Suikoden III
- October 25, 2002 00:00 AM PST
Anyone thinking about making an epic RPG that doesn't go overboard with pretentiousness, please read this review. You may learn a thing or two.
The real Suikoden (a 14th-century Chinese novel) followed 108 "Stars of Destiny" as they fought a corrupt kingdom. The third video Suikoden (an early 21st-century Konami epic) follows dozens of characters as they're swept into a new war between Zexen and Grassland. Both are among the best in their respective genres. Coincidence?
The Rolling Hills of Vinay del Zexay
Suikoden III has been improved in more ways than is physically possible to list. Instead of one hero and one story, you go through chapters, each unfolding from the perspective of three different characters�an old idea that Konami executes perfectly, making it seem innovative all over again. The graphics have made the great leap to 3D, and they're a laudable effort: the subdued anime look is a great match with the game's fantasy world, and the character models display surprising amounts of emotion in the (still voiceless) cutscenes. The only black mark: slowdown, occasionally extreme, along with a wonky camera at times.
The Cold Floors of The Great Hollow
Most of the annoying flaws from the last two games have been removed. Battles now use a "pair" system that takes time to master, but they're blazing fast and take almost zero time to load. There aren't nearly as many random encounters, thank heavens, and finding Stars is a ton easier�the conditions aren't so arbitrary anymore.
The best part of all? Undoubtedly the dialogue�it's actually well written this time, with no (okay, very few) typos and non sequiturs. It's great to see such an expertly crafted and epic title like this one get the English treatment it deserves.
