Games of the past are being brought to light once more and there are a lot of exciting game titles that are just too great to pass on. In this article, let's take a look at Konami's classic: Suikoden I & II. Here are 5 reasons why you should buy the Suikoden I & II Remaster
The first two games of the Suikoden series are a personal favorite of mine and are what got me into the rabbit hole that is gaming. It was the very first game that I played on the PlayStation back in the day and it is what influenced most games that I played from then on.
In case you missed the announcement, here's the trailer that was announced back in September:
Together with the announcement, one of the iconic battles that transpired in Suikoden II in the Remaster was also shared. Check out the improved gameplay, graphics, and sounds of the game in the video below:
Gameplay and Storyline
One of the reasons why Suikoden I & II were such a big hit back in its release in 1995 and 1998 respectively is because of its amazing storyline. What basically made me play the game back then was the premise of collecting and gathering the 108 Stars of Destiny. Suikoden as a JRPG set this challenge to its players to recruit all characters, whether playable or non-playable, that will affect the outcome of your game's progression. It is quite notable, especially on Suikoden II, that as you recruit different Stars of Destiny, your castle will have more rooms, space, and activities like bathing, cooking, and interacting with your comrades.
Graphics Improved
Back in the original version, the graphics were already enough to let the players feel what the specific scene of the storyline wanted us to feel. From all the heartaches that Tir McDohl and Riou had to endure, the excitement of actually beating the system and overturning those that are abusive of power, and the heartwarming feeling of being able to make a difference in the fantasy world was truly something else.
As mentioned in the Remaster announcement, we're to expect pixel sprites and environment art enhanced with new screen effects including lighting, clouds, and shadow animations Flickering flames, smoldering smoke, and the movement of leaves and insects, all add up to a lively in-game atmosphere. The effects and direction have been redesigned, bringing memorable scenes back to life in more beautiful ways.
New Character Drawings
The characters in both Suikoden I & II are mostly expressed in sprites. Although this may be the case, there are cut scenes where animations in 3D and drawings of the beloved Tenkai Stars are highlighted. These scenes breathed more life into the game and it is something that people, like myself, actually look forward to. With the remastered version of the game, we're to expect that all character portraits have been updated in HD. Junko Kawano, the designer of the characters for the original version of Suikoden released in 1995, has newly re-drawn all the character portraits for Suikoden I HD Remaster: Gate Rune War. We can expect nothing less but greatness from the creator itself with the latest technology around.
Sounds Improved
Suikoden I & II's scoring is a masterpiece. The orchestra and ensemble that made the soundtracks in both games hit every emotion that was necessary to immerse the players in the drama, the politics, the hardships, and the anguish the characters are feeling. In the Suikoden I & II Remaster version, we are expecting a better experience as we are promised better field sound and battle sound. It was expressed during the announcement that a large number of environmental sounds not found in the original version, such as the sound of running water in the river, wind, insects, and running footsteps, have been added giving a much more immersive experience like never before to the players. In the Remaster of both games, all sound effects are now in HD. In addition to the impact of the 3D effects, the realistic sound greatly enhances the dynamism of the battles.
Game System Improvements
Suikoden I & II are both turn-based JRPGs, similar to how Final Fantasy fashioned its games, it gave you lots of different combinations that you can work with depending on who you put in your party. One factor that got me hooked was the signature Unite Attack that playable characters had when they had synergy – They're relatives, good friends, and comrade-in-arms, they have this attack that deals more damage or bequeaths a buff towards the whole party. Using this to your advantage would definitely be a thing to help you progress in the game. In the Remaster, we're expecting a lot of new features to be added such as a dialogue log, auto-battle, double-speed battles, and others. This would definitely be a big help to those that need to track back on what happened or speed up those tedious monster battles as you explore the world map, dungeons, caves, and castles.
With all these updates on the Suikoden I & II Remaster, we are more than excited to see a classic game go toe-to-toe against current game titles. I hope that these 5 reasons why you should buy the Suikoden I & II Remaster are more than enough to get you hyped for this classic. Suikoden I & II is slated to be released by 2023 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Steam, and Nintendo Switch. We have yet to confirm, based on the official Konami website, if these games will also be available for PlayStation 5 and the Xbox X|S. Great things are on their way for 2023 and the first two Suikoden games are definitely a part of it. More updates coming your way soon so make sure to stay tuned!
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