...Since it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that a sequel to Suikoden is coming, how can Konami improve on the original without losing that wonderful feel of the first game. The original was a wonderful adventure of growing up, accepting your fate and making the most of it. Of finding your own way despite the obstacles ahead of you, and of doing what you know in your heart is right. It had one of the best RPG soundtracks I've ever heard. The graphics were mediocre at best, but were still good enough to convey the emotions of the characters when it was necessary. The gameplay was traditional menu based random encounters, but Konami added a few twists to liven things up. they had large army battles based on a simple strategy system that consisted mainly of analyzing your opponents strenths and countering that. It wasn't too complicated, but added a nice twist to the ending of each section of the game. They also added one-on-one battles that were excellent. There weren't enough of them IMO, and only one was a real challenge. The one-on-one battles were mainly decided by guessing your opponent's attack based on what they say prior to an attack.
Now how can Konami improve on this without losing what made Suikoden so special. Let's start with the least important aspect, graphics. I hope they keep it completely 2D like the first game, but I definitely want some improvements. With Castlevania: SotN and FFTactics, developers can no longer use the PSX's lack of RAM as an excuse. Very good 2D is possible on it, as was evidenced by recent games. Good developers skoff at hardware limitations. The idea of detailed 2D sprites in a 3D world wouldn't hurt. The 3D backgrounds would allow for better sprite graphics. I'd love the one-on-one bttle graphics to look like a Street Fighter game. Certainly not SF3, but they certainly could do something on par with Super Street Fighter 2 or SF2Turbo without too much difficulty. I don't mind if the sprites are small, as long as they are well drawn and have plenty of animation. What needs the biggest graphical improvement from the first are the large army battles. A 3D setting with 2D sprites would work very nice with moving camera angles and larger characters. It would be nice to actually see two full armies going at it rather than 20 little blobs running around in circles ^_^.
On to the storyline. I don't really have too many ideas for it. From what I've heard, it will be a brand new storyline in which you play the empire and try to stop an assault by a neighboring empire. I'd like to see a whole new cast rather than a pure sequel (..no more Gremio, please) with a few carry-overs. Seeing Flik and Victor back would be awesome. Maybe as generals in one of the empires. And they should resolve the Pesmerga/Yuber situation, or maybe explain what led up to it. Otherwise, I just hope it's as warm, fuzzy, sad, dramatic and uplifting as the original. Fewer characters would also be nice, as well as a longer quest. That way more characters could be developed fully. 108 characters is an interesting idea, but basically just a gimic in so short a game. If you used more than 20 characters total during one playing, it became a bit ridiculous leveling and sharpening weapons and re-equipping everyone.
Now, gameplay. The original's menu based gameplay was just fine. The game wasn't all that difficult, but you could get your butt whipped if you weren't careful. They have to change the inventory system though. Equipping and un-equipping all the time is a bit ridiculous. Everybody shares, everybody's happy. Everyone should be a communist in an RPG =) What needs the most improvement is the large battle system. It's nice, but far too simple. Mainly just guessing as to what your opponent will do unless you have a ninja. If you found all the ninjas, it was no contest. Just a little more strategy would really help. Maybe a less complicated version of Dragon Force. A simple turn based system that uses the grouping system of the first, but which allows for longer battles that rely on strategic thinking rather than guessing or using spies. You have your charging troops near the front lines engaging with your opponent, flanked by archers that rain arrows down and magic users that attack or protect. Just a bit more complexity is all I ask. The one-on-one battles are fine. Just put more in and make them harder. They could tweak them a bit with new attacks and defenses, but it isn't necessary. Just have more of them, and with more characters getting into them besides the main character. The best one-on-one in the first game was Teo vs. Pahn. Mainly because it wasn't the hero you were controlling and because you were really over-matched. One screw-up and you were dead meat. But it was possible to win, and it felt awesome when you did. That's what all of them should feel like.
As for the music, just get the same people to do the second one. The first was near perfect. Every song fit every moment just right, and the whole soundtrack was very cohesive. It just felt right every time. And the battle music was the least annoying I've heard in awhile. Whether it was because of its subtlety or because the game was so short, I don't know. But it never bothered me the way FFVII's and Wild Arm's did.
In summary, they should keep it the same but just blow everything up. Make it bigger and better without losing the essence of what made it so much fun.
Wow ^_^!
