Suikoden

For the Japanese empress, see Empress Suiko.

Suikoden (幻想水滸伝, Gensō Suikoden) is a Japanese console role-playing game series created by Konami.

Introduction

About Suikoden

The Suikoden series is loosely based on a classical Chinese novel, Shui Hu Zhuan (水浒传, Outlaws of the Marsh), by Shi Nai'an and Luo Guanzhong. Shui Hu Zhuan is rendered as 水滸伝 in Japanese, and read as Suikoden. Each game centers around relative themes of politics, corruption, revolution, mystical orbs known as True Runes, and the "108 Stars of Destiny" — 108 protagonists also very loosely interpreted from the source material. Though the games follow an irregular chronological sequence, the entire series takes place within the same world among overlapping histories. In some cases, several characters appear in multiple installations.

The games, standard to most RPGs, commonly feature random over world and dungeon battles, inn-based game saves, a turn-based, menu-operated combat system, mini-games and side quests. Saved game data can be transferred from Suikoden I to Suikoden II, and Suikoden II to Suikoden III (Suikogaiden Vol.1 can also receive data from Suikoden II, and is transferable to Suikogaiden Vol.2, but only in Japan).

Suikoden implements many innovative features as each title allows players, in varying degrees, to:

• conduct strategically pitched war campaigns.
• participate in turn based, one-on-one duels.
• build an immensely large headquarters that grows as the story progresses (and only develops fully if all the characters are recruited).
• recruit a colorful cast of 108 pre-determined characters, each specializing in various aspects of combat or support.

Essentially, each game follows the plot formula of a coup d'état by corrupt power holder(s), the main protagonist's exile from his/her home, the disastrous misuse of the True Runes, the hero's struggle, despite overwhelming odds, to bring peace to the land alongside his/her friends, and the climactic showdown with the corrupted True Rune.

Suikoden Development

The Suikoden series was created, written, produced, and overseen by Yoshitaka Murayama, who left Konami near the end of Suikoden III's development. Noritada Matsukawa took over as Senior Director of Suikoden III following Murayama's departure. Suikoden IV was directed by Matsukawa as well but was produced by Junko Kawano, who was the chief designer in Suikoden 1.

Suikoden Games

Current Installments

• Suikoden (PlayStation: December 15, 1995, Japan; 1996, North America; April, 1997, Europe; Sega Saturn: September 17, 1998, Japan)
• Suikoden II (PlayStation: December 17, 1998, Japan; August 31, 1999, North America; July 28, 2000. Europe)
• Genso Suikogaiden Vol. 1 - Swordsman of Harmonia (PlayStation: September 21, 2000, Japan)
• Genso Suikogaiden Vol. 2 - Duel At Crystal Valley (PlayStation: March 22, 2001, Japan)
• Genso Suikoden Card Stories (Game Boy Advance: September 13, 2001, Japan)
• Suikoden III (PlayStation 2: July 11, 2002, Japan; October 24, 2002, North America)
• Suikoden IV (PlayStation 2: August 19, 2004, Japan; January 11, 2005, North America; February 25, 2005, Europe)
• Suikoden Tactics (Playstation 2: September 22, 2005, Japan (as Rhapsodia); November 8, 2005, North America; February 23, 2006, Europe; February 24, 2006)
• Genso Suikoden I&II (PSP: February 23, 2006, Japan)
• Suikoden V (Playstation 2: February 23, 2006, Japan; March 21, 2006, North America; September 22, 2006, Europe)

The World of Suikoden

Suikoden's world is distinctive among RPGs, both in a geographical and supernatural sense.

The 27 True Runes

Main article: 27 True Runes

The backbone of the Suikoden world that allows the existence of the universe, True Runes are the equivalents of gods in the Suikoden world. Wholly sentient and possessing their own will, each of the True Runes holds immeasurable power, and many wars have been fought over them in the past. True Runes are often sought by the powerful and influential due to their shared property of granting immortality to those who bear them. All bearers of True Runes stop aging and become immune to disease and all other natural causes of death, though they can still die from physical trauma such as accidents or murder. All True Runes are equal in their overall power, but some have abilities that are more suited to combat than others.

Several True Runes have featured in the Suikoden games or lore so far; the entry on the 27 True Runes contains a list of their holders as well as a brief detailing of their histories and powers.

The 108 Stars of Destiny

Main article: 108 Stars of Destiny (Suikoden)

A concept borrowed from the Chinese novel Shui Hu Zhuan, each chapter of Suikoden features 108 characters who all band together to fight an army of epic proportions.

Geography

The Suikoden world has a complete map, DueFiumi.com World Map, which is up-to-date and accurate based on information given by Konami as of the limited edition DVD released with Suikoden V.

There are many countries in the world of Suikoden. The geography has changed slightly, however the above map shows the Suikoden world after the events of Suikoden III, which is the last game in the time line, currently, and includes information from all games in the series.

In the far North are the Knightdom of Camaro and the Nameless Lands in the West, and Harmonia in the East. Below The Nameless Lands lay the Grasslands (Made up of 6 clans: Lizard, Duck, Karaya, Chisha, Safir, Alma Kinan). Directly west of the Grasslands is the Zexen Confederacy, which is on the Western Coast of the Continent. East of the Grasslands is lower Harmonia. The west coast curves into the mainland, going southeast. The farthest south village in the Grasslands is Milit. Directly south is the Ocean.

Southeast of the Grasslands, and below Harmonia, is the Dunan Region. This is made up of the Higheast Region (the Highland Kingdom annexed into Dunan as of 460 of the Solar Calendar), Muse, South Window, and Tinto. Highland is in the North, then Muse directly below it. East of Muse is filled with small villages. To the west lay Greenhill, Northwest the Knightdom of Matilda, South across Lake Dunan is South Window, west of that is the Two River Principality with Tinto in the Southwest (Tinto is also Southeast of the Grasslands, and they are boxed in by mountains. Tinto later left the Dunan Republic powers after the events in Suikoden 2 and formed its own independent nation.

South of the Dunan region lays the Toran Republic. South of South Window lay the Senan region and Dana region (Senan is on the left, Dana on the right, divided by a river), with the Kunan region below the Senan region. Further south is the Lorimar region, which harbours Warriors' Village. East of the Lorimar Region is the Great Forest region, which boarders the Kooluk Empire in the South. North of this region is the Goran region. North of this is the Land of Arlus, where Gregminister, the Capital of the Toran Republic, is located. In the centre of all these regions is Lake Toran (starting from Senan, and going to Arlus, in a counter clockwise motion, as seen on the map. Far south, at the southern tip of the continent, is Kanakan, and to the west of that, the former Kooluk Empire, now a part of the Toran Republic.

In the Ocean to the South lay the Island Nations, with the Capital on Obel Island. Further south, on a different landmass, is the Queendom of Falena, which is explored in Suikoden V, along with their neighbours, the New Armes Kingdom, and the Nagarea Theocracy. The Gaien Dukedom lies west of the Island Nations and further west the Zelant Kingdom

There also exists a western continent about which little to no details are known, as well with a landmass to the north east of the Queendom of Falena which appears to be of considerable size.

For the use of the Suikoden world in the games, see Geography in the Suikoden series.

History

Just as the world is consistent, so too is the history of events in the world. In common with many other RPGs, the games do not follow a linear progression of time. Rather, the sequence is as follows:

Suikoden IV (150 years before Suikoden I) → Suikoden V (Ends 6 years before Suikoden I) → Suikoden I (Beginning of the game, 5 years before Suikoden II. End of the game, 3 years before Suikoden II.) → Suikoden II (15 years before Suikoden III) → Suikoden III (Present).

Publications, Adaptation and Non-Gaming Material

Countless publications, such as the Suikoden World Guide and Suikoden Encyclopedia exist for Suikoden, but these mostly only exist in Japanese. Suikoden and Suikoden II have novel adaptations (both written by Shinjiro Hori), which were only released in Japan, while Suikoden III was adapted into a manga (by Aki Shimizu) which was released on a small scale in English markets by Tokyopop.

See also for similar games

• Azure Dreams
• Radiata Stories
• Skies of Arcadia
• Star Ocean

External links

• Konami's Official Genso Suikoden Site
• Konami RPG Stars: Official Konami RPG Site
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