Let's talk about: Suikoden - an appreciation article

Back in 1995, Konami had released a very political yet interesting video game, not many were into it due to a few factors, but the brilliance of this game and its story telling was witnessed and captured the eyes of many others which started a critical thinking mentality and love that is on-going till present time.

Let me re-cap and introduce the world of 

Genso Suikoden 幻想水滸伝




Of course, before we get into the soul of the article, do not forget to press play on this video, to set the mood right for when you are reading :) Enjoy the atmosphere!


Developed by Konami Computer Entertainment, Tokyo, it was released initially in 1995 for the PlayStation in Japan, 1996 the English localisation was released, following the release for other consoles such as Sega and Microsoft.
The story is based on a 14th Century Chinese novel called Shui Hu Zhuan, which translates to Water Margin (also has other titles to it like: Outlaws of the Marsh, Tale of the Marshes or All Men Are Brothers), it entails and follows a group of 108 individuals that gather sources and strengthen their numbers in order to protect their country and land from foreign invaders and bring back peace and harmony to a land that is torn by war and greed.
The game franchise has 5 main parts known as the main story, and 4 (Technically 5 if you count the Pachinko release) spin-off titles, however 2 of those spin-offs were only released in Japan, the two titles that have an English release includes: Suikoden Tactics and Suikoden Tierkreis for the Nintendo DS, yet it also has a visual novel spin-off but it is only a Japanese released production.

In this article we shall discuss the main Storyline, but before we can even get into depth, let us first place them in chronological order:

Suikoden IV (150 years before Suikoden) → Suikoden V (6 years before Suikoden) → Suikoden → Suikoden II (3 years after Suikoden) → Suikoden III (18 years after Suikoden)

10 things every main Suikoden game focuses on:
  1. Runes and True Runes
  2. The Sindar / Cyndar Civilization
  3. Finding a ruin and turning that to your HQ / Castle
  4. Finding the 108 Stars of Destiny (mainly to get that sweet perfect ending of the game and have something done for someone, I will mention more of this later in the article and I will place a spoiler alert before hand)
  5. Finding Jeane the Rune Mistress 
  6. Finding Viki
  7. Finding vendors to work in your HQ from Shopkeepers, Traders, Blacksmiths, Entertainers, Teachers: Physical (Strength) and Mental (Magic) and more...
  8. The power of friendship, adventure & taking control 
  9. The art of Retreating and Attacking
  10. War. (Good God...what is it good for? ABSOLUTELY NOHTING!! say it again!!!   *clears throat* sorry....back to business)
The main formula for each game goes as follows: coup d'état by corrupt people in power, the main protagonist's exile from his/her home, the monstrous misuse of a power known as Runes & True Runes, the hero's struggle, and even though the odds are stacked against him/her, He/She still manages to bring peace to the land alongside his/her friends, and the epic showdown against the corrupted power. 
Even though the game follows this formula, playing 1 game does not mean you have played them all, cause each story has it's own twist, which makes you want more, yet cause of this formula (and a few recurring characters, which we will mention later on) playing a new game always feels a bit familiar, like you are at the comfort of your home. 

Let us dive in..



Suikoden

You play as a young man named Tir McDohl, who comes face to face with a true rune of Life and Death named Soul Eater, Finding out that you are the prophesied member of the resistance army that's bound to gather 108 Stars of Destiny, leading the Liberation Army, a group of soldiers and other volunteers who fought against the Scarlet Moon Empire during the Toran Liberation War and making the Toran Castle your base of operations.



Suikoden 2

Following 2 young soldiers named Riou and Jowy, as they witness the backstabbing and a traitorous act from a person of power, both making the decision that the system and the way the country works should change, both having strong resolution gained the powers of the true runes, yet they had different ways of going about it, would the way they chose effect their friendship??? maybe...


Suikoden 3

3 individuals from different parts of the world, would have their paths intersect in one way or the other, all connected to each other somehow, a treaty that broke is what jumps starts the whole commotion that would end up in a burning unification, from the other end, there is an individual that is pulling the strings for his own reasons, what could they be and why is he doing all this.
 

Suikoden 4

Long ago, an orphan named Lazlo, was found and raised by the ruling family of the Razril island, a small island which is the home for the Razril knights, the military that soon took in Lazlo as one of it's rising heroes, before he got exiled due to a misunderstanding, setting sail with a few of his friends, they come across many situations that lead them to what seemed to be Lazlo's origins, but as he was out learning more about himself and trying to figure his rune, the Rune that chose him after his bearer died, an opposing fleet strives to expand their territory and take over the islands and seas. 



Suikoden 5

A prince thrown into adulthood as his family faces obstacles that are trying to bring their royalty down and overthrown, all due to 3 runes that are said to rule the lands, the Sun Rune and its off-springs, Twilight Rune and Dawn Rune. after the kingdom of Falena is taken by the Godwins, the Prince has to flee and keep himself safe, in order to gain recognition and allies to retrieve back his birthright and also save his sister. 


The power of True Runes:

Features primal power that is known as the True Runes, there are 27 True Runes coursing the land, Completely sentient, having their own will, the True Runes hold immeasurable power, often sought out by individuals wanting to possess their power for their own reasons, from wanting powerful magic to wanting immortality -True Runes offer immortality to their bearers, once equipped, the bearer stop aging, yet this does not mean that the bearer of the True Rune can evade death, this is one of the few reasons on why wars have waged and blood has been shed, in most cases a True Rune will choose its bearer, but its not always something to be excited about. 
As mentioned before, there are 27 True Runes that make the world what it is, yet not all of them are known, and even some that we have the name, we still have yet to learn anymore information about them.

1- Gate Rune (split into the Front Gate Rune and Back Gate Rune)
2- Sovereign Rune
3- Hachifusa Rune (never featured in a game, held by an antagonist)
4- Circle Rune (never featured in a game, held by a country's leader, Hikusaak, whom we do not meet directly)
5- Rune of Change (never featured in a game, held by the Sindar's leader)
6- Moon Rune
7- Night Rune (Its child, the Star Rune) as the Star Dragon Sword (Zodiac Sword), which is wielded by a member of our team
8- Beast Rune (Sealed in a palace at one point, we do not know anymore)
9- Rune of Beginning (split into the Bright Shield Rune and Black Sword Rune)
10- Rune of Life and Death (held by a member from our team, Their grandfather, and the first game  Hero), also known as Soul Eater
11- Rune of Punishment (Held by so many people before it reached to the fourth game Hero)
12- Dragon Rune
13- True Fire Rune (Held by the Flame Champion, and one of the 3 heroes that you choose from in the 3rd game)
14- True Water Rune 
15- True Earth Rune
16- True Wind Rune
17- True Lightning Rune
18- Sun Rune (It's children, the Twilight Rune and Dawn Rune)

Those are the True Runes that is known so far, I did not wanna get into too much details cause it is somewhat of a spoiler.

Unlike True Runes, you have the normal Runes that are collectible and equip-able/easy to un-equip powers which you can buy from a vendor or collect its shards from the wild, you can read this database to learn more, just click over here.


Vendors:
Each country you visit, you will have places in which you can acquire necessities to help you during your quest, and that does not change once you acquire your HQ, as the story progress you open job opportunities for different necessities to join you and set shop / service as their way to supporting your cause, the services are as follows:
  1. Rune Shop (teehee)
  2. Blacksmith (strengthen your weapon)
  3. Item Shop (buy your needs from HP potions ...etc)
  4. Inn (to relax and save your progress)
  5. Armor Shop (safety and defense first!)
  6. Trade Shop (investment learning)
  7. Lottery Shop (if you feel lucky enough)
  8. Appraisal Shop (to identify objects, usually of the decorative kind which you can use to liven up your HQ, cause....mood... or sell for extra casshh -KA CHING!!)
  9. Restaurant (prepping meals to help boost you up)
  10. Tavern (a nice place to talk to people and play mini games)
  11. Detective Agency (to get to know more of your people, also helps unlock quests)
  12. Scroll Maker (turning Runes into one time power usage paper...cause why not, it's very effective!)
  13. Storage Room (cause carrying all that is tiring, in reality anyway, but basically you can put them somewhere safe and manage your inventory)
  14. Scholar (to help teach you mentality strength aka Magic)
  15. Master (to help you gain physical strength)
  16. Musicians (Entertainment, a part of it anyway, I love getting them into the crew, cause sometimes you just wanna chill, drink tea, while listening to live music, they play all the OSTs in the game :3)
  17. Play Actors (not available in every game, but is entertaining, in Part 3, I had watched the matchsticks seller, which is a story that always makes me cry, except when watching it in Suikoden 3, GIVE CHRIS LIGHTFELLOW AN OSCAR!!!) 
  18. Window Maker (basically this is for your own aesthetic preference, you can change your chat windows, you can find a window maker in 4 out of  5 Suikoden games, and in 1 spin-off game)
  19. Phonologist (sound customiser, pretty much the same function as the Window maker but for SFX of the game, only 3 games has this recruiter)
  20. Doctors / Medical help (these characters help for when the war times come)
When you gather the manpower you need, you feel like an entrepreneur, or someone fancy, haha!

The Sindar / Cyndar Civilization:

Not much is known about this race, but they are people that were cursed to roam the earth often and cannot settle down in an area, also known for their very advance technology, each place they have inhabited, once they leave it becomes a ruin, a land of mazes, relics, traps and monsters, but it is said that if their ruins have been surpassed, they are greeted by precious gifts, which btw plot armour, you as a person....do overpass *wink wink* !

There are a few characters in the franchise that are thought to be of Sindar/Cyndar origins, two of them are recurring characters.


¬Spoiler ALERT!!¬

Skip this part if you want to...

Let us talk about Jeane and Viki.
The 2 characters' pasts is shrouded in mystery, but you can always count on them being there to help you out......in each...main....game! 
You would tend to feel sorry for one of them though (I am Looking at youuuu Viki! Please do not sneeze hehe) 

Jeane is the Rune Master, a very powerful Rune master, she has a cheery, semi-flirtatious personality, a true eye-candy, she looks good for some one supposedly over 400 years old!
You could say, having her around is good for morale support hehe.
A fan favourite, I still wish we get to know more about her, a major part of the Suikoden experience is learning more about her.

I read an article, how someone theorizes that she could be a True Rune, you can read all about it over here. 
It was a good read and plausible.

Viki, our wholesome time traveler, seriously the sweetest girl in the franchise, her Rune helps her not to be bound to time and space, yet she doesn't exactly have a stronghold over the time part, once you recruit her, travelling from spot to spot becomes way less time consuming, she has a magic mirror that accompanies her where ever she goes and she lends you a small handheld mirror to relocate yourself back to her point remotely.
I tend to feel sorry for her, cause at the end of each game / end of the war, while everyone is celebrating the marvelous victory, she sneezes somehow and POOF! gone...
to another time.....another place....another war and rebel army that needs her assistance...

I salute her, cause if I was in her place, I would be hit with depression, but in each game we have her in, she smiles bright and shines brighter than the sun itself ! (Sorry Arshtat) 
She is the mood I need in my life always, she is goals and I am planning to be her in every way that I could!

¬END OF Spoiler ALERT!!¬


The Major function and story driven feature of the games.....the War:

This whole part deserves it's own article, cause it is thicccc... haha 
but mainly there are 5 main wars you get to experience:
- Jowston-Highland War
- Dunan Unification War
- 2nd Fire Bringer War
- Island Liberation War
- Sun Rune War

In next time's article, we shall get into deep details on why it happened, how long and who won..etc.


The Man, The Myth, The Legend... Yoshitaka Murayama:

The brains behind this amazing franchise is Mr. Yoshitaka Murayama, well for at least the first 3 parts, he produced for Konami till he left to start his own company and his own adventure in 2002, setting up his own company called the Blue Moon Studio and working on his game 10 000 Bullets, if only there was a way to see if he would like to continue the series with his Suikoden team, yet at this point I do not think they would want to, choosing to leave the past in the past and focus on the future projects, which is understandable, but it's a wish the fandom really wants, we want a part 6, so much to learn, we haven't touch the surface the Sindar / Cyndar people, or the people before them and we still haven't seen the complete world map, we would love to explore.

Well I wish him all the best, and maybe who knows, someone might carry the mantel one day......I hope.

Well that was what I originally wrote when I first started writing and preparing this article back in May, 2020.
Somewhat, our prayers were answered, as in July 2020, a new company came up, by the legend Mr. Murayama himself, along with his co-workers from different parts of Suikoden games, who decided they would work a soul successor of this game, they started a kickstarter, and by the power of  motivation and the people it was a successful run, hitting all their goal stretch marks and hidden stretch marks.
RabbitAndBear Studios presents

Eiyuden Chronicles: Tales of A Hundred Heroes

Which is the first collaboration between the team in 25 years, and they plan to release the game to consoles in October 2022.
To follow their journey and keep up to date with new information and their monthly news, you can follow their socials, links are:

It is said to have the same soul that made Suikoden great, from socialising systems, to the battle and wars and also headquarters development, with a few changes done, such as the runes here are not exactly runes, but another machina called Rune-Lenses. 


My experience playing the game:

I was a bit too young to play the game, but I did watch my siblings play Suikoden 2 and watch them go through different routes to see all the ends available, A few years later I was old enough to play it, but Suikoden 3 had been released and so I decided to start with that, with new graphic styles, I was interested to see how they would go about it if they brought back characters from before, I was not really bothered by it, as I am a person that is mostly story driven and not much into looks, I liked the story behind it and cried from the get go (my poor baby lulu!) yet the ending fit for the story it was aiming for, a bittersweet goodbye though ( I will talk more about Luc in another article, he deserves his own spotlight)
I played Suikoden 2 after it, felt so bad for missing out on its beauty, I keep thinking what if in life I had to experience that with my bestfriend, it would be difficult, this story is what I'm probably expecting to experience again in Eiyuden Chronicles but with a different setting, and  I AM HERE FOR IT! LET'S GET THIS BREAD!!
To be honest, I think I was still too young to appreciate Suikoden 4 properly, Cause I honestly didn't enjoy it during my first play through, funny enough, a lot of people felt this way too, I believe it is due to the sea voyage you need to embark on, it was the first water based game and we all know the hardest level in a game is that water stage haha. Back in 2019, when I originally decided that I would write a deep dive introduction to this series, I decided I shall play all the games again, to refresh my memories, and playing Suikoden 4 hit me differently, I enjoyed it thoroughly! I think people should replay the game, it is more enjoyable as an adult, the voyage did not seem so difficult to go through, or maybe I am just Moana and can read maps better *Poses like Moana cause I am that cool* I did stumble upon a few hard moments, cause if you drift off far you may encounter a Leviathan dragon and those take a while to beat, at that point I was in a water adventure moment, and was playing both Kingdom Hearts 3 and Suikoden 4 and ..well what's with the name Leviathan in water games? It is such a cool name to be honest!
Suikoden 1, another game I was too young to play but got to play eventually, is the first installment of the franchise, to be honest I only played this for 2 reasons, to say that I played it, also to recruit Tir in part 2, but I did enjoy it, what shook me off a bit was the cover art for the game, if you know, you know! 
I find myself coming back to Suikoden 5 whenever I want to play a Suikoden game, I think I would dub it my favourite at  this point to be honest, I am not sure why I come back to it though, Suikoden 2 has a better storyline according to the most, but my heart just gravitates around Suikoden 5.
Maybe its the castle? (maybe its Maybelline)
Speaking of...
My favourite castle from the five main games, I will always have a special place for Dawn Castle, its spacious and I feel like I can house my whole family there, It is definitely a place I see myself in


Here is a semi-full experience of the place and things to do there! its a long video 
ENJOY!


¬Spoiler ALERT!!¬

Skip this part if you want to...

Remember in the beginning of the article I mentioned how we would get back to point number 4. Finding the 108 Stars of Destiny.

Not only does this serve as a reference to the main Chinese story, but in the games for the most part there is a twist added, bringing back a person that had seemed to be dead.
In game 1, once you gather all 108 SoD, Gremio, a character that died in order to protect you from a poisonous fume is brought back by Leknaat, a being of mysterious powers and history.
In game 2, Nanami, the main protagonist's sister and friend is announced that she somehow survived a deadly blow and is waiting for you to come back home.
In game 3, you will be able to unlock the 6th POV chapter, which adds more substance to the game if you ask me.
In game 4, it allows Lazlo's rune to change from it's punishment phase to it's atonement phase.
and in game 5, you get to bring back best girl and waifu Lyon from the dead.

To read more details, you can read this post here.

¬END OF Spoiler ALERT!!¬



Favourite Cosplays of Suikoden:

I have a bunch of them and they make me so happy when I look at them!
Please click on the link and visit their pages and leaves likes if possible!!

Prince Freyjadour - Suikoden 5 by Seirie06 

Serah - Suikoden 3 by Aomarine

Lazlo and Viki - Suikoden 4 by Stormy Prince & Pale

Zarase - Suikoden 5 by  Makkana

Chris Lightfellow - Suikoden 3 by Yashuntafun

Nanami - Suikoden 2 by smzeldarules



Tir McDohl and Odessa Silverberg - Suikoden 1 by Gena & Yashuntafun


Luca Blight vs Riou - Suikoden 2 by Phil Brown & Celine Jules




Riou - Suikoden 2 by lidl_delirium and Nathan van den Berg


All rights are reserved to their original owners,
I had to remove some pictures cause they did not wanna show up, sadly.
There are so many amazing Cosplayers out there! Let's show them some love xoxox
I kind of wish I could do some Suikoden cosplays with friends, that would be so much fun!


My hopes for the future of Suikoden:

Well, all the past years I have been waiting for someone to acquire the IP of the franchise and bring to life again, it is an amazing story with an emotional bursting element to it, whether it is the drama, the Original soundtracks, the characters or what ever aspect that pulled you in!

Konami, please listen to the people!!!


In the end, I would like to leave this article on a positive note, if you are into politics, strategy and adventure with a touch of sadness, the I recommend this franchise wholeheartedly ! It is worth the time and effort in my opinion, with great character development and story-line.
Here is a little token of my gratitude for spending some time with me!
(well. that is how I am end it, but I have an even better way to end this article!)



I got the honour to interview plenty of people in this fandom and I would like to share their words in this space here!
But first, Let's mention who I managed to bring onto this passion project and where you can find them!




Cosplayers:
and originally Sadonishi was supposed to join this line too, but I went off grid for a long while before i Got to start interviewing everyone, so sadly they could not join in time, it is my fault though.. however if they do reply, then I shall update this article and add in their replies too!

Content Creators:

Let's begin!

1- Favourite part of the series, why was it your favourite part?

S.M.Zelda
My favorite part from what I’ve played in the series so far was in Suikoden V. I hate to say it, but the Godwin coup was SO intense. V was my first Suikoden game, and I played it in high school not knowing what to expect and not having anyone to talk about it with. So much incredible power, death and betrayal just in a few cutscenes. And playing as the prince running away from it all and having to disguise himself since he was seen as a “traitor” - it was a very unique story for me at the time. I felt so many emotions for Freyjadour, Lyon, Georg and the rest of the crew and wished the best for them.
Lyon’s revenge on Dolph is a close second. I was absolutely devastated when he attacked her and was REAL satisfied when she got to fight him one on one after Freyjadour healed her!


Marjolycookie
Defending Budehuc castle with Thomas’s crew in Suikoden 3. They are just so scrappy and cute that it was adorable and ridiculous to have them successfully protect their dilapidated castle


Lidl_Delirium
I have to admit that I haven’t played all of them, but Suikoden 2 has definitely stolen my heart back when I was a teenager. I really liked the character design in Suikoden 3 as well, but because I’m from Europe, sadly we never got a release for that so I know very little of the story. I do have a couple of the manga volumes though!


Yashuntacats
My favorite part of the series is the story, particularly when it comes to Suikoden II. It’s such a richly written story that’s not just about one bad guy trying to destroy the world, but rather the intricacies of war and the effects it had on the people – on friendships and the families it tears apart. It’s a story that goes beyond good vs evil and shows that there are people on both sides of any conflict. Yet despite all the difficult paths this game leads you down, it still manages to have a delightful sense of humor and charm. To me it’s the perfect mix and a perfect story.


The Gaming Gems
Which part I liked the most:
Suikoden 3 and 4, I think I can’t choose a favorite between these 2, loved them both :D
Building up your army by recruiting all kinds of different characters each with their own unique background and skills, enhancing your fortress/castle with the help of all those characters, these 2 things make the series so special for me.


Timo
Suikoden 5. Loved the war battles


Haipe. me
Suikoden 2, most memorable and impactful cast.


Tom
The scene that springs to mind is the Luca Blight death scene. It’s such a huge moment in the game and Luca is one of the greatest villains in video game history I think. 


2- Favourite true rune, and normal rune?

S.M.Zelda
My favorite rune of all time is actually in between true & normal (I guess? Rune lore always confused me!), the Dawn Rune! I love Lyon so much; she probably will always be my favorite Suikoden character of all time and I still haven’t played 1 3 or 4 yet (although I’ve been told 4 is skippable). I was so relieved Freyjadour was able to save her with it.


Marjolycookie
Soul Eater rune, Sunbeam rune.


Lidl_Delirium
My favourite true rune is the Sun Rune. I’m a big fan of the sun myself and I see it for both its destructive as well as nurturing and energising nature. As for the normal rune, I think I have to go for the Friendship Rune. Friendship is a beautiful thing and this rune gives you a boost, so it’s a great rune, right?


Yashuntacats
Ok, this one is difficult. All the true runes are extremely interesting, but I’ll say my favorite is the Dragon Rune because it allows dragons to exist in this world, and who doesn’t love dragons? As for normal runes, I always enjoyed having a Counter Rune equipped on one my heaviest hitters in the party.


The Gaming Gems
It’s been way too long since I last played so I don’t remember much :/
But I would probably choose the beast rune, I just like berserk rage and power!


Timo
Reaper rune. Sunlight rune


Haipe. me
Soul eater rune , can’t think of any.


Tom
I think my favourite true rune is the Sun Rune. Not sure why, I think capturing and using the pure power of the sun is a very big (and scary) idea. Favourite normal rune…maybe earth rune. The spell Earthquake is very handy in the speedrun of Suikoden 1.


3- Some people would argue that Luca Blight (main antagonist of Suikoden 2) is the best RPG villain out there, do you agree to that statement? If no, who would you recommend as the best antagonist (it can be from any game)

S.M.Zelda
I think the villain I’ve been most scared of since I was a kid has been Giygas from EarthBound/Mother 2!


Marjolycookie
Not at all. Marjoly from Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure is the best.


Lidl_Delirium
Well, I can certainly agree that he’s an awful man, ha ha ha! That’s the thing with good characters, isn’t it? They are good because they are multifaceted. Luca Blight is not a good man. But he’s a good character and a good villain. I don’t know if he’s the best, because there are so many flavours of badguys out there. But he does rank very high in my Big Badguy Book.


Yashuntacats
I couldn’t agree with this statement more. The amount of power and effort used to take this man down makes for an unforgettable battle. And he’s not this magical deity or science experiment gone wrong, he’s just a very unhinged, blood-thirsty man, and he makes an impact. Tragic backstory aside, he’s an amazing character you just love to hate.


The Gaming Gems
Unfortunately I haven’t yet played Suikoden 2, but I can tell you about some antagonists I quite much liked,
- Duke from Tales of Vesperia
- Doloran from Ni Nu Kuni II


Timo
I haven't played Suikoden 2 so I cant answer it truly but to me the best antagonist will be bass from Megaman exe.


Haipe. me
He is interesting but Joey wins hands down , his motivation and character development was more fleshed out.


Tom
Well, I think I accidentally already answered this in question 1! Yeah I think he’s one of the great villains, but I also really like John Irenicus from Baldur’s Gate 2.


4- Favourite war system?

S.M.Zelda
I *ALWAYS* looked up walkthroughs for the tactics battles. I AM SO LAUGHABLY BAD at tactics, but I was happy they were pretty easy to follow from what I remember, compared to like Fire Emblem for example, where I can’t even play them, I can only watch.


Marjolycookie
Suikoden 4’s ship battles.


Lidl_Delirium
Oh gosh, it’s been so long - I don’t remember, sorry!


Yashuntacats
Suikoden II also has my favorite war system. It was just good old fashioned tactics maneuvering with weapon triangle advantages. Simple, but good!


The Gaming Gems
Suikoden 4, I enjoyed the ship war battles.


Timo
Suikoden 5 war


Haipe. me
The game play of suikoden 3, the challenge of suikoden 2.


Tom
I really like the war system from Suikoden 5. Don’t know if that’s a particularly popular opinion but I think it most accurately replicates a real battle.


5- Favourite rebel leader/ castle? 
5.A. What did you name yours (leader, castle and army)?

S.M.Zelda
I feel horrible that I don’t remember too much about army leaders, but that’s primarily because I did not care for the war battles one bit! I do remember that I was particularly fond of Apple in 2 and Lucretia in V though, if they count?


I think I named my castle in V “Headquarters” but “Headquarters” wouldn’t fit when I played 2, so I called it “Castle” and didn’t realize it would be called “Castle Castle” from then onward LOLLLL I sadly don’t remember the leader/army details.




Marjolycookie
Favorite leader is Thomas, favorite “castle” is the Dauntless
Honestly, they all had silly names. I named Tir McNugget, so he was McNugget McDohl. I named the Dauntless, the Bathtub. Budehuc was Happy Castle.


(Reader's Note: EVERYONE STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING !!! YALL NEED TO LEARN HOW TO NAME STUFF LIKE CELINE HERE !!! A* GRADE NAMES!!)


Lidl_Delirium
Listen, I think we all had a little crush on Flik and Viktor, right?


(Reader's Notes: ....I mean.... you are not wrong hehe)


I wasn’t very good at committing to names when I was younger, heh heh. When I started playing Suikoden 2, I had no idea what Riou’s name was, so I called him Hero. Cheesy, huh? I don’t remember what my castle was called, but I think I made a reference to Final Fantasy VII there (which at the time was also one of my favourites to play)


Yashuntacats
Prince Freyjadour Falenas of Suikoden V is probably my favorite leader you get to play as. Despite being the usual silent protagonist, they were able to work so much compassion into his actions and responses. However, the Dunan Castle of Suikoden II will always be my favorite headquarters.

I generally name the leaders their canon names: Tir, Riou, etc. We have an ongoing joke to call the castles simply “The”. Then when anyone in the game asked which castle they should go to, the answer was always The Castle. As for army name, I started with SilverStar (because I was also a huge Lunar fan around the same time I was playing the first few Suikodens).


The Gaming Gems
Hmm, I’m not sure if he’s a rebel leader but I think I liked Troy from Suikoden 4.
5.a. If only I would remember :/


Timo
Lady kikka
5a. The celestial beings


Haipe. me
The main character in Suikoden 2 , I think it was called dah Castle
5.a. Haitham, haitham land 😂


Tom
Controversial but…Thomas. He’s the only one that isn’t silent and he has a good, caring nature. He just wants what’s best for people.


Well, for speedruns I call the main guy “88.” And I call the castle “A” because it’s the quickest thing to input XD
In casual play I would usually call the main guy something silly like Jeff or Steve and I remember calling the castle “Clophill” after the village I’m from.


6. Is there a part where you wish could have done a different story then the one they did?

S.M.Zelda
Not story-wise per say, but I really suffered getting the 108 stars in 2. For V, I don’t remember having many problems. But I couldn’t do Clive’s sidequest in 2 in the right amount of time since I play games super slowly. I also missed a couple near the end (I even used a walkthrough but still couldn’t find them). I had no idea that certain characters in Suikoden could die at the end if you didn’t get all 108 stars, since I had saved Lyon in V by getting all 108 correctly. So I was DEVASTATED about Nanami. I WAS SO MAD!! I wish there wasn’t a time limit and I wish I knew about the 108 stars thing. I learned the hard way!


Marjolycookie
Suikoden 4’s pacing is way off. If they had combined some of Tactics into 4, it would have been more robust, because the backstory in Tactics is really engaging.


Lidl_Delirium
There are many instances where I was hoping for a certain outcome, but got something else. Sometimes it was something that surprised me and that I liked. And sometimes I didn’t like the way the story went, but it was a good way for the plot to develop. I’m a writer and storyteller myself, so I recognise patterns in storytelling. Which is why I find it refreshing when a game manages to surprise me. For all the instances that I hoped the story would have taken a different turn, I have fanfiction ;)


Yashuntacats
In Suikoden III I wish we could have seen more of Harmonia. This kingdom seems to have a hand in everything, and yet we’ve never gotten to explore much of that territory. I’d love to learn more about the Howling Voice Guild and everything else going on up there.


The Gaming Gems
I think they could have done a better story and setting for Suikoden 5, if only they would have followed the great examples of the previous entries and done something as good.


Timo
Yes I wished in Suikoden 4 to be combined with Suikoden tactics to give a better story


Haipe. me
I’d say Suikoden 3 , the starting chapters felt disjointed.


Tom
I wish that Jowy had explained his motives to Riou. The path he chose made a lot of sense and I think they could have worked together to accomplish it. Of course Jowy needed some kind of opposing army to deal the final blow to Luca, which Riou ended up building. But I understood Jowy’s motives but thought he didn’t need to go about it in such a shady.


 

7.  Have you played Suikoden: Tierkris ? If yes, Would you consider it canon knowing it is somewhat different from the usual style?

S.M.Zelda
I have not!


Marjolycookie
Yes, I enjoyed it and consider it canon.


Lidl_Delirium
I have played it, but I think that’s been over 15 years ago. I don’t remember a lot of it, other than that I thought the feel of the game was very different. I guess the game can be canon if you feel that’s right for you. But I can also see it as a stand-alone game. This answer isn’t helpful at all, is it?


Yashuntacats
I have played Tierkreis, and though it didn’t take place in the same world, I still enjoyed it. I’ll admit I’ve only played it once and it was a while ago so I don’t remember the story all that clearly, but the Gate Rune opens portals between different worlds/dimensions, so I have no issue with considering Tierkreis as canon.


The Gaming Gems
I didn’t play it, it wasn’t appealing to play it if it wasn’t released on home consoles, at that time it would be PlayStation 2 or 3.


Timo
First time I hear of this


(Reader's Note: hahaha)


Haipe. me
Nope haven’t played.


Tom
I have not played Tierkris but I would like to one day.


8. How did you feel about the series, being discontinued ?

S.M.Zelda
I am sad - dang it Konami - but I was ecstatic learning about Eiyuden Chronicles! At least it’s something!


Marjolycookie
Sad, but not surprised, because Konami.


(Reader's Note: *Sips Tea*)


Lidl_Delirium
SAAAAAD. I don’t have a lot of time to play videogames anymore, but I do feel nostalgic from time to time, wanting to play Suikoden 2 again. There was just something about the Suikoden series that has always appealed to me, I can’t explain why. Maybe because of the many characters, or the colourful style. Maybe because it was serious and silly at the same time. I miss that a lot in games nowadays. I recently backed the Suikoden Eiyuden Chronicles kickstarter by Rabbit & Bear, though! So I hope there will be some good new Suikoden content soon.


Yashuntacats
It was very disappointing knowing there would never be another Suikoden game when there was still so much to explore. The series will always hold a special place in my heart and I’m very excited about the announcement of Eiyuden Chronicle, which I believe is going to have a very similar feel to the original games.


The Gaming Gems
Such a sad thing! And a pointless decision!
Glad the developers are working on the new successor Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes! So that’s the closest we can get to having Suikoden back! :D


Timo
Sad, I wish for a remake and continuation


Haipe. me
It was starting to feel outdated and slightly lost identity , it would be hard to revive it in its current genre , they will have to properly innovate


Tom
Very sad. But very excited for Eiyuden Chronicle!


9. A. How did you choose the character that you wanted to cosplay and was an issue to prepare them? (question for the cosplayers)

9.B. How did you discover Suikoden and what made you play it? (Question for the content creators)

S.M.Zelda
I was so drawn to the main female characters of V and 2 - both gentle, kind spirits with strong, fierce hearts. Pure and wholesome Lyon, feisty and tomboyish Nanami. I would say I’m a mixture of both of their personalities!
For Lyon, I got a base costume online and modified it for better accuracy and fit. I styled the wig myself and learned a lot from making those hair loopies & waist bow because it was one of my first times using wire so much! I modified a prop sword but sadly it broke - I’m in the process of remaking it XD
For Nanami, I heavily modified a pink maxi dress by adding bias tape and frankensteining in puffy sleeves that I dyed yellow (they were white). I loved making the glove cuffs and headband the most! The nunchucks were made from scratch with pvc pipe, thermoplastic and chains. Definitely not con-safe, but fine for photoshoots in places without too many people!


Marjolycookie
I’ve cosplayed a LOT of Suikoden characters. The first one I ever did was Viki from 2, and someone suggested her to me. It was actually the very first costume I ever sewed fully for myself, so it was a struggle. Over the years, I also cosplayed Tir, Riou, Thomas, Freyjadour, Sieg, Sierra, Nash, Luc, Sasarai, Sialeeds, Sarah, Connell, Flik


(Reader's Note: goals!!!)


Lidl_Delirium
This is a funny story! A couple of years ago, the dutch Nationaal Videogame Museum (link: https://www.nationaalvideogamemuseum.nl/) opened. And for the opening, they were looking for some cosplayers to attend. I was one of the people they asked, but I didn’t have a game cosplay at that time (well, I did have a Nero cosplay from Dirge of Cerberus, but the wings were too big to bring into the museum). So I had 2 weeks to make a complete new costume. I had already been eyeing Riou for quite some time, but never really got to making him. So when that chance rolled around, I ordered a bunch of fabric and made the costume in a couple of days - I really beat my own record there. I didn’t have his characteristic tonfas, but I do feel like I should make those at some point hahaha!


Yashuntacats
At this point in time I have cosplayed eight different characters from Suikoden. If I had the time, I would love to cosplay 108 characters! Most of these costumes I made with cosplay groups in mind, so I chose characters that were important to the main story line (such as Chris and Freyjadour) or were part of an iconic duo (such as Flik and Yam Koo). Costumes from the first few games were a lot easier to make, as the designs were more simplistic, but I love the designs in Suikoden V and would really like to tackle another costume from that game.


The Gaming Gems
My brother bought Suikoden II way back then and we didn’t know the series, he played it and got me into Suikoden, but I only started with 3, then played 4.

Then many years later played 1 when it was released on the PSN store!
But I can tell you that my brother loves Suikoden II so very much and to this day he says it’s the best game he ever played, it just means so much to him!
I got to play it! It’s the only Suikoden I didn’t play yet! xD


Timo
Cosplay wise: I haven't thought of it and if I want it will be the queens knights from Suikoden 5
Content wise: It was within the set of games I got when I bought the game. A strike of luck


Haipe. me
Back then there weren’t many games so I just bought it cuz the box art was cool 😂


Tom
My friend’s mum actually got the game when my friend and I were kids. We would watch her play it and then we played it ourselves after she finished it. The series became a favourite and still is!


(Reader's Note: She's not like other moms, she is a cool mom)


10. Was there a character that you wanted to try to cosplay but then changed your mind about later on?

S.M.Zelda
Ellie from 2 - I usually had her in my party (and fun fact: I always had Oulan, Flik and Victor at any moment I could, what badasses!) and wanted to cosplay her at one point, but then I grew to love Nanami much more.
I am interested in cosplaying Nikea from V though! And Lyon’s awesome Queen Knight ending outfit.


Marjolycookie
Meg. I could never figure out how to make my own Gadget prop, but I really wanted that barrel robot.


Lidl_Delirium
I’ve always liked Hugo’s (Suikoden 3) character design a lot. The details he has n his costume made me so happy. Back then, maybe 10 years ago, I really wanted to make it, but I had no idea how to start. So I put that idea on the back-burner. But now that I’m thinking of it again, I can feel my fingers itching! I have learned a lot in my years as a cosplayer and I’m confident I could make his costume now. So hmmmm, maybe I should?


Yashuntacats
I bought the materials for Schtolteheim Reinbach III with every intention of making him, but then got distracted. I’ve always adored the narcissists in the Suikoden series, and of course Reinbach is just the epitome of that. I’m still hoping to get around to it one day!


 ***Bonus question: Can you describe yourself if you were a star of destiny character??? 😊
(would you a support character, or a fighter, if you were a fighter: what would your weapon be....etc)

S.M.Zelda
I probably would be a fighter character that’s not too strong, but has a strong will - like Lyon and Nanami! I definitely would want a sword. And any type of rune would be cool!


Marjolycookie
Can I just be Elenor from 4? She’s grumpy and done with everyone, and poisons whomever bothers her at her home.


Lidl_Delirium


I would be a support character, in the most literal sense of the word: I would be there to give the main character(s) boosts and inspirations, give them items and food to heal themselves and take away negative status effects. Or maybe I would be a combat character that would cast buffs on my party members? I don’t think a weapon would suit me, I’m not a fighter at all. Maybe a tree branch? To at least defend myself from random encounters with BonBons!
Yashuntacats
This is a fantastic question! Hmm, I think I would a support character. A cartographer ideally. I have always been fascinated with maps, and whenever I play a game, I go out of my way to fill in every corner of the map. In the real world I have a lot of experience with seeking out scenic locations for photoshoots, lol. 😆 Now I know a cartographer already exists in Suikoden, but Templeton could probably use a friend and I share his desire to want to see every inch of the world! Compasses, protractors, and even paper could be used as weapons in a pinch!


The Gaming Gems
I love this question!
I would choose to be a fighter with daggers or a spear, and I would prefer to be living in the wilds, so a tribal fighter or someone who has been raised by wild animals! :D


Timo
I wouls be bit of both fighter and support like Tom(I think his name was)from Suikoden 4. But my weapon will be a scythe


Haipe. me
I’d probably be a star of wisdom 🤔 probably a support or tank , weapon would be a great sword.


Tom
I think I would be a strategist. Probably an assistant to the main strategist. Like Apple, but hopefully cooler. Or like Klauss maybe. I’d be entrusted to command/instruct smaller attacks or battles happening outside of the main one, but I don’t think I’d be the main strategist. I can’t imagine myself being a fighter of any kind really.


(Reader's Note: Little do they know, I am building my own army and gethering 108 Stars of Destiny...I have gathered such awesome people huehuehue)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you all for your time in answering these, this was a fun read to me and I hope it is a fun read for you too!
Leaving a sweet song performed by the lovely Yashuntacats here, as the cherry on top of this lovely cake!




If you are interested in playing the Suikoden games, you can get them downloaded on PSN to play on your PS3, PSP or PS Vita! here are Suikoden 1  and Suikoden 2.
for PS3 playable entries only here are Suikoden 3 , Suikoden 4 .
Thank you <3




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