Suikoden II Playthrough?????

[singlebanana]

This month's June playthrough, Suikoden, has been quite a hit with our community. So well-received in fact, that there has been a member suggestion to start a Suikoden II thread for those who have finished and want to move onto the sequel. While we are not trying to direct anyone's play, we thought it might be nice to also playthrough this title and enjoy it together as a community. However, with Suikoden II, there are some limitations to consider.

As you may know, one of the primary goals of the Community Playthrough Group is to provide our members with a community playthrough experience at an affordable price. Most of the games we choose are typically under or around $30 and we also look to see if there are  different outlets where our members might find these same games on others systems or as downloads. The problem with Suikoden II is that it has only been released for the PSX and the price point of this game is typically $100+. Though there has been talk of it's release this year on the PSN, that has yet to come into fruition. http://www.psnstores.com/...4/esrb-watch-suikoden-ii/.

There are a few ways that we can go about this and we would like to hear from our members as to what the interest level is for this game. Please let us know if you are interested in playing it, if you already own it, or would definitely purchase it, and if you'd be willing to wait a few months to see if this PSN release happens.

Thanks

[Disposed Hero]

I definitely want to play Suikoden II in the near future, so much so that if we decided to wait for a PSN release, I'd probably go ahead and play it on my own.  My memory is pretty crappy, so I tend to forget the storylines of games/movies/etc. pretty quickly, so I want to play the sequel while the events of the original are still fresh on my mind.

[singlebanana]

I definitely want to play Suikoden II in the near future, so much so that if we decided to wait for a PSN release, I'd probably go ahead and play it on my own.  My memory is pretty crappy, so I tend to forget the storylines of games/movies/etc. pretty quickly, so I want to play the sequel while the events of the original are still fresh on my mind.

You make a good point and maybe someone who has played it can chime in. How much does the storyline from the 1st draw on the sequel? I would assume that they might stand on their own for the most part, but some characters may carry over.

I understand this concern Disposed and I think some of our other members probably have it. If we decided to wait and play this title, how long would be too long to wait for the PSN release? Would something like September be too long of a wait? 

[Disposed Hero]

Ideally I would like to play the sequel immediately after finishing the original, but in the interest of the community playthroughs, I'll just wait it out.  I guess my biggest concern is that while waiting for a PSN release (which may or may not ever happen), interest in playing Suikoden II may wane and then it may be a long time (or never) before we get back to it.

But I definitely understand giving some time for a PSN release so those who don't already have the game can have an affordable means of participating.  I do think if this game is played as a community playthrough, we should wait a while so we can have a larger group and better discussion.  I'm just weighing if I want to wait as well or go rogue and play it on my own. 

[singlebanana]

I understand, and I think if we do play it, soon than later is preferable. Maybe September at the latest???

Due to the length, we considered making it the only game played as a playthrough during the month, but with no PSN release and no timetable for it, that is not an option at this point. Due to price-point, I feel like we would need to provide members with another option for the month. I understand that not everyone can join the playthroughs every month, but as a group, we really strive to maximize participation and keep you guys playing games that you enjoy.

There is a happy medium somewhere and we will find it.

[singlebanana]

Poll added for those who'd like to weigh in.

[Disposed Hero]

September is fine.  If I just hold off on playing it for a bit, then I'll lose interest and won't be so eager play it anyway.  I'd rather wait it out and play it as a group, and I've got plenty to keep me occupied until then.

[SirPsycho]

The stories are not connected in the slightest. Suikoden II takes place three years after the events of the first game in an entirely different country. Some of the character arcs from certain Stars of Destiny carry over, like more is revealed about Clive and Pesmerga as a couple examples. Waiting to play it shouldn't affect your enjoyment of it as the main events are incredibly different, with a mostly new cast of players (Viktor and Flik ftw).

[Disposed Hero]

Ah, ok.  Good to know.  I thought the storylines were more connected since there were so many recurring characters.

[singlebanana]

Thanks for the input Sir Psycho. This better helps to justify waiting at least a month or two for a hopeful PSN release. My understanding is that the game received a rating recently and was pulled from the PSN list. I've read that this has happened with other games in the past just prior to release. I'm hoping that this is also the case for Suikoden II. If anyone hears anything about a timetable for this release please contact one of us pronto. I guess this goes without saying.

[h1ghw1nd]

5 of us already own the game (so far), which is more than i thought it would be. a psn release seems unlikely to me but then again i have no idea how long sony will keep supporting the ps3's retro content. this is kind of off topic but has anyone heard about retro stuff coming to the ps4?

i have no problem holding off since the story isn't a must know. i've been meaning to 100% FF7, 8, 9 & 10 again anyway lol

[Fleach]

PS Classics are available on PS3 and either the Vita or PSP. Can someone confirm which handheld offers older Playstation games?

PS3 is still getting some support, but yes, PS4 is the main focus for Sony right now.

[singlebanana]

Looks like there is some interest in Suikoden II and that several of us already own it. After talking with the guys and some of the rest of you, I think we should wait a few months to play it so that hopefully, there may be a PSN release during that time.  Let's go ahead and plan to play it in September. I'm not usually into announcing playthroughs early, but people who want physical copies may need some time to sort this out.

[Slowman]

Sign me up, just found a copy last Friday!

[singlebanana]

Sign me up, just found a copy last Friday!

Did I twist your arm any??   We will have an official announcement mid-August and have a link to the discussion forum at that time. I'll try to remember to add you, but be on the lookout for the front page ad as well.