Suikoden V

The 108 stars of destiny are back!  Fans of the Suikoden Saga get ready for number 5!  Suikoden V offers many of the saga’s common themes, along with some new, but much welcomed changes.

The story begins in the land of Farlena.  Because of civil unrest, the Queen of Farlena is forced to use the Sun Rune… but at a terrible price.  The story unfolds as a silent hero rises.  Typical of Suikoden.

The story of Suikoden V has to be one of the best things going for it…once you get to it.  The beginning of the game is its biggest downfall.  About 7 hours drag on as the plot slowly unfolds through tons of dialogue and cut scenes.  You get to explore and watch characters develop, but with few battles.  But after this initial boredom, Suikoden V explodes with a gripping story and fast paced game play.  You won’t want to put your controller down or take your eyes off the screen!  The story is the longest ever in all of the Suikoden games and it offers multiple endings!

Suikoden V has many similarities as the previous editions.  You still recruit the 108 stars of destiny by exploring the vast world and various enormous towns.  Some off the recruits are from previous editions of the saga, while others are new.  50 of the characters are playable in battle while all 108 are available to aid you during the massive area map wars that take place against other armies!  These military battles are one of the best parts of the Suikoden saga, along with the duals, and the ability to customize and build your headquarters.

Some changes include the new 20 battle formations.  There is also a new skill system and a change in the ways you upgrade and customize you weapons.  Hundreds of items are available.  Many are old favorites and many are soon to be new favorites!

The controls and battle system is very similar to the previous editions of the game, so for those of you who have played them before, you will have no trouble at all.  The character models are quite good.  Each of the 108 stars of destiny has a look of their own.  The landscapes are just beautiful to look at and the lighting effects are done quite well.  The soundtrack can be a bit annoying, however.  It tends to get a bit repetitive.

Suikoden V is available only on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of T for teen.  This is because the game features partial nudity, violence, mild language, and the use of alcohol.  But it’s nothing worse than what you may see on cable television.  A strategy guide is available for those of you who can’t seem to find all 108 stars of destiny.