Suikoden II

"The best of the suikoden series to date"

So far Konami has not outdone Suikoden 2, is is the best of the series to date. With four out as of right now, none of the others can compare to this masterpiece. With an excellent story, improved graphics, and great music, this game is the top of the line for the suikoden series. This game pulls out all the stops, and improves on the great traditions started by the first suikoden.

Riou is a member of the Highland unicorn brigade, along with his best friend Jowy. When his troupe is attacked by members of the state, he and Jowy find a way to escape. Along the way, Riou finds treachery, lies, and deceit everywhere he goes. When he finds himself wielding the the Bright Shield Rune that his grandfather Genkaku held, he realizes that a huge destiny awaits him. And a whole lot more than that. Luca Blight the evilest of villains, who thirsts for blood, and fire. An army hungry for revenge. And betrayals that run deep. Truly one of the greatest stories in an rpg ever.

Suikoden 2 also has the 108 stars of destiny. With even more jobs to fill, and mini games to play, this cast is a great one. The Cook offs make Hai Yo one of the best characters in the game. Cooking against other chefs in order to get a secret recipe, choosing the right ingredients and recipes to beat your rivals. This fun little mini game is probably the best in the game. Chichorin is probably the true suikoden gambling game though. Rolling three dice, if two match, the third is your score. A simple concept, but very addicting. Of course there are also your more practical characters, who fight in battle. And there are also characters who allow you to travel quicker, and those who allow you to purchase the newest equipment from their shops. All these things make the stars of destiny worth it. Not to mention the option of three different endings if you collect them all.

Similar to Suikoden, Suikoden 2 has three types of battles. They aren't too much different than the original, although they are somewhat improved. There are more types of runes than in the first one to start. But apart from that, there isn't much difference in the regular battles that Riou and his friends face. The duels too haven't changed much. Only the name of the Fierce attacks, which are now called Wild Attacks. Also unlike the previous game, Riou is the only one who ever does duel.

But where the significant change does exist, is in the major battles of the game. No longer do you just select units to attack. Instead, there is a map setup, where you must strategically move your characters along, to face off against the opposing army. Choose to attack with magic, and bows. Choose to face off individually. Your army will fight bravely to the end. Many will die, but in the end, it will be all worth it. As long as you can change the world for the better, in the end, they all did not die in vain.

The music also stays pretty much the same. Many of the same songs are heard in this game that were in the previous one. Even when you go back to gregminster, the song is the same, only remixed from it's original form. There are some new songs, which I personally think are better. They work better in this game than in the last.

A lot of the characters even stay the same as well. Many character return to be one of the 108 stars of destiny in this game. Characters that you saw in the last game return. And if you have the first one, you can even recruit temporarily Tir McDohl himself. With a save, you can recruit not only him, but improve the characters that return. With this unique thing to suikoden, it makes the first game even more worth owning.

But not everything stays the same. Obviously story alone isn't enough to make this game top of the line. While the story itself is magnificent, the graphics along with it are better than the first. The major battle graphics are funny at times, and they get their job done. But the true improvement is more realistic settings. The forests look better, it's easier to see paths, and overall the graphics are one of the greatest improvements from the original.

This game is also more difficult. While there is a glitch that allows you to level up pretty high early on in the game, the difficulty of the major battles more than makes up for it. Strategically moving your generals, so that they attack at the precise moment, so as that you don't get defeated can be a difficult thing to do. No longer can you beat the enemy solely by knowing their tactic. Now is when you have to step in , and lead your army to victory, or to defeat.

The second of the series is the best of the series. Until they make a better one, I will stand by that statement. I don't believe they will make a better one than this one. It's a great game. At eighty dollars for it's rarity, it's worth every penny.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/14/05