|
Suikoden 3 is made by those wonderful folks at Konami. Yes, Konami does make RPGs. And this one is definitely a keeper. I was honestly hooked at the anime (yes, anime) intro. Hey, what can I say�presentation goes a long way with me. The basic story goes like this. 15 years after the events of Suikoden 2, it appears that the Flame-Bringer has once again surfaced and war is about to erupt between the Zexens and the six clans of the Grasslands. The main standout point of the Suikoden series is the 108 stars of destiny. This is a fancy way of saying there are 108 characters integral to the story and you will have or create the opportunity to use or play against all of them at some point in the game. You will eventually build a town/headquarters where most of these characters will meet or assemble as you get deeper into the game. The other cool thing about this game is the Trinity Sight System. The game is broken up into chapters. And rather than playing through the chapters with the same core character(s). You will play through each one with one of three different groups (eventually four after chapter 1). Each group will bring a different perspective to the story and add in missing pieces of the puzzle. First there is Hugo, the son of the Karayan Chief of the Grasslands. Then there is Chris, the Captain of the Zexen Knights. Then there is �the man� Geddoe, a spy and soldier for the special defense forces of Harmonia.
All in all this RPG is similar to many other Japanese RPGs out there. The in-game character design is very similar to Sega�s Skies of Arcadia. The battle and magic systems are similar to other games with the added twist of pairing up characters and commanding them in two-man groups rather than individually. The story so far seems great, but so are those of Final Fantasy. The real beauty of this game is in the Trinity Sight System and the 108 stars. These features alone make the game really stand out and keep it interesting all the way through. So if you want a rewarding RPG experience to tide you over until the PS2 buries us in good RPGs this February (.hack, Xenosaga, Breath of Fire, etc.), then definitely pick up Suikoden 3, it�s worth your time and money. |
|
