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Impressive PS2 Debut!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: May 21, 2008
Author: Amazon User

For all of those Suikoden fans out there that are wondering how the series would fare in it's first installation for PS2... rest assured!

There are vast differences between Suikoden's 1 and 2 compared to 3... Much revamped graphics, comparable soundtrack, tweaked battle system, and the very innovative Trinity Sight system!

You can look forward to many hours of pure enjoyment and I'm sure you shouldn't be disappointed in the least!

I'd say it's a 95/100 ^^

Different Viewpoints, Same Story, Beautiful

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: April 07, 2008
Author: Amazon User

The greatest aspect of this game had to have been its usage of the system which allowed the user to see the same scene from different points of view. While you start off completely disliking one character for their portrayal in the eyes of another you quickly understand their point of view as you begin to control them later on.

It just adds a new twist to the way RPGs are played and helps to make what would seem like an interesting story into a classic. The story itself is interesting but nothing too dramatic or world view changing. General evil power out to destroy so you must counter by becoming stronger and facing off with it plot. It is interesting, however, in the way the characters interact and the different factions at work in the story. What the stock lacks it definitely makes up for through this.

As mentioned in other areas the six man teams is a bit awkward although the usage of ridden animals makes me glad they did use it. It does allow you to customize a rather large party and keep people leveled up easily but probably isn't worth its benefits just because of the added complexity.

Side quests are really fun in this game though. One thing you'll notice is that as you collect more of the stars more of your home base is unveiled. So once you collect a farmer, for example, now you can farm food yourself at your home base and so on. It's an interestingly fun way to open up mini games which keep you coming back for more.

Another great aspect of the game is the war mode. You assign your characters to squadrons and battle off against incoming troops so you really have to be strategical how you layout your team.

Suikoden seems like a solid story. This particular one had an interesting plot and while it wasn't ground breaking was delivered in a unique way which adds to the user's enjoyment. I suggest playing it although it is kind of dated at this point.

Just doesn't work as a Game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: February 05, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Although the story to this game is awesome, I had to push through the annoying aspect of no real main charater for the first half of the game. A very tedious combat system. And finally the never ending annoyiance of running to and from CONSTANTLY. It took me forever to beat the game cause I had to force my self to play a horrible game in order to enjoy a good story. I loved suikoden 1 and 2 I thought this made for a poor excuse for a suikoden game.

Amazing

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: February 03, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I've seen a lot of reviews here about all of the grievances people have with Suikoden III, comparing it to other games and saying that the story is not up to par. Honestly the only problem I had with it would be the lack of direction when going to recruit characters. However in the case of the story I see no flaws. The story's seen mostly in 3 perspectives (I don't really count Thomas, he's not that big of a character interesting). The biggest charm I'd feel about this story is the mystery of it all. There's a lot of twists in the plot and I feel the characters are very likable, much more so than a traumatized hero who has one big crisis and twist that will be revealed at or towards the end of the story. The characters are more understandable and realistic than most RPGs. The other big draw of this game and another mysterious element is Holy Harmonia and Hikusaak; two things that konami has been teasing about since Suikoden II, and the area that hopefully Konami will end the series in. I can't say much about the plot without giving it away except that it's very much based around discovering what the truth really is, kind of like Myst or games of that sort.

As for gameplay many feel this game lacks, however I only saw it as an extra challenge, sure it makes it tough having 6 characters only able to work in pairs, but that adds on the strategy of who goes with whom and how to work around it. Honestly the suikodens were never really that challenging, and this only makes it a bit more challenging. Also, there are many battles, but after a few of them you can just start letting the enemies go like in every suikoden.

As for the music, it is a change, a change that I think bred a lot of amazing songs, and some not so good ones. Michiru Yamane (I'm pretty sure she was the main composer) has a very European style of composing (Just like Miki Higashino of the first two had a very Celtic style), a very festive european style. This is a large contrast from the typical japanese based sountracks of most composers. The feeling that most songs give kind of make you think of the Basque, or maybe that's just me. This has amazing songs and is honestly a gem.

With all of these factors in mind, it's not hard to see that Suikoden III is a black sheep but it's one that does things very well and has one of the most gripping stories. Perhaps others played through it too quickly and didn't take the time to actually think and wonder what happened. However I will say that if you do get it you should look up a guide without spoilers to try and see what the best order to play through is.

With the invention of the PS2 Konami had the chance to capture a whole new fanbase, they failed to do so.....

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Suikoden 1 and 2 are great classics, but before the PS2 they had a small fanbase. With the arrival of the PS2, Konami had the chance to make a great masterpiece that would create a whole new fanbase and capture die hard RPG fans. They failed, they did the exact opposite by killing this series with Suikoden 3 and 4. However, unlike the 4th one and Tactics, this game didn't totally suck. The sight system is a unique idea, and it worked pretty well, with the exception of the pathetic Thomas. His whole story was just a complete waste of time. Luckily, you do not have to play his chapter. I think (though I could be wrong, its been a long time) that in order to unlock Luc's chapter (which is really necessary if you want to experience all this game has to offer) you have to play out Thomas chapters and recruit characters. This could be wrong though, I just can't remember. This game lacked the great war feeling that the first two produced, and which the fifth one did such a great job capturing. Lets face it, Suikoden 1 and 2 made this series stories about WAR. In Suikoden 3, there really is no war in the game, and the war battles are an absolute joke. Its more like a side story, there is an evil faction which is attempting to destroy the world, for their own bizarre reasons. The 3 main characters are played out well, the sight system makes a boring game a little bit more interesting. I really don't see any replay value in this game, once you have all the 108 stars and play Luc's chapter, there is nothing to draw you back to it, even years later. As far as forgettable characters, most of them are. There are a few memorable ones, primarily the three main characters, and Yuber (who is explored a lot more than he was in the first two) but otherwise, I can't really remember many characters in this game. I really didn't like the whole Luc's story, it was nice to see a different Luc, but it shouldn't have been the focus of the game. The fact that Harmonia is explored a little bit (not much, but we do find out some info on this mysterious nation) is nice, but Harmonia really needs to be the focus of a Suikoden game. Well, from this you can expect an average RPG for the PS2, nothing great here. Just because it is called Suikoden, don't expect it to be like number 1, 2 and 5.

Quest with the 108 stars of Destiny!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: July 23, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Reviewed for Big Boss Games by: Eschneider6

This is the third part in a long running series from Konami, there's Suikoden and Suikoden II both worth checking out.

Enter the land of Grassland in Suikoden III, where war and conflict have been between the six clans of Grassland, Zexen Federation, and Holy Kingdom of Harmonia. What's different in Suikoden III is that you play the story through the eye's of 3 characters. Geddoe, Captain of the small defense force of Harmonia, Hugo, a son of Grasslands Chief Lucia, and Chris who is Captain of the Knights of Zexen. You choose whom to start the game out as, and see the story unfold by 3 points of view.

There are many secrets to this game, so I won't spoil them for you. This game took me 89 hours to beat, and that's including opening all the secrets! It's a deep game with traditional RPG battles, but also includes strategic battles later in the game as well. Also, the gathering of the 108 stars of Destiny. Each person has a skill to help you during the game. This game has a great story, great characters and some good cinemas as well. Two things make the score 8.5, the fetch quests and the lack of places to visit. I recommend you buy this game, so stop reading this review so you can go play this great RPG!

My review score for Suikoden III= 8.5
Score 1= Throw out
Score 10= Must Buy

Loved it!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: June 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Great story, love-able characters, it's a good (and fast) battle system. It's so much fun training all the characters near the end!
You also have good use of the 108 stars unlike the other Suikoden.

Best rpg ever up there with final fantasy

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 3
Date: April 08, 2007
Author: Amazon User

this is a great game if you like the suikoden and it have all new game plays and there are charaters from part one and part two

Another feather in this series' cap.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: April 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is another great one from Konami. I'll keep this review within the parameters for a game of it's time, and not present date. If you're an rpg fan in general this one is good, and if you're a Suikoden fan since the start, this one is a must buy.

Graphics - For it's time, the graphics are quite good. The characters are all sort of stubby, but after the first couple hours you get used to that look. The environments are pretty open, and in that respect lack some details we've seen in the 2D parts of this series. But keep in mind this game was the first 3D installment, and they were feeling their way through. Nothing ever feels overly long or drawn out to make the game longer or anything. The battle graphics are also quite good. Animations of people and monsters are well drawn, and the special effects for the time are top notch and what you'd expect from the series.

Music - It's great, plain and simple. It all fits the regions you travel. The tracks are varied but with an overall feel that you're in the same world and all that. The sound effects in battle are also quite good, and what you'd expect if you've played the series before.

Story - Some would argue the most important part of any good RPG. I agree. The story is very, very good. It centers around three characters for the first three chapters, and each of them have several supporting characters. It lives up to the Suikoden name in every way. War torn nations, politics, superstions, racism, underdog heroes that come from unexpected places, and the 108 characters you can recruit to gain all the power of the Stars of Destiny. Halfway through the title (or a little over) you will have played as FOUR characters with unique perspectives and interlocking storylines from the different nations, and then they will all come together. This is where the story and gameplay really pick up, and the stakes get very high as you form an alliance. You must forge brotherhood among one another and press on against a powerful and mysterious nation. You must unravel the secrets of an immortal fire magic wielding hero, and of the True Runes that govern the lives of all characters in every Suikoden title. From there, you'll discover another two characters to play as if you unlock all 108 stars. There are some great guides you can find out there that will assist you. The game is very long, for some lasting up to 80 hours (me) as you try to upgrade many of the character's weapons, armor, and skill points for the final battles. And yet, for an RPG, it's not overly complicated. Most areas and battles are fairly linear. How to gain most of your characters would also be interpetted as fairly simple by most rpg veterans of any kind. But the heart of the story, and the backbone of your characters, is what truly makes the title shine.

Gameplay - Another important part of an rpg title. The gameplay is slightly over average to the veterans of the series or of any rpgs. For new comers, it'll be just right to learn. Although, some newcomers may find a few spots overly difficult without leveling up and gaining alot of money first. But for most, this will be done with ease once you learn how the world works. See, you travel from story point to point (revealed by your characters of course) by traversing field maps and town areas. The field has random encounters with monsters of ALL kinds. They vary in power and look by region. In town areas, you can upgrade armor and weaponry, gain magic, and in some places upgrade physical and mental skills through bujutsu instructors and tutors. This is a new aspect of the game in this series. It won't be seen again until Suikoden V either. I liked it very much. As you battle, you can skill points. In towns or your fort, you can upgrade them via the instructor (physical power and abilities) and the tutor (magic abilities). Some characters have natural abilities in say, fire magic, or say, multiple hits with their quick blades. These characters can truly shine with the right training, and the game will tell you who is best at what. But you *can* just ignore that and upgrade whatever you want, if you're willing to gain the extra skills to do so. But some characters naturally cut off at certain areas, while in those they excel in they go way up in rank eventually. Basically it's the bread and butter of the gameplay, you do fields/dungeons, then you hit towns to buy items or what have you, and repeat. In between, and in most fields/dungeons, you'll discover powerful monsters that appear on screen rather than as random battles. These are another new aspect to the series, Treasure Bosses. They're usually at your level though near the end they'll be stronger for a time. You kill them for tons (and I mean, TONS) of money, and rare/good items for your level. And the best part is, they'll respawn within 30 minutes or an hour in real life time. So add that to your routine and you'll have found the meat of the gameplay. There are also one on one character duels, and large scale battles with armies, just like in the other games in the series. The duels are the same for you vets, as for the newcomers, you'll get the hang of it fairly quickly. An enemy makes a remark (usually hinting at the attack they'll use) and then you use a paper rock scissors system to figure how you'll retort. Attack beats defense, desperate (power) attack beats regular attack, and defense clobbers desperate attack. Also, a difference this time around, the battle can go with or against your favor depending on how well you start it out. Meaning you'll get "free" hits or no penalties for a mistake, if things go your way. If they go against you, you'll take extra damage and have no room for mistakes. In the battlefield stuff with armies, new things can be found for vets and newcomers alike. You basically shape the teams yourself, using the 108 Stars you gather. So in this game more than ever it's very important to have them all or as many as you can get at the time. You'll also want to level up EVERYone, and upgrade all the weapons and armor you can on these people, as they're ALL participating in battles, something new to the series. The early ones serve more as a learning mode, most of which you either can't win, or simply have to survive a certain amount of turns. They are advanced tactics the game can teach you (such as support on field), and then there are high stakes where if you lose no teams you gain special items at the end (war spoils). Don't expect anything major here (like Final Fantasy Tactics or Fire Emblem calibur stuff), but in itself the battles are fun and simple (usually). By the end game you'll have tons of powerful people, and you'll be expected to win all the battles, usually without a loss (seeing as a loss can sometimes get one of the people you have killed, meaning you won't gain the good ending or all the Stars).

In the end, this game relies heavily on the story. If you don't like it or the characters, you probably won't want to stick the whole way through. I heartily recommend playing the entire series in order. With Suikoden II save data you'll gain some neat extras. Anyhow, you'll quickly become addicted to spending skill points, killing treasure bosses, and progressing this wonderful storyline. There is a degree of customization here as well. I gave this game a five star rating for it's time. By today's standards it might have degraded to a four star. If you pick this up and a ready for a long haul, you'll get what you put into this beautiful title.

~lastfirstborn (writing for Shelia)

A True Gem

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: February 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Suikoden 3 is a unique experience. 3 main characters, 108 stars of destiny, and a ton of content. All of the Suikoden games are full of surprises, memoriable characters, and awesome combat. Suikoden 3 is the first and maybe the last Suikoden game to feature the intuative three main character system (Tri-Flame, I think it was called, although there was 1 optional side-story, his name was Thomas, and one hidden character.

I only recently beat Suikoden 1 and 2, but I've played them all (4 ans 5 included, both beaten), but this is the one I can't finish. It will always reign as the game I never beat.

Get it, seriously.

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