June Retro Community Playthrough - Suikoden

[SirPsycho]

There is a running button in this game too. Its called the Holy Rune. Since it takes a rune slot there is no reason to use it. Stallion is one of the 108 Stars and he comes with the True Holy Rune, one of the 27 True Runes that inhabit this world and grant their wielder eternal life. But he kinda sucks in combat.

[h1ghw1nd]

Boy does Luc suck in combat right now!

@boshamp i made it to the booster & back by level 13. can't you just "let go" most of the enemies along the way?

[Boshamp]

Probably, but I have never been one to skip fights in RPGs. Nor have I been one to ever use items, but this game almost required the use of medicine when travelling alone. ha ha

[GrayGhost81]

Probably, but I have never been one to skip fights in RPGs. Nor have I been one to ever use items, but this game almost required the use of medicine when travelling alone. ha ha

Dude, you should not be traveling alone!

[JerryGreenwood]

This is an amazing game. I beat it in '97 but sadly don't own it anymore. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it thoroughly 

[GrayGhost81]

Spoiler (hover to show)

Kai and his Unite attack with Tir. Say goodbye to Free Will usage when fighting groups of trash enemies.

I tried this last night and really liked it. Then I was reading a guide and saw:

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BEAUTY ATTACK - Cleo & Eileen & Valeria, Cleo & Eileen & Sonya (Attacks all, 3x Damage)

I really can't wait to try that one!

[GrayGhost81]

Spoiler (hover to show)

BEAUTY ATTACK - Cleo & Eileen & Valeria, Cleo & Eileen & Sonya (Attacks all, 3x Damage)

I really can't wait to try that one!

OK that one was a tad underwhelming. But I did discover:

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Meg and Juppo's TRICK ATTACK

And I love using Meg as both her portrait and her sprite are adorable.

[Disposed Hero]

I got a late start on this one, but I sunk a good hour or so into it last night.  I'm really enjoying it!  It's hard to believe it's been at least 15 years since I've played this game....

@SirPsycho:  Should I use a guide or character checklist of some sort if I want to recruit all 108 characters?  I'm assuming that some of the characters are missable.

[SirPsycho]

I think there's a spoiler free recruitment guide on gamefaqs to use for recruitment. If you want to get everybody for a good save I'd recommend it. I dont think there are any misables for a little while.

[Boshamp]

I finally have my castle, and with it, a number of mixed feelings about my experience so far. I have made it just a hair past getting the castle itself.

Firstly, everything seems too lax for a "save the world" storyline. I am not finding myself sucked into it. Each character I recruit seems to just be in the right place at the right time and it doesn't seem like my "decisions" are really affecting outcomes or my ability to recruit yet. It feels like no matter what I choose, it is either correct and we move on, or incorrect and another character corrects my "mistake" and the story flows onward. Also, there seems to be a lot of events that are confusing,

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 some people have no issues teleporting/sneaking into our hideout, so either our enemy is too cocky or too stupid to not continue to send assassins and teleport their own wizards in greater numbers to kill us while we are weak.

Spoiler (hover to show)

Also, people are dying off too quickly, I felt nothing when Odessa was killed for saving the child...we didn't get enough time with her to develop feelings towards her character, I wouldn't be surprised if others die off too, with 108 different characters and something like 70 of them playable in party, I feel it is too much to be able to develop each character at the fast pace this game runs at. There is no individuality with these characters in my opinion, even the main character is thrown into the fray too jovially for my satisfaction, it started off relaxed with the departure of his father and I don't feel the circumstances being any more intense anytime soon.

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Pahn and his personality make him the only character I have any real interest in so far, plus his sprite reminds me of Arc the Lad, so I like him even more. (Not sure if everyone got to where you reclaim Pahn after his change of heart involving his alliance, so spoiler tagged)

Secondly, I have spent HOURS travelling the world map in between storyline junctions with different combinations of characters, talking with EVERYONE to make sure I get all 108 characters, but it seems that the game's freedom to allow you to travel away from the main story offers no benefits aside from being able to buy advanced equipment a couple events earlier than the game designed. I am not used to games allowing me to stray so much from my objectives...and I still do not like the idea of that freedom. I like to be carried in a direct manner into the story...just like watching a good movie.

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I want my experience to be as untainted as it can be, but can I get all 108 characters on my own with effort? or are there characters that almost demand you to cheat to know the exact combination of events needed to recruit?

Finally, after feeling like I have been complaining too much, I want to state some things I have liked about our first week. I like the movement controls in the game, if I am going left and it staggers diagonally upward, it will automatically drive you up when you hit the wall, making navigation much easier with only four directions of movement. I like the replay value the game drives. Even though I personally hate having the freedom to choose from so many different classes and setups of parties, it gives the potential for countless times around with different experiences each time.

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combo attacks are awesome, although a little backstory or reason as to why they are available with certain character combos would be nice in my opinion

. Runes are nice for replay value too, but I hate not knowing which one would be best for which character, and that it isn't easy to add and remove them to experiment quickly.

In the end, I would have normally put this game down by now and not felt any reason to resume, but it is different knowing all of you are playing too, sharing the experience with your own feelings and opinions...and that excitement is something I have missed in gaming since becoming a stupid, old, busy......adult...ha ha

[Boshamp]

The inventory system is my biggest complaint about this game as well. I've gotten practiced enough to the point where I just spread items around evenly to the party without thinking too much about it. Suikoden 2 fixes this problem and changes the Rune system so well that they became the standard for the rest of the series.

I left this out of my above post so I could quote, but I agree. Having limited space for inventory and having to take so much time swapping between characters to see improvements on stats or not is time consuming and irritating...

Also, in what world is Leather Armor giving more defensive value than Brass? ha ha

[GrayGhost81]

There is a running button in this game too. Its called the Holy Rune. Since it takes a rune slot there is no reason to use it. Stallion is one of the 108 Stars and he comes with the True Holy Rune, one of the 27 True Runes that inhabit this world and grant their wielder eternal life. But he kinda sucks in combat.

Thank you for the correction. I'm actually using this a lot now.

***

@Boshamp I'm curious what kinds of games you usually play in light of the complaints you have about this game. Indeed Suikoden is not a linear experience. That's what is so great about it.

Also, I disagree that this is a "save the world" storyline. The kind of dissonance you're highlighting is certainly present in something like a Mass Effect game; the entire universe is in imminent danger? SIDE QUEST TIME! Perhaps it's here to a degree, but you are trying to build an army in this game to overthrow the empire. The reward for doing a fetch quest can be very valuable versus the time spent completing it, and very relevant and important to your cause.

Also, if you really like Pahn,

Spoiler (hover to show)

Make sure to level his ass up and keep his weapon sharp. Trust me.

Also, I missed your comment about why you were running around the overworld all by your lonesome, so I apologize for chastising you for it.

***

It is very interesting and cool that so many of you guys are going for 100% recruitment. That's really not my bag, but you've inspired me to explore a lot more and dig a lot deeper into the game than I did the first time I played it.

Week two's checkpoint is officially live. I'm working on week three right now and I'm going to push it out pretty far, so don't be afraid to play ahead a little.

[Boshamp]

I have played a variety of games in my life as far as RPGs, but usually the side quests are either small and quick, or saved for the very last disc of a game before you actually conquer the game. I need more variety, so I am happy to play this game, and shortly after my post when I got the castle, things started to get much more interesting and before I knew it, it was 5 in the morning (7 for you east coasters) and I had to stop myself from pulling an all-nighter. ha ha

I suppose you are right that they never really gave me any reason to think in the beginning I was involved in a world crisis plot. Thinking back, it is more of a civil war kind of feel. At least, up until you get your castle, then things start to become a little more worldly. I must just be jaded by most every other game being save the world...or the princess who thinks she IS the world. 

Mass effect is a great example of something with more polarity, as I remember turning away from the storyline in the middle of life threatening catastrophe to go to uncharted worlds for precious metals and such.

Character development is one of the most important things for me, so I think a lot of why I had issues starting was that because there are so many, and the storyline doesn't directly involve many of them, so you don't develop feelings and depth for a lot of them. Again, Pahn was different because I saw his struggle within. So far, I am pretty sure I will be using Pahn, Kai, and Tir all the time. Kai simply for a reason tagged as a spoiler earlier. I hope I can find a few other characters as we progress to get a more traditional lineup, with a couple fighters, a mage, a healer type, etc. I also have loved having Valeria for her Rune attack on stronger individual enemies. Having her in the back row is no problem at all.

Also...are there characters you see early, but have to wait to recruit? I have come across a couple people I am sure will be recruited, but no matter what I try, they just will not come along.

[GrayGhost81]

Good thoughts Boshamp. These playthroughs run on commentary like yours, so I appreciate you sharing, even if (or maybe especially if) you're not just in love with the game.

There are quite a few characters who have special requirements, whether they be fetch quests, level requirements or others.

Here's the guide I've been using. Be sure to view it at you own risk as there are a few major untagged spoilers for portions of the game which we have not officially gotten to here yet.

http://www.suikosource.com/games/sod.php?pf=S1

[h1ghw1nd]

Great posts Boshamp! I think I'm probably around the area you're at as well. For some reason I don't remember this game as well as I do others. Like FF7/8/X/ I know what's coming up because I've beat it before. Everything in this game is kinda fresh even though when I see it I remember it. Weird. Kind of a good thing though lol. Good to hear you're continuing. that's the best part of play throughs, hearing thoughts all around the board!

spoilers if you're not to week 1's checkpoint:

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I feel the same way about Odessa. She was gone way too fast. I enjoyed her company and her whole character pretty much. The lone mission you get with her was a nice story moment. The passion she has for her beliefs and the strength she shows as a female leader were qualities I admired about her. It would have definitely been more powerful to build her up at least a while longer before she died. Suikoden prequel starring Odessa ASAP lol

POTENTIAL FULL GAME SPOILERS DON"T READ IF YOU HAVENT FINISHED LOL

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@GG (or SirP) Regarding Pahn…you say if we LIKE him to build him up? I was actually going to play without Pahn the whole game unless I'm forced to. (He did Young Master wrong haha! So what's the deal with him is in a big boss fight or what? I've beat it before, I just forgot)