Suikoden IV: First Impressions

[slip81]

Well I got home today with RE4 and Suikoden IV, immediately shelved RE and fired up Suikoden.

After about 2 hours of playing I was quite satisfied. I wasn't really prepared what to think because of all the lackluster reviews, but to my surprise it ain't bad, but not great either. The graphics are pretty good, especially the backgrounds, though the character models could use some work. The music is nice as is the battle system. I'm not sure was was dropped/added from III, but you can now equip runs to your weapons, upgrade them, and buy materias to make items with. There are also friendship combo attacks.

As far as the story goes that's a little more vague. After two hours of play I haven't really done anything more than simple fetch quests between towns, so it seems that the story hasn't kicked in yet. But as for background goes, you play a newly graduated knight and are adventuring with five of your classmates.

The ship battles are interesting, taking place on a grid, they have a strategy fell to them and before battle you also get to pick with characters will be the crew for the fight.

So far I'm glad I bought it, but I hope the story picks up soon. The only two things that are kind of annoying is the ammount of random battles, and the fact that the game constantly stops to load between buildings or sections of a town (it kinda feels like RE 1 on the PSX).

[maxlords]

I hear the story doesn't pick up until 2/3 through the game :( I stil lcan't wait tho :D

[Sylentwulf]

I'm sure I'll love it. I thought 3 was a GREAT game and that got average/below average scores <shrug>

[shvnsth]

suik 3 got awesome reviews (9.4 ign, 9.1 gamestop, 9.5 game informer)

my sister is a fucking huge suikoden fan, i haven't played any. but i def know that with such shitty reviews for 4 their is no way im paying more than $20 for it unless it becomes rare

[SoulBlazer]

So this DID come out today? Never got a call from EB about my pre-order on the machine.

I'll stop in tommorow night after work and fetch it, though I can't play till Friday.

[Promophile]

Ugg I hate Sui 3. I've liked each suikoden sequal less and less. I hope Suikoden 4 breaks the chain.

[Drexel923]

I'm interested, but I haven't even played Suikoden 3 yet. I loved 1 and 2 though. I'll probably pick up Star Ocean before either of them, but I'll definitely be getting this eventually.

[hezeuschrist]

I picked this up with the Artbook today at EB at 2:00pm... I got a call at 11:30 am saying they just came in, I went in to go get it and they had already sold out of the guides entirely. 6 guides gone in 2 and a half hours... not happy about that :/

[slip81]

I picked this up with the Artbook today at EB at 2:00pm... I got a call at 11:30 am saying they just came in, I went in to go get it and they had already sold out of the guides entirely. 6 guides gone in 2 and a half hours... not happy about that :/

Is the art book cool? I was supposed to get it but Gamestop didn't get them in today. I'm gonna call back tomorrow and see if they got them, if not I'll check again on Friday when I go to get the guide (if they have it).

[maxlords]

I picked this up with the Artbook today at EB at 2:00pm... I got a call at 11:30 am saying they just came in, I went in to go get it and they had already sold out of the guides entirely. 6 guides gone in 2 and a half hours... not happy about that :/

Yow. That sucks. I preordered the guide online along with the game. Figured that would be the best way to guarantee I got everything.

[hezeuschrist]

I'm sure I'll be able to get it somewhere else, but it's just a pain in the ass.

[Crush Crawfish]

I picked it up yesterday. I didn't get to play much, but from what I have played I'm really enjoying it. I've completely loved every game in this series, and this one's looking to be no exception.

I didn't get an art book either, though...and my funcoland said they would be getting the guides this weekend. I don't usually buy guides but for suikoden I'll make an exception.

[SoulBlazer]

Well, I said this in another thread, but I got a call on the game today also, and when I got to EB after work, they had ONE guide left. I was lucky. ;)

The artbook is nice, a good pre-order bonus.

I only had a chance to sit down with the game for a hour, but I like it so far. I wonder if winning the opening sea battle and one on one duel affects anything (I lost both) but I'm allready stuck trying to find the kidnapped girl on the back alley. Ran up and down it a few times and can't find anyone. :/

Seems like a good game so far.

[Promophile]

Picked this up today, and my friend at gamestop gave me 2 artbooks and about 10 RE4 soundtracks, as well as a bunch of old preorder stuff. Having friends at Gamestop is great.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Picked this up today, and my friend at gamestop gave me 2 artbooks and about 10 RE4 soundtracks, as well as a bunch of old preorder stuff. Having friends at Gamestop is great.

Can I have one of your soundtracks? ;)

[SoulBlazer]

Well, a couple days later.....

So far, I'm really enjoying the game. It's better then 3 was, and I'd say even better then 1, although nothing will top the golden perfection of 2 (which still ranks as one of my favorite RPG's of all time).

Even though you can only have 4 members in your party, the battle system was redesgined and works really nice now. Graphics and music are good, you can 'speed rush' through areas to cut down on time, and instead of land battles you have ship battles instead.

Yes, the game story DOES take a bit to get going. You play the role of a young man just finishing his training as a Knight of one of the Island Nations, south of the contient where the first three games took place. After the 'final' (which is kind of a tutorial battle) you are assigned to do a couple of short missions, and then to escort a merchant.

Once the merchent gets attacked, though, events in the plot start happening fast and furiously, though, and the story really starts to take off.

I don't want to give away any spoilers where I am, but I just finished the 'collect wood' quest......

[slip81]

I don't want to give away any spoilers where I am, but I just finished the 'collect wood' quest......

I collected coconuts :)

I'm about 11 hours into it now and totally loving it.

[le geek]

Splurged and picked it up yesterday.

Indeed, It does take a while to get going, but once it picks up it's pretty exciting. And the ship sailing and Ship to Ship battles are great. So far I'd say if you're are a Suikoden fan it's worth picking up right now. It's only $40...

Cheers,
Ben

[SoulBlazer]

That's something I forgot to say, thanks.....it IS only $40, a nice move on Konami's part to try to avoid the problems they had with 3.

There's a lot of the 'old' Suikoden feel in this one. Once again, the game has one of the 27 True Runes as the focal point, this one being the Rune of Punishment, which can inflect great damage but saps the user of life every time it's used. (this is in the manual and back of box, so no secrets given away here) Once agian, you end up with the rune by accident, and after a while you get to make your base and recruit the 108 Stars of Destiny.

There's remixed music from past Suikoden games, some of the same battle options such as Release and Bribe, you can still equip runes on to your body and weapon, forge them, buy special items at the stores, and the mini game in this one (gambling) is a table top sinning toy game. You also still have friendship combos for special attacks, and a new one in this one is the Rush command, where everyone gives up their turn to one party member who then does a really strong attack. One on one duels are still present as well with the same 'anticapite what they are doing' function, but you can also do one 'full strength' move each battle for extra damage. Difficulty is just about right -- I lost one boss battle the first time and almost lost a second.

I just started the ruins on the island of Obel.

I do have a problem with the events that happen after you find the rune, but I really can't talk about it as that would be a major spoiler. :)

Does anyone know if winning the ship battle and the one-on-one duel at the start of the game impact anything.

Great game so far, defentily enjoyable.

[SoulBlazer]

I just got the game a few days ago, and I'm looking for a hint on what to do next without giving away anything major in the game.

(SPOILERS: Highlight to read)

Its early in the game still -- I'm on the Kingdom of Obel (or is it Odel?) and have just finished going to the ruins where the Rune of Punishment was kept at one time, and recruting the two people I met inside there to the party.

I have use of the ship now, but what do I do to get the game to advance? I found one small island around me, but nothing there, and the ship sailing is SO slow and tedious (the worst part of a otherwise fun game) that I don't just want to sail around forever.

Thanks in advance.