Konami boasts a variety of iconic games and series; following their successful revival of the acclaimed Silent Hill with the outstanding Silent Hill 2 remake, they’ve recently unveiled Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars. This collection includes the first two instalments from their renowned role-playing game series, unlike Silent Hill or Metal Gear, which have seen more extensive remakes. Instead, Suikoden is receiving updated re-releases that are more straightforward and traditional in nature.
Although it’s unfortunate, it’s clear why this move could be a shrewd choice. Given that Suikoden, at its peak, didn’t have stellar commercial success, a low-risk launch to gauge the property’s appeal is logical. The games in question are not only praised for their excellence within the role-playing genre but also stand out for their exceptional storytelling and world-building, as well as unique mechanics that remain unrivaled in many aspects even today.
It’s logical to consider a fresh release, given that it incorporates numerous minor yet intelligent enhancements, each of which demonstrates a high regard for the original content. To illustrate, similar to recent re-releases of classic RPGs, these remastered games offer battle speed up options, a dialogue log to review all the extensive conversations and explanations within the game. Additionally, they’ve included difficulty settings, new overworld sound effects, a gallery to view in-game movies, listen to music, appreciate art, or even explore the various endings, and have improved graphics.
It’s logical to consider a simple remake, given that it indeed incorporates multiple minor yet intelligent improvements, each thoughtfully crafted to honor the original content.
To put it simply, the success of the Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars seems to hinge mainly on the quality of the two games bundled together. Essentially, after 30 years since their initial release, we’re curious about how well they have aged. Fortunately, both games remain engaging and enjoyable.
The original Suikoden game is considered less strong compared to its sequel, but it’s important to note that it was released in 1995, making it over three decades old. Since then, the RPG genre and the Suikoden series have progressed significantly. Despite being an older game, Suikoden shares many elements that made later games in the series popular. For instance, you’re still engaged in a captivating story where you resist an oppressive empire, you traverse the world to recruit more than a hundred characters, engage in strategic turn-based battles, build and expand your base as more allies join, and interact with well-developed characters.
In simpler terms, the first game’s narrative isn’t as deep or influential as the second one. Despite handling heavy and complex themes, it approaches them in a way that seems less mature than expected, given its reputation. However, the story is still intriguing and enjoyable to follow, and it sometimes reacts surprisingly well to player choices, especially when it comes to character recruitment. It also has some emotional high points. Over time, the initial light-hearted tone becomes more serious as the story unfolds, though it never loses all its humor completely.
Apart from the engaging storyline, it appears that Suikoden‘s main shortcoming might be the absence of many quality-of-life enhancements and updates found in its sequel. Strangely, these improvements haven’t been incorporated into the initial game within this collection. Additionally, the graphical remastering for the first game seems slightly less impressive compared to the second game; some aspects of this can be attributed to the original game having a more sparse graphic design to begin with, which doesn’t translate as well to the high-definition widescreen format. The geometry and textures may seem simplistic at times, appearing oddly smooth and blurred in certain areas. However, these are minor issues – the original game is still visually appealing for a 32-bit role-playing game. Yet, it’s the second game that undeniably looks more attractive, both in its remastered version and its original form.
The second role-playing game, Suikoden II, is often hailed as one of the greatest RPGs ever crafted. Indeed, it remains remarkably impressive even today.
Without a doubt, many gamers believe that the second Suikoden game surpasses the first in almost every aspect, and it’s often hailed as one of the greatest RPGs ever created. This high regard is well deserved: Suikoden II stands the test of time. The narrative and dialogue are noticeably improved – the plot is more captivating, the characters are more intriguing, and the gameplay mechanics are significantly more detailed and refined.
Suikoden II can be described as a game that exudes confidence, and this feeling is evident from the start. The game significantly expands on its core idea, such as refining many of its distinctive features like the base-building system, which reaches its peak in Suikoden II. The battles become more demanding, and the game develops and enhances its themes and mechanics to a greater extent than the first installment. Additionally, it offers quality-of-life improvements that make a big difference – for instance, you can immediately rearrange your party formation when a character joins or leaves the squad, and the game informs you of the stat changes each character gains upon leveling up. These small details may seem insignificant but they add up and contribute positively to the overall experience.
The remake of Suikoden II appears stunningly beautiful. Compared to the original version, the remaster seems more harmonious in terms of texture consistency, rather than appearing overly smoothed as it sometimes does in the first. Additionally, the overall look and feel of the game is much more unified.
Purchasing a basic remaster of Suikoden II, despite its age, remains an excellent decision due to its enduring legendary status. Indeed, even after all these years, it continues to match the high expectations set by its reputation. Konami appears to be well-versed in the fervor for this game and its predecessor, as their remastering efforts show a deep respect for the series. The original details have been meticulously preserved, while any modifications made were done with great care to avoid spoiling a cherished work that has earned a dedicated fanbase over time.
“Even the most diehard and zealous of purists will be pleased with this collection.”
This assortment will delight the most passionate purists, but do remember: these are remasters, not remakes. The modifications, enhancements, and supplements are subtle. While the original game may not shine quite as brightly as its sequel (though it remains a solid RPG worth exploring), a new installment in the series would be truly exciting!
Despite not being something new or innovative, let me clarify what this collection indeed represents: It offers two exceptional (even outstanding in the case of the sequel) games that are timeless classics within their respective genres. These games have been meticulously remastered and made accessible to modern gamers, with minimal adjustments to the original gameplay mechanics. If you’ve never played Suikoden before, this collection provides an ideal opportunity to immerse yourself in these classic adventures for the first time. And if you’re already a fan of the series, you will appreciate how well these games have aged and be impressed by Konami’s skill in adapting them for modern audiences.
This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.
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2025-03-07 14:20