Playing Suikoden II

A forum for all general Suikoden related topics.
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Nikisaur
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Nikisaur »

Interesting that you didn't like the war battles. They're my favourite of the series! I liked building my units with the abilities and stats I wanted, and moving them around the terrain like a tactical rpg. Like who gets horses and fire spears and stuff. I believe it's the only game to give you dedicated mage units too, which I love! In 5 they were mixed in with archers, which is okay.
I know you get a 'mage unit' in Suikoden 1 but it's like... NOW WE HAVE A GREAT SILVERBERG ON OUR SIDE!!! WE CAN PLAY ROCK PAPER SCISSORS WITH THE ENEMY!!! Not much strategy there :p I like feeling like I was the strategist.
I actually found 4 to be one of the weakest as it was SO EASY! Just choose the right rune cannons and you're safe.

Also... I loved the Greenhill missions ^-^ I didn't think they were filler, but rather worked to set up Teresa as the mayor who should inherit the nation. I also loved the location, and it worked as a strategic point for the Highland army to hold, and allowed Jowy to show his military talent in order to rise up the ranks in the highland Army.

But each to their own! It just shows how we all see different aspects of each game in different ways, which is really one of the beauties of Suikoden.
The only thing Suikoden lacks...is dinosaurs.
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Piisuke
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Piisuke »

I think we should credit Leon for Jowy taking Greenhill. Jowy played the part, but Leon created the part. I highly doubt Jowy did much to the planning, especially when it's shown in the beginning of the game that he can be a bit slow.

As for the war battles, I liked them as well. Apart from the first three where Apple is constantly explaining things. LEAVE ME ALONE, WOMAN!
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Hirathien
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Hirathien »

I loved the war battles in Suikoden II, much more than any other Suikoden.

Suikoden I was too random with the whole rock-paper-spock deal.
Suikoden III had it too much like normal battles, didn't like it.
Suikoden IV was way too easy with the way you could just use your ships to obliterate stuff quick. Don't think I EVER lost a battle there.
Suikoden V tried to mix it up a bit, make it harder and more to focus on. Good thinking, bad execution.

Personal opinions though.

Jowy wasn't a bad strategist, just not a good thinker in general.
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Lemmy Claypool
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Lemmy Claypool »

Hirathien wrote:Suikoden I was too random with the whole rock-paper-spock deal.
I dunno if you meant to say that or not but I love it and am going to always refer to it like this from now on.

Suikoden II's war battles are my favourites too, like Nikisaur said they're TRPGesque and I'm a sucker for a good TRPG. Granted they can be frustrating when trying to damage a highly powered unit like Luca's or Yuber's but there's not too much else in the way of challenge to them so it doesn't bother me too much personally.
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Aerolithe Lion
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Aerolithe Lion »

I love SRPGs, but this didn't really remind me of one. I found this involving the random factor much more than SI. Groups with 15 attacks taking 5+ attempts to hurt a group with 12 defense, groups with 7 attack cutting through higher defense groups like butter. I ended up just building 2 supergroups and keeping all my other parties in the back corner because I didn't want to keep resetting due to RNG killing my SoDs.
Suikoden III had it too much like normal battles, didn't like it.
I like that what you build for throughout the game is rewarded in random battles, even the idiosyncrasies like element affinity, gear, and skill levels affect it, as opposed to arbitrary stats given to everyone. And in 1 and 3, every encounter has some level of outcome, as opposed to getting into a 'miss, miss, miss' streak.

I realize it's all just subjectivity.
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sticky-runes
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by sticky-runes »

Too bad there's characters that we know and Konami knows we know them. Lotte, Marie, Cleo, Pahn, Alen, Grenseal, Tesla, etc. Why don't they have portraits?
probably so we don't get our hopes up about recruiting them again... :wink: It would have been nice, though. Seeing those characters with updated portraits.
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Piisuke
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Piisuke »

sticky-runes wrote:
Too bad there's characters that we know and Konami knows we know them. Lotte, Marie, Cleo, Pahn, Alen, Grenseal, Tesla, etc. Why don't they have portraits?
probably so we don't get our hopes up about recruiting them again... :wink: It would have been nice, though. Seeing those characters with updated portraits.
We didn't recruit Lepant either, but he had an updated portrait and other than giving and all he really did was give the Blinking Mirror and give us the option to recruit Kasumi or Valeria.

Sure, more important to the plot than, say Lotte, but, it would've been nice.
One of the things I liked most was to see Viktor and Flik older, as well as the other characters, like Meg, Hix and Tengaar, etc.

Plus, I'm sure we all wanted to go to Toran Castle as soon as Varkas (another missing portrait) took us to Gregminster.
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Nikisaur
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Nikisaur »

Whether or not Jowy thought of it wasn't really mypoint, because as he was the general in charge, he would take the credit, resulting in his rise in the ranks. One of the best things about Suikoden 2 is seeing what is important for the enemy's politics as well as your own army's triumphs :)
Piisuke wrote:We didn't recruit Lepant either, but he had an updated portrait and other than giving and all he really did was give the Blinking Mirror and give us the option to recruit Kasumi or Valeria.
He was a town leader though, who all have character portraits whether or not they're recruitable.
The only thing Suikoden lacks...is dinosaurs.
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Piisuke
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Piisuke »

I don't think stature explains who gets a face. Remember, Two River City? The leader of the Winged didn't have a portrait. Neither did the mayor of Forest Village.

Lepant had a portrait, because it was Lepant. I'm just disappointed that there's a lot of characters with a name in their speech bubble, but not a portrait to go with it.

As for Jowy, I've seen too many people credit Jowy for taking Greenhill, forgetting that Leon Silverburg was his tactician and he had Seed and Culgan, as well as the aid of Yuber. Not aiming this specifically to you, but I've seen Jowy "fanboys" go bonkers about how smart Jowy is.
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Nikisaur
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Nikisaur »

Well, Forest Village was completely irrelevant to the plot. As far as I'm aware, you don't have to go there at all throughout the game. Rokkaku is the same deal, Hanzo doesn't have a portrait either.

You're right about the Winged Horde leader. Suzu? She should have had a portrait. Even though she was quite a minor character in the game and the Two River society. Maybe they didn't know how to draw a female winger? >.<

I disagree with the statement that Lepant had a portrait only because he was Lepant, though. I can't imagine they would have the leader of an entire nation without a portrait, regardless of whether they were a reoccurring character or not.
The only thing Suikoden lacks...is dinosaurs.
Sylo
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Sylo »

Piisuke wrote: One of the things I liked most was to see Viktor and Flik older, as well as the other characters, like Meg, Hix and Tengaar, etc.
How much different do you expect these characters to look in a mere three years? :/
"You will never be strong if you consider yourself weak" - Cleo, Suikoden
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Nikisaur
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Nikisaur »

Piisuke just said it was cool to see them again :)
The only thing Suikoden lacks...is dinosaurs.
Sylo
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Sylo »

Nikisaur wrote:Piisuke just said it was cool to see them again :)
Wow..just re-read. I was really tired when I posted, so I guess I messed up, I apologise :P
"You will never be strong if you consider yourself weak" - Cleo, Suikoden
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Twilight Sky
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Twilight Sky »

Piisuke wrote:
The battle with Luca was also epic. His strength is very impressive.

Yeah. I have very high respect for Luca Blight. When people on gaming forums talk about tough bosses, I always thrown in Luca. Topics on tough bosses just feel so incomplete without a Luca mention. Heck, his personality and insanely sinister plots was a nice build up to the encounter with him.

Most bosses don't scare me..but this guy makes me worry. Especially if he decides to rape your entire front row first THEN follow it up with his slashing attack, and should he manage to take a 3rd turn, one or many is going to die. Sweat drop battle if I ever experienced one.

But, I liked it when your attacked by Lucia in your bedroom. That was a serious WTF moment there.

Man I miss the Suikoden Team..
Sylo
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Re: Playing Suikoden II

Post by Sylo »

Twilight Sky wrote:Man I miss the Suikoden Team..
We all do, they seriously dropped the ball after II...
"You will never be strong if you consider yourself weak" - Cleo, Suikoden
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