After taking a stroll around camp and waxing nostalgic about their past, they turn in for the night. Our Hero and his childhood friend Jowy are returning home for the first time after joining the Highland Army.
While not an amazingly fleshed out character on his own, he is amazingly effective as a villain, from the very first minute of the game. Many folks rank him as being one of the best villains in video games, and for good reason. The most compelling thing about the game, by far, is the central antagonist, Luca Blight.
#Luca blight duel full#
While the first game feels like a shaky first attempt, this is a game full of confidence, talent, and ambition, and it shows in every aspect.įair warning that I’m going to be delving into spoilers in this, as I really can’t avoid them if I want to talk about what made this game so great for me. Suikoden II has some gorgeous sprite art, especially when it comes to it’s bosses. Visually, the game is also far more impressive, and I’d dare say it’s aged better than many of it’s 3D peers. The story is now incredibly personal, and the big moments are given just the right amount of time in the oven. Some quality of life improvements make managing all the different characters a lot less of a hassle. It’s far more ambitious, with a much bigger budget at their disposal. It is, in every way possible, better than the original. The second game though? Well that’s another story. Not to mention that it is incredibly frustrating having to juggle all the party members you have and their equipment. The core conflict feels somewhat impersonal, and the protagonist feels like he’s more just along for the ride. None of the emotional scenes are given the time to really develop to make them have more impact. It’s short, and it’s length really hurts it. Some interesting ideas, but pretty lacking. It’s gained larger appreciation in recent years and Suikoden 2 is often considered one of the finest JRPGs ever.My original plan was to write articles on Suikoden and Suikoden II separately, but after playing through the first game, I really don’t have a whole lot to say about it.
Reviews were not kind on release-Konami stuck to a pixel art approach when 3D graphics were the new thing-but those who played it found a masterpiece. Suikoden 2 truly set the bar, retaining the core premise but expanding on its gameplay considerably. The first game laid a great foundation, but in comparison to its sequel, it hasn’t aged as well. It really made you feel like a leader, bringing a versatility unseen in mainstream JRPGs of that era. Characters could permanently die if you were careless. Odds of success were affected by how many units you’d recruited, and choices held a lot of weight. Also using an RPS approach to combat in a similar manner to Fire Emblem, you moved across a grid and instead of just your vanguard, these battles relied on your army’s overall strength. There were also solo duels, putting your protagonist into single combat with another character, taking a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" approach to battles.Īrmy Battles were undoubtedly the highlight, an area Suikoden 2 expanded on significantly. Battles came in three forms but primarily this was a turn-based affair in keeping with your standard JRPG, employing a six-character party to defeat enemies with attacks or rune-based magic. Many writers would balk at such a huge roster, but Suikoden managed them with care and gave each character their own personality.īetter still, everyone’s stats were unique, with different weapons, abilities and combos. Not all of the Stars were playable, but every one was significant, and with each member gained your castle grew, adding an element of base building. Even now, many developers skim over the grim realities of war, using it as a convenient excuse for battles and new shooters.īy focusing on such a large group, Suikoden goes against the cliche of a small team saving the day against great odds.
#Luca blight duel series#
The Suikoden series delved into the ethical and moral complexities of wars, and the politics behind them, in a way that games rarely do-especially back in 1995.
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