reasonable price, you won't be disappointed.

Best game ever

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: February 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is hands down my favorite game ever made... Sure it's kinda old by now and therefore not as fancy technology-wise, but the story is enough to keep me involved, and the fact that there are 108 distinct characters to recruit, PLUS all the NPCs that you don't recruit. Lots of personality. I can't even tell you how many times I've played through this... the second one is pretty good, too, but the first is definitely the best. A must-have for any true RPG fan.

Awsome game for any RPG fan.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: January 12, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I rented this game along time ago with a few friends, but usually when I look at the title image I can tell what kind of game it would be, but after starting it, it was awsome and started me into being a hugh Suikoden fan. The 2-D graphics may be a turn down for most players out there, but the story line is awsome and there are alot of interesting characters to recruit. I highly recommend this game if you've played 2 or 3, or just need a good game to play.

Another classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: April 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The Konami we all know is back. Remember all the good quality games we used to get from this company? Well, Konami is trying to get back into shape, and Suikoden, the year's best RPG, is a step in the right direction. The story is simple. You are the son of the General Teo, one of the emperor's most powerful generals. Immediately, your father leaves to fight a battle up north leaving a few of his trusted friends to watch over of you. Soon after, you come to realize that you and your father been serving on the wrong side. The Emperor and his generals' minds have been brainwashed. The result is unhappy subjects and an enslaved country. Knowing this you join the Liberation Army and when their heroic leader is assassinated by the baddies, you are chosen as leader. Your job now is to recruit thousands of men to join the Liberation Army and restore peace to the country.
Suikoden is full of beautiful backgrounds (especially your castle which you can name), not to mention outstanding effects for magic spells. The music is incredible, rivaling the soundtrack of Square's Final Fantasy 3! Some of the sound effects used in spells are reminiscent of those taken off old He-Man episodes, which oddly enough sounds terrific. All this plus intricate plot twists and an inspiring storyline constantly push this game forward. Suikoden is undeniably one of the best RPGs ever made. Not only that, but Suikoden isn't a game that can be finished in a few days either. Suikoden is long (about 25+ hours) and it doesn't get boring... ever.

A GOOD RPG

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 8
Date: April 18, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This was a very good game the graphics are okey but the story line is great.You can get 108 people.the game is moastly about runes(magic).over all this games is great.SO IF YOU HAVENT PLAYED THIS GAME YOU MUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)

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