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Suikoden Tierkreis (DS) Impressions!
jackal27 | 3:07 PM on 03.20.2009 13 comments




As I searched for reviews on Suikoden Tierkreis for the Nintendo DS, I could surprisingly find next to nothing. IGN reviewed the game, but I've frequently found that they rate games too high for my taste. Nintendo Power gave the game a resounding "Meh." and Hispanic review site "Meristation" had a review that reeked of teh bias. Therefore, I decided to post my own impressions for anyone thinking about purchasing the game that makes the lofty claim of being "The deepest handheld RPG of all time".

First off, let me say that I like the Suikoden games, but haven't been fully exposed to the whole series or story. I played Suikoden 1 when I was younger, but found it much more confusing than the linear Final Fantasy games and quickly lost interest. However, a little over a year ago, I heard that while the first game was decent, the second could have stood toe-to-toe with nearly any other game in the RPG genre. After playing a good chunk of it for myself, I would have to agree. However, I haven't beaten the game and I've never played any of the Playstation 2 Suikodens. All that being said, I feel like I'm the perfect candidate to jump into this newest entry since it pulls so far away from previous Suikoden games, while still holding on to many of the series best gameplay elements.



I've been pumped about this game for about a year. It was something that I knew I was going to buy no matter what, but mixed reviews made me cautious about investing in it, especially when there are so many other great games coming out for the DS. In the end, I decided to take the leap and buy it. When I got back to my car, I plugged my DS into my car stereo (via headphone adapter) and turned it on to listen to what was sure to be the amazingly EPIC intro music. Instead... I got this...



Had a I bought a licensed Naruto game on accident? Why was I watching solemn anime characters? To give you an idea of what I was expecting to hear, watch the epic intro to Suikoden 2 for the Playstation.



See the difference? One makes you want to play the game and one does the exact opposite. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the anime characters that turned me off. While I'm not a fan of anime themed games, I would have been fine with the anime opening if it was done right, but it was the spirit of it that irked me. Well... That and the headache-inducing music... However, the nightmarish rape that my ears would experience had only just begun.

When I got home, I began to play the game and was treated to what has to be some of the worst, most over-the-top voice acting I've heard in a while. I frantically searched for a way to turn it off or switch it to Japanese... However, I was disappointed find nothing of the sort. Why? Why Konami? How hard is it to give me an option to turn off the voice acting? Why did we need it in the first place? I would have been fine with none at all, actually, I would have been thoroughly pleased! Within 40 minutes of the playing the game, I was ready to put it for auction on EBay. What had I done!? Why didn't I buy Henry Hatsworth or Valkyrie Profile!?



However, I didn't feel that it would be right to judge a game (especially an RPG) without even knowing what the battle system or story were like. So, I soldiered on, turning the sound off during major cut-scenes. However, one thing I began to notice was that the game's graphics were gorgeous! They featured 3D character models against hand-painted backgrounds. Think a really gorgeous Playstation-era RPG. The battle system really took me by surprise though. It's pretty basic turn-based stuff, but at the same time it feels very fast and fluid. Battles are fun to watch and I didn't mind the fairly high random encounter rate because the auto-battle mode sped things up quite a bit. It seems that this was done pretty strategically too. While you may select commands in a turn based fashion, 2 or 3 characters may start attacking an enemy at the same time as opposed to 1 character attacking, going back, another character attacking, going back, enemy attacking, etc. Like I said, it makes the battles much more cinematic and exciting to watch. Also, when you equip weapons, they show up on you. I love games that have that.

The music in the game is also above average. Some of the earlier tunes could wear on me a bit after a while, but it really is a soundtrack that I wouldn't mind owning. The voice acting continued to take a toll on me though... I continued to turn off the sound during cut scenes, however, the cut scenes with voice acting became less and less frequent. The story also got better and better. Was I actually starting to like this game? A bit later, I looked at my clock and realized that I'd been playing for nearly 6 hours! Not only that, but I was thoroughly enjoying it! Sure, there had definitely been a bit of eye-rolling, but this was shaping up to be a great game. I had also gotten used to the voice acting and stopped turning the volume down at cut scenes.



The game has a very specific PSX-era RPG feel to it and that is exactly what I was hoping for. When I stopped playing, it was at the end of a big battle that resulted in my team owning our own base of operations and being officially recognized as a military company. Sure, it was a bit ridiculous that my character and his rag-tag band of teenagers were now a recognized military force, but like I said, the game has some noticeably anime roots (or flaws, you decide). That being said, the story is good and features some decent twists and turns as well. Suikoden fans may also have realized by now that the whole "You have a huge base, now fill it with people" thing is a staple of the series. Oh, by the way, there are 108 characters to unlock, which should keep you busy for a while.

In closing, Suikoden Tierkreis has some noticeable flaws and will definitely rub long-time Suikoden fans the wrong way at first, but this really is a game that has a significant pay-off for those that stick with it. If you are a Suikoden fan, please don't approach this game expecting the same thing you would from the numbered entries in the series. If you've never played a Suikoden game and like RPGs, this game is certainly a good place to start before moving on to some of the better and more mature entries like Suikoden 2. I really think that's who this game is aimed at, people who haven't played a Suikoden game before. It's apparent that it's attempting to reach a wider audience, but that doesn't change the fact that Suikoden Tierkreis is a great RPG and has something for everyone. Is it a must buy? Probably not, but if you're looking for a good RPG and you've got the cash to drop, I would definitely recommend it.



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13 comments | showing # 1 to 13

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Krow's Destructoid Blog
Oh God. I need this.
Bulkmailer's Destructoid Blog
That intro wasn't that bad...ok maybe it was.
jackal27's Destructoid Blog
@Bwark-Kupo- You'd probably like. There are also 108 total characters to unlock, so that should keep anyone busy for a while.
jackal27's Destructoid Blog
@Bulkmailer- Well, if you didn't think so then the game probably wouldn't bother you that much. I'm just not fan of... That. Hahaha.
bluexy's Destructoid Blog
The 108 stars is a Suikoden staple as well, but I was curious if they'd keep it for this spinoff. Glad they did. Also, someone should have warned you about the bad voice acting... that also has become a staple of Suikoden ever since it made the jump to the PS2 (Suikoden 3).

I'm really glad you're liking the story, since that was always my favorite part of the games. And you have to love filling your castle with new blacksmiths, item makers, and generally interesting characters. Thanks Jackal! :)
Josh Tolentino's Destructoid Blog
As an old-guard Suikoden fan, I still can't get over how they just went and abandoned the original world. The game mechanics are familiar and I can deal with the changes, but I can feel nothing of the setting or its maturity.

This might have been a change for better sales, but I keep getting the feeling that Konami just went "Hey, it's got stars of destiny, so it's Suikoden, amirite?" and then made a bog-standard JRPG.

I'm probably not giving it enough time. Suikoden V had one of the longest prologues in history, but right now I'm just surprised that I feel absolutely no enthusiasm for the title, even eight hours in. About the only thing I can say is that the premise is interesting. Will that be enough to hold me until the game gets rolling? I hope so.
Jim Sterling's Destructoid Blog
I thought this game was gonna be awful when I first booted it up, but the more I play it, the more absorbed I become. The story becomes really interesting, with some possible real-world social commentary, and the battles are pretty fun, if more limited than the series' norm.

A full review is coming once I've blasted through some more. I'm hoping it keeps up the momentum it's gained.
Stella Wong's Destructoid Blog
They took out the most beautiful song in the intro :( I'm sad for that.

sorry to hear that it wasn't what you were expecting. I thought it was really true to it. It's a JRPG so I guess you can expect the latest games to have an anime art style for these games. I know it's not your cup of tea, but I think these cut-scenes make it for me. (I'm just a biased animu fan)
jackal27's Destructoid Blog
@Unanbangkay- You also have to keep in mind that it could be because it's on the DS as well and they probably figured that most of the players would be younger.

@Jim Sterling- Thanks for the comment man! I've noticed the real-world religious commentary as well... However, I'm a Christian so I was sort of offended at first, but everything that The Order stands for flies in the face of Christ's teachings so it actually doesn't offend me. However, I can still see how certain aspects of my religion are possibly being referenced in it. If they really are references to Christian beliefs though, it would only mean that they have misunderstood those beliefs from what I've seen. Whatever though, it's a freaking game, hahaha.
jackal27's Destructoid Blog
@Aiya- I still enjoy the anime cutscenes, it was just that song that ticked me off mostly! That makes me so mad that it used to have a better song! No need to apologize though, I appreciated your recommendation and I'm loving the game right now so everything turned out for the good!
Gen Eric Gui's Destructoid Blog
You...don't like the opening song? I could play that song on infinite loop, it's beautiful. It's not as good as S2 or S3's opening, but considering that those are the best openings ever created, that's still saying quite a bit about this one.
garison's Destructoid Blog
Nintendo Power gave the game a 9. But then again NP doesn't give anything a 6 or below too often ...

I want this game.
BlackFreefall's Destructoid Blog
It came out already? I still need to buy/play Suikoden IV and V before getting this one.


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 about me

I'm mostly a retro gamer. I don't hate everything after the 90's, but I tend to prefer retro game design. I enjoy alot of indie and portable games, not to mention a blockbuster title every now and then. However, like I said, the majority of my gaming takes place on older consoles.

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Sound Test- Video game music. I love it, you love it, what more do I need to say?
Super Mario 64: Dire Dire Docks
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Dragon Quest V: Ocean Voyage
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Keep in mind that these change SO much... I'm terrible at lists...

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